To defeat sin and restore Godly foundations, know first of all that sin wounds people. Follow Christ’s leadership in hating coveting, defrauding and stealing. Be filled with the Spirit to confront injustice, falsehood and profiteering, which opens the door to teach God’s word and restore His kingship and provision. Then His people are in position to trust God in shepherding the body of Christ and destroying spiritual enemies. This provides the context to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God for satisfaction and success. The spiritual maturity obtained enables one to pray with total confidence in God to defeat sin.
Know Sin Wounds People and Destroys Godly Foundations
God told Micah during the reigns of Judah’s kings including Hezekiah a vision about Samaria and Jerusalem because of their sins. He made Samaria a heap of rubble, laid bare her foundations, broke idols and destroyed her images. Micah wept, went naked and moaned like an owl because her wound came to Judah and Jerusalem having no protection and relief. Aczib deceived Israel’s kings who were conquered and exiled (Micah 1:1-16). Know that sin wounds people and destroys godly foundations.
Follow Christ’s Leadership in Hating Coveting, Defrauding and Stealing
Those who plotted evil coveted others’ possessions and defrauded men of their inheritance. God planned disaster against them that led to ridicule and ruin so no one was in the assembly of the Lord. False prophets said they should not prophesy about these things. God’s word did good to those whose ways were upright. Stealing from the rich, taking homes from women and removing blessings from children became acceptable. God gathered the remnant of Israel like a flock with the Lord as their head (Micah 2:1-13). Follow Christ’s leadership in hating coveting, defrauding and stealing others’ possessions.
Be Filled with the Holy Spirit to Confront Injustice, Falsehood and Profiteering
God did not answer Israel’s leaders’ prayers who hated justice and took advantage of His people by doing evil. The prophets led His people astray proclaiming peace without visions or answers to their prayers. Micah was filled with power, God’s Spirit and justice to tell Jacob and Israel their sin. He warned leaders who despised justice, distorted what was right, build Jerusalem with bloodshed and wickedness, took bribes and profited by their ministries. Jerusalem became rubble and the temple hill was overgrown with thickets (Micah 3:1-12). Be filled with the Holy Spirit to confront injustice, falsehood and profiteering in ministry.
Teach God’s Word to Restore His Kingship, Strength and Provision
In the last days, the Lord’s temple would be established with people streaming to it as they were taught His ways and walked in His paths. God’s word would go out from Jerusalem to judge and settle disputes between many nations. They would beat their swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks without fear so they could follow God. He gathered the lame, assembled the exiles and those grieving as a strong remnant under the Lord’s rule. He would restore dominion and kingship to Jerusalem while redeeming them from their enemies according to His plan. He gave horns of iron and hoofs of bronze to break nations and used their wealth for the Lord (Micah 4:1-13). Teach God’s word to restore His kingship, strength and provision.
Trust God to Shepherd the Body of Christ and Destroy Spiritual Enemies
From small Bethlehem, a ruler over Israel would be born from days of eternity. He would shepherd His flock in the Lord’s strength in the name of God so they could live securely. His greatness would reach around the world as their peace. The remnant of Jacob would be among many nations like a lion among the beasts to triumph over enemies. God would destroy chariots, cities, strongholds, witchcraft and carved images so they could no longer cast spells and bow down to the work of their hands (Micah 5:1-15). Trust God to shepherd the body of Christ and destroy spiritual enemies.
Act Justly, Love Mercy and Walk Humbly with God for Satisfaction and Success
The Lord accused Israel of not knowing the Lord’s righteous acts. Should Micah come before the Lord with a burnt offering and would He be pleased with thousands of rams and 10,000 rivers of oil? He showed what was good by acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with God. The fear of the Lord and heeding the rod were wisdom. Sin caused ruin. They ate but not satisfied, stored up but saved nothing, planted but harvested nothing, pressed olives but used no oil and crushed grapes but drank no wine. They followed Ahab’s traditions to bear the scorn of nations (Micah 6:1-16). Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God for satisfaction and success.
Pray with Total Confidence in God to Defeat Sin
The godly were swept from the land with no righteous person left. All men shed blood, rulers demanded bribes and the powerful conspired and dictated their desires. They should put no confidence in a friend and be careful of their words since enemies were members of their household. He waited for God since He heard his prayer. He was Israel’s light, they bore God’s wrath because of sin and saw their enemies’ downfall. A day would come to build walls and extend boundaries with people coming to Israel from Assyria, Egypt and from sea to sea. God would show His wonders as they shepherded His people. Nations would be ashamed, deprived of power, feared Israel and turned to reverence God. No one was like Him who pardoned sin, forgave transgression and delighted to show mercy. God showed compassion, tread sins underfoot and hurled all their iniquities into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:1-20). Pray with total confidence in God to defeat sin.
To defeat sin and restore Godly foundations:
1. Know that sin wounds people
2. Follow Christ’s leadership in hating coveting, defrauding and stealing
3. Be filled with the Spirit to confront injustice, falsehood and profiteering
The above three items open the door to:
4. Teach God’s word and restore His kingship and provision Then His people are in position to:
5. Trust God to shepherd the body of Christ and destroy spiritual enemies
This provides the context to:
6. Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God for satisfaction and success
The spiritual maturity obtained enables one to:
7. Pray with total confidence in God to defeat sin.
