Sunday, August 03, 2008

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

Wow......have been so exciting and encouraging, and faith inspiring as I read into detail about how David fought Goliath - 1 Samuel 17 gives the full account. It really brings out how we, as the child of God, need to have the confidence to trust God in the battles we fight. And knowing that the battle belongs to the Lord.

It brings out the value of facing our giants, and 4 things to bring up that really blessed my heart as I read that story of David and Goliath:

1. Facing giants is an intimidating experience - yet David said "My God is greater than he." Is our God bigger than our giants, or have we put our giants to be greater than God. 1 Jn 4:4 "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

2. Doing battle is a lonely experience - no one else can fight that "goliath" in your life. It is on the lonely battlefiled that I need to learn to come back to lean on God and trust Him. It is not in my leaders, my acheivements or skills or knowledge that I trust upon. But GOD alone.

3. Trusting God is a stabalizing experience - When we trust God, it helps us not to be "jittery", but rather to stand firm and know that God is on our side. This sort of trust comes by us coming on our knees to seek God, and find that strength from Him.

4. Winning victories is memorable - Remember the past victories that God has given unto you. I choose to remember the things that God has brought me through, and choose to see beyond my own skills, and know that it was God who led us through. Journal it, write it, share it...........this will inspire the faith of many others.

At the end, God is asking us not to let that giant step any further into your territory, but rather to really take that "sling of FAITH" and step out to fight the battle, just as who you are, not as anybody else. And know that God can use us when we trust in Him. Remember the battle is the Lord's, but it is for us to trust in Him to let Him fight it for us. We need to have faith.

Want to encourage you if you find yourself fighting the battle on your own strength, remember, fight with faith, not by might nor power, but by His Spirit that we can overcome. The battle today is not a physical battle, but a spiritual one, fight it on your knees to the Lord. Remember TRUST GOD.

Friday, August 01, 2008

Strength in HIS REFUGE

Where can I go from Your Presence
Under your wings I take REFUGE
Your Spirit lives within my heart
I know we'll never be APART

Every day I draw closer to you Lord
I long to see your FACE
and hide in Your EMBRACE
All my life
Dwelling in your HOLY PLACE
My heart o Lord you've changed
I'll never be the same

This song - "Refuge City" brings out the intimacy that you can have with God.

Let me not ever be cast from your presence o God
Instead, because we'll never be apart,
Draw me closer and closer to you
Draw me into your refuge
Let me hide under your wings
Grant me the desire to just want to be in your embrace
God when I come to hide in you
Change me, that I can face life with your STRENGTH, COURAGE
God whatever that needs to change
Let your Spirit do that work
Humble me, strip me to the point of nothing - where I can't even rely on my capabilities
Let it not be my confidence
Let it not be my strength
Let it not be my skills
Let it not be my wisdom/knowledge
But let it be THE SPIRIT OF GOD
Let it be by the POWER OF GOD
Draw me closer into your refuge
It is in your refuge that we can find CONFIDENCE, STRENGTH, WISDOM, ANOINTING;
Because God, it is YOU.

God, I believe that you are my all, all of my portion belongs to you.

When you go through those moments where you just feel that you can't do it anymore, don't question where God is, but rather, come into the embrace of God, and rely on Him. Those moments of helplessness, is for us to experience the goodness and grace of God. Don't let those moments go, but take heart, and choose to enter into the presence of God.

That's me.............I am choosing to RUN into my Father's embrace. Would you as well