WHO IS YOUR KING?

In the movie “War Room” Ms. Clara tells Elizabeth that she allows the devil to steal her joy. 

Have you ever allowed the devil to steal your joy?

During the days of Jesus’s birth King Herod heard the news.  He was a bad evil man.  He was the devil of that time.  He was brutal and wanted all control.  He would murder if he felt he made him higher on the throne. 

When the Wise men were headed to see Baby Jesus they told Herod they were going to see the baby that would be the King of the Jews. 

Herod was infuriated.  He wants to get rid of Jesus.  He was so paranoid he sent and killed all the children less than two years of age.  He was in hopes to be rid of the newborn king. 

Have you ever had a Herod in your life?  Someone or something that represented the evil lurking in the shadows?  It kills and steals your peace? 

During this time in the bible the world was in complete chaos, much like the world is today.  Herod was the sign and symbol of evil.  Herod hasn’t disappeared today.  Herod comes in many forms.  Evil is still located within the hearts of some.  When it is time for it to grow it will. 

There is only one who can remove the evil from our hearts and keep the Herod's of the world from destroying and killing us. 

Jesus is the one the only one that can remove evil from the world.  He is the one we go to get rid of the Herod in our lives. 

As Elizabeth walked around in her home she proclaimed that Jesus resided over her residence.  She had a talk with the devil.  She told him,

“You have played with my mind and had your way long enough.  No more YOU ARE DONE! My joy doesn’t come from my friends.  It doesn’t come from my job.  It doesn’t even come from my husband.  My joy is found in Jesus and just in case you forgot.  He has already defeated you.”

Herod is present today. All around you is evil.  It is your choice what you choose to live with, peace or evil. 

 Who is your king going to be?  Jesus our savior or the evil Herod’s of the world? 

Say to the Herod’s like Elizabeth did, “YOU ARE DONE!  JESUS IS IN CHARGE HERE!”

Matthew 2New International Version (NIV)

The Magi Visit the Messiah

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for out of you will come a ruler

    who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.