Tag: Go Forward

In quietness and in trust shall be your strength

Exodus 14:14   The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.  ”The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.

Isaiah 30:15    For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

Deuteronomy 20:4    for the LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’

Joshua 23:10    One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you.

2 Chronicles 20:17    You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you.”

“In quietness and in trust shall be your strength”.  How many times are we  not quiet?  How many times do we try to do it in our own strength?  Far to many I fear.  We say God is my rock and my shield, but could it be that we say things that are not faithed out in our lives?   There is nothing like a Red Sea before us and a killing army pressing in on behind us to push the faith button.  Why does it take such drastic measures to move us into complete trust in God?  Why does it have to come down to the impossible, no way out type of a situation, before we acknowledge His awesome and mighty power over the situation?

Could it be we are not that close to God in our everyday lives?  Oh, we may spend time reading a devotional, but did anything come of it that day?  Were we looking and expecting anything new to be revealed to us?  Was there a change in the way we acted throughout the day? Do you ever seem to have a hard time fitting God into your day?

Just think how much time you could spend with God if you conscious and intentional wanted/desired to be taught, held, protected, led, fed, strengthened, encouraged, forgiven, and loved by God – all the time.   Everything you experienced throughout the day would have the light and shadow of God over it. 

What if we consciously and intentionally chose to humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, follow and obey God all throughout the day.  Every action would then have purpose beyond self or just being a task.  

Having God present all the time takes a heart and mind consciously and intentionally wanting/desiring to see His hand at work, to hear His whispers of leading, teaching, guiding, encouraging, strengthening, testing, empowering, throughout the day….. it is a change of heart, mind and soul to intentionally and purposely wanting God present in every moment and aspect of our day.  

Choose this day to begin being purposefully, consciously and intentionally wanting God with you, to teach you, lead you, encourage you, help you, love you, forgive you, and strengthen you.  You will continually grow in awareness of His presence, able to see His hand at work,  able to hear His whispers of guidance and you will continually grow in humbly serving, honoring, glorifying, worshiping, praising, following and obeying Him.

Move Forward

Tell the people of Israel to go forward

Joshua 23:1
A long time afterward, when the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, “I am now old and well advanced in years. And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the Lord your God who has fought for you.

Exodus 14:14
When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt:‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward

Deuteronomy 20:3
‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies:let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory

 

It is good to again be reminded to remember what God has done and more importantly who has given you the victory.  Also to be reminded that it is God who “Goes With You” and though we see victory it is because of what He has done.  We see these victories when we are trusting Him and are obedient.  I love the verse in Exodus “Tell the people to move forward”.  Think about it – they had the Red Sea in front of them and the very mad Egyptian army approaching from the rear.  Many times we find ourselves with no apparent way out of a situation, trial, or battle.  Sometimes we are told to be still and watch God work.  Other times we are told to move forward against something impossible.  In both cases we need to remain firm in our faith to trust God and to be listening to what He is telling our heart.  In both instances there is victory because the battle is not ours but God’s.  He is all powerful and able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.  What are you facing alone today that would be much better off in the Hands of God?