Religion is often a battle.
One day we feel drawn in the direction of trusting God, and then all of a sudden, we are on the opposite side, doubting Him. The pendulum of our thinking and feelings can swing from confidence to doubt all too simply if we are unprepared. Thankfully, God offers a key to stabilizing our religion. Times of doubt-causing fear, fury, or stress are standard for homosapiens, but we have got the choice to bring these natural feelings under subjection to the Lord. One of the finest methods to begin this process is recalling His nature and guarantees. When Devil is feeding us reasons to doubt, God wants us to draw from our well of religious information.
Concentrating on the Father swings our pendulum to trust. King Jehoshaphat demonstrated comprehensive confidence in the Lord when he learned of an incoming attack. In spite of his primary fear, he called on the people of Judah to fast. Then he spoke an amazing God-centered prayer praising Him, recalling His past provision, and asking for His protection. ( verses 6-12 ) As followers, we regularly accidentally fall into a pattern of praying with self-centered and negative words we detail our problem, beg for help, and jump to our feet still fretting. But the direct result of Jehoshaphat’s prayer was a quiet, trusting spirit. He swung from fear and doubt to confidence by looking not at his approaching enemy, but rather at his almighty Lord. Religion pendulum swings are everyday of followers, but we select the time period we intend to hover in the shade of doubt.
Faith-growing trust is only a prayer away. One thing more.
1And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
2But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
3And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
8And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
11And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
13And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
15And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
16And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
17Saying, We give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
18And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
19And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment. Proverbs 10:16 NIV
Our righteous labors will result in wages that bring life and blessing, but the profit of the wicked leads to further sin and the resultant punishment. And you shall grope at noonday, as a blind man gropes in darkness; you shall not prosper in your ways; you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually, and no one shall save you. 30 You shall betroth a wife, but another man shall lie with her; you shall build a house, but you shall not dwell in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but shall not gather its grapes. 31 Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you shall not eat of it; your donkey shall be violently taken away from before you, and shall not be restored to you; your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you shall have no one to rescue them. 32 Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, and your eyes shall look and fail with longing for them all day long; and there shall be no strength in your hand. 33 A nation whom you have not known shall eat the fruit of your land and the produce of your labor, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually.
Deuteronomy 28:29-34 NKJV
When you are rebellious and disobedient to the Lord, everything you have worked for and everything that is precious to you will become the property of others. You will become a slave to your enemy.
Because you did not serve the LORD your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, 48 therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the LORD sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you. 49 The LORD will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand, 50 a fierce-looking nation without respect for the old or pity for the young. 51 They will devour the young of your livestock and the crops of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain, new wine or oil, nor any calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks until you are ruined.
Deuteronomy 28:47-51 NIV
You must serve the LORD your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity. When you are blessed of the Lord, you must appreciate your blessing and continue to serve and honor Him with joy and gratitude. If you are ungrateful and unappreciative, you open a door for the enemy to destroy that for which you have worked so hard.
For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham. 43 He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; 44 he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for–45 that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws. Praise the LORD. Psalms 105:42-45 NIV
When you turn to the Lord, honor Him and remember Him, you will reap what others have sown. They will do the work, but because of their disobedience, you will benefit.
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it. 14 I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them;
They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. 15 I will plant them in their land, And no longer shall they be pulled up From the land I have given them,” Says the LORD your God. Amos 9:13-15 NKJV
When you obey God, everything you put your hand to will prosper. You will be blessed with the fruit of your labor. The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” 1 Timothy 5:17-18 NIV
God’s plan is for you to get what you work for and to be blessed by your labors. Slavery is a result of disobedience, but every person should be able to enjoy what he or she deserves and to reap what he or she has sown.
Trusting God
Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret–it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Psalms 37:1-11 NKJV
“Trust in the Lord” — When we consider our circumstances and the things we see and hear it is not hard to surrender to fear and anxiety. However, the Lord emphasizes to us –- all through His word –- that He loves us, He cares about us, He is on our side and He will take care of us and provide for us. He tells us over and over to TRUST Him –- because unless we trust in Him He is unable to help us — and He does want to help us.
“Do good” –- Stay in the will of God by DOING GOOD. God is your protection, your rock, your fortress, your deliverer, and your avenger as long as you see to it that you abide in His presence. As long as you decide to obey and serve Him with a willing heart He is able to protect and keep you. If you wander out of His presence and into the enemy’s territory you become exposed and unprotected. You must DWELL in the secret place of the Most High in order to ABIDE under the shadow of the Almighty.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Psalms 91:1-2 NKJV
Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. Psalms 91:9-11 NKJV
“Dwell in the land” –- God has made us exceeding great and precious promises, purchased with the priceless, precious blood of Jesus. We need to take what is ours. We need to boldly ask for what God has promised and we need to accept and receive it with humility and gratefulness. “I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’” Abba Father went to so much trouble to purchase our life, our redemption, our freedom and our blessing that it would be a shame for us to refuse it. When someone loves us enough to make a great sacrifice for us — for the purpose of blessing us and with the intention of blessing us -– the greatest insult would be for us to turn the blessing down because of our false humility. False humility stems from an attitude of pride –- if I can’t earn it, I don’t want it. You have to humble your heart in order to accept the gift that you don’t deserve. God has given you the land – DWELL IN IT!
“Feed on His faithfulness” –- His faithfulness will sustain you. Because of His faithfulness you will always have exactly what you need. His faithfulness will feed you, clothe you, and keep you. You need to meditate on His faithfulness. Feed yourself with His word and His promises. Immerse yourself in His faithfulness. See nothing else, but His faithfulness –- expect it and look for it. When the circumstances are contrary –- believe in His faithfulness. When you are in need –- call on His faithfulness. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.
You can trust Him because He tells you to trust Him. You can trust him because He is trustworthy. He provides that which He promises and He only promises that which He can and will provide. He cannot lie and He will not lie –- that is why you can believe that what He says is the truth and why you can trust Him completely and absolutely.