Pressure And Pressing

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are pressed all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."
                                                          2 Corinthians 4:7-11




A few years ago, Brent and I had the privilege of visiting Israel. I have to say that it was the most amazing experience that either of us have ever had. There were so many historical and Biblical sights to see and the thought of walking places where Jesus once had stood was inspiring, to say the least. There were so many things that we learned and places that we got to see like the Garden Tomb where Jesus was laid to rest and the Garden of Gethsemane which still has some olive trees that were in existence when Jesus stood in their midst.

One of the interesting things we got to see was an ancient Winepress. Often in the Old Testament, the Bible talks about the winepresses. It looks like a huge basin where men would stand inside and hold onto the ropes above them while they crushed the grapes that lie within. As they stamped their feet throughout the basin, the juice from the grapes would pour into the containers that surrounded the basin and then this juice is what would be used to ultimately make the wine.

There is much symbolism used in the Bible about both wine and winepresses. Believers in Christ are likened to grapes being grown in the Lord's vineyard. We are cultivated, grown, and transformed in the soil in which He plants us. Weather, circumstances, pressing, and a long fermentation process is what we experience as we grow in Him. All of us are somewhere within this spectrum, as believers, being prepared to bring joy to His Kingdom.

New believers experience much joy as they experience, for the first time, being connected to The Vine (who is Jesus). There is an exhilaration for these young buds who cling on tightly to their new found birth, learning all the can about The Vine and the Vinedresser. Everything is new and sunny and exciting. There is lots of growth and future dreams that lie ahead.

Later, we find that we have ripened but suddenly and unexpected climate or storm arises, or the crushing and pressing begins in an unexpected winepress. Oftentimes, we are taken aback by the pressure and the crushing we feel. This can cause us to question the very things we once took for granted and even wonder how we got to this place?

After that, we can be stored in a cold and lonely place as we endure the instability of the gases required within the fermentation process. We must learn how to trust and expect good from God, despite our inhospitable environments. All of His methods are transient and they all are also used to bring the best out of us to be used for our good and His glory.

It is interesting to me that Jesus' first miracle was to turn water into wine, which is a symbolism for the joy we will experience at the Wedding feast of the Lamb. The headwaiter marveled that Jesus saved the best wine for last, because typically the best wine was used first. Prophetically, there will be a last generation before the return of Christ that Jesus presses to bring out the very best.

I know that many believers today feel like they are being both pressed and crushed. The confusing part of this knowledge is that God is either allowing or doing the pressing. Our carnal, finite minds can rarely ever understand the higher ways of God and what He is trying to release in the earth and accomplish during these times.

In the scripture referenced above, Paul spoke about the humility of the clay, earthen vessel. He said that we are each a clay vessel that is created to accomplish the work that God set before us to do. The important part of this analogy is that we must be clean, empty, and available for His service. God, Himself, will press us and mold us to become useful for His service.  The treasure we contain is God within us and not the vessel that each of us are.

The Bible explains to us that new wine cannot be poured into old wineskins. If it is, the old wineskins will burst because the new wine will expand after it is poured into a vessel. Prophetically, new wine symbolizes a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit that God will pour out upon the earth. This new wine will bring us into a closer relationship with God, experiencing more fully His love. It will bring a season of joy and harvest and celebration.

I truly believe that we are coming into a season of new wine and that God has been preparing each one of us individually for what He is about to do in the earth. We will see miracles and promises fulfilled and an entering into the Promised Land that He has apportioned for us. The vessels that we are must be wieldable to the new anointing being released in the earth.

This is not the time to be dismayed or discouraged because God truly is doing a new thing in the earth (Isaiah 43:19). It is also not the time to doubt God's goodness or His provision in your life. The book of James teaches us that when we doubt, we are telling God that we are tossed by the wind and double-minded. These are not the believers that should expect to receive from God (James 1:6-8).

If the pressure and the pressing in your life seems overwhelming, lift up your head and focus on God, believing and expecting good and perfect gifts from above. We have to learn how to be consistent in our faith when we are under stress, so as to not give way to the enemy of our souls.  All of these things are being allowed in our lives to prepare us for what is coming in the future and I know we all want to be prepared for what God is doing.

Pressure and pressing is always a transient thing. In the interim, we receive God's grace and mercy and help in times of trouble. He has always been faithful and could never cease to be in the future. We are even promised rewards for persevering through these times (James 1:12). God is so good and His plans for us are too, even if, for the moment, we do not understand our seemingly inhospitable environment!


"Our motto must continue to be perseverance. And ultimately I trust the Almighty will crown our efforts with success."
                                                              William Wilberforce

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**

God Is Greater!

