Into The Enemy's Camp

"Now it happened when David and his men came home to Ziklag on the third day, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev (the south country) and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they had taken captive the women and all who were there, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off to be used as slaves and went on their way. 

When David and his men came to town and it was burned, and their wives and their sons and daughters had ben taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they were too exhausted to weep any longer.

Now David's two wives had been captured, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Further, David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all of them were embittered, each man for his sons and daughters. But David felt strengthened and encouraged in the Lord his God."
                                                          I Samuel 30:1-6




David had another battle to fight. This time, the battle was against the Amalekites who were known adversaries to the Lord. In fact, the only reason the Amalekites continued to exist was because Saul had won an incomplete battle over them and had not obeyed the Lord in the way that he should have (1 Samuel 15:1-11). Now it was David's turn to take on those who opposed God and all that He valued.

The Bible is unclear as to why God allowed this to happen to David, especially while David and his men were taking care of business with the Philistines. The enemy viewed this as an opportunity and quickly he pounced to take advantage of the women and children and steal the valuables that belonged to David and his men. As a final act of defiance, they burned the city, which God may have allowed so that the Israelites would return to Judah instead of living in the territory of their enemies.

Shock and sadness must have filled the hearts of David and his 600 men, as they had never previously lost a battle. This was a cruel, unexpected turn of events that left them so traumatized that they cried until they had no more tears. Exhaustion, and then anger set in as they faced the reality of their circumstances. Some men even conspired to stone David for getting them into this horrific mess.

Different people respond in different ways when they are greatly distressed. The verb meaning greatly distressed in Hebrew actually means "being pressed into a tight corner, the way a Potter presses clay into a mold"1. The reactions we have to being pressed this tightly will depend on what lies inside of us.

When we are lead with our emotions, we will surely get into trouble because, suddenly, reason and rationality have flown right out of the window. Why these men thought that killing their leader right now would benefit them is surely a mystery. Right now, they needed David even more than they had needed him before this had happened to them.

David knew that the strength and encouragement he needed could only come from the Lord. He ordered Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod so that they could seek the Lord together. When David asked God what to do, God assured him that if he would pursue the enemy that God would go with him and that he would have success. The victory was his for the taking when he had confidence that God would fight the battle for him and with him.

This story paints a good picture for us as believers today as to what to do when we face challenging circumstances where we are tempted to be afraid or to worry. The first point I see is that these specific enemies existed because of previous poor decisions. This makes me think about generational patterns of worry and fear. In order to defeat them, we have to first identify them. As there are varying types and degrees of fear and worry , we must first honestly assess the patterns in our own families and begin to work on them as God gives us the strategies to do so.

We have already been assured in God's Word that the victory is ours. As believers in Christ, we know that Jesus has made us "alive together with Christ, having freely forgiven us all our sins, having cancelled out the certificate of debt consisting of legal demands [which were in force] against us and which were hostile to us. And this certificate He has set aside and completely removed by nailing it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross" (Colossians 2:13-15).

We have to make a decision to not let worry and fear dominate our thought patterns. I have found that affirmations help in this process. Some examples of affirmations might include:
                                    *God is my strength and my fortress
                                    *I will focus on positive thoughts
                                    *I will meditate on God's Word
                                    *I will believe what God says and not doubt
                                    *I will trust in God to make a way

When God tells us not to be anxious about anything (Philippians 4:6-7), we have to know that He will provide a way for this to be possible for us. While each person's journey will surely differ, there are commonalities to accomplish what God commands us to do. If Jesus made a spectacle of our enemies for us then we definitely have the power and authority to come into agreement with His completed work in our lives.

We must also be honest with ourselves about the reality of the devastations that fear and worry have wreaked in our lives and families. It is not ok to passively tolerate them because they are a cancer that will demand more and more of our lives if we do not intervene. Instead of accepting them as our cross to bear, we must boldly march them up to the cross and nail them to it, never to pick them back up again.

Additionally, when we are "pressed" or "stressed", we must honestly look at the things that are inside of us and also take them to the cross. We cannot excuse our sin as an acceptable response to stress. We must deal with it head on to defeat it once and for all. Thankfully, Jesus forgives all of it and continually reassures us of His love in spite of it.

Like David, our true strength and encouragement can only come from God. He is always willing to graciously give them to us, so if we are not receiving it we must look at the deterrents that prevent us from receiving. Is it distraction? Or discouragement? Or fatigue? Or doubt? These, too, call for honest reflection and attention.

We know that the enemy of our souls continually seeks to " steal, kill, and destroy" our lives, but we also know that Jesus came so that we might live "life to its' fullness" (John10:10). Part of living this abundant life is to accurately assess what has been stolen and to seek God for the strategies to get it back.  When we trust Him and walk in faith, He can and will fight our battles and restore what has been lost!


      "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
                                                           Isaiah 26:3





                                 

Finger By Finger

                   "God gives us things to share; God doesn't give us things to hold."
                                                      Mother Theresa




Too many people today live with fists that are tightly clenched. Most people don't even realize that this is the case. Even in Christianity, there are still many, many people who do the same thing. We can all mentally ascent to the fact that we are to "Let go and Let God", but in reality, I wonder how many of these people truly exist? How many people live with palms wide open giving all to Jesus and, in return, receiving all that He has for them?

Unfortunately, it has been my testimony that I have surrendered one finger at a time. Finger by finger I have surrendered to the Lord. When I finally glance down and see a palm that is wide open to Him, I rejoice and sing only to remember that I still have another whole hand that needs to be surrendered to His mercies and grace.

Our journeys will be much smoother when we open both of our hands without hesitating and give all that we hold onto into the loving hands of our Heavenly Father. However, if we do not choose this way, God can still accomplish His purposes one finger at a time. The Lord can, and will, gently begin to work on the first finger of our tightly clenched fist and require us to offer that which we preferred to hold onto. Here are some examples of fingers I have held way too tightly:

                                    Finger # 1: Marriage
                                    Finger #2: Children
                                    Finger# 3: Family
                                    Finger # 4: Pain and Disappointments
                                    Thumb # 5: Friendships
                                    Finger #6: Dreams
                                    Finger #7: Fear
                                    Finger #8: Anxiety
                                    Finger #9: Future Plans
                                    Thumb #10: Pride
             
         (I'm sure there are more, but thankfully, for illustration purposes, we only have 2 hands!)

At times I was aware of the things I was holding onto, but, at other times, I was blissfully blind to it. What I've learned over all these years of walking with God, is the way to know if you are holding something too tightly is if your thoughts become anxious around them. For example, if I am praying for one of my children and I feel nervous or anxious still, then there is a deeper work that God needs to do in my heart. Since Jesus is my Prince of Peace, I should walk in perfect peace when my mind is focused on Him (Isaiah 26:3).

There can also be a wrestling that takes place between us and God, as in the case of Jacob. In this story in Genesis 32, Jacob was alone by a riverside on his way back to Canaan. An angel appeared, which many believe was the Pre-Incarnate Christ, and Jacob wrestled all night with him  at Penuel (which means "the face of God" or "facing God"). At the end of this interchange, Jacob's name was changed to Israel and God blessed him, which was God's intention all along.

So, why did this face-off have to occur? The simple answer is for both revival and reconciliation. He had been estranged from his brother Esau for 20 years and God wanted for them to be reconciled. But, prior to this wrestling match, Jacob prayed one of the most poignant prayers in the Bible. In it, he expressed both his need for help, as he reminded God of the promises that had been given to him. This began the spiritual awakening in Jacob that God had previously ordained. True humility will always open the door for this in our lives.

The beauty of wrestling with God is that we emerge even stronger than we were before. His shoulders are definitely broad enough for us to tell Him about the things that hurt us. And disappoint us. And worry us. He will never turn away one of His beloved children. Not ever!

But after we wrestle, we must learn to leave our concerns in His capable hands and not pick them back up. When we pick them back up, it shows a lack of trust and faith in His ability to handle things. If He can take care of the whole earth, He definitely can handle one of our lives!

It will  also never be so much about what we have to give to God (because we only hold in our hands what He first gives to us); it is always about the things that God wants to give to us. And, He can never pour into fists that are tightly clenched. He can only pour into hands that are opened wide. This is a reminder that our hearts and hands and homes are continually open to do the works of the Lord.

Rather than asking God about the things you are holding onto, ask Him about the things He has for you that you need to receive. God longs to give good gifts to His children, but we have to be willing to receive them. I have learned that I am a terrible receiver. I love to give, but it always feels awkward to receive. And yet, how can we receive "far beyond all we could ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20) if we haven't learned the art of receiving? So, I am learning, as I will forever be a work in progress. (on this earth, anyway!).

Receiving from Him starts by spending time alone with Him in the Word. It is here that He will begin to open your eyes to see all that He has for you. Do you need comfort? Or wisdom? Or encouragement? Or direction? Or love? It is all found in His Word. Do you need promises from Him? Or vision? Or reassurance? It, too, is found in His Word. As a matter of fact, I would challenge anyone to find a need that is not addressed in the Bible. I would dare to say that that is not possible!

In this past season, many of God's children have been taught by Him in difficult places. It is in these places that we will see our greatest victories! As we humble ourselves, asking for His help and recognizing our total dependence on Him, we will see His strength come forth in the places where we have been weak. Standing on His promises will allow us to see miracles take place.  We will see Him make a way for us like we have never seen before. Our circumstances have been a set-up for His glory to shine!

This is definitely not the time to hold onto anything that will prevent us from seeing His goodness in the land of the living. It is not the time for Him to pry open our fingers one by one. No, this is the time to throw open our hands in worship, praise, and dependence to see the new things that He will do! On the difficult days, remember, Jesus freely opened both of His hands for you!


                "The only things we can keep are the things we freely give to God."
                                                        C.S. Lewis

Total Trust

                           "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."
                                                       Corrie Ten Boom




Anxiety is the antithesis of faith. George Mueller says, "The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety." I have heard it said that the definition of anxiety is waiting for something bad to happen. We are told in God's word that we are commissioned to expect God to work all things together for the good. It occurs to me that we cannot both be waiting for something bad to happen if we are expecting that God will work things together for our good. This becomes a conundrum, especially when we see horrific things that are occurring in the earth.

I am writing this blog on the eve before hurricane Florence will bear down on the East Coast. Millions of people will be affected by this storm and it is already expected to cost this country about 28 billion dollars in expenses. Lives and businesses will be affected in adverse ways and many people will be extremely worried about the outcome of this natural disaster. As a matter of fact, there may even be those "whose hearts will fail them because of fear" (Luke 21:26). I personally am aware of this happening during hurricane Irma.

Max Lucado has said that anxiety is the spirit of this age, and is it any wonder when we see hurricanes, floods, fires, as well as human atrocities around the world. In addition to natural disasters and human atrocities, there also seems to be increasing incidents of suicides, marital implosions, drug epidemics, illnesses, and the like. I don't know if its just my age where I am noticing more things, but it also occurs to me that many of the christians I know are facing major challenges and battles.

This brings me to my knees as I seek to understand how it is that we can learn to trust God more. Daily I do experience "opportunities" to lean on Him more and to fully submit my heart to trust Him, but I must admit that worry is a generational legacy that I continually seek to overcome. I realize that worry is no friend and I relish the day I can place my flag of victory over it once and for all.

The problem is that there are just so many opportunities to engage with it. My most recent excuse happened last week when Brent and I went up to move Abbie into her dorm for her second year of college at BU. Things went well and we got her all situated, met some new friends and even met some students she was involved with in Campus Crusade. We were both energized as we left (sad, too) knowing that this was going to be a great year for her. As a matter of fact, we were discussing just this as we sat at our gate in the airport when we received a frantic phone call from the sweet girl we had just gotten settled.

She called Brent's phone (probably thinking he is more calm than her sometimes histrionic mother) and she told us that her dorm room was on fire. We could hear the fire trucks in the background and the police also were there. She was emotional and crying and we honestly weren't sure if we should board the plane or what we should do. Thankfully, things calmed down before we had to leave and we found out that the fire was out and no one was hurt. There was a lot of water damage, and now, a week later, she is still displaced and hasn't been able to return to her dorm room.

It was ruled an accident and they think what happened was that a light bulb exploded and caught some towels that were in the closet on fire. Enter worry. The dorm building is old. Another dorm building burned to the ground when we were in Boston (again, thankfully, no one was hurt). Will she be safe this year? Shoot, this concern wasn't even on my radar to worry about last year! It is true that when things are more difficult in our lives it is harder to trust God with our whole heart. And yet, that is exactly what we must do.

Once again, I must leave this and all else in the very capable hands of God.  I must learn how to totally trust Him with every detail of my life. Merriam-Webster defines trust as "the belief that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, or effective". Cognitively, we know that God is all this and so much more! So, why do we struggle?

It has been said that trust is like a muscle that we possess. The more we exercise it and use it and strengthen it, the stronger it will become. Daily, we all have opportunities to strengthen our trust muscle.

Using the example of the dorm fire, the first thing I needed to do was to surrender myself and this problem to the Lord. Choosing to give up control and worry, I ask God for His help and intervention in my circumstance. Brent and I prayed with Abbie on the phone and tried to help her do the same thing. We relinquish our own strength and believe that God will accomplish His purposes in His strength.

The next thing I needed to do (and still need to do) is to replace my negative thoughts with positive ones. Obviously, we are called to do the prudent thing too, so we first asked the university to have a licensed electrician sign off on the safety of her dorm building. They agreed. So now, I need tho remind myself that God has things covered and that Abbie is in the palm of His hands. The promise He gives me for her is, "For I will contend with him who contends with [her], and I will save (defend, preserve, rescue, deliver) your children" (Isaiah 49:25). I cling to this promise and recite it when I start to feel anxious.

The last thing I need to do is to be patient until I see how God answers our prayers. While Abbie is waiting to return to her dorm, It is important that she remember that there is purpose in the things God allows into our lives. In this case, maybe it was so the building would be safer after inspections and electricians making sure things were up to standard. Maybe it was to teach her a greater measure of trust and patience. Maybe it was both.

The book of Lamentations teaches us that God's mercies are new every morning and that great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23). This means that we only have mercies for one day at a time. If I worry about tomorrow, I do not have mercies for that. Only for today. John R. Stott  says, ""Faith is a reasoning trust, a trust which reckons thoughtfully and confidently on the trustworthiness of God."

The most important thing we can learn in a practical way is that we truly can trust God with every aspect of our lives. We should expect goodness and favor from the Lord. This does not guarantee a care-free life but when we totally trust God, we know that He will work miracles on our behalf. He will move the mountains that stand in our way. When we totally trust Him, we will see Him show up on our behalf!


    "I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse."
                                                            Philip Yancey

         ** PLEASE BE IN PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF HURRICANE FLORENCE**