Devotions

When God’s presence is missing in one’s life, things are out of kilter because there is no law, direction or righteous teaching to serve as guidelines for living. Everyone becomes a law unto himself, doing his own thing. Sadly, this is a picture of so many Christian homes today. There is no peace or rest because everyone is doing whatever he or she pleases. Such disorder deeply grieves the Lord, yet it does not have to be that way. The presence of God brings order and his promises are unchangeable. God’s Word pledges, “If you will seek me, I will be with you. When you cry out, I will be found by you.”

We read of King Asa, who led God’s people to a miraculous victory over Ethiopia’s million-man army. Afterward he testified that it was God’s presence that had scattered the enemy: “Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude … So the Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled” (2 Chronicles 14:11-12).

As Asa led his triumphant army back to Jerusalem, the prophet Azariah met him at the city gate with this message: “Hear me, Asa … The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (15:2).

This is not some complicated theology. In fact, anyone can have the abiding presence of God if he or she will simply call out in faith. God told King Asa the secret of getting and maintaining the presence of the Lord in his life and he wants to do the same for you. The Lord is merciful and his love is constant. With him, you can go through any fire — and you will not just survive, but you will be kept and protected through it all.

How many of us truly understand what it means to walk in the Spirit of God, to live with the passion of Jesus, to trust in God with a faith that is raw and genuine and powerful? A faith that knows no limits and fears nothing? A faith that can stare the devil in the eyes and say, “You can go no further! You have no more control over me! You are weak and exposed and impotent!” A faith that can move any mountain, no matter how high or wide or difficult. Yet that is the kind of faith that God demands of those who want to see his power. It is the only thing that can activate the true might and authority of the Holy Spirit in lives.

If you want to change the world, begin by letting God change you. By letting the passion of Jesus become your passion. By letting the Holy Spirit be your only guide and mentor every step, every minute of the day. By allowing God to set your heart on fire for him.

As believers, we have been given a gift greater than we could ever imagine or ask for. We have been entrusted with the most powerful blessing we could ever receive — the gift of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit! He lives within us, directing us, guiding us, empowering us for great and mighty things. And filling us with faith.

One of the greatest things about following Jesus is that you do not have to be rich or famous or a great speaker or evangelist to walk in faith and make an impact on the world. You just have to be willing to let God use you. You just have to be available when God needs a servant to teach or touch or help another person in his name. You just have to be there. And how encouraging it is to know that any one of us can do that.

Nicky Cruz, internationally known evangelist and prolific author, turned to Jesus Christ from a life of violence and crime after meeting David Wilkerson in New York City in 1958. The story of his dramatic conversion was told first in The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson and then later in his own best-selling book Run, Baby, Run. 

One verse of God’s Word will keep you through any and all perilous times if you will commit your very life to it. Beloved, embrace this one verse, fully believe it, and it will be a daily power-source of faith:

            “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8).

Jesus enumerates the things our heavenly Father knows we need — in short, food, drink and clothing. “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on” (Luke 12:22). The overriding theme of your life should be: God knows … and that is all that matters!

“If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?” (12:28). Jesus speaks of grass that is full and green today but is cut down tomorrow. He would have us remember that he gave it life and care and we dare not think he cares for our needs any less. If you are concerned about your family’s welfare, I have good news: your children are God’s children and he cares for your loved one more than you do. Jesus knows exactly what each one needs.

Jesus knows about your need to have a roof over your head; he knows about your rent or mortgage payment each month. He knows about all your needs and you can trust him fully to meet all of them. He promises to do it!

The Lord says to the rich and the poor alike, “Do not fret about your worldly possessions. Give me quality time and trust me. I am going to take care of all your needs.” “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

Anchor your faith in the fact that your heavenly Father knows exactly what you need. He delights in you and with him you will always be safe and sound.

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You … In the way of Your judgments, O Lord, we have waited for You; the desire of our soul is for Your name and for the remembrance of You” (Isaiah 26:3, 8).

When you are facing challenging days, Satan wants to rob you of all hope by consuming you with foreboding thoughts. You can get bogged down in fear if you obsess about uncertain times or waste time trying to figure out the future.

Isaiah was overwhelmed by what he saw happening in the world around him, but Scripture reveals that he enjoyed great peace for two reasons:

• Isaiah was in constant communion with God in prayer. “O Lord, we have waited for You; the desire of our soul is for Your name and for the remembrance of You” (26:8). Isaiah was prepared for anything because he was already “praying without ceasing.” 
• He abandoned himself to simple trust in the Lord, his Rock. “Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength” (26:4). “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for YAH, the Lord, is my strength and song” (12:2).

The same wonderful outlook that Isaiah had in the perilous times of his day is available to us today. The promises of rest apply to “all whose minds are stayed on him.”

“It will be said in that day: ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation” (Isaiah 25:9).

As the storm rages around you, are you going to the Lord in prayer, as Isaiah did? If so, then you are gaining strength. Fix your mind on your sovereign heavenly Father’s love and he will continually reveal his power to you and encourage you that you will make it through.

Gethsemane was the garden where Jesus went to pray when his trial became crushing and his cup overwhelmed him. It was where he wept out his deepest sorrows before the Father. And it was also where he won the battle over every evil principality and power.

Some Christians today say, “Ours is not a generation of tears. We have been called to celebrate and commanded to take everything by faith. We can speak the Word and every mountain will be moved. We are to simply meditate on God’s goodness.” Such is the posture of the prosperous modern church.

I agree that our God is a God of love and, yes, we are to celebrate before him. But there comes a time when our trials are so overwhelming that we can do nothing but cry before his throne. It happened to Jesus, yet he did not sin in unbelief when he prayed in Gethsemane. On the contrary, Jesus was demonstrating to his people how to obtain power and authority over all satanic forces. 

Consider Jesus’ prayers at Gethsemane:

• “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death” (Matthew 26:38). His declaration is saying, in essence, “This is beyond understanding and if it goes on, it will kill me.”
• Jesus continued, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (26:39). Have you ever prayed in such agony that hot tears streaked your face?

Jesus prayed the “ultimate prayer” at Gethsemane, meaning the final prayer that would move mountains and shake hell. It was simply this: “Not as I will, but as You will.” You may have wrestled in prayer over a situation. You tell God how you have fasted and interceded, knocked, sought and believed, and yet what you want is not happening. This has created a real conflict in your spirit. 

I encourage you to cast everything into his hands and enter into the place of rest he has prepared (Hebrews 4:1). He has promised, “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters” (2 Corinthians 6:18). And your Father keeps his promises!