Don't You Dare

 

 

 

Surely God is my salvation (He’s come to save me); I will trust (in Him) and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord Himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:2,3

 

 

 

 

We don't have to understand .... we trust.

Why when something doesn't work out do we always blame ourselves ... maybe, just maybe ... it was them. Maybe, just maybe the Lord didn't allow it to work because it wasn't His will and He wanted you to be free to move into what HE wants. Instead of blaming and punishing yourself, lay down the old and make way for the new. Behold, God does a NEW thing.

Just because things didn't work out the way you thought they should is NO REASON to throw your hands up and give up on life. There are new doors of opportunity everywhere if you're asking, looking, waiting and believing.

Allow the Lord to touch those areas of pain and disappointments to bring healing and renew your hope for a better tomorrow.

You CAN and you WILL make it another day, if you have to hour by hour or moment by moment.

DON'T YOU DARE give up honey ... ever.

Father, I know You know what’s best for us and I thank You that You’re turning things around in our favor. Help us to let go of the old and believe for better. As we let go of pain and disappointments, I pray that you bring healing and renew our hope for a better tomorrow. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

see also: Faith Walk

 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

 

 

 

Let the Lord's people show Him reverence,

for those who honor Him will have all they

 need. Those who trust in the Lord will never

lack any good thing.

Psalm 34:9,10

Fear God. That's a biblical concept that's often misunderstood. It doesn't mean that we should be afraid of God. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't develop a personal relationship with the Lord. But it does mean that we should respect Him, reverence Him, and be infinitely more concerned with fulfilling the Law of God than just doing whatever we want to do or trying to please others.

Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey Him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128:1,2

If we live with a reverence and respect for the Lord, the biblical fear of the Lord, then we don't have to be afraid of anything. Sometimes, we just need to be quiet and listen. It's usually in the stillness that the Holy Spirit speaks words of comfort and direction. Fear the Lord and don't be afraid of anything.

The Bible says, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!'" (Psalm 91:1-3,7).

Somehow being in the Lord's presence just makes everything okay. When you're in the presence of the Lord, you have NOTHING to fear. The power of the presence of God will take away all despair and doubt as you fellowship with Him.

You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. Psalm 16:11

It doesn't matter if you're going through the flood or the fire, because you know God is with you. As long as you feel His arms around you, everything's all right.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

Respect your Father.

Father, help us to respect and revere You. Help us to not be afraid. Bless our lives with all that we need. In Jesus' name, amen.

Hands Off

Confess: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

Pray against: Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of Me. Matthew 10:21,22





Don’t give up on the people you love. Circumstances make it seem hopeless sometimes, but that's just the enemy working through your loved ones, it's not them. Sad to say, those who are closest to us are usually the ones who wind us hurting us the most ... they think we'll be there no matter what.

If you have people in your life that don't know the Lord or that treat you and/or those around you bad, don't argue and fight with them. That's just what the enemy wants. Instead, pray for them because those who mistreat are usually hurting. Pray that the Lord shows you their heart and gives you insight to know how to pray and that He brings healing to them. Choose to forgive them (whether you feel like it or not) and let the Lord deal with them. He can do a lot of work when we take our hands off people and let God have them.

Your patient love and faithfulness may be exactly what they need to make a complete turnaround. Don't you go giving up on them or on God's power and ability to change them. It doesn't matter how much hate is in a person, or what they may be struggling with ... He can do ALL things, nothing's impossible with Him.

NO ONE is too far gone or beyond the reach of a loving Father's touch.

Father, help us to be a loving witness and example that leads others to Your grace and mercy, which will bring change for the better. Help us all to be able to get along and treat each other with respect. Give us hearts to love and forgive. Devil ... get your grubby paws off our family, friends and relationships, 'cause you CAN'T have 'em ... I curse you and command you and your attacks to go back to hell where you came from. In Jesus' name, amen.




see also: Believing for a Loved One?

It's His Fight

 

O God, will You not stop them? For we have no power to face this army that's attacking us. We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on You. This is what the Lord says TO YOU: Don't be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. You won't need to fight. Take your positions; stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. Go out against them, for the Lord's with you. At the VERY MOMENT they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies ... to start fighting among themselves. 2 Chronicles 20:12,15,17,22

If you feel like giving up, keep in mind that God believed you can handle it. So often, we're overwhelmed with the heaviness of the attacks, BUT GOD will take care of our enemies if we pray and praise Him.

Stop fighting the fight, it's already been won. The only fighting that we’re to do is to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 1:12). Fight back with faith. The battle belongs to the Lord.

There is a wonderful promise to those who are engaged in the good fight of faith: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or oppression [narrow circumstances—a word that means you have been pressed into a corner and you are in trouble.] or persecution, or famine, or lack of clothing, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all of these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things about to be, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other creation, is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:36–39.

There's a battle going on, and God’s children are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. It looks like, in this world, we are losing, but we are really winning.

To the world it looked like Jesus lost when He was on the cross, but actually, it was the biggest victory of all time. So … whatever it is that you’re battling with, whatever trial is in your life, even though it may be something over which you think you may never get the victory - the very thing that appears to be your worst battle, your worst stumbling block, your greatest weakness, your greatest sorrow, your greatest affliction, your greatest loneliness, your greatest defeat - if you will surrender yourself to Christ, out of that you will have the greatest victory just as did Jesus.

