The times are intense.The battles are real.
Now more than ever we as the children of God need to stick out like a sore thumb as we display the hope of our salvation.
The one thing that should separate us from all others in this tired, old world is the presence of God with us.
Are we empowered?
Do we display joy even in the face of deep pain and challenge?
The resounding answer should be, “Yes! Yes!”
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us that we are “the salt of the earth.”
We are the seasoning this world needs.
In the Amplified version, Daniel 12:3 says “Those who are wise (skilled or have understanding) shall shine (send out light) like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.”
Who are the wise? The wise are the ones who are following Jesus.
The wise are the ones who hear His voice and do what He tells them to do! In other words, wise people take seriously everything God says.
Did you know that we can even become wiser than our enemies? Let’s look up Psalm 119:98:
“Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are forever true.”
Does anyone want what you have?
Are you making anyone thirsty?
These are good questions that I regularly ask myself as one belonging to God.
We must become highly skilled in positioning ourselves in alignment with the heartbeat of heaven. It’s too easy to partner with doom and gloom! Staying in a place of gloom and doom is not the proper position for anyone calling himself or herself a follower of Jesus Christ. Daily we should with joy, draw up the waters from the wells of our salvation and drink deeply. (Isaiah 12:3)
Because we know that “in His presence, there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11), we better not live out of any other presence.
Joy will elude us if we insist upon marinating in the presence of this world.
Did you know that talking to yourself is actually biblical?
Take a look at Psalm 103. The psalmist starts out telling his soul to bless the Lord. He says that all that is within him should “bless his holy name.”
In Psalm 42:5 he questions himself by asking why he is so downcast and then he admonishes himself to put his hope in God.
Sometimes we need to take our little old depressed self out to the woodshed and have a “come to Jesus” moment.
Speak to your soul at times and encourage yourself in the Lord.
At our small group the other day I was telling how even the news headlines feel toxic to me. There is so much doom and fear being projected in our world. COVID has invaded our world. Attached to this horrible virus is also a spirit of fear.
It’s a combo meal from darkness!
What if, we as children of the light, put our hope on and began to shine like the stars in the backdrop of darkness and offered a combo meal from heaven?
What would be in that meal that we serve?
I can hear it now. The prophet Isaiah broadcasted it in Isaiah 55:1. “Hey there! All who are thirsty, come to the water! Are you penniless? Come anyway—buy and eat! Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk. Buy without money—everything’s free!”
The word of God tells us that when it’s all said and done, the kingdoms of this world will have become the kingdoms of our Lord (Revelations 11:15) and that of the increase of His government there will be no end (Isaiah 9:7).
Wow, that’s very good news.
So instead of always looking to our natural news headlines, why don’t we ask God what His headlines are for the day?
I’m certain you will hear things like: “COVID Patient Healed by Miraculous Power”, or how about this one, “The Love of God Has Chased off Every Spirit of Fear!
Oh, and how about this one: “Hundreds Baptized as Revival Breaks Out in North Carolina!”
And we must not ignore this one: “Joy and Strength Are Filling Many Despite Circumstances of Pain and Difficulty.”
What is God’s headline in your life today? I know He will tell you if you ask and listen.
Let God make you worth your salt!
God Whisper …
Find Me as your shelter. Search Me out. Seek Me in the place of trouble and difficulty. There are gems and jewels for you to find as you dig deep. There are hidden strategies just waiting to be downloaded into you as you mine for the gold that belongs to you.
There are new springs for your spiritual roots as you dig deeper with Me. It must be more than outward appearance and looking fine. I am most concerned with the part of you that’s hidden from others but not hidden from Me.
My glory is all around you. My covering is over you. My Spirit fills you. You have everything you need in Me. You have no lack in the Spirit. Be careful to stand in the place provided for you in My presence. Life can be compared to a minefield. Life requires you to hear My voice and obey in order to avoid stepping where you should not. There are traps and tricks and devices of the enemy prepared for you; but as you listen to Me and follow My lead, what has been formed against you will not succeed.
Sometimes, I will offend your mind in order to grow your heart. Sometimes, you will find yourself in places of darkness and questioning but take heart. I am growing you as you choose to look My way and see what I will do next. I am raising you into the child that I have planned and prepared for you to be. As your mind is offended in your circumstance, your heart gains strength. As you continue on in Me, you will see what I am doing, and it will be okay. It will be more than okay. It will be gloriously okay.
Trust Me when the road disappears from your feet. Trust Me when the light turns to darkness. Trust Me when I ask you to do something impossible. Take that leap of faith and you will find yourself in the secure wrap of My arms.
You are in training, a type of spiritual boot camp. The word for you is: ENDURE. The word for you is: PERSEVERE. It’s the one who finishes who will attain the prize. It’s the one who keeps on keeping on who will have the reward. Keep doing right. Keep acting right. I see your love for Me and our union is strong.
Keep giving and loving those around you. This is the test. This is what I am watching. This is what I will be rewarding. Don’t give your reward away, for the reward will be worth the race. The beauty and glory that forms in the struggle will be worth it all.
(God Whisper taken from Christy’s Book “Until the Day Breaks and the Shadows Flee.”)
Christy Christopher Author/Speaker
Author of Until the Day Breaks and the Shadows Flee and Incredible Intervention
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Carol McLeod Ministries
Featured Image by Bruno /Germany from Pixabay
