FAITH CAPSULE: Submit all to God, He will subdue all on your behalf.

1 Samuel 4:1-12  
 
It is possible to have God in your camp and you being camped out unto defeat.
1Samuel 4: 1-2, the Bible mentioned how the children of Israel suffered defeat in the hands of the Philistines. In that battle, about four thousand men of the army were recorded dead. The Bible recorded the response of the Israelites elders,“Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.” (1 Samuel 4:3) Indeed, the arrival of the ark in their camp was same as having God in their camp. With the arrival of the ark of the covenant of the Lord into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. (1 Samuel 4:5)The reaction of the arrival of the ark in the Israelites cam does not settle well with the Philistines because they were afraid. In their fear they acknowledge in their word by stating “God has come to the camp”. Nevertheless, the battle went on while Israel was defeated and great slaughter was recorded for Israel and the ark of God was captured. One will wonder how that could be when they were having God in their camp. With God in your camp, have you been facing defeat? If yes, there is a need that you check your distance from God. It could be that you are consciously or unconsciously far from Him by virtue of carelessness. He has sent His word that He will never leave us nor forsake us. In that particular battle that you are on the verge of losing, God is in your camp but you are out of camp away from Him.
The children of Israel had God in their camp but they have turned away from God. In the face of challenge they need a quick fix where they have not been fixing themselves right with God and His statutes.
It is written, “Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreth, and served the Lord only.”(1 Samuel 7:3-4)The children of Israel returned to the Lord God. 1 Samuel 7-13 documented how the Philistines were confused, pursued, and subdued. Above all, they restored all that the Philistines took away. Our battle is not lost, victory is not too late the requirement is to return and submit all to God, He will subdue all on our behalf.
 
Prayer for today:Ask for God’s grace to return you in full submission to God.