PADDING
Eighth Night of Chanukah
The Maccabees fought against flesh and blood enemies, and God empowered their victory. Behind this ancient physical battle, spiritual forces were trying to destroy the Jewish people from whom the promised Messiah would come. Those same spiritual forces wage war against the Jewish people and Believers in Yeshua (Jesus) today. The Lord has empowered us to endure these spiritual battles and emerge victorious as well.
The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus [Messiah].” In Romans 8:37–39, he says that we are more than conquerors through Yeshua. No matter what we’re going through, we are the victors because nothing can separate us from His love and because of what Jesus has won for us – confidence in eternal life.
However, in our day-to-day lives, we may not recognize that spiritual forces could be behind our struggles. It’s easy to forget that we have an enemy continuously trying to lead us astray from truth and from living a fruitful, peaceful, joy-filled life.
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Our spiritual enemy is stealthy like that. So, the apostle Paul warned the Ephesian Believers to be aware, saying, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
Like God gave the Maccabees the strength to fight their physical battles and emerge victorious, He empowers us through the Holy Spirit to live victorious lives here on Earth. Paul explained that there is something we can – and must – do to experience daily victory in these spiritual battles, and that is putting on the whole armor of God.
God’s holy armor consists of truth, righteousness, the Gospel of peace, faith, and our salvation. These make up our defensive gear, protecting us from the enemy’s attacks. Our offensive weapon is the Word of God, which He has given us to wield as a sword to strike down the assault of lies, temptations, anxiety, doubt and our forgetting that the fullness of eternal life awaits us through our salvation. Putting on this full array of battle gear empowers us to stand against the devil’s schemes. (See Ephesians 6:10–17.)
Are you going through spiritual battles? Stand strong in the Lord, remembering that “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (Isaiah 40:29). Put on the armor God has provided you. Strengthen yourself with the power of His Word. And remember that nothing can take away the victory Yeshua has already won for you. You are more than a conqueror. You are already victorious in Messiah.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus [Messiah].
1 Corinthians 15:57
Shine a Light
Give a Gift of Gelt
The story of Chanukah is a story of a miracle...God’s miracle in providing light for eight days with oil that was only enough to last a single day.
Each day of Chanukah this year, you can give a gelt offering that shines the love of Jesus to Jewish people around the world. Your gifts throughout Chanukah — clean drinking water, medical care, the Good News and more — will demonstrate your commitment to reaching our Jewish brothers and sisters with the Gospel. Would you consider giving the following gift today?
Give $500 to provide clean water and Living Water for an entire community
For an extra-generous gift of $500, you can provide clean water to an entire community! But that’s not all. When you give clean water, you also share the gift of Living Water – the Good News and eternal hope of Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah!
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Light the Candles with Your Family
Place eight candles in the chanukiah tonight, setting them in the holders at the far right and placing them from right to left. As you light the Shamash, or Servant Candle, recite the Messianic Jewish Chanukah blessings:
Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and has given us Yeshua the Messiah, the Light of the World.
Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, who has performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time.
Using the Shamash, light the Chanukah candles in the opposite direction from which you placed them in the holders, according to the Jewish custom of honoring the newest first. Light them from left to right. Return the Shamash to its place. Let the candles go out on their own. They should burn for at least half an hour.
