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Intention

To encourage us that the Lord is near to us. He will never leave or forsake us.

Scripture

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.”

– Philippians 4:4–5

Reflection

“The Lord is at hand” means the Lord is nearby. He is always close to us – in times of trouble and peace.

John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare Israel for the coming of the Lord. He began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). Jesus Himself repeated these words (Matthew 4:17; 10:7).

God knows everything we do behind closed doors. So, separate yourself from the sins of this world (ungodly sexual desires, etc). Jesus is coming soon, and there is a time when He will separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31–46).

The good news is that everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ as their Saviour is born into God’s family as one of His children (John 1:12–13) and receives eternal life (John 5:24).

Just remember, you are a child of God. This means we have some pretty awesome DNA flowing through our veins. Do you know what that means?

It means we can overcome any challenge that comes our way and break free from any negative cycles from the past.

God has our backs, and there’s no limit to the amazing things He wants to do in our lives!

Do not dwell on past regrets or missed opportunities. Instead, focus on the future and the possibilities that lie ahead. Consider the plans that God has in store and the path that is set before you.

For example, one of my nephews was in the drug and sex industry. He went to work like usual as a fly-in, fly-out worker. He would spend two weeks at work. But then one week on drugs and sex.

One Friday, he rang me and asked me to pray for him. As usual, I did. But little did I know what was going to happen that night.

I received a call from my niece – his sister. She told me my nephew had gone missing in our hometown, Mandurah, “and we don’t know what to do”.

So, I started to pray and as I finished, my daughter rang. She told me that my nephew “is here and he is a mess. He asked if you are here. He wants to see you.”

I said, “Bring him over, and let my other daughter and her husband pray for him.”

Unbelievably, my nephew had tried to commit suicide three times. First, he had run in front of a truck. But the truck stopped just in time. Second, he held onto a car yard electrical fence – but nothing happened. Then lastly, he tried to hang himself – but the rope snapped.

The following Monday I returned to Mandurah. He was still at home waiting for me. He finally realised he was in a bad place and that the enemy was controlling his life.

To cut a long story short, my nephew received Christ as his Saviour and is now doing amazingly well. He is now sharing his testimony with young men here in Looma.

The reason I share this is because if you are stuck in drugs and sex, you can come through and know that Jesus loves you. He is with you and will never forsake you.

As it says in Deuteronomy 31:8, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Video

Prayer

Heavenly Father, the enemy has confused many people and led them away using drugs and sex. Instead of people worshipping You, they are chasing after drugs and sexual desires.

Lord, have mercy on them. Open their eyes to the truth and rescue them from the prison of addiction.

Many of them want to stop, but their desires seem too strong. They keep falling back into their addictive habits, and this has left them discouraged. Lord, uphold them with Your righteous right hand that they may stand firm and get clean.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Author Bio

Gloria Watkins was born in Tammin, a small wheat belt town in the central agricultural region of Western Australia. She is a descendant of the Noongar people, an Indigenous tribe from the southwest corner of Western Australia. She has six children and six grandchildren. Her ministry is called Shalom Ministries.

Prayer Points and Purpose for October 2024

1. Revival and restoration of sexual integrity to renew the individual, revitalise marriages, restore families and protect children. Hebrews 13:4
2. Revival, repentance and reformation of Australia. 2 Chronicles 7:14
3. Revival, repentance and reformation of America. 2 Chronicles 7:14
4. The Lamb that was slain may receive a reward for His suffering. Revelation 5:12

We invite you to support this prayer campaign by ordering your FREE copy of Break Through: 15 Keys to Supernatural Breakthrough, a book on prayer written by Warwick Marsh. Reading this book will multiply the effectiveness of your prayers. You can make a donation to the Canberra Declaration to help pay it forward and bless someone else to receive a free copy of Break Through.

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Daily devotions are brought to you by the Canberra Declaration.

View October 2024 Daily Devotionals: dailydeclaration.org.au/tag/sexual-integrity-2024

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