Today is Day 162 of The Red Shoe Project. I was up early and out the door, in my RED suede ballet flats, ready to deliver a good word of encouragement to the ladies of "The Bonfire" Bible Study. Once again, it was a full house. The women came out ready to receive and ready to contribute their thoughts, prayers and gifts to all in attendance. The anointing for prayer was ever so present, so instead of finishing with prayer requests, we did that right up front. We are believing God to move in the lives of many... savings souls, healing, bringing about restoration and deliverance.Changing gears a bit, we moved on to a Bible study focusing on "Encouraging Oneself in the Lord." Our key text is found in 1 Samuel 30:6...
"David was greatly distressed because the men
were talking of stoning him, each one was
bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters,
but David found strength (encouraged himself)
in the Lord, His God."
I've heard this scripture preached many times over the years. It always urks me a little. I mean, really? I'm supposed to encourage myself? What's with that? Sometimes it seems like I am continuously encouraging others. When is it time for others to encourage me?
This is a timely message, because when you are called to minister to others, (and many of us are), there will be times when we have to encourage ourselves in the Lord. That doesn't mean that we don't have friends and mentors that are capable of ministering to us. We do. But sometimes... God wants you solo -- alone -- one-on-one with Him, for a purpose. He doesn't want you venting to your girlfriends. Just the other day, I saw, upfront and personal, how disastrous that can be. More often than not, He wants us to go directly to Him. This message is about just such times.
Do you ever find yourself distressed? In great sorrow? Suffering? Heartbroken? Anxious? Alone? Feeling abandoned? In despair? Without hope? Confused? Fearful? Grieving? ...to the point of being paralyzed, unable to move and ready to give up? Maybe it's not one of those things, but several of them. Perhaps you've reached your personal breaking point. Then what? You reach out, but no one's there. You call your friends, but no one answers. Even when you find someone, they've got nothing for you. Great! What then?
Consider this: You may have been set up by God! And that's when you have to resort to encouraging yourself in the Lord. That's when you have to take courage in Christ. You must draw strength from Him... from His promises... from His presence... from His Word. That's when you have to remind yourself of God's faithfulness, not only to keep you, but to be with you!
So just how do we do that?
So just how do we do that?
Isaiah 40:31 says... "They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength..."
Psalm 121:1 says... "I will lift up my eyes to the hills -- Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."
Psalm 40:1 says... "I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."
Psalm 119:28 says... "My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word."
Personally, I've found there are many ways to strengthen or encourage myself in the Lord.
1. It all starts with PRAYER. Getting before God, by myself, and laying my heart and soul before Him. In times of distress, sometimes I can't even talk... the Spirit within me takes over with words I don't understand... with groaning that words can't even express. (Romans 8:26). Sometimes tears flow freely from my eyes. I don't always know what they mean, but God does. The Bible says that God collects my tears in a bottle. (Psalm 56:8). Surely tears are a prayer language that God is more than familiar with.2. Reading and reciting THE WORD is always a great source of encouragement while I'm waiting on God. This is God's way of speaking to me. Over the years I have found that I can stand on the promises of God. That means I can believe what His Word says is true. Promises like:
"I will never leave you nor forsake you!" (Hebrews 13:5);
"I love you with an everlasting love." (Jeremiah 31:3);
"I have a plan for you." (Hebrews 29:11); or
"Be confident of this: I will complete the work
I started in you." (Philippians 1:6).
These are truths I hold onto by faith. They are a solid, secure foundation that I know I can trust in. They give me comfort, confidence, strength, hope and assurance when I need it most. And they're not just words in my head. They are found in the most accurate historical document of all time, The Bible -- also known as God's Holy Word!
3. WORSHIP & PRAISE go hand-in-hand when it comes to strengthening myself in the Lord. Whether it's in the privacy of my home, while driving in my car, or attending church, singing unto the Lord has an amazing effect. Sometimes it's just a word that pops into my mind. (Personally I think it's planted there by God, himself). I start to think, "What is that word?" Next thing I know, I realize that it's not a word, it's a phrase -- a sentence in a song. Before I know it, I'm no longer just saying it, I'm singing it. I remember the beat and the notes that go along with the words. Then I start to focus on what I'm actually singing. Sure enough, it's exactly the answer I'm looking for and it's all wrapped up in a song!
Other times, I just throw on some music -- music that I know will minister to me spiritually -- music that will lift up my spirit. There are some songs that just bring me right into the presence of God. I pull out the CD or I find it on Youtube and before long, I find myself in The Secret Place.
The other day, I looked at the clock and realized that if I left right then -- I could make it to the evening service at church. Our church has a loud worship service. They even provide earplugs to soften the sound for those who prefer it that way. Before I knew it, I was caught up in the worship, singing my heart out to the God I love. I can't sing for beans, but it's so loud, no one can hear me, so no worries. Better yet, that worship resulted in my shouting out praises to Jesus ever so loudly. Did that ever bring change! There was a spiritual break in the atmosphere. Sometimes there's spiritual warfare taking place and that's exactly what's needed: A Breakthrough! Watch out though, breakthroughs can often end up in jumping, dancing or even laughing. Talk about "joy unspeakable and full of glory!" (1 Peter 1:8). Yahoo!The other day I found, by accident, a quote on Google by Rev. David Wilkerson, the well respected Christian evangelist, known for his book, The Cross and the Switchblade, Pastor of Times Square Church in New York City, and founder of International Teen Challenge. This quote put it all in perspective for me. It was the answer from God I was waiting for.
"God has permitted hard times
(1) to cast you wholