Unleash the Power

"The Israelites were subdued on that occasion,

and the people of Judah were victorious

because they relied on the LORD,

the God of their ancestors."

2 Chronicles 13:18

Things looked bad.  In fact, it could have been the end for Abijah, king of Judah.  Instead of giving up as he surveyed the enemy troops gathered in front and behind, hopelessly surrounding him and his army, he cried out to the Lord and the Lord saved him.

When things look bad for me, I, too, can cry out to God, unleashing His mighty power in my life.

Believe.  There is much about my life that discourages me.  Sickness strikes, stuff breaks, relationships are strained.  It's easy to feel hopeless, as if I can never get a break.  Where's this abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10)?

While the difficulties, struggles and trials often overwhelm, I have a choice as to where I place my attention.  When I focus mostly on what is going wrong, the problems become bigger and as a result, God becomes smaller.  If, however, I were to pay more attention to God, reminding myself of who He is, what He has promised, and how He has faithfully cared for me, He will grow bigger and my circumstances will fade into the background.

When things look bad for me and it seems I have no hope, it's time to believe that God is who He says He is.

Act.  Once I believe God can do the impossible, it's time to act.  Now it's easy for me to think there is something I must do to save myself and I'm often tempted to come up with a plan of action to do just that.  The kind of action I speak of here, however, is different.  Instead of trying to figure out what I must do to "help God along," the action that is necessary is placing my trust in God.

What does this look like?  It is what the men of Judah did when they raised the battle cry, readying themselves to fight even though it seemed the odds were against them (2 Chronicles 13:15).  They believed the God of their fathers was going before them and they acted as if the battle was already theirs.  Sure enough, as soon as they sounded off, the people of Israel, their enemies, fled and these formidable foes suddenly became easy pickings.

When things look bad for me and it seems I have no hope, it's time to act as if I believe God is who He says He is.

Watch.  Now that I've taken that step of faith, going forward into the unknown with the belief that God is already at work on my behalf, I must watch for Him.  What is He doing?  How is He saving me, protecting me, delivering me?  From where will His deliverance come?  As soon as I see the work of His mighty hand, I can fall in behind Him, joining in with what He has already started.

The fighting men of Judah understood this.  As they stepped forward in faith, sounding the battle cry, the soldiers of Israel began to retreat.  Immediately they knew what was happening: God was routing their enemies.  They didn't waste a moment's time but immediately set to work slaying their enemy.  Without God, this would have been impossible.  But God had set them up for success, making their job easy.

Likewise, I can watch for what God is doing and fall in behind as soon as I see His method of deliverance.  It could be that the medical tests will all come back clear, or several people will all suggest the same solution, or the phone will ring with an offer of help.  Whatever the mode of delivery, it's up to me to recognize God's hand at work.

When things look bad for me and it seems I have no hope, it's time to watch for God acting as He says He is able to act.

In this world with all it's troubles, it's easy to feel hopeless.  Instead of focusing on what is wrong, however, I can choose to believe that God is as big as He claims to be.  As my faith is bolstered, I can then take a step forward, believing God is there to catch me.  As I do, I can then pay attention to what God is doing to save me, watching for His mode of delivery.  God's power is always there, available for use, but it's not until I believe, act and watch that I will unleash His might on my behalf.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to step forward into the dark unknown.

When do I hesitate, doubting God could do the impossible?

How am I holding back, failing even to believe the most basic truths about God and His abilities?

Hopeless? Maybe Not . . .

"Moses answered the people,

'Do not be afraid.

Stand firm and you will see

the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.

The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.

The LORD will fight for you;

you need only to be still.'"

Exodus 14:13-14

Today we are going to revisit that all too familiar place for us as humans; being stuck between a rock and a hard place.  Yesterday we learned about the instructions God gives to us as we face the impossible.  Today  we will turn our attention to what God will do in these situations as we trust Him:

The Angus steer started bucking and thrashing around the small pen, pinning my dad against the wooden rails.  Scrambling to get out of the way, he quickly climbed over the sides of the outdoor enclosure, muttering, "I'm calling Clarence."

As a child, I was involved in Beef 4-H.  I usually trained and showed a breed of cattle called Charolais which are all white and known for their muscularity.  Peer envy kicked in after awhile, however, and I had developed a desire to show the sleek black Angus breed that my friend preferred. So, my dad gave in and bought an Angus steer.  It was a short-lived relationship.  

Clarence was the guy who picked up cattle and hauled them wherever you wanted them to go; the butcher, the farm of a new owner or to the fair for showing.  After the close call my dad experienced with that new Angus, I was more than willing to go along with his assessment of this animal being too wild for my use.

That steer must have felt like he was stuck in a place he did not want to be when Clarence first dropped him off at our house.  His solution was to try to bust his way out to freedom, hoping that if he could break down the pen then he would be liberated from his current situation.

I am not so different from this obstinate bovine.  When I'm in a place where I don't feel comfortable, or I feel threatened or afraid, I am tempted to bust my way out, to force a change or to make something happen to alter the circumstances.  Instead of taking things into my own hands, I might try handing it over to the Lord and trusting Him.  When I do, I will find certain things happening. 

Enemies will Disappear

The threat of the Egyptian Army overwhelmed the newly freed Israelites.  As their enemy approached, imposing and powerful, the angel of the Lord and His very presence found in the pillar of a cloud that had been leading their procession suddenly moved between them and the danger. Not only could they not see the imposing army, but now they were protected from them throughout the night.  

Just before sunrise, the Egyptians realized what had been going on behind that barrier.  The Lord had parted the waters of the Red Sea, providing an exit path for His people.  As they attempted to follow in the early-morning darkness, their wheels jammed and the usually well-ordered troops were thrown into confusion.  Fear pierced the hearts of the highly trained soldiers as they finally understood Who was on the side of the Israelites.  Unfortunately, their realization was too late as they soon met their watery demise.  (Exodus 14:19-28)

When God is for me, there is no enemy who can stand against me, foiling His plan for my life.  (Romans 8:31-33)  Instead of cowering in the face of their presumed power over me, I can trust God that He will frustrate the efforts of those who oppose Him.  Since I belong to the Lord, anyone who stands in the way of His plan for my life is in reality opposing Him, not me.  

In the same way that God shielded His people of old from their enemies, so God will protect me from contact with those who mean me harm. Not only will He place a barrier between me and those who want to hurt me, but He will throw a wrench into their plans, wreaking havoc as they attempt to move forward.  Finally, if need be, He will completely remove from my life those who have placed themselves in the position to oppose God.  All of these things will only happen according to God's will if I give Him authority over the problem.

When I trust the Lord with my seemingly hopeless situation, God will frustrate the efforts of those who oppose Him.

The Lord will Fight for Me

The young boy picked up the five smooth stones, placing them securely in his pouch.  Readying his sling, he stepped forward to face the giant-of-a-man.  Standing nine-feet tall, the well-muscled warrior sneered at this sorry excuse for an opponent.  "Why are you sending a boy to do a man's job?" Goliath scoffed at Saul's choice.

Undaunted, David proclaimed, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. . . for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give all of you into our hands."  (1 Samuel 17:45-46, 47)

David boldly proceeded forward and killed Goliath, just as he had predicted.  The only way this young shepherd boy would have the guts to carry out such a feat was if he knew from where his strength came.  David recognized that it was the Lord who would fight his battle for him.  As a result, he was able to move forward with confidence, not in his own abilities, but in the Lord's power.

I can be just as bold as David when I face imposing enemies.  When I am being opposed by the sovereignty of the federal government and it seems there is no way out, I can trust God to give me victory over the invincible foe.  When my own body seems to be my enemy, coming up against me and causing much turmoil, I can trust God to bring about the outcome He desires for me to experience.  When it seems I have no hope in finding a long lost loved one, I can trust God to put all the pieces in place in the time He desires.

When I trust God in the midst of the battle, God will fight as a mighty Warrior.

I Must Be Still

We watched the delicate butterfly struggle to break out of it's chrysalis.  The little neighbor boy cried out, "We have to help it."  My daughters, fresh from a homeschool lesson where they learned about the lifecycle of the colorful creatures, implored him not to touch it.  "No!  If you try to help it along, it will die!"

Still, the insistent lad reached out to pull the shell of the chysalis open, causing the newly emerging butterfly to fall to the ground dead.

It was nearly impossible for our little friend to resist helping the butterfly through the natural process of emerging from the pupa stage.  In the same way that his efforts marked the end of the insect's life, so my urge to help the Lord could be destructive to His plan.

While I may think I know what needs to be done to remove a threat from my life, only God sees the big picture and understands all the details of my situation.  Consequently, it is vital that I be still and let Him work out the situation to it's conclusion.  Any effort on my part to further my own agenda will only hamper His purposes.

When I'm tempted to make my own way when it looks like no improvement will ever come, I would be wise to resist the urge to get involved and instead wait on the Lord.  When I am filled with the desire to find an alternative solution because I don't see how God will make a way out for me, I must instead let God work out the unseen details.  When I can't wait to see the outcome and try to move things along a little faster, I will risk going in front of the Lord who is never too slow or too fast.  (2 Peter 3:8-9)

When I trust God by waiting on Him, He will honor my resistance to help and move forward with His plan.

I never like to feel like I'm up against a wall with no way out.  But often times, what seems like a crisis to me is simply an opportunity for God to show His power in my life.  Therefore, I can trust Him to shield me from my enemies, fight the battle for me, and give me the faith to be still in the face of His mighty plan.  In these ways, a hopeless situation may not be as impossible as I first thought!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God even when it seems He is doing nothing.

When do I forget the battle belongs to the Lord?

How am I tempted to help God along with His plan?