What do we do when we are besieged to the point of feeling battle weary and disoriented? Like we are relentlessly being tossed to and fro?
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE LORD
Stand firm in Jesus. There are times when all we can do is cry out His name and that is okay. In fact, that is MORE than okay. There is power in the precious name of Jesus. If you are feeling anxious, discouraged, sad, weary, forsaken, grieved say it with me. Keep repeating it until His peace flows through you. That is not witchcraft, so don’t think it is – it is crying out to your God, who knows the circumstances behind EVERY situation. So actually, it is like saying a one-word prayer.
JESUS! JESUS! JESUS! JESUS!
Psalm 124:8 says:
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
We often have to remember that God sees SO much more than we do. I know this is hard to think about when it is US who is standing in the need of prayer. When you don’t see “the why” of your situation. GOD DOES. Think about Joseph, to read about Joseph see Genesis 37:2 – 50:26) Joseph, the son of Abraham experienced:
- Joseph was rejected and sold into slavery by his brothers
- Joseph endured the schemes of Potipher’s wife
- Joseph was imprisoned
This does not include everything, but some examples of someone going through situations that they did not fully understand the “why” of it are actually for the glory of God.
GOD SEES EVERYTHING, WE DO NOT. WE HAVE TO TRUST HIM THROUGH WHATEVER IT IS WE ARE GOING THROUGH. TRUST THAT GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING, BECAUSE HE DOES.
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 3:5:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
This can be hard. Exercising that faith muscle that prior to our conversion was never used. But as you do so, that “faith muscle” will grow stronger. Holy Spirit will open up your eyes to see BEYOND the natural of a situation. If you ask, He will give you discernment. Take a look at Solomon, who was the son of David, God spoke to him through a dream in 1 King 3:1-15:
“At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So, give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So, God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”
Ask of God and He will answer and more than that in seeking God, He blesses us MORE abundantly than what we can ever ask for… You can’t out bless or out give God. All He asks of us is that we TRUST Him. That we put Him first in our lives. That we recognize that we can do NOTHING on our own, we were never created to be independent from the Creator, nor should we want to be… Proverbs 3:5 written above tells us to “trust in the Lord with ALL our heart.” That doesn’t mean only when times are bad, but when times are good too. Trust Him ALL the time, even if you don’t understand the “why” of what you are going through – trust that God does. How do you know that what you are going through is necessary for prayers you have been asking God to answer? The Bible tells us in Romans 8:28:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Are you interceding on behalf of someone who is spiritually blind? Doesn’t know Jesus? How do you know that the situation you are currently going through is not one that God (seeing ALL things) is using to change that person’s heart? God knows what it takes to turn someone’s heart. Sometimes life situations occur to bring awareness to those that are unsaved that they require salvation. Only Holy Spirit knows what it will take to turn someone’s heart to God. It can be really hard to endure hardships but trusting in God is where we TRUST God will bring us through for His purposes, for His will. He never told us it would be easy – think back to all YOU experienced before your heart softened enough to allow Holy Spirit to bring God’s truth to light in the life of you… God doesn’t have to reveal the WHY of what He is doing, sometimes in His mercy and His grace He gives us insight, sometimes He does not.
WE JUST HAVE TO TRUST HIM
Sometimes in order for us to go to the next level of maturity in Him, He has to take us through what I call “spiritual growing pains” – I’ve written about this in other posts, girls – remember what it felt like for your chests to grow into breasts? It happened over a period of time, but it caused discomfort with the change. Remember “training bras” 🙂 As with the physical, so it is in the spiritual, in order to grow in Christ, in order to transform we have to allow Holy Spirit to do a work within us. Kind of like “cleaning the house of us” transforming our minds so that we can be better vessels to Him who we have given our lives over. Read Romans 12:2:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
It is so important for us to allow the will of God to go forward, even if it is painful… Even if you don’t understand what it is you are going through… This is where we trust Him. This is where we give whatever it is TO Him, knowing that He hears us. This is where we pray:
“KINGDOM OF GOD COME, WILL OF GOD BE DONE.”
That requires trust. Listen, if there is someone(s) that you are praying for – you can TRUST that as much as YOU love them, God loves them MORE. God KNOWS what it will take to bring that individual to Christ. To soften their heart… Hey – keep in mind that He knows them INTIMATELY. He made them, He knows. Yes, God gives us – free-will, which is why sometimes it takes Him bringing them to a place where their free-will comes to a point where the only true freedom comes in accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord OVER their lives and the pressing point of whatever it is that will bring them to that point is one that we have to allow God to perform a GOOD work within them so that they get to a point where their eyes are opened to Him.
DON’T GET INTO THE MIX AND BECOME PART OF THE PROBLEM. LET GO AND LET GOD.
We are NOT called to “be someone’s God.” It is hard seeing loved ones go through fiery situations, but it is NOT our job to try and “fix” what is up to God to fix. This is where prayers of intercession and trust and belief in what God IS able to do comes in. How do you know that the situation you see a loved one going through is NOT for God’s glory??? Your calling is to intercede, to trust and believe God because you KNOW what God can do. What God HAS done. Not only in the testimony of the victories God has brought you in your own walk with Him, but in the examples He has provided us within the Bible.
TRUST GOD
Pray for those you love. Stand in the gap for them. Call out their names before God. Remember that as in 1 John 4:4:
“Greater is He that is in you than he that is within the world.”
God IS faithful. Speak God’s name over them. Whatever the situation you are privy to witness, PRAY believing God IS able. Because there is NO situation that He is NOT greater than – NOT A ONE. As someone prayed for you in your past, pray for someone else – if they are not at a point of believing – YOU BELIEVER FOR THEM.
And watch and see what your God does. Don’t get caught up in what you see, in the circumstances – get caught up in the answer.
AND THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS JESUS. ALWAYS.
“Dearest Father, lover of my soul, answerer of prayer, the Way, the Truth and the Life… Please forgive me for the times when I have not trusted You enough. If there are areas within me that does not belief – please heal my disbelief. Forgive me for the times I doubted You. Please give me eyes to see, ears to hear and a discerning heart to understand Your will and what You are doing in my life and in the lives of those I love. Help me not to get in the way of what You are doing, but to pray Your good and perfect will – not only in my own life, but in those that I love that You are currently working on.
Father, I don’t always see the full or the why of it – but I can trust that YOU do. Help me not to get in the way of the work You are doing, but to be prayerful in ALL things. Help me to intercede for others in the discerning manner you are asking of me. Help me to TRUST you in every situation.
I trust You Father. I believe in You. I know that You are ALWAYS in control and that You see ALL things. Jesus, I call out to you during those times when I am in such anguish and pain that I can’t find the words to say! JESUS, JESUS, JESUS! There is NO greater name. Help me to find peace through the fiery trials I experience whether it is for myself or for someone I love. Be with me EVERY STEP of the way. As Solomon prayed for wisdom and discernment, I pray the same. I love You Father, I love You Jesus, oh how I love You Holy Spirit! Thank You for never leaving or forsaking me. Be before me, behind me and beside me, hedge me in with your love, your forgiveness, your protection all that I need You to be – even in the areas I am not aware of, the one thing I AM aware of is that I need You. Please see my heart and know I mean what I am praying. May YOU be glorified. Thank You for answers and for being there Father, right where I need You most. In Jesus’ precious name I pray. AMEN.”
Is Holy Spirit speaking to your heart through this word? If so, leave a comment below! I love hearing from you!