Be Still

Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations I will be exalted in the earth!  The lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.  Psalm 46:10-11

As autumn approaches, I am looking forward to walks in our local Nature park.  I am NOT looking forward to counting steps, or calories, instead I’m anticipating the sound.  Yes, the sound, away from the city noise, away from crowds of people just the sound of nature. The trees rustling in the wind, birds chirping, the sound my feet make on the path beneath my feet.  The feel of the warm sunshine on my face in the coolness of the season.  All these things make me smile and give my spirit a much-needed escape to stillness.

It is easy to become caught up in the chaos of life. We seem to move at a speed that rarely gives us time to just stop, breathe and take in the moments. We are taken captive by busyness.   Under this kind of pressure, it is no wonder that we recant to worry, and anxiety. We lose our way and our peace in a whirlwind of activity that chokes out prayer and intimacy with God.  We find ourselves fear ridden and panic stricken.  There is a famous TV line where the character George Costanza finds himself overwhelmed and begins to scream SERENITY NOW, over and over.  It’s quite funny.  Funny I think because many of us can relate to this feeling. 

Then we read this scripture from Psalms 46 with its command (not a suggestion) Be still and know that I am God.  BE STILL, stop moving, stop trying to work it out, stop fretting and worrying.  Instead, be still and reconnect to who God is.  Get alone with him and focus your attention on Him as the Lord of Hosts. This is a call for us to quiet our anxious soul and KNOW that God is with us.  He is more than just our calm in the storm, He is YAHWEH TSEBOTH, The Lord of Hosts.  The ruler over every power in the material and spiritual universe and He is on your side.  Be still today and Know that He is God!

PRAYER: God you are my refuge and my help.  I exalt you and give you thanks for who you are, Yahweh Tseboth, The Lord of Hosts. 

The Walk of Triumph

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses fragrance of His knowledge in every place.  II Corinthians 2:14

Do you hear it? The sound of thanks, the declaration of VICTORY!  I love that the apostle Paul stops the direction he is going in verse 14 of II Corinthians Chapter two to say “Now Thanks be to God”. Have you ever been talking about a series of events and suddenly realize how great God is? How He kept you? How he saved you, protected you or intervened to rescue you?  You have to just stop and say “Thank you Jesus!” I have.

 In 2014, at the age of 46 I was diagnosed with stage IV Colon metastatic disease.  I was given 3-6 months without Chemotherapy and if I did have the chemotherapy, they told me they would just have to wait and see.  Doctors did not give me options.  There seemed to be none.  This is the part where I have to stop and say, “now thanks be to God.”  He won the victory for me.  I have been cancer free for 4 years and counting.

No matter what you may be facing today the victory has already been won for you.  There is not now, nor has there ever been a war going on between Satan and God.  A war would signify that there was some struggle between God and Satan.  There is no struggle because God is greater.  God is all powerful and there is no competition from Satan.

Victories are won because someone lost.   Satan lost his bid for us when Jesus went to Calvary.  Not for himself did he go but for us!  He willingly gave His life to pay sin’s cost for us.  He willingly took the stripes on His back for our healing.  He won our victory for us. 

Isaiah 53:4-5 says it like this:

Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities.  The chastisements for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 

After he won the victory for us, He led us in triumph! Think about this, in the time of the Roman soldier when a war was won, the victor along with the captives were led in a public procession so all could see.  Celebration was made for the victor and an open show of defeat was made of the captives. 

Colossians 2:13-15 says this:

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirement that was against us, which was contrary to us.  And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

I have good news. As a child of the King your walk includes a triumphant march.    No matter what obstacle you may be facing today remember you are victorious in Christ Jesus. 

John 16:33 says:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

So, Keep the faith today.  Satan would like nothing more than to convince you that you are defeated. He will use things like fear and discouragement.  He will hurl lies and doubt into your path.  Use your shield of faith by hurling the truth of God’s Word back at him and declare this scripture and make it applicable to you, “Now thanks be to God who always leads me in triumph in Christ, and through me diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, thank you that you have made me an overcomer today! Thank you for your son Jesus Christ who have given me the victory and leads me in triumph.  Help me to diffuse the fragrance of your knowledge in every place I go, sharing your goodness, power and Love with everyone I meet.