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One of Satan’s chief strategies is to trap and keep people in a state of confusion, frustration, disorder and unrest in their souls.
The enemy of our soul knows that when you and I are restless, we lack composure and confidence in dealing with life’s difficulties. Satan takes advantage of people who “lose it” and “fall apart” under trial. Trials turn into triumph when we trust in the Lord. Read Psalm 131. (Only three verses!) David reminds God’s people to trust in Him with childlike trust. Victory over the enemy and adversity comes through a calm, composed, confident, Christ-like response to the evil one’s assault. In verse 1, David confesses that his heart is not arrogant, his eyes are not full of pride, and that he doesn’t go after things that are too difficult for him. The clear inference is that he keeps himself humble and trusts in the Lord to help him handle life’s hassles. In verse 2, David paints a precious, priceless picture of a mother and nursing child. “Surely I have composed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child rests against his mother.” There is nothing sweeter or more peaceful than the angelic face of a little baby resting close to its mother after being fed. A weaned child’s serene countenance conveys innocence, peace, composure and dependence. A confident trust that mother will always be present to meet the dependent child’s needs. In verse 3 David states in verse 3 “my soul is like a weaned child within me.” Wow! Did you catch what he said? God’s children can be like a nursing/weaned child on the inside when life on the outside is challenging and chaotic. How can this be possible? David tells us how. He states that “I” have “composed and quieted my soul”. The psalmist was proactive in times of difficulty. When tempted to fall apart under pressure, he got quiet and composed himself. God did not quiet him down or hit him with a wave of composure. David quieted himself before the Lord. He composed himself (got his act together in a peaceful manner) and received confidence from the presence of God. David composed and quieted himself—and so must we. No one can quiet my soul for me. I must do it. The peace of God is mine when I draw close to the God of peace. In verse 3, David exhorts Israel to “hope in the Lord”. This hope in the Lord is for today and every day. God’s people can always hope in the Lord when they put child-like trust in Him and the promises of His Word. What does Psalm 131 have to do with me and living as a Christian in 2021? Everything. We live in a frantic, frenetic, frustrating time that knows very little of composure and quietness. Run and gun is the order of the day. Hurry and scurry produce worry and fury. When we rush, we can’t hear the hush of God. The Lord is in the quiet places of life. Psalm 23:2-3 states that our Shepherd leads us by still, not raging waters. There He restores our souls. The still, small voice of the Lord is what the distressed prophet Elijah needed to hear on the mountainside when he was depressed (I Kings 19:12). Quiet and rest produces composure, confidence, and courage to seek and receive God’s best. Bottom line: You and I need soul rest to avoid burnout and breakdown. Quietness before the Lord is tremendous therapy. THERE IS POWER IN QUIET CONFIDENCE. Three Simple Steps to Quiet Confidence 1. Get alone with God daily for fifteen minutes. Absolutely no distractions. (Cell phones included!) Use the time to listen for His still, small voice. 2. Read a soothing Psalm each day. Begin with Psalms 100-150. God’s Word will refresh, restore and renew your soul. 3. Write down a few thoughts from your quiet time with God. Review and reflect upon them when life’s stress level rises. Our hope and help are in the Lord. That is why you and I can handle life with composure and quiet confidence. Make a decision to arrange your lifestyle so that you walk by faith in quiet confidence. “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15 “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have refuge.” Proverbs 14:26 A WORD FOR YOUR WEEK: Get quiet before God, soak up His love, and then walk in quiet confidence throughout your day. Life can be loud.
Noise bombards our senses continually, wearing us down spiritually, mentally and emotionally. It seems like someone is shouting or screaming about something doesn’t it? Cultural issues. The boss. Newscasts. Advertisements. Economic forecasts. Social media. Music. Entertainment. Relationship tensions. Even church. Life seems loudly out of control at times. Negative noise disrupts our personal peace, leaving us edgy, agitated and uptight. What can you and I do to silence the negative noise that disturbs quietness and tranquility? It is a question I have been asking myself for a few months. In the Old Testament, the prophet Zephaniah records a tremendous truth about God in chapter 3, verse 17. How many of you will admit that you have not visited the book of Zephaniah in quite some time? The two “Zs”, Zephaniah and Zachariah are two scriptural gems in the Bible. “The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy. He will be quiet in His love. He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” What a wonderful word for weary souls! God is with us as a victorious warrior who rejoices and exults over us with shouts of joy! I really like knowing that God is a victorious warrior who rejoices over me with shouts of joy! God is all of that because He is quiet in His love. God’s love is quiet, never noisy. Think about it. The noise of the world does not disrupt God’s love or peace. Our Maker remains calm, cool and collected when we are falling apart! I am so grateful that the Lord does not panic when I do. He is never upset by the craziness of mankind. When we are restless, He rests, quietly in His love. I believe the Lord wants you and me to rest quietly in His love. God’s unconditional love drowns out life’s noise. His quiet love quiets our restless souls. The picture I have in my mind is of my Heavenly Father quietly loving me, settling me down when I need it. I get it. I am a father and grandfather. More times than I can recount, I have comforted my little ones, and not so little ones now, when they were upset, thinking their whole world was falling apart. You parents know what I am talking about! How did I quiet them down? I loved on them. I took them in my arms. Sat them on my lap (when small). Cuddled them up. Soothed them with calm, quiet, reassuring words that everything would be all right. I always let them know how much God loves them and that He would help them. Eventually, depending on the magnitude of their perceived crisis, they would slowly but surely settle down. My quiet love for them helped them overcome the “noise” troubling them. God loves on us with His quiet love. Psalm 23:1-2 states “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters.” The Lord Jesus Christ is our Shepherd. His sheep, you and me, will never want for anything. There are times when we sheep are beside ourselves. Because He loves us, He makes us lie down in green pastures, and He leads us beside still, quiet waters. Green pastures. Still, quiet waters. A soul-soothing picture of rest, refreshing, renewal and restoration for restless hearts. Isn’t it amazing how much God loves you and me? John 3:16 says it all. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish, but have everlasting life.” Oh my, God loves you and me so much that He sent and sacrificed His only Son for our sins so we could be saved and spend eternity with Him in heaven. For me, salvation quiets my mind and heart like nothing else can. Incredible. Words are hollow and shallow to express how I feel that Jesus died for me so I could live with my Father in heaven who is quiet in His love. I agree with the words of John Newton, writer of the most beloved Christian song of all time “Amazing Grace”, said “I know two things: I am a great sinner. I have a great Savior.” That’s Steve Roll too. In 2021, I want to be used by the Lord to help stressed out, restless, upset, hurting, spiritually lost people find the One who will quiet them with His love. My Christian friends now is a great opportunity in our culture to share our faith with searching souls. Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is the answer we need for time and eternity. The noise of the world needs to be drowned out by the Good News of Jesus Christ! Today at my home church we sang a song called “Raise A Hallelujah!” The chorus exhorts believers to “Sing a little louder, Sing a little louder.” Christians, lets sing a little, a lot louder, and raise a Hallelujah to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let’s sing so loud that our positive noise negates the negative noise of the world. Those of us who have benefited from God’s quiet love are called to share Gods’ unconditional love with lost souls. Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.” Today, tune out some noise. Be quiet in God’s love. Bask your soul in the sunshine of His lovingkindness. Sing the song of salvation a little louder in your circle of relationships. Share your faith with someone who would love to know that God loves them! “The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore, I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God, and such we are.” I John 3:1 A Word For Your Week: God’s love quiets restless hearts. Weary Christians need refreshed.
As we discussed last week, Christ’s followers find rest, refreshment and renewal in Him. The church, the body of Christ, is another place for believers to be refreshed. There are times when a scripture jumps off the page, hits you square in the eyeballs, then burrows deep down into your spirit. Romans 15:32 reads “S o that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.” Wow! Refreshing rest in the company of the church! REFRESHING REST. The context of this verse is vital to understanding the depth, fullness and richness of what Paul is communicating to the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul was a tried and true, tireless proclaimer of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He traveled for years, conducting three missionary journeys to share God’s love with Jews and Gentiles across the known world. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he also penned thirteen books of the New Testament. His focus was always to preach Christ crucified and risen from the dead. Multitudes came to the Lord through his itinerant ministry. Others resisted the message and messenger. Paul was mocked, taunted, persecuted, beaten, imprisoned and eventually martyred for his faith. Often Paul was on his own with only a handful of faithful sidekicks. If you are ever having a bad day, I invite you to read II Corinthians 11:22-33 and discover what Paul dealt with on a regular basis. Your day won’t seem so bad, believe me! In verses 29-33, Paul asks the church to pray for Him. If it is God’s will, he will travel to Rome to visit the brethren after he delivers an offering to the poor saints at Jerusalem. Paul asks that he may come “in joy” and find “refreshing rest” in their company. The John Wayne of the Gospel was tireless, but tired. Weary of being on the road so much, exhausted from the demands of ministry, Paul longed for “refreshing rest” from his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. What would “refreshing rest” look like? The weary warrior for Christ would be in the joyful company of like-minded believers. He would be secure, protected, provided for and able to take a few deep spiritual breaths away from the ministry trips. The church would be a safe harbor, a place where the Gospel trail blazer could relax, kick back, take it easy for a while. He longed for and looked forward to sharing the joy of the Lord with those who loved the Lord like he did. Paul received “refreshing rest” in Rome before he set out on the next leg of God’s plan for his life and ministry. Refreshing Rest In The Church
The body of Christ, His church, should always be a holy haven of “refreshing rest” for His servants. Followers of Jesus, including you and me, need refreshed in the Lord when we gather with God’s people. Let’s be honest. You and I will not find “refreshing rest” in the world, the workplace, in the company of unbelievers, and certainly not on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! “Refreshing Rest” belongs to the community of believers in Jesus Christ. There is no rest without Him and each other. What if your local church was a place of “refreshing rest”? What if weary, stressed out, frustrated, anxious, worried, troubled, fearful, hurting brothers and sisters in Christ would take a deep spiritual breath when they walk through the church doors, knowing the peace, hope and joy of God awaits them? Wouldn’t that be awesome? Of course it would! So, do you leave your church services feeling rested and refreshed in the Lord? Do you do your part to contribute to a spirit of “refreshing rest” in your fellowship? Would visitors to your church say there is a spirit of “refreshing rest” in your assembly? How can you bring “refreshing rest” to a brother or sister in Christ in the church this week? “Repent therefore, and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19 A Word For Your Week: Refreshing rest is every believer’s responsibility in the body of Christ. Exit 2020. Enter 2021.
As a Christian I am expecting 2021 to be a good year because of God’s faithfulness to keep His promises. But I will be honest. My soul is weary. How about yours? According to the Bible, mankind possesses a spirit, body and soul. (I Thessalonians 5:23). Our soul is composed of three components: mind, will and emotions. Our thoughts, choices and feelings make up our soul. Covid-19 uncertainty. Political upheaval. Civil unrest. Economic disruption. Relationship distancing. A host of other soul stressors have created a weariness in our world, nation, families and individuals. I am worn out just mentioning these things. I think you know what I am talking about. Scratching our heads wondering about what is going on and might happen. Making choices we have not had to make before. Experiencing emotions that are confusing, contradicting, and downright troubling have plunged you and me into an unrelenting stress mode that produces acute and chronic weariness of soul. Soul weariness is ugly to say the least. Constant tiredness. Overwhelming fatigue. Restlessness. A sense of feeling stuck in life. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness because you seemingly cannot do anything about what is happening around you feed soul weariness. So, what are you and me to do? Will the world system alleviate weariness? No. Science. No. Politicians. No. Media and technology. No. The Stock Market. No. Addictive substances. No. Spiritual or religious activity outside of Christ. No. But I do know what, rather Who, will help us win over weariness. His name is Jesus. Soul rest in Jesus is the remedy for soul weariness. In Matthew 11:28-30 the Lord invites all who are soul weary to come to Him for rest. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am humble and gentle in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My load is light.” Note steps to rest from a weary soul.
Truth be told, it takes humility to admit that we need the Lord’s help to overcome soul weariness. We think (erroneously) we can handle it on our own. If that is you, how has that been working out for you? Just asking. Come. Yoke . Learn. Receive. Rest. Sounds good to me right now, how about you? Jesus is a bottomless well of soul rest, restoration and renewal that never runs dry. Helpful Hints For Relieving Soul Weariness
Take a moment right now. Say this to Jesus, my soul is weary Lord. I need rest. Hear Him say to you. (Your name) come to Me and I will give you rest. Release your weariness and receive rest from the One who is never weary. “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him.” Psalm 37:7 “The Lord preserves the simple. I was brought low and He saved me. Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” Psalm 116:6-7 A Word For Your Week: Turn soul weariness into soul rest by resting in Jesus. 2021 has arrived.
Imagine with me for a moment this possible scenario this new year. You are surrounded by a band of corrupt, power-hungry, greed motivated, lying, hypocritical evildoers who want to control then destroy you and your loved ones. How would you feel about your situation? What would you do? King David of Israel was faced with such a dilemma. He writes about it in Psalm 27:1-3. “The Lord is my light and my salvation. Who shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life. Who shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war rise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident.” Three observations regarding how David chose to face his enemies with fearless faith. David’s declaration. Note David declared that the Lord is “my light’,” my salvation”, “the defense of my life”. The king had it settled. He would not fear or dread anybody, even if he was surrounded. His heart would not fear. The evil ones who would “devour my flesh” stumbled and fell because the Lord was David’s light, salvation and defense. In other words, David had a fearless faith that stood tall as he watched the evil horde fall.
The king’s fearless faith caused him to stand confidently, courageously and firmly in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
It is time for you and me to wake up to what is actually happening in our society and world. Evildoers and enemies are real. They are not fictitious. There really are people in our world who are demonically inspired to carry out evil and wickedness. Evildoers do not do good things. The day you and I live in requires and demands that Christians have fearless faith that wholeheartedly trusts in the Lord in the face of adversity. Spiritual, emotional, physical, relational, financial and political enemies surround us on many fronts. Fair weather faith. Fantasy faith. Fake faith. Faltering faith. Fearful faith. Fractured faith. Fainthearted faith will not cut it. Only fearless faith in Christ will overcome evil doers. Facts About Fearless Faith
Does evil shake your confidence in God? Do evil men and women intimidate you, creating in you a spirit of anxiety and fear? Does fear of them disrupt your personal peace? When fear comes knocking on the door of your mind and heart, will you stand boldly with fearless trust in the Lord? Will you declare “No entrance here fear”? 2021 will be your and my opportunity to face life fearlessly with singlehearted faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Life is going to happen, whether we like what happens or not. Today, this day, and every day after, trust fearlessly in the Lord even when evildoers and enemies surround you. “But immediately Jesus spoke to them saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:27 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.” II Timothy 1:7 A Word For Your Week: Fearless trust in the Lord is faith that overcomes life’s challenges. Whew! 2021 is just around the corner.
For most of us, the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021 is welcoming news. 2020 certainly has had more than its share of life-disrupting, nerve-wracking challenges. “Normal” life was turned topsy-turvy, upside down and inside out. No one would disagree with that assessment. I am sure you are thinking, wondering, pondering and praying about 2021. Of course, none of us know what the next year will be like. But I do know this: God knows. He really does. He knows about each and every day that you and I live. Psalm 139:16 says so. “Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” Your and my days have been pre-ordained by our Maker. This is good news in an increasingly bad news world. So how should you and I approach the upcoming New Year? I asked myself that question and wrote down some random thoughts for 2021 that will help me, and hopefully you, navigate the new year successfully.
I choose in the new year to tune out the dooms dayers and doom sayers. Anyone with half a brain can think and speak the worst. Biblically, God’s people are instructed, empowered, and encouraged to think and speak the best, even in the worst of circumstances. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I am going to discipline myself to watch my words because life and death are in the power of our tongue (Proverbs 18:21). I resolve to speak life and live life in Christ in 2021. I encourage you to wait on the Lord and come up with your Thoughts On 2021 list. Then go to work on your list for the next twelve months expecting to reap a bountiful harvest of good in your life and others. Trust the Lord that 2021 will be one of the best years of your life. “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet: but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 A Word For Your Week: Welcome 2021 with expectant faith in Jesus Christ. Dashed hope.
There is nothing more disconcerting than to hope for something that ends up in shattered pieces on the jagged rocks of disappointment and disillusionment. Dashed hope has disrupted my life at times. Most likely yours also. While my ultimate hope has always been rooted and grounded in God, I hoped a couple of times in men too much. I really thought some folks would come through, help me out, have my back, if you know what I mean. Unfortunately, my trust and hope was misplaced in some who proved not worthy of trust. Let’s be honest: who doesn’t hope to hope in people to help us along the road of life? It is so human and natural to put hope in people, systems and the world around us. But I ask you: what hope can a hopeless world offer? False hope is the only hope the world knows. Currently many people in America and the world are feeling hopeless and helpless because their hope is misplaced. Men and movements are not saviors. Institutions are not redeemers. Christless religion is not a deliverer. Humanistic philosophy rescues no one. Hoping in persons or things that cannot bring hope breeds hopelessness. Result: a mental/emotional battle with disappointment, discouragement, lack of peace, disillusionment, depression and even despair for a season. I have good news, very, very good news if you are feeling hopeless. Biblical hope is much more than a positive attitude or an optimistic outlook. It is a “living hope” based on what Jesus Christ has done for you and me. One of my favorite biblical passages is found in I Peter 1:3-9. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has cause us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation or your souls.” I could preach on this passage forever. However, I only have room for some summary thoughts. 1.“living hope”. Hope in Christ is alive because Jesus is risen from the dead. Our hope is alive because Jesus lives! No one can diminish or take that away from born again believers. 2. “imperishable inheritance”. Wow! Inheritance from God that is undefiled, imperishable and will never fade away. It is so good to be in the Father’s will! 3. “reserved in heaven”. God’s kids are protected by His power. Nothing on earth or hell can take salvation away from Christians who have reserved seats in heaven! Who in this world can hurt the “living hope” of those who believe in Jesus Christ? 4. “rejoice with joy inexpressible”. Rejoicing, praising, party time when we realize that we have a “living hope” because of Christ’s glorious resurrection. Note it is a joy that cannot be put into words it is so overwhelming awesome. No depression here. Thank you Lord Jesus! 5. “salvation of your souls”. Bottom line of “living hope” in Christ is salvation. You and I are saved from our sins, forgiven, because of Jesus’ shed blood on the Cross and an empty tomb. The hope of eternal salvation is hope indeed! Oh my, I could shout His praises with all my being right now! Do you get this, what a “living hope” is? It means nothing that comes into our life, even if for a time our faith is tested, God’s people come out of the fire proven, pure as gold. His holy fire sanctifies and purifies those who have a “living hope” in Jesus. “Living hope” is an eternal hope. Hope in anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ is dead hope. Temporal hope expires. Eternal hope is secured through faith in God’s only Son Jesus. Eternal hope endures for time and eternity. Christmas 2020. Living, eternal hope is a baby in a manger who died on a cross, rose from the dead and is coming back in glory to take those who love Him home to heaven! Christmas without Christ is hopeless. How is your hope this Christmas? It is alive in Christ? Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? Receive Him into your heart by faith right now. Invite Him in. Ask Him to forgive your sins. Commit yourself to obey His Word and serve Him the rest of your life. “Living hope” is the greatest Christmas gift you and I could ever receive. ”…and hope does not disappoint, because the love of Christ has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5 “…which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 A Word For Your Week: Hope in what is hope indeed, the Lord Jesus Christ! Surrounded. Hemmed in. Trapped. No way out.
2020 can make you and me feel surrounded by an insurmountable army of evil. Pick your surrounding army(s). Covid-19. Economic setback. Election confusion. Violent protests. Corruption. Hatred and division. Need I add anything else? When you and I are surrounded by evil, we have two choices: surrender to fear or stand firm with faith. II Kings 6:8-23 records the incredible story of the prophet Elisha who was surrounded by a massive, marauding, murderous army. Here is the Cliff Note version of what happened. King Aram hated Elisha because he warned the King of Israel that Aram was going to kill him in an ambush. Israel’s King was saved, which ignited Aram’s wrath toward Elisha. During the night, the Aramean king sent “a great army that surrounded the city” (verse 14) where Elisha was. In the early morning, Elisha’s servant peered out the window and saw a sea of enemies with horses and chariots circling the city. Fearful, the trembling servant turned to Elisha, saying “what shall we do?” In verse 16 Elisha replied “So he answered: Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Mr. Servant, don’t push the panic button! In verse 17 Elisha prayed and said “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” WOW! The servant saw what Elisha knew was there, God’s mighty army encircling the enemy troops. Then in verses 18-23 Elisha asked the Lord to blind the Arameans while Elisha led them to Samaria where he did not kill them but put on a feast for them and sent them home! They never attacked Israel again. Three things Elisha did that blow me away.
What does this mean for you and me as 2020 winds down? It means God’s people win over evil. Every situation. Every time. No exceptions. Maybe we need to open our eyes to see that there are more for us than for them. What do you think? I think that is a fantastic idea that I need to put into practice more often. Oh Lord, give me a heart and eyes of faith to see what is really going on, that I am on the winning side even when seemingly surrounded. Remember when surrounded we have two choices: surrender to fear or stand firm with faith. Standing Firm in Faith When Surrounded
I am still soaking this up folks. Though God’s resources are often invisible, they are really there, fighting on our behalf. By the way, I read the end of the Bible which makes it clear that God’s side wins and Satan loses. Glory to God! Feeling surrounded, overwhelmed by evil? Take your eyes off the evil. Focus your faith on a good God who delivers His people from evil. Fear of a few, or faith for many. You decide. “If God be for us, who can be against us.” (Romans 8:31). I heard a pastor say “If God is for us, everybody else might as well be!” Amen to that! “You are of God little children and have overcome them, because greater is He (Jesus) who is in you than he (Satan) who is in the world.” I John 4:4 A Word For Your Week: Never surrender your faith when surrounded by evil. Praying for others matters.
If you have a grandmother or grandfather who faithfully prays for you, you are richly blessed. I am convinced praying grandparents move heaven and hell on behalf of their loved ones. As a teenager, I was confused, at times rebellious and definitely lost. I made my share of hormone-driven adolescent mistakes. At one point, my waywardness threatened to end my young life. Enter George and Willa Eplin, my prayer warrior grandparents. These precious people loved me unconditionally. Faithfully they interceded for me in the spiritual gap while their teenage grandson wildly spun out in life. I would not be saved and headed for heaven if my Christian grandparents had not hounded heaven on my behalf. They even asked the Lord to call me to preach! Who would have thought (certainly not me!) that Steve Roll would be a preacher of the Good News of Jesus Christ! Miracles do happen!!! My grandparents were gap standers. I believe my godly grandparents spent many hours on their feeble, aged knees at the watchtower, fervently praying for me to come to the Lord and serve Him. On my behalf, they consistently, courageously, boldly battled the enemy of my soul in heavenly places. One day when I see them in heaven, I will give them a huge hug and heartfelt thank you for interceding for me. Intercessory prayer is praying for others who need prayed for. Who of us doesn’t need someone to stand in the gap for us on occasion? God is always looking for gap standing intercessors. In ancient times, God sent Ezekiel to call Israel back to the Lord, rebuke false prophets, and foretell future events. In the Bible, Ezekiel 22:30 contains an ominous word that we need to heed today. “And I searched for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land that I should not destroy it, BUT I FOUND NONE.” God searched for an intercessor for Israel but did not find one. Not even one. Oh my, no one interceded for the nation. Deliverance from destruction did not come. Gap standers do not sit in life’s bleachers eating nachos, sipping Coke Zero while watching others pray. They get on the playing field, praying, seeking the face and heart of God. They stand in the gap with faith for people who are struggling in life. Today, many, many people who feel hopeless, helpless, defeated and desperate surround you and me. They may or may not be praying for themselves. Prayer to the Living God has the power to touch their hearts and turn them toward the Lord to receive His healing, restoring, renewing strength. My heart is heavy, burdened for our families, friends, the church, our nation and the world. Gap standers who pray in the name of the Lord are needed more than ever today.
Who knows what may have happened in my life if the Eplins had not built a wall of prayer and stood in the gap to pray for me? Do you have some Eplins in your life? Gap standers who seek God on your behalf? Who can you name and thank God for because they have prayed for you? The Lord is continually looking for a man or woman to stand in the gap. Will you be that person? Will you be an Eplin to family, friends, the church, nation and world? Stand in the gap for someone, who like me, was saved because of the intercessory prayers of Christians. I pray you and me will not be the one who would not intercede for others. “Pray without ceasing.” I Thessalonians 5:17 A Word For Your Week: Be a gap stander for someone who needs prayer. Evil seems to be winning in America.
My friends, at this strategically significant moment in American history, we are engaged in a monumental spiritual/moral battle for the souls of our citizens and nation. The United States teeters precariously on a perilous precipice of self-destruction. If our nation tumbles over the edge, our beloved country will cease to exist as we have known it. I am fully convinced that if committed Christians do not stand strong and boldly in Jesus’ name against the merciless onslaught of Satan against America, we will soon lose “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” The devil is systematically pulling out all of hell’s stops for the sole purpose of eradicating Christian influence in our nation. I find this disturbing prospect frightening and totally unacceptable for me, my wife, my children, grandchildren, friends and fellow Americans. Christians who love the Lord and His Word cannot sit idly by and watch evil triumph. Only the power of God can stop the power of hell. It is time to stop playing church. Instead, God’s people must get after the evil one in the triumphant name of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus has something to say about His bride the church. In Matthew 16:18-19 the Lord said “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build My church; and the gates of hades (hell) will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” In the context of our verses, Peter had personally confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God (verse 16). Jesus is the Rock the church is built upon. Peter and all believers are little rocks, living stones that make up the church (I Peter 2:4-10). Jesus declared in no uncertain terms that hell would never overpower, not prevail over His church. The thought in the original language is that hell would not push back the church. Quite the opposite. The church is to push back the gates of hell. When push comes to shove, the church, not Satan, is to do the shoving! The good news: the church will never be overpowered! Not now, not ever! Who or what could possibly remove Jesus from the throne of His Kingdom? The not so good news: why isn’t the church prevailing over Satan, pushing back the gates of hell? Why does the church appear spiritually anemic, seemingly powerless to turn back the assaults of the evil one? Why do we wimp out when we should courageously and confidently use the “keys of the kingdom” to keep Satan at bay? The church is not commissioned to just hold the fort. Digging in defensively and hoping to hang in there is not God’s will for His people. God’s good soldiers are to charge the enemy in the name of our Commander in Chief, routing the enemy back to hell where the devil and his demonic troops belong. (II timothy 2:1-4). Evil is in our face. Up close and uncomfortably personal. Shouting violently with vile threats targeting God’s people. Mocking, ridiculing, intimidating, manipulating, deceiving and duping segments of the church into submission. This should not be tolerated. Hell-inspired evil is pushing righteous people around when we should be pushing evil around! What happened to taking authority over Satan? Rebuking, resisting and binding the devil in Jesus’ name? It is time, right now to push back the gates of hell through intercessory prayer. To intercede means to stand in the gap for another, to represent someone else, to intervene. The church’s most effective spiritual weapon is to intercede for our families, friends, the church, our nation and the world. Never minimize the power of prayer. Satan trembles when we pray. Brothers and sisters in Christ, never, never cower or retreat from Satan and his demons. Stand up boldly to the devil and his demonic cohorts in the name of the holy Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ who has stripped Satan of all authority. (Colossians 2:13-15). The right fight is the faith fight. Jesus said “Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:22). It is time to stop fighting the wrong fights and start fighting, protected by the shield of faith, for the souls of our people and our nation. Are you doing your part to push back the gates of hell in Jesus’ name? Are you standing up strong with biblical faith to help turn the tide from evil to good? Can you be counted on to be a person of righteousness that will turn this unrighteous tide around? Beloved ones of the Lord, its pushback time on the devil. Let us get on our knees to humbly, fervently seek God, then stand up in the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit with the Word of God and save our nation from self-destruction. Push back or be pushed back is up to you and me. Next week I will discuss how to pushback the gates of hell through intercessory prayer. Look for my devotional next Tuesday called “Standing In the Gap”. “Righteous exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to a people.” Proverbs 14:34 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12 A Word For Your Week: Now is the time for good people to overcome evil. |
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