Daily Bible Studywith SEEDS OF THE KINGDOM
Updated: Sunday, 8 November 2009, 9:00 (GMT)
8 June 2009 | Unquenchable Thirst
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Where can I go and meet with God?Psalm 42:1-2, NIV
Notes
The deer’s life depended on water, especially when pursued by hunters. In the frantic chase, the desperate deer panted and looked for refreshing water to quench its thirst. In his effort to escape the enemy chasing him, the psalmist felt distant from God. His longing for God’s presence was deep. It was a thirst nothing else could satisfy.The psalmist is in exile. He looks back to better days when he could go to the temple and meet with God, and join in the procession of God’s people. In his present circumstances he is unable to seek intimacy with God in the places where he had done so in the past. He is downcast, sad and oppressed by his enemy.
One of Satan’s favourite tactics is to oppress God’s people and rob them of their joy. He wants to do this so that he can steal from the believer their God-given capacity to be a light shining in a dark world. Oppression and sadness are companions, the opposite of freedom and joy.
The first way of dealing with enemy oppression is to put our hope in God and let Him turn any tendency to give in to despair or defeat into longing for Himself. The second way of dealing with enemy oppression is to rise up, stand against the enemy and, in the name of Jesus, to declare that we refuse to be under his oppression any longer.
The psalmist longed for a familiar place to meet with God. Today, just where you are, He is close beside you, ready to satisfy the deepest longings of your heart.
Prayer
Thank you, Father, for the way into your presence through the Lord Jesus. Please increase within me a longing for You, and give me grace to stand today against the oppression of the enemy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.Today's Writer
Margaret Silvester had a career as a teacher prior to being called into full time Christian Ministry with her husband, David, in 1986. They were involved in establishing a Healing Ministry in the local church and Margaret has a passion to see lost and wounded people found and restored. She and her husband joined the Ellel Ministries teaching and ministry team in 2000 after a clear call from God.
The views expressed in the word on the web Bible studies may not reflect the editorial views of Christian Today.
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Bible Study Archive
- 6 November 2009 | Carried in loving arms
- 5 November 2009 | Anger
- 4 November 2009 | Troubled Hearts
- 3 November 2009 | Jealousy
- 2 November 2009 | Persevere in Service
- 1 November 2009 | The Blessing of a Godly Rebuke
- 31 October 2009 | Reputation or Character
- 30 October 2009 | Strangers no more
- 29 October 2009 | Doing things my way or God’s way
- 28 October 2009 | How Firm is Your Anchor?
- 27 October 2009 | Chosen to bear fruit
- 26 October 2009 | From Obscurity to Glory
- 25 October 2009 | Small in Size, Big in Influence!
- 24 October 2009 | How to Shrink your Problems
- 23 October 2009 | A Different Message
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