2Kings 18 & 19

Here we see Jerusalem besieged; the enemy surrounds it. The messengers from the king of Assyria shout their message in Hebrew, so that not only Hezekiah and his generals get the message, but also the soldiers who are to defend Jerusalem. All of us experience the enemy besieging us from time to time. It is as if the enemy is everywhere. A pure and clean life and mind, is like a fortress where we may hide. Each of us has a soul, which is worth more than all the riches of this world. The devil knows it and will attack anyone, however big or small. We can lose our possessions, friends, reputation, etc., but we dare not lose our soul.

The Assyrians first wanted to negotiate with Israel. That's when the devil is the most dangerous. In the book by John Bunyan, 'The holy war' (which can be downloaded here or here), we read of how the enemy broke through the eye and ear gates to take the city. A message is sent to the King that one of His cities has been taken. The King realised that it was extremely serious and sent His own Son with heaven's army to retake the city. So prince Emmanuel besieged the city. Appolyon was very crafty and sent a messenger to negotiate peace. First he bargained for half of the city and later on asked to be allowed to keep a single house in the city. But prince Emmanuel insisted that the whole city belonged to Him. Eventually Appolyon asked permission to visit the inhabitants of the city for just one week/year.

Do you know this compromising feats from the devil? You have surrendered everything in your life to Jesus, but there's just this one sin you fall into now and again; you don't live in that sin, but simply fall now and again. You know, there might even be a sin you're not aware of, but one day God reveals that sin to you, and then the temptation to compromise starts - Satan will tell you that that sin was always in your life and God lead you and blessed you. Why do you have to change now? The difference is that, now God has revealed it to you, and if you don't part with it, you will lose God's blessing and guidance.

Here we also see the king of Assyria offering them seemingly the same blessings they have. However, the difference is, they would have bowed under his hand. So too, spiritually, the devil will offer you seemingly the same blessings you currently enjoy with the aim of destroying your soul.

The messengers spoke in a language they understood. So too, when you're under pressure, the devil will speak to you in a language you understand. If you are in a financial strait, he might come to you and suggest that you needn't be so honest in business anymore. You could make more money and get out of your financial difficulties by devious business practices. Or, if you're a man and your marriage is going tough, he will bring just the right girl to you; she understands you, whereas your wife doesn't. Or, if you're a woman, there will be another man who cares so much about you, and an emotional bond comes between you, which does you just as much harm as blatant sexual immorality would have done.

What did Hezekiah do? He spread the letter open before the Lord. This is how you overcome. Do you bring everything to Christ? Or do you try to fight your battles alone. The devil knows that if he can get you to fight your battles alone, he has already won the war. Even in times of blessing you must always give God the glory, and not trust in yourself. Whether it be times of abundance, or difficulty, bring all to the Lord.

Some think, that when they're tempted, they can only come to God after the temptation. No, take the temptation to God.

See how Christ conquered when He was besieged! The fight was fought; the battle won. Christ has opened paradise. He hasn't called us to compromise, but to conquer, because He has conquered. When Christ was making his stand on the cross, He wasn't in defence, but in offence. He came down from heaven to create a base on earth from where to conquer this whole world from the power of satan. Some are constantly in defence, feeling sorry for themselves; but they haven't won one soul for Christ; they haven't spread Christ's light where they work. Are you in defence, or offence. May God help us, to fight, gain ground, and go forward together with Christ.