We have to win the fight, and the good news is that it's possible. It's the devil telling you that you can't do it, but Jesus tells you that you CAN. Who do you choose to believe?

The Bible tells us that God always causes us to triumph. We serve a General who NEVER loses a battle.

Stand still.

Pray AND praise!

Father, thank You that victory has already been won and that the enemy of our soul has already been defeated. Help us to pray, believe and praise as You work in our lives. Give us faith to hold on. In Jesus' precious name, amen.



see also: You’re Surrounded

Yes, You Do Know It

 

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars ... The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in His temple all cry, “Glory!” Psalm 29:3-9

 

If you belong to the Lord, you DO hear His voice. If you didn't, then there would be no reason for the enemy to try to convince you that you don't.

Don't listen to the voice of confusion, it's NOT of God. God is the author of peace, the peace that passes understanding. BELIEVE that you hear God's voice ... by faith. Don’t just have selective hearing, when it’s something you like it’s Him and if it’s something you don’t like it’s the enemy, it doesn’t work that way.

Be careful about these “still small voices” that we hear in our heads and our hearts. We need to be sure that it is God that is talking to us. Sometimes our flesh and even the devil will put thoughts in our heads that are not of God. You can usually tell if it’s actually God that’s talking if the thing that He tells you is in agreement with the Word of God. He doesn’t go against His Word.

The gatekeeper opens the gate for Him, and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:3-5

Elijah described God’s voice as a still, small voice (I Kings 19:12). God does speak with an inner audible voice at times. However, I’ve found that usually, God's voice comes as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings, or impressions.

God told Habakkuk to record the vision (Habakkuk 2:2). This wasn’t an isolated command. The Scriptures record many examples of individuals' prayers and God's replies (i.e. the Psalms, many of the prophets, Revelation). Journaling is the writing out of your prayers and God’s answers. I call the process "two-way journaling," and I’ve found it to be a catalyst for clearly discerning God's inner, spontaneous flow, because as I journal I’m able to write IN FAITH for long periods of time, simply believing it is God. I may write a prayer of thanks or something that’s weighing heavy on my heart, and then I’m still before the Lord to see if He wants to respond back to me. He ALWAYS does.

When you pray, He answers. Expect God to talk back to you. Answers and responses may come at a time other than when you’re praying, but they do come.

Things that will help give you discernment for God’s voice - Spend time with Him. Be still before Him. Focus on Jesus. Get in the Word. Listen. Journal. Repent when you sin. Shake off offenses and pray for those who despitefully use you. Get to know God and be obedient.

Yes, you do know it …God’s voice that is … believe you know it.

Father, I pray that You give us the faith to believe that we hear from You. Help us in turn to be obedient when You ask us to do something. Help us to ignore the voice of the enemy. Speak words of comfort, peace and edification to our hearts to give us encouragement to continue on. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Don't Be Discouraged

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them - to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates - all the Hittite country - to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’” 

Of all the people in the Bible, Joshua might be one of the last we'd expect to need encouragement.

Years earlier, Joshua and Caleb stood their ground against an angry mob that was ready to pummel them to death with rocks. A number of spies had just reported that it would be impossible for the people to conquer the land of Canaan. The giant inhabitants of the land had powerful weapons. But Joshua and Caleb countered, ‘Don’t be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us’ (Numbers 14:9). Although this speech did not convince the frightened Israelites, Joshua and Caleb did not back down.

Given Joshua's courage, why did God need to tell him not to be terrified or discouraged? This was now about 40 years later, and Joshua was no longer facing fellow Israelites. Now he would need to lead an army of Israel against the Canaanites, who would fight to the death to protect their land, possessions, and families. The real battle would begin.

Yesterday's courage can’t be saved for today's challenge. But God's faithfulness is new every morning.

Believe in Jesus and know that the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Don’t be terrified. Don’t be discouraged.

Father, sometimes we’re afraid and discouraged. Thank You that You are our refuge and strength. Help us to remember that You are always with us. In Jesus' name, amen.


 

What's at the End of Your Rope?

 

 

 

 

Moses said to the people,
Don’t be afraid. God’s come
to test you, so that the fear
of God will be with you to
keep you from sinning.
Exodus 20:20

 
 
 
 
 
 

When you're at the end of your rope, you're at the beginning of hope. Grab on to JESUS ... He's our lifeline of hope. Hope in God, He's the only one that will never fail you. He can be trusted.

Our bad circumstances don't negate how good God is. He is good ALL the time.

Maybe 'What's at the end of your rope?' is the wrong question. I'll rephrase it to 'Who's at the end of your rope?'

Praise Him ... and HANG ON!

Father, I pray that You help us not be afraid when we’re being overwhelmed with circumstances. Thank You that You won’t leave us when the going gets tough ... we’ve all been there, done that in other relationships and it’s getting old. Help us to renew our minds to the fact that there IS hope and it's YOU. No matter what happens, YOU’RE our ONLY hope of a LIFELINE. Give us faith to grab on to You and NEVER let go. You sure aren’t. I love You Lord, amen.

 

 

see also:  God's Hand
               There's a Reason for That Test, You Know
               Faith Walk
               The Man with the Plan