syrians – Praying Pint

53.i. Wilderness – 17.o. “So the anger of the LORD was kindled”

Deu 32:30  How could one have chased a thousand, and two have put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had given them up?

Leviticus 26:8     Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

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.

1 Samuel 14:15-17     And there was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and even the raiders trembled, the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic.

2 Chronicles 24:24   Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the LORD delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.

Isaiah 30:17    A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill.

Judges 2:14    So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers

How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight,…. This is said for the conviction of the Pagan Romans of their folly in behaving strangely, attributing to their gods what belonged to the true God; for since the Jews were more numerous than they, both in Judea, in the times of Titus Vespasian, when the country was subdued by him; and in other parts of the world, in the times of Adrian, when the Jews rose up in vast numbers, greatly superior to the Romans, and yet were conquered; which, allowing the phrase to be hyperbolical, was like one to a thousand, and two to ten thousand: now since this was what was promised to the Jews in case of obedience, that they should in this manner chase their enemies, Leviticus 26:8; it cannot be accounted for that they should in like manner be chased by their enemies, as threatened Isaiah 30:17, except their rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up; that is, unless the Lord, who was their rock and fortress, and in whom they should have trusted as such, had forsaken them, and given them up into their enemies’ hands. (Gill)

One chase a thousand…two put ten thousand to flight: This was the opposite of the blessing God promised to an obedient Israel (Leviticus 26:8). God would not fight for a disobedient Israel. When Israel was unfaithful to their covenant with Yahweh, He would give them to their enemies, who would bring bitter defeat to Israel. (Guzik)

It is a sad event to become blind and deaf to the things of God and become disobedient to Him thereby falling under His curse rather than His blessings. Neglect and complacency of His Word produce fruit that is filled with bitterness, poison, and venom in our souls. What if God was withholding His anger and fury right now? Would knowing it is justly deserved prompt us to hunger and thirst for His Word to become obedient followers, trusting and relying on Him?

2.t. Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.

2 Chronicles 24:1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada got for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters.

2 Chronicles 24:15 But Jehoiada grew old and full of days, and died. He was 130 years old at his death. And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house. Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.

Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’” But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!” At the end of the year the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the Lord delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash. When they had departed from him, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed.

We can never underestimate the influence of those we allow ourselves to associate with. You would have thought Joash would have been firm in his walk with the Lord. He was led and counseled by the high priest Jehoiada from the time he was 7 yrs old and had become king. Joash did right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada. It is not as though Joash did not know what it meant to lead the people in full commitment to the Lord. He knew what was right yet still chose to listen to the princes of Judah and abandon the house of the Lord. They chose to worship idols and Joash followed along willingly. Even when Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, being led by the Spirit of God, called them out on their falling away, Joash chose to not listen and had Zechariah stoned.

Do you ever wonder how it is possible to have tasted the love, guidance, joy, peace, and blessings of God and people turn away from Him? So it is when we are living in prosperity and have been blessed by God with joy and peace. We so easily don’t see the need anymore for God in our lives, and if we do it is at arm’s length. It is almost as though we keep Him on speed dial in case we need His help but other than that there is no humble service, honor, reliance, or listening for His leading in our lives. We might not admit it but we intentionally choose to do this.

Think about a time when chaos, confusion, uncertainty, and trials hit you hard. Were you not calling out to God with all your heart, mind, and soul? Weren’t you relying on and trusting in Him? Weren’t you constantly seeking Him? Now compare this time of your life and the earnestness in which you sought and flowed after God to how you are in times of peace, prosperity, and blessings. Is there a difference? Do you seek to be in His presence with the same level of intensity? Do you seek to hear Him speak into your life? Do you hunger and thirst for Him in the same way? If not, then confess it and repent and turn away from this lukewarm commitment. Remember the price that was paid. Remember the love of Jesus Christ willingly given for the redemption of your sin. Remember this world is not our home, we are only passing through. Remember are a child of the King and ought to live to honor Him.

No one is immune to the attacks on our heart, mind, and soul from either self or Satan. We need to take inventory of our heart, mind, and soul. We need to take inventory of the time we spend in His Word, the time we spend in prayer, the time we spend in honoring, the time we spend in listening, and time we spend in thought and action. His word should be on our heart, in our mind, and flooding our soul. Our ears should desire to hear Him speak into our life. Our eyes should be seeking to see His handiwork.

In all things, at all times, in all words, and in all action our lives should serve, honor, worship, glorify, follow, obey, trust in and rely on Jesus Christ. Keep Him first. Choose to walk each moment of every day with Him for these purposes because He is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise.

2.f. That I may know what more the LORD will say to me.

2 Chronicles 18:5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?” And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.” Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes. And they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.’” And all the prophets prophesied so and said, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph. The Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.”

Numbers 22:18-20   But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God to do less or more.  So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.”  And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.”

Jeremiah 23:28    Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully.

Ezekiel 2:7    And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.

Galatians 1:10    For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:4    but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

Micaiah spoke what he heard God speak into his heart and mind. Balaam spoke what he heard God speak into his heart and mind. Ezekiel spoke what he heard God speak into his heart and mind. Paul spoke what the Holy Spirit spoke into his heart and mind. Jeremiah spoke what he heard God speak into his heart and mind.

We must want to be in the presence of God and have a deep desire to hear the leading of the Holy Spirit. “Seek Me and I will be found,” “Desire Me and I will give you the desires of your heart,” “Come to Me and I will give you rest,” “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.”

All of these words from God invite us to come to Him, seek Him, run to Him, desire Him, love Him, and believe, trust, rely upon and cling to Him. They are words inviting us to surrender ourselves into His arms. They are words inviting us to want Him more that things of this world. They are words inviting us to open wide our heart and let Him flood us with knowledge and understanding of grace, mercy, and love for those who are called by His name and thereby love, seek, and desire Him with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength.

We only get to this place of surrender by intentionally choosing to surrender our self-centered, self-satisfying, self-honoring, self-pleasing, self-reliant, self-trusting, self-honoring lives. It is almost impossible to fathom how this change could happen because we have lived so long with this way of living. How is it we could change from listening to self to that of actively listening to the Holy Spirit? The good thing is it is not up to our strength and power. It is only by when we surrender our heart, mind, and soul to the full control, full purpose, and full authority to Jesus Christ will we be able to. In this humble servant attitude, we find our ears hearing clearly and our mind understanding and our soul rejoicing in and how the Holy Spirit of God is indwelling and leading every moment of our lives. His word takes on a new refreshing place in our heart. Every day we seem to see something more profound, more clear, and more applicable from Him. We grow and mature in our walk with Him. We learn to hear His whispers of leading. We rely on Him more. We cling to Him more. We trust in Him more. And though it sounds backward, the weaker we are to self the stronger we become in and through this yielding to the indwelling Holy Spirit. Our goal is to live every moment in humble service, honoring, glorifying, worshiping, following, obeying, and trusting Him and saying “As the Lord speaks so shall I do and speak”

200. I will devote them to destruction, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation.

2 Kings 24:1 In his days, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him. And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldeans and bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the Ammonites, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servants the prophets. Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the Lord, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and also for the innocent blood that he had shed. For he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord would not pardon

2 Kings 20:17    Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD.

2 Kings 21:12-14     therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.  And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria, and the plumb line of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.  And I will forsake the remnant of my heritage and give them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies,

Jeremiah 25:9   behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the LORD, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation.

Jeremiah 26:20     There was another man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land in words like those of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 32:28    Therefore, thus says the LORD: Behold, I am giving this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall capture it.

Micah 3:12    Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,

Deuteronomy 28:49-50   The LORD will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, swooping down like the eagle, a nation whose language you do not understand,  a hard-faced nation who shall not respect the old or show mercy to the young.

Isaiah 13:5     They come from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, the LORD and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

Do you ever wonder how something like this could happen, how it could be foretold, how it could be proclaimed, and the people would not or did not believe it? Warnings were given by numerous prophets about the pending judgment that was coming and yet these warnings were not taken seriously. Why does God give warnings about pending judgment as a result of our actions that lead Him to wrath and anger, and we give no thought to it? Do we think the prophecies are just made up fairy tales, or that they do not pertain to us?

The actions of King Manasseh lead the people away from God, but the judgment cannot fall just on the king alone. The people willing followed after him down paths that disregarded God’s love and warnings. There are numerous warnings about pending judgment for all who do not confess sin, repent and turn away from their sinful nature, and trust in the redemption found in and through the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross. There are warnings and pending judgment coming to those who follow God with their mouth but not in their heart and mind. There are warnings and pending judgment coming to those who do not love and follow Jesus Christ with their whole heart, mind, and soul.

God’s grace, mercy, and love were demonstrated in and through Jesus Christ. If we choose to live in such a way that does not honor, glorify, worship, serve, follow, trust, and obey Jesus Christ then judgment is our reward with no redemption of our soul. There is a way to know if your whole heart, mind, and soul are loving Jesus Christ. If you thirst for His word, desire to have it speak into your heart and mind, long for His presence in all that you do and you are ever mindful of what you think, say, and do so as to do that which honors and glorifies Him, you meditate on His word, and you keep His word in your heart and mind, then you will know that this never-ending growth of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding is because you love and humbly serve Him with your whole heart, mind, and soul.

179. Love, Forgiveness, and Unity – and the Lord will reward you

2 Kings 6:18 And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria.

As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” He answered, “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.

2 Chronicles 28:8-13     The men of Israel took captive 200,000 of their relatives, women, sons, and daughters. They also took much spoil from them and brought the spoil to Samaria.  But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded, and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, “Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven.  And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the LORD your God?  Now hear me, and send back the captives from your relatives whom you have taken, for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.”  Certain chiefs also of the men of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who were coming from the war  and said to them, “You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us guilt against the LORD in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.”

Proverbs 25:21-22     If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,  for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

Romans 12:21    Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Think of a time when you were wronged or you thought something should have been handled differently. What is the natural reaction to being wronged? What thoughts go through our mind? The world would tell us that we have every right to seek what is right in our eyes, seek retribution, or seek what is approved by society?

No one likes to be wronged. No one likes it when issues are handled in a way that they do not approve of. What is it that seems to get us on a one-way thought process? Is it pride? “I am right”. Is it thinking they are wrong? Is it thinking I am justified in my response and if it is, what are we basing this response on?

Love, forgiveness, and unity are actions we should give thought too. Is what I am thinking of showing love? Am I willing to forgive being wronged? Am I seeking unity or just adding fuel to the fire? If we seek to be led by the Holy Spirit we will be shown how to love in ways that are not natural. If we seek to be led by the Holy Spirit we will forgive where we thought it impossible. If we seek to be led by Holy Spirit we will have a spirit of unity that allows us to let go in the spirit of unity.

We need to be aware of our natural thoughts in matters that cause us to get sideways and take those thoughts captive. Bundle them up in the word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us towards paths of Love, forgiveness, and unity.

167. Because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers.

1 Kings 20:26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. And the people of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went against them. The people of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country. And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left.

2 Samuel 10:18     And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 700 chariots, and 40,000 horsemen, and wounded Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there.

2 Chronicles 13:17    Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men.

2 Chronicles 28:6   For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed 120,000 from Judah in one day, all of them men of valor, because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers.

Isaiah 37:36     And the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.

In a few passages, we see close to one million people die because they chose not to honor God and had forsaken Him. They chose to walk paths, live their lives, and give no thought to serving God. The consequences of their collective decisions were devastating. Like lemmings running off of a cliff one after another, so is the mind of man easily swayed to take the path of the many. Matthew 7:13; “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Romans 9:27; “And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” Romans 12: 2; “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

It did not matter if those who were put to slaughter were of Israel or of pagans. The judgment for them was carried out and purposed by God. We do well not to become complacent in our walk with God and learn to stand firm in His word each day. Keep it close to your heart and soul.

120. The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms

2 Samuel 10:15 But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphrates. They came to Helam, with Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Syrians arrayed themselves against David and fought with him. And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 700 chariots, and 40,000 horsemen, and wounded Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there. And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Syrians were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.

Psalms 18:38    I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet.

Psalms 46:11    The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalms 46:1   God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Deuteronomy 33:27    The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you and said, ‘Destroy.’

Jeremiah 16:19   O LORD, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: “Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit.

How many times in our life do we limit God as our refuge, our strong tower, our fortress, our strength? God has not and does not change. God is and will continue to be God, author, and finisher, alpha, and omega, beginning and end. All things have been created by Him and He is in control of all things. At His voice light was created, heaven and earth were created, life was created, and galaxies and universes were formed. Great deeds and wonders have occurred. And yet we still limit what God can do in our life. Take a look at the first 10 minutes of this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J6yeIxKmJ4&feature=youtu.be You will have a refreshed look and understanding of how limitless God is.

Don’t limit God, but choose to seek and trust God for in Him alone we will find peace, joy, hope, and strength for today and tomorrow.

119. Do not be afraid. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome,

2 Samuel 10:6 When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob, 12,000 men. And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men. And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.

When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

Numbers 13:20    Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

Deuteronomy 31:6    Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Joshua 1:6-7    Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.  Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.

2 Chronicles 32:7    “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him.

Nehemiah 4:14    And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

Hebrews 13:6    So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

1 Chronicles 19:13     Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to him.”

1 Corinthians 16:13    Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

We chase after many things to comfort our fears. In this chase and seeking hopefully we come to an end and we see the folly of it. Who is able by their chasing after what the world has to offer has any more lasting comfort than before? It is God who has all things in control. It is God who has plans and purposes greater than our thoughts could ever imagine. It is God who heals, strengthens, encourages, and gives power or not. He gives and He takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. Who is able to start or stop things God has put into motion? The answer is no one.

Some will deny God exists and will latch onto false hopes. Others will deny God is in control and will latch on to false hopes. And then there are those who don’t deny God’s in control but who can’t seem to trust that He is. Blessed is the man who with his whole heart, mind, and soul humbly severs, honors, follows, relies on, trusts in, and obeys God. He will stand firm. He will have courage and strength of God. He will not fear the unknown but rather will give the outcome into the very hands of Jesus and find refuge, hope, peace and rest.