Be On Guard — Founded on the Bible

Genesis 15:9-11 NLT

The LORD told him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” So Abram presented all these to him and killed them. Then he cut each animal down the middle and laid the halves side by side; he did not, however, cut the birds in half. Some vultures swooped down to eat the carcasses, but Abram chased them away.

God told Abram to make a covenant by offering sacrifices. This covenant would also apply to his descendants, the future nation of Israel. The heifer was to remove everything contaminated by death and fill it with the life of God (Full of Life). The goat was for the forgiveness of unintentional sins (Hindsight is 20/20). The ram was for the cleansing of unintentionally defiling the Holy Land (Get Clean). The turtledove and the pigeon were reminders to be compassionate towards the poor (Compassion).

God’s Words to Abram outlined his destiny and placed a dream in his heart. Eager to make covenant with God, Abram prepared the carcasses for sacrifice. But, as soon as he laid out the offerings, vultures attempted to eat them. Isn't that just typical? Abram wasn't going to let anything keep him from fulfilling his part of the covenant. He diligently guarded his offerings and held on to his destiny, his dream, and his inheritance.

Many of us are familiar with the parable of the sower recorded in Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8. It begins with a farmer planting seed. Some of the batches landed on a footpath. The ground was hard from the pounding of feet, the grinding of wheels, and constant use. As the seeds could not penetrate the soil, birds devoured them all. Privately, the disciples asked Jesus for the meaning of His allegory. Jesus explained that the farmer represented the one sharing the Word of God to others. The seed represented the Word and the soil on the footpath represented the condition of the hearts of the people who heard it. The birds represented Satan who comes immediately to steal the Word from the hearts of the people. These people rejected the Word that was shared with them.

The vultures eyed those carcasses the day Abram prepared those offerings. Swirling overhead, they viciously tried to devour the animals (each symbols of a promise), but Abram fought them off. He would not allow Satan to steal the Word of God, kill his destiny and his dream, or destroy the inheritance God promised him.

Thank God for Abram! He is the ‘Father of our Faith’. Like Abram, we must guard God's promises. When Satan targets us and attempts to steal those promises from our hearts, fight him off! Guard God’s promises, fulfill your destiny, live your dream, and protect your inheritance! Believe God’s Words and watch them produce many times over.

John 10:10 NLT, “The thief’s purpose (satan) is to steal and kill and destroy.”

Let’s Pray:

Father,

everything You promise us is wonderful. But, we must be willing to fight in order to keep those promises. We have an enemy and he hates our guts. Help me to be diligent in guarding those promises. Help me not to allow an opportunity for Satan to steal my destiny, kill my dreams, or destroy my inheritance. In Jesus Name, Amen.