Song of Solomon 2:15 NKJV
“Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.”
INSIGHT
-Foxes are distinct, small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals which belong to several genera of the family Canidae. They move swiftly and silently as they often come and go unnoticed. In the main verse, foxes are viewed as destructive, as they destroy the tender vines fruits. Foxes can be compared to secret sin that hinder our growth and fruitfulness. Galatians 5:19-21 reminds us that, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” These destructive little foxes barricade the move of the Holy Spirit in us and His purpose for our lives. These are sins that hide in one’s thoughts, heart that manifest through evil speech and through actions. Jesus tells us in John 15:1-2 that, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” Jesus is the true Vine and calls us to abide in Him so that we may bear fruit. He prunes every weathered branch that appears like a little fox that hinders and destroys our progress. Once we believe in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us and imparts in us His fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, that helps us to walk in the spirit so that we may not gratify the desires of the flesh.
PRAYER
This is the day that You have made Lord, we rejoice and are glad in it. Lord our God we thank You for enabling us to see this new week in peace. We appreciate You for Your perfect love for us. Your love for us never changes, we thank You and praise Your name. You are the same Lord yesterday, today and forever. May You remove all the little foxes in our hearts, and minds and wash us with Your precious blood. Purge us with hyssop so that we may become as white as snow, merciful Savior. You are our good God and everlasting Father. Thank You Father for making it possible for our children, brothers and sisters to sit for their final exams. We pray that Your divine favor will be upon them, that You may enable them to prosper and have good success. We pray for Your intervention in their revision and exams that You may fill them with Your gift of knowledge, understanding and wisdom, and impart in them the spirit of excellence, so that they may excel in their final assessment. Lord You are able to lift even those who are downcast and anxious, to become the heads and not the tails, the first and not the last. May You increase in them faith in You even as they receive their results, they will glorify Your holy name. Lord may You heal all those who are sick amongst us, for healing is like children’s bread for those who believe in You. May You heal all the broken marriages and relationships by Your merciful love dear Master. Lord You are so faithful to save, may You hear us and answer our deepest hearts desires according to Your divine purpose. We adore You Lord and glorify Your name. Amen
Further reading: Psalms 51:1-12
Judges 15:4-5 NKJV
“Then Samson went and caught three hundred foxes; and he took torches, turned the foxes tail to tail, and put a torch between each pair of tails. When he had set the torches on fire, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burned up both the shocks and the standing grain, as well as the vineyards and olive groves.”
INSIGHT
-Sometimes foxes move together in leashes or skulks, other times they move alone while hunting. Samson possibly captured the three hundred foxes in skulks, which we much admit was not an easy task. Samson adopted an artful contrivance to fix the brands to the foxes in pairs, because their efforts to run different ways, or not directly in the same track, would lessen their speed, and keep them longer in the places where they were to do execution. It would also prevent the foxes from running into their holes, and from expatiating further than he intended for his design was to consume only the corn of the Philistines, and not that of the Israelites, which was secured by this precaution. Foxes can run upto 72km/h making them one of the fastest animals. Samson was successful in his mission having carefully observed the characteristics of the fox, and the hand of God was with him having acquired strength from God. The Lord may use a situation, people, animals or actual foxes to orchestrate a plan that will cause your success in a specific mission. God is reliable and full of wisdom, He can order anything for your victory, that will bring glory and honor to Him.
PRAYER
Father in the name of Jesus we come before Your throne of grace this day. We thank You for all You have done for us all through the year. You have been our Ebenezer this far and our strong tower. If it wasn’t for Your grace and mercy Lord, we wouldn’t be where we are today. You have lifted us and helped us in our times of need. We come before You to say thank you. Thank You for Your grace, Your love, providence and peace. You have done so much for us that we cannot tell it all. Thank You our Papa for this far. Today may You ignite Your fire in our hearts that will consume all the works of the enemy working in our lives that doesn’t please You, and does not bring glory and honor to Your name. May You light up the fire of the Holy Ghost upon us and take us deeper in You, oh Lord. May You make a way for us even where there seems to be no way. May You increase us in wisdom, knowledge and understanding that we implement new ideas and projects. May You open supernatural doors for us to succeed in the purpose for which You have called us Abba Father. May You remember all our children undertaking their final exams that You may open doors of victory for them, for the glory and honor of Your name. Amen
Further reading: Philippians 2:13-14, Isaiah 43:19
Psalms 63:7-10 AMP
“For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings [where I am always protected] I sing for joy. My soul [my life, my very self] clings to You; Your right hand upholds me. But those who seek my life to destroy it Will [be destroyed and] go into the depths of the earth [into the underworld]. They will be given over to the power of the sword; They will be a prey for foxes.”
INSIGHT
-David confided in the Lord during a season of difficulty either probably during Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 15:23), or in the course of king Saul’s pursuit. David expressed an earnest desire for God’s favor, and a confident expectation of realizing it in his deliverance and the ruin of his enemies. The use of foxes here is not very clear since they mostly feed on rodents, rabbits and birds, and are not dangerous to humans, except when they are rabid, which is very rare, or when they are captured and handled. David expresses safety in the Lord and denotes exposure to harm for those who pursue him. Sometimes we are exposed to danger, panic, fear, hopelessness or anxiety, about certain situations. We are reminded rely on the Lord for the safety and let Him fight our battles.
PRAYER
Oh Lord You are my God. Early will I seek You. My soul thirsts for You. My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Your lovingkindness is better than life. My lips shall praise You. I will bless You while I live. I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You. Your right hand upholds me. Those who seek my life, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth, they shall fall by the sword, they shall be a portion for foxes. You are my God, my Protection and my Salvation, my Shield and my Fortress, my God in whom I put my trust. Some trust in horses, others trust in chariots, but I put my trust in You Lord. You are my Protector whenever I go and when I come in. You protect us from evil and blood thirst people, who do not follow after Your heart. May You protect our continent from those who invade to take over our businesses and leadership, with an agenda of ruling over Africa and making it an Islamic nation. You are our Sovereign God and none can compare to You. Only You Lord know the desires of men, may You fight for us all our battles during the day and at night to make us great and victorious always for the glory and honor of Your name. All our hope and trust is in You dear Jesus. May You protect us from all the plans of the enemy to rule over us and cause us shame. We exult You Lord Jesus and bless Your name for You are with us, now and forever. Amen
Further reading: Deuteronomy 20:4, Romans 8:31
Ezekiel 13:4-8 NKJV
“O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The Lord says,’ but I have not spoken.” Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord God.”
INSIGHT
-Prophet Ezekiel compares the prophets to foxes denoting their mischief and lack of concern towards the state of the nation of Israel. As the foxes find their home in desolated cities (Lamentations 5:18); but many extend the simile to the undermining of the ground by the foxes, as these prophets accelerated the ruin of their people. They did not address pertinent issues as God directed but propagated falsehood and deceit. Their hearts were not geared towards serving the people but themselves. This was also evident during the time of prophet Micaiah who told the truth regarding the conquest between the kings of Israel and Judah, and the king of Syria. When the four hundred (400) prophets declared victory in taking over Ramoth-gilead to king Ahab, Micaiah saw a vision of Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep without a shepherd (1 Kings 22:17). When a nation lacks prophets who speak the truth from God but follow after their own interests, the nation is vulnerable to attack, defeat and failure. Let us remember to pray for our nation, that God’s truth and righteousness may dwell with His people and His purpose may come to pass.
PRAYER
We give glory to You Lord our Most High God for making us see this new month.We thank You for You have journeyed with us throughout the entire year. We praise You for You have done great things in our lives, families and nation. In You we have assurance and confidence even for the months and years to come. We rejoice in Your goodness in the land of the living in Jesus name. We celebrate the victories and chastening throughout the year. We rejoice in You Abba Father for You are always faithful even when we become faithless. We pray for all Your prophets in Kenya and all other nations that they may only speak the truth that comes from You. May they do Your will without compromise. May they prophecy only that which comes from You. We pray for Your wise counsel to reign in our nation and our leadership. May Your will be done in our nation as it is in heaven. May all our leaders follow after Your own heart dear Jesus and not after their own hearts which might be deceitful and desperately wicked. May they humble themselves before You Lord and You will hear our cry and heal our land. May You forgive us dear Jesus for all evil that we have done and heal our land. May You wash us with Your precious blood and liberate us from every evil schemes of the enemy. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now, and forever more. Amen
Further reading: 1 Kings 22:1-40