And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. (Genesis 15:11)
Seeking Soul, as you begin to discern the voice of God, as you get deeper into an intimate experience of The Divine encounter, in prayer and fasting, you must be ready for battle. There is a battle coming! Yes, be reminded, that:
…the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:4-6)
In Genesis 14, Abram has just come from engaging in a physical battle. He got a report that his nephew Lot was taken captive as a slave by enemy forces. He manages to marshal a team and rescue his family from the enemy. He is unaware that this physical battle was preparing him for a more significant spiritual encounter that would determine his destiny.
Seeking Soul, beyond the pains of hunger that you are beginning to gradually overcome, despite overcoming the moments of isolation in your wilderness experience, above rejecting the competing voices and succeeding to listen to Christ, The True Shepherd, there is a battle coming you must be ready to conquer.
Genesis 15, Abraham is confronted by a great enemy, the “self.” God confirms to him that He is his Shield, Abraham’s exceedingly great reward. The narrator indicates that Abraham contends God’s offer; he is not satisfied that God is offering himself as a gift. Abram wants a tangible gift he can identify with and see with his naked eye. The Bible says:
But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed, one born in my house is my heir!” (Genesis 15:2,3)
Dear Seeking Soul, don’t you see how similar we can easily be trapped with the urgency of our interests in prayer until we fail to see God’s ultimate plan? Abram’s childlessness is glaring louder to him than the company of God, who has promised to be with him always. What urgent matters are more important to you than an encounter with God?
God assures Abram that his slave will not be his heir but that Abram shall get his son and inherit the land he was promised. Abraham demands confirmation from God to be given an assurance of inheritance, now that he had no son at all. To settle the score, God invites Abram to a covenant-signing agreement. Abraham must prepare the sacrifice and cut it into halves so that God may pass in between them. That was a joint cultural pact in those days when two parties were sealing a covenant.
The narrator does not tell us how long Abram waited for God to arrive at the covenant ground, but it took a while, and Abram had to “protect” his covenant and eventually got so tired that he fell asleep. Seeking Soul, was this deliberate to test Abram on whether he was patient enough to wait on God? No one knows, BUT The Bible says, “…And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.” (Genesis 15:11)
Seeking Soul, you are about to seal a pact with God, but the “vultures” won’t let you go through; drive the “vultures” away!
Oh, Soul, your way is coming on God’s way, and you must wait patiently because God has promised His Prescence, and you are not alone, drive the “vultures” away!
These “vultures” that threaten your covenant with God must be kept away if the deal with God will have to come through. How patient are you to fight this battle until God appears? Yes, for Abram “…And it came to pass, when the sun went down, and it was dark, that behold, a smoking oven and a burning torch appeared between those pieces. 18 On the same day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram…”
Seeking Soul, your battle against self is won by patience. The Bible says…
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)
Dear Soul, as you encounter God in prayer and fasting, how is the “self” coming in the way of your encounter with God?
Wow, I like how you have put it”this Vultures that threaten our covenant with God must be put away”. Many a time we find friends or colleagues offering to buy lunch or a snack during the fasting period.We must withstand and honor our vows and fast to the end.Thanks Pastor.
Hahahah…. am laughing crazy in my office because I have just come from a meeting somewhere, where a lunch feast was being served. Oh my goodness the smell of those potatoes during a season of prayer and fasting; I would not blame “Esau” for selling his birthright… Yes! Well put Agnes the “vultures” sometimes come at our points of desperation. Beyond food are other appetities we wrestle with that sound more convenient and demanding our attention, we must safeguard the spirit against such.