“Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord.”
Every morning, I get ready for work and gather all my things. I have some coffee in preparation for the day. I pack my workout bag. I make my lunch. I go through the plans for the day and feed the cats. I go and kiss my wife and tell her that I love her and will see her tonight. All this preparation is hinging on my truck starting and me driving to work. I prepared everything as if I know and have faith that my truck will start and I will go to work just like I have done many mornings in the past.
King Ahab is not a good king for Israel. His wife, Jezebel, is the ringleader of all the Baal worship. Elijah has just killed all the prophets of Baal not too long ago and Ahab was the one who told Jezebel about it. Well, now Ahab has another threat, his name is Ben-Hadad king of Aram. Ben devises a plan to attack Samaria with 32 other kings and all their horses, chariots, and men. They besiege Samaria and attack it. He then sends a message to Ahab, “Your silver and gold are mine, and best of your wives and children are mine.”
Ahab replies, “Just as you say, my lord the king, I and all I have are yours.” He completely rolls over and gives up like a coward. Ben sends a second message to Ahab telling him that he will be coming to inspect the palace and take everything.
Ahab finally summons all the officials of the kingdom and asks them what he should do. A little too late you might say but nevertheless, Ahab wants their advice. They tell him “Don’t listen to him or agree to his demands.” Ahab then sends Ben a message that he will not comply with the demands. Ben answers back and tells him he will destroy Israel into dust. He says, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.” Ahab fires back with, “Tell him: One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off.” All I have to say is DANG! Ben hears the message while he is getting drunk in the tents and orders the attack.
Then the Bible tells us that a prophet of God came to Ahab and tells him that the Lord will give this vast army into his hands. The prophet goes into great detail from the Lord on how this will play out and Ahab goes on see the Lord win the battle.
“Faith First” is the title of this devotional because it was not until Ahab displayed his faith first that the prophet of God came to him and told him what the Lord was going to do. Faith is the currency of heaven. It is how God’s hand moves. The Bible tells us that faith without works is dead. Acting on our faith paves the road to which God blesses us and answers our prayers. How long have you been like Ahab, giving into the demands of the enemy and believing that there is no way out the mess you are in?
Today, let us use faith in our speech and begin to speak life instead of death, healing instead of sickness, health instead of disease. God is waiting on you to exercise faith by speaking His promises first in the middle of your hardship. Declare what Mark 11:23 says, “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” God is waiting on you to be bold enough to faith out the Word of God and stand on what it says. Believe and see.
Prayer: Father, far too many times we let our circumstances define our speech and our character. Today, we declare that we have faith in your Word. It tells us that you have give us the power to loose and bind and heal the sick and bring down heaven based upon the promises in the Word of God. I pray that we start putting action to our faith and calling things in the middle of the storm as if they have already happened, believing in your Word oh Lord. In Jesus name, amen.
Let It Go 
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