Judges Chapters 1-3

I was praying for Abraham Matthew and Rick Kingham who are doing ministry this week in India. I started reading Judges, chapters 1 -3. God had instructed the Israelites to wipe out all the nations in Canaan and they had made great progress under Joshua as their general. After Joshua passed away the Children of Israel began to compromise and never totally drove out the Canaanites.

Although God had commanded they drive out all the inhabitants of the land, He must of knew this would not be accomplished. In Judges 3:1-2 we see the deeper strategy of the Lord, 

^“Now these are the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it),”

The Lord has given us a battle field on purpose. We must learn warfare. The Lord knows that in our human nature we seek the place of comfort, but He also knows we don’t mature in that place of comfort. I look at my son as an example; he left the comfort of home, he went into the military, he went to the battle field and he matured. He relied upon the power and influence of the United States backing him up. Likewise we are not only backed up by a mighty God and the heavenly host but He even goes before us.

Eph. 6; 10-12 ^“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

As if I knew the mind of God I would say He wants to make us overcomers in this life, and also develop an appreciation in us for when we will be with Him. After seeing and experiencing the crud of this earth, why would we want to sin.

Get the Plan

Get the Plan

Have you ever been in one of those places of turning? Things are changing and you are just not sure what the change will look like. This seems to be what I am going through now. I have many questions for the Lord but He is not letting me see clearly. I can feel He is doing a realignment in the things around me. It is not so much a change in schedule but a change of direction or focus (a change in what is important in this season).

Nehemiah Chapter 1

I feel like the Lord just led me to the Book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah, the kings cup barrier, got a word that eventually changed his direction and focus. First he was refocused and then he was redirected. This word that came to him so effected him emotionally that his boss the king noticed. The major reason of the king noticing and making enquiry was God’s plan.

I have watched as God has done, or is doing a realignment in missionaries lives this year. Like Nehemiah’s time, this realignment is for something major God is about to do in the earth. We see signs; America is losing its dominance, the Far East is being organized and materially blessed, Africa is the main Muslim-Christian battle ground, South America is for once at peace and Europe is being shaken.

Nehemiah had a burden from the Lord. A burden from the Lord will effect you emotionally. This is something God has ordained for you to be concerned about. Something in your skill-set is useful to the Lord for the object of this burden.

I’m sure Nehemiah felt he was powerless to do anything about his object of concern. He did do what he could. His burden, object of concern, was the redemption of his people, God’s people, the Jews. He remembered the promises God had made and Nehemiah fervently prayed into those promises. He sought the Lord, knowing God had the power to rectify the situation. Although the text does not speak of this, I believe as Nehemiah prayed God downloaded a plan to him. When the king (who was the powers that be at that time) lined up with God’s plan, Nehemiah had the plan.

So we ask ourselves, do we have God’s plan yet for the burden He has placed before us.

·         Let us do an inspection of where He has brought us to.

·         Ask for Him to clarify the burden.

·         Listen for the sent word from Him that deepens our emotions.

·         Repent and get right with God.

·         Pray into the burden.

·         Anticipate God to release His plan to you.

The world is changing, get ready for your release.