DCLM Daily Manna – 18 January 2026 Devotional Message Written By Pastor W.F Kumuyi
Read DCLM Daily Manna – 18 January 2026, Sunday Devotional Message.
TOPIC: His Battle, Not Yours
KEY VERSE:
“And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus says the LORD, Has thou seen all this great multitude? behold I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shall know that I am the Lord.” – (1 Kings 20:13).
SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Kings 20:12-21 (KJV)
DCLM Daily Manna – 18 January 2026 | MESSAGE
During World War II, the German offensive into southern Russia, in the summer of 1942, was initially successful, and the German sixth army, under General Friedrich von Paulus, was ordered to capture Stalingrad. Joseph Stalin, the Russian dictator, demanded the city be defended at all costs, and every available soldier and civilian was mobilised to defend the city. Stalingrad became the scene of months of intense street fighting, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. Soviet forces launched a counteroffensive in mid-November 1942, encircling the German army and its allies. After months of fierce fighting and heavy casualties, the surviving German forces, totalling around 91,000 soldiers, surrendered on February 2, 1943. This was a humiliating defeat to the proud Nazis.
Our text today, dwells on the war between Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and Syria. Israel was already under Syrian control, but at this instance, Benhadad, the Syrian king, had become overbearing because his forces, including thirty-two killed kings, were clearly superior to those of Israel. Although Ahab, king of Israel, had conceded many things, it came to a point that his elders counselled him to resist the excessive demands of Benhadad. The war with Syria became unavoidable, and Benhadad was already sure of the outcome. He relied on his large army and allied kings, and swore by his gods if he would not destroy Samaria. Our passage shows how Ahab defeated Benhadad in spite of his seeming superiority, as a prophet had said.
This encourages us to trust God, believe His prophets and never be intimidated by what we see. Eventually, God’s backing gave victory to Ahab’s 232 provincial princes and 7,000 persons over a larger Syrian and allied forces. We saw how pride and over-confidence led to the defeat and destruction of Benhadad’s forces. He was busy drinking himself to stupor, instead of preparing for battle. He was so confident of victory that he instructed that the Israelites should be captured alive, possibly to make a sport of them afterwards. He eventually ate his words, soundly defeated by a God-backed Israeli military.
Even with God on our side, we need to plan and prepare for the battles. Yet, we must always allow Him to lead us in all battles of life. When we act as directed by God, the outcome will be as God had said. The contrasting attitudes of Ahab and Benhadad also teach us the importance of the right conduct in leadership. Benhadad was a haughty alcoholic, who trusted in his gods, arms and men, while Ahab humbled himself enough to seek divine counsel. The higher we get in life, the closer we should draw to God.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: When God adopts you, He also adopts your battles.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Acts 9-10
About Author – Pastor W.F. Kumuyi
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.