"Behold, the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him."
                                                             Isaiah 40:10




Their Holy City was in ruins. The Israelites were weak and helpless compared to the nations that surrounded them. They had rebelled against God and had suffered great humiliation and chastening from the Lord. Their challenges were great and their resources were few. This is when Isaiah, the prophet stepped in and told them to take their eyes off their circumstances and focus on the greatness of their God, who loves them dearly and promises to do great things for them. Isaiah said, "Be not afraid! Behold your God!" (Isaiah 40:9).

For 9 whole chapters, Isaiah describes the greatness of God in three different areas of our lives. He stated emphatically that God is greater than our circumstances. Passionately, he adds that God is greater than our fears. Determinedly, he states that God is also greater than our enemies.

Okay, so this is where I stop and hit the pause button. Here was a nation that was in desolation, surrounded by armies of other nations, including the strongest power of them all, which was Babylon. They didn't have resources, and, in the natural, they didn't stand a chance. That is, until you add God into the equation.

I don't know if you have ever been in a situation like this, but I would have to imagine your knees might be shaking a little if you were. Oh, you might put on a brave face, but surely there are a thousand thoughts that would flood through your mind. Surely, you would recognize the fact that this is where the rubber meets the road. Is God who He really says He is? Will He really do what He says He will do? This is a crossroad that you must decide which path your faith will follow.

If I believe that God is really greater than my circumstances, I must believe that He is bigger than the circumstances behind me, before me, and within me. When the Israelites looked behind them, they saw failure and sinned I am quite sure they were desperate for an encouraging word. God answered their distress with mercy and forgiveness and explained to them that even though He had chastened them that He also deeply loved them and they were still His children.

God also promised them that He was with them as they repaired the ruins and that they could trust Him. His plans were for restoration and for preparing the way for Jesus to come. Even though they probably did not understand the depth of all that God was doing, if they focused on Him, they would have peace to complete their tasks. They could also be confident in all the promises of God. Ultimately, God promised that His glory would be revealed.

When the Israelites looked at all that needed to be accomplished before them, it had to be a very daunting challenge. There were few of them in number and they faced a long and difficult journey. Already, they had experienced defeats from Assyria, Babylon and Persia, and it must have appeared to them that the pagan gods of the Gentiles were kicking their behinds. And yet, God is greater than it all. When we view things from this correct perspective, we will see that He is drawing us near to reveal His greatness to us. This is a very personal and sweet part of the process.

When the Israelites surveyed the circumstances within themselves, their true hearts were revealed. They complained to God that He was asking the impossible of them and telling him they did not have the strength to accomplish what was set before them. As if God were unaware of what was happening, or at the very least apathetic, their complaining kept them from seeing His provisions and concern for what they were experiencing. If, instead, they would have meditated on His character and promises they would have had more strength and encouragement and would have exchanged their weaknesses for His power.

It was during this time that the Israelites had to accurately assess their fears. Since all their senses were heightened due to their circumstances, there was a much better opportunity to truly survey the things that caused them fear. There was no possibility of sweeping things under the rug right now because the situations were too chaotic to subdue them by merely managing or controlling them. In fact, God had increased the heat so that the dross would have no choice but bubble up to the top. And, bubble up is what they did.

There is always a moment (that feels like an eternity) between the time that we see the urgency of our situation and we witness the provision that God has already set in motion. It is as if we are blind and trying to feel our way through a dark room. However, it is in this moment that God reveals to us what it is that we are REALLY trusting in. Is it Him? Is it ourselves? Is it others? The answer to this question is vital to our spiritual growth. Will we give God access to truly be greater than our fears?

To see that God is greater than our enemies means that we have to walk out our journey until He gives us victory over them. Often, they can be loud and obnoxious in the interim. When this happened to the Israelites, God said to them 5 times, "I Am the Lord, and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:5-6, 14, 18, 21-22, 46:9). None else. None else. None else. None else. None else.

We have to know that we know that NOTHING is greater than God. Not our circumstances. Not our fears. Not our enemies. Not ANYTHING!

This story ended well for the Israelites. God used King Cyrus to destroy Babylon, and their many idols. God delivered His people and they returned to Israel. He refined them, prepared them for their future work and did great things for them.

Chances are, if you are going through difficult circumstances, that this is what God is also doing for you. How I wish that this was an instantaneous process, but it has never been for me. Often, God is revealing a hidden fear or challenging me on things in which I am holding too tightly. His goal is always to bring me to a place of total trust in him and prove once again that He truly is Greater than all that concerns me. He really never has failed me yet, and I am confident He never will!


"God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile."
                                                      Max Lucado

Worshippers And Warriors

"God trains my hands for battle; He strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; Your help has made me great. You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping."
                                                                    Psalm 18:34-36




Working our way out of a difficult situation in our lives can sometimes take awhile, even when we have God on our side.  Knowing that God has the ability to instantaneously deliver us can sometimes cause more angst as we struggle against the knowledge that He chooses not to, yet. We can ask Him all the "why" questions (which is perfectly fine), only to find out that there are better questions to ask.  Examples of better questions might be, "God, what part of Yourself are You revealing to me in this situation?" or "God, what parts of myself need to be changed as a result of what I am experiencing?"

If we have the right attitude and perspective, there is so much we can learn. That is what David did, when he was in the midst of an intense battle, where King Saul was trying to take his life. No matter how much Saul came against David and persecuted him, David never considered Saul his enemy. Instead, he sought God for strategies and gave praise and thanks to the Lord for His many mercies. David learned how to both war and worship-- God's way.

The entire 18th Psalm is the psalm of praise and victory that David wrote after God delivered him and made him king over all of Israel and all the nations that stood in opposition to Israel. It shows how David did what he could do and then trusted God to do what only He could do. There was never a Plan "B"; only God's Plan "A", which was a plan of deliverance and coming out on top so that God would be glorified.

Throughout the Bible, God refers to Himself as a warrior. In Exodus, we are tole, "The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His Name" (Exodus 15:3). In Revelation 19, we are told that Jesus is coming back to earth as a warrior riding a white horse, followed by a mighty army with a sword. All the great men and women that God used mightily had to first be a warrior in their heart.

According to Merriam-Webster, a warrior is defined as "a person engaged or experienced in warfare".  In other words, a warrior fights for something greater than himself. In the passage above, we are told that God trained David's hands for battle, and He does the same for us today. Each one of us should be engaged in some type of battle that is greater than ourselves-- an unsaved loved one, a cause of injustice, or standing for what is right in an ungodly society. We can do this through both prayers and actions.

When we put on the armor of God daily (Ephesians 6), we hold both the sword and the shield. The sword is the Word of God, which we declare over our circumstances and the shield is what gives us victory over the enemy. When our hearts are pure before God, we can worship Him in advance for what He is going to accomplish on our behalf.

Hope leads to faith and both march us closer to our victory. What we focus on determines if we are hopeful or hopeless. We must take our lives back and hold onto hope, because a victim suffers defeat and not victory. God calls us to be victorious. In fact, Jesus already died and paid the price for our victories.

Now, for those of you who are suffering, the last thing I want to do is to sound trite and even intimate that victory is easy. Actually, it rarely is. Often, we must wait on the timing of God and learn to trust Him even when are circumstances are loudly screaming the opposite. These are the times to worship Him with all our hearts, minds, and souls.

Worship will bring us into the presence of God and more understanding of the heart of God. There is nothing our country needs more of today than this. If people really understood God's heart and love for themselves, they wouldn't feel the need to reject Him and rebel against His precepts. They would be drawn to Him and in love with the goodness of who He is.

Revival in our nation will occur when God's children become both warriors and worshippers. Jesus tells us that "the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for such doth the Father seek to be His worshippers" (John 4:23). We must worship God first and then get in the fight in the world around us. One of the best ways to fight is through prayer and intercession.

Not one of us is called to sit on the bench. Each one of us can do something. We can pray, and worship, and serve, and love. Given the hour on the Kingdom calendar, we should be even more cognizant to what God is calling us to do. We cannot be distracted by life, or circumstances, or anything else. We are here with purpose, and I know each one of us want to fulfill our calling and purpose. We can and must stay in the fight regardless of any limitations we may have.

David called on God and God delivered him. He obeyed God and God rewarded him. He submitted to God and God equipped him. He worshipped God and God was glorified in a mighty way.

Very often, our difficult circumstances are a set-up from the Almighty so that others may see Him in our lives. God will vindicate us in His timing and in His way. When we are patient, trusting His processes, we will see that He worked all things together for our good. In the meantime, we are called to be both worshippers and warriors!


"Lord, raise up warriors, who will fight on their knees, who will worship You with their whole heart."
                                                         The movie War Room

A God-Conquered Life

"They said to him [Joshua], 'Your servants have come from a very far country because of the fame of the Lord your God; for we have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt, and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth. So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, "Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet with them, and say to them,'We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us."

Our bread was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now, behold, it is dry and become crumbled. These wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these our clothes and our sandals were worn out because of the very long journey.

So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the Lord."
                                                               Joshua 9:9-14




When God called Joshua to conquer the Promised Land, the Bible records both his successes and his failures. In the verses above, Joshua (and company) failed for the second time (the first being when they lost at Ai because of the sin of Achan). The Gibeonites approached the Israelites pretending that they were from a foreign country and asked the Israelites to agree to a covenant with them. The truth was that the Gibeonites were located only 25 miles away in Gilgal and should have been destroyed by the Israelites since they were within Canaan. The Gibeonites intentionally deceived the Israelites by pretending to honor God, when in fact, their mission was to conquer the children of God.

The Gibeonites succeeded in this deception and battle because the Israelites did not seek God and wait on His direction. They relied on their own senses instead of taking a more spiritual approach. They believed the enemy rather than seeking God's mind, which landed them into a heap of trouble.

Joshua made a covenant with the Gibeonites instead of conquering them, and 3 days later found out that they were frauds. Joshua decided to admit his mistakes and honor his oath with them (which kept the Israelites from God's judgment), but this would cost them dearly in the loss of the plunder that would have been theirs and also through the long-term influence of pagan practices on their people. Compromise will always cost us more than we want to give.

Thankfully, the story does not end here. Joshua not only admitted his mistakes but he also allowed them to begin to work for his benefit. He put the Gibeonites to work hauling water and wood for the service of the tabernacle. They assisted the priests and labored as servants within the temple, which definitely was better for them than being destroyed. Additionally, God overruled Joshua's mistake and used it to give him a decisive victory over five kings at one time (that came to fight against the Gibeonites), which expedited him conquering the land of Canaan and spared him from 5 separate battles.

Joshua had both a strategy and a heart to obey God. But, even with those things working on his behalf, he still didn't accomplish his plans perfectly. He never quit, though. Through both mountains and valleys, Joshua continued on until he ultimately fulfilled the mission God had given to him. He conquered the land and then divided it for each of the tribes of Israel, just as God commanded him to do.

As part of his spiritual journey, Joshua had to learn how to conquer defeat, fear, and discouragement. At the very beginning of his story, God kept telling Joshua to "be strong and courageous". God knew in advance everything that Joshua would encounter and He was preparing him for how he needed to handle things. God's standard was not perfection; instead, it was relationship and obedience and perseverance.

The same is true for us today. Often, we tend to look at the things we are doing correctly and we can easily miss an area in our lives that the enemy is targeting. Sometimes the enemy comes like a roaring lion and sometimes he appears as an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). If we are not humbly inquiring of the Lord, it is possible for us to be duped.

Like Joshua, our success comes when we:
                 1. Believe God's divine promises
                 2. Use sound strategies
                 3. Rely on prayer

We, too, must learn how to conquer defeat, fear, and discouragement. We have to understand that not one of our spiritual journeys will include perfection on our part. We have to learn to forgive our own mistakes of the past and know that everyday is a new start and that God's mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). Each day we can make a renewed decision for Christ and live by the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in the ways God calls us to.

Seeking God daily through His Word will enable us to believe His promises and be confidant that even when we are surrounded by the enemy that God is still surrounding him. We have to peer out beyond the enemy to see God's army surrounding him. We can ask God to see with the eyes of Elisha to comprehend His power and strength in our lives.

We can ask God for His strategies to overcome what comes against us and we can rest knowing that He is with us and for us. Not because any of us deserve it, but because He is faithful and honors His Word. The plans He made for our lives, even before we were born, will continue to exist even when we drop the ball.

We rely on prayer and God's Word to overcome fear and discouragement. It is a daily choice to believe that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do. When we are submitted in every area of our lives, we will see God move on our behalf. Sometimes there is just a learning curve to really see the truth about the areas that have not yet been submitted. We all want to believe that we are fully submitted to God, yet there can be blind spots and generational openings that we don't yet see. Yet God is always faithful to show us if we are willing to walk it out.

Entering into our Promised Land requires that we leave some old things at the door because if we were allowed to bring them in it really wouldn't be a promised land. Self-flagellation, fear and discouragement are some of the things we must leave behind. There is just no room for them for where God is taking us. Also, don't continually remind yourself of old failures because God may very well be using them to accelerate your progress in this next season of your life!

When we admit our mistakes and walk humbly with God, He will continue to refine us and show us any areas that are not submitted to Him. We seek Him daily and inquire in all matters, and He will cause us to succeed. This is how we can all live a God-Conquered life!


           "A God-Conquered man [or woman] cannot be conquered by anything else."
                                                         A.W. Tozer