ENEMIES OF THE FAMILY: HATRED
Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional, February 17, 2024, by Dr. D.K. Olukoya: Enemies of the Family: Hatred
Topic: Enemies of the Family: Hatred (Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, MFM Devotional, February 17, 2024)
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 25, Numbers 26, Numbers 27, 1 Corinthians 9, 1 Corinthians 10, 1 Corinthians 11
MFM Devotional for Today 2023 MESSAGE:
The opposite of love is hatred, therefore, anything love can do can be undone by hatred. 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 says, “Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. And verse 13: “But the greatest of these is love.”
2 Corinthians 13:13 says that love is the greatest. With love, a family can win any battle facing it. Families work to support one another because of the love that exists between them. Unity in the family helps it to stand firmly against any foe, and greatness can only be achieved through love.
The family of Isaac in the Bible was torn apart due to a lack of love. The twin sons of the family were at loggerheads because of hatred. Esau burned with so much hatred that he wanted to kill his brother Jacob. Jacob ran away from home, and the two brothers were separated for many years, and in those years, none made meaningful progress until they were able to resolve their issues. Even before the rift between the two brothers, their parents, Isaac and Rebekah, loved Esau because of his venison, while Rebekah favoured Jacob more than Esau.
This situation of lack of true love for one another started the dysfunctionality before the final straw that broke the camel’s back was when Jacob, with their mother’s support, stole his brother’s birth right. The strife in the family took its root in hatred. Such wouldn’t have been the case if love took center stage in their lives as a family.
God is love, and hatred is of the devil. You cannot claim to love God, whom you cannot see, when you do not love your brother or sister, whom you can see. To avoid hatred, strife, and trouble in the family. Parents should teach love and exemplify it for their children. They should also avoid favouritism among their children.
Click here for previous messages by Dr. D.K. Olukoya.
MEMORY VERSE: “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 97:10 (KJV)
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES: Hatred destroys peace of mind. Depart from it.
PRAISE AND WORSHIP:
Take praise and worship songs as led by the Holy Spirit.
PROPHETIC WORD FOR TODAY: I DECREE THAT ANY EVIL ASSIGNED AGAINST YOU AND YOUR FAMILY OUT OF HATRED SHALL DIE IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
Fire Scripture: Genesis 27:35–43 (KJV)
35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.
36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?
37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him; and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above;
40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob?
42 And these words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban, my brother to Haran;
Also read: MFM Devotional, February 16, 2024: Enemies of the Family—Envy
PRAYER POINTS:
MORNING
- I reject every spirit of hatred in my family, in the name of Jesus.
- O Lord, deliver me and my family from the attack of the wicked, in the name of Jesus.
- Any power that hates the existence of my family should die in the name of Jesus.
EVENING
- Any power that hates to see progress in my family should die, in the name of Jesus.
- Any power promoting failure in my family should die in the name of Jesus.
- Let the enemy fall into any pit that they are digging for my family, in the name of Jesus.
- My family shall not be ashamed, in the name of Jesus.
Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept you as my Lord and personal Saviour. I believe in my heart that you died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank you, Lord, for saving me, in Jesus name, Amen.
Content Credit / MFM Daily Devotional.
Picture Credit / https://depositphotos.com/illustration/family-time
