To preempt means to take action in order to prevent (an anticipated event) from happening; forestall. The devil or adversary is a preemptor. When Jesus was born, the preemptor attempted to keep the ministry of Jesus from coming forth:
Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Herod was the vessel of dishonor who attempted to kill Jesus and keep the current system in place. He wanted to prevent the calling Jesus had on His life from coming forth and saving mankind from certain destruction. FATHER moved upon the wise men to do their part in fulfilling HIS Plan:
7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him,bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
The wise men were sensitive to their dream and heeded the warning, a true sign of wisdom. Moreover Joseph also heeded the instruction given to him by an angel appearing in a dream:
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,
15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
Significant adversity generally precedes deliverance and success. When your challenges confront you, know that FATHER will overcome them with HIS solution. Have faith in HIS Word given specifically to you as you are subjected to events forestalling the expected outcome. Don’t give up!
Pharaoh tried to kill Moses when he was a baby yet FATHER intervened. Joseph’s brothers attempted to keep Joseph from fulfilling his calling. The tempter tried to keep Adam and Eve from bringing forth righteousness on earth. World leaders such as Hitler tried to thwart The Plan but to no avail. Who or what is your nemesis? Don’t let the preemptor keep you from rising up into the fullness of your calling. Yes, the tests will come but you have Divine resources at your disposal as you align yourself and your thinking with FATHER. When Joshua was proceeding to confront the enemy in the Promised Land, he encountered the captain of the host of the LORD in chapter 5:
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”
14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.”
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
15 Then the Commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.
The angel did not align himself with Joshua but Joshua aligned himself with the messenger of FATHER. Not our agenda but HIS! The preemptor is dealt with as we walk according to FATHER’S perfect Plan, Will, and purpose.