Psalm 116:1-2:
“I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.”
Israel – throughout the Old Testament – suffered many trials and tribulations, fought many wars, endured famine, nakedness, captivity and sword… But God prevailed – He heard them every time they called. He never lost a battle.
I have had situations in my life where everything seemed impossible – where the waves seemed to overwhelm, the tempest raging around me.
I have had circumstances in my life that can’t be shared here, because it is not for the faint of heart – but the long and short of it is that I should have been dead. I could’ve, if it weren’t for the grace of God, easily been in an early grave.
I have seen, in my short life time, miracles upon miracles – I have seen debts being cancelled, families restored, bones straightened, tumours shrink – I have seen, through the power of a humble, earnest prayer (no shouting, no big words, no theatrics) a man on his deathbed restored to life.
And these are just the testimonies in my own life and the lives of those closest to me- miracles of provision, miracles of healing, miracles of restoration – there are a few of them happening around me right now.
Jesus said, in a conversation with His disciples: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19)
Job declares the following in Job 42, after the Lord confronts his unbelief and ignorance:
2 “I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
It is easy for us to react to our circumstances from a place of doubt and ignorance – when the waves obscure our vision, it is simpler for feet to fail and the soul to sink.
And perhaps now you are going through the tempest, through the fire, through the storm – perhaps you are facing the collapse of your business, the breakdown of your family unit or marriage, or a problem with your health – but I am here to encourage you to worship in the midst of this storm – to set your eyes upon the author and the finisher of our faith – turn your eyes upon Jesus.
One of the first passages of scripture I ever memorised and committed to heart was Psalm 27. This was my first step towards understanding the Bible in context rather than just having a loose collection of disjointed verses and declarations. I was thirteen years old, and remember reciting it whenever I had an opportunity.
At that stage I was being relentlessly bullied at school because of my club foot (I would actually leave school at the beginning of my second year of highschool because of the bullying). I did not fit in – I was different. And the only comfort I really had was in these verses:
“1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
It might feel like a war has broken out against you. I have my fair share of battle scars – and I can tell you that the enemy has never prevailed – Jesus has never lost a battle!
In my addiction – God won the battle!
In the wake and aftermath of a toxic marriage and divorce – God won the battle!
In my depression and anxiety – God won the battle!
Every time a war breaks out around me the Lord prepares a table, even in the face of the enemy, even in the midst of the battlefield – and tells me to come and be still. He raises His banner. He fights for me.
I hear the words of encouragement Moses speaks to the Israelites: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14)
The Lord is our Light, He is our Salvation – and He is the Stronghold – the Strong Tower in which we find shelter from the storm.
He is our Defender and He is our Warrior King – the One Who Goes Before – and makes straight the way before us.
He has never lost a battle. Your situation, your circumstances, your diagnosis might seem impossible to man – but with God all things are possible!
He is setting a table for you today, in the midst of the battle and in the face of your enemies – He is giving you a front row seat for the victory to come.
He has never lost a battle and He never will.
Prayer: Lord, I declare today that You are the stronghold of my life. You are my light and my salvation. I declare today that You are the Mighty One who saves – and because of this I will fear no evil. Every enemy will stumble and fall in the mighty name of Jesus. I declare today that You are my victory. You set a table for me even in the face of my enemies – and I will rest and trust in You. You will fight for me. Your ways are higher, Your plans are better – I surrender to Your will for my life. I will trust You in the heat of the battle. I will be still and know You are God. You are my Victory. And I praise You, not only for what You have done, but also for what I know You are going to do. In the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.