Colossians 3:2-3 says ‘Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.’

DAILY READING – •           1 Corinthians 15:1-34; 2 Kings 10; Micah 1

In April 70 CE, the Roman general, Titus, besieged Jerusalem. The siege of the city began on 14 April 70 CE, three days before the beginning of Passover that year. When the Romans had breached the final Jewish defenses, they invaded the city and massacred much of the remaining population. They also destroyed the Second Temple.

However history records that during this Roman destruction of Jerusalem no Christian was killed. The reason for this was because they had escaped to Pella (in modern Jordan). As the Roman armies began to advance towards Jerusalem, the disciples of Jesus were able to escape because of a warning Jesus had given them forty years earlier.

In Luke 21:20-22, Jesus speaking by the Holy Spirit warned His disciples about the things to come. He told them, ‘And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains;’. Though Jesus was speaking prophetically about the end of the age, He was also giving them insight of the impending doom.

The book “The Wars of the Jews” gives the account of prominent Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus who was witness to what happened. He wrote; ‘A few days after that feast.., before sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities”.

So as the Roman army began to surround Jerusalem, the disciples prompted by the Words of Jesus, fled from Judea across the Jordan River to the mountains of Pella. By divine guidance, they were able to escape the Roman invasion.

Indeed we need instruction to escape destruction. In a time of trepidation it takes divine guidance to escape every siege. Especially in the world today, we need to be be guided by God’s Word in order to escape the grip of fear and confusion holding many bound.

At this time the world desperately needs divine guidance. Obviously, all global experts put together have no answer to the world’s current dilemma. But the good news is God never runs out of solutions. He alone has the final say in every situation. This is why we need to focus on His Word.  Through focus on His Word we will receive His divine counsel on what to do to escape every demonic siege.

The disciples were able to escape destruction because their mind was focused on God’s Word. And Isaiah 26:3 says ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.’

Indeed when our mind is stayed on God, He will be committed to our peace, Focusing on the happenings in the world, will only keep you analyzing and reanalyzing situations until you end up fearful and frustrated. Therefore rather than focus on the problems let us focus on God’s promises. Instead of considering how big the problem let us consider how big our God is. God spoke the world into existence and flung the stars into space. He is the God of all flesh to whom nothing is impossible.

Let us therefore set our mind on things above and not on things on the earth. Looking at the happenings in the world, one can get easily distracted from the realities of the Spirit. We therefore need to keep our minds rightly focused on God’s Word. And as we spend time in praying and fasting in this season, we will be divinely guided by The Spirit on the right path. As Isaiah 30:21 says ‘And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.’

PRAYER: Lord please help me to keep my mind focused on Your Word. Please grant me the grace to avoid the many distractions of these end-times and rather build up my faith through diligent study of Your Word and fervent prayers in Jesus Name.

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God is preparing you for the season He prepared for your breakthrough WORDBITE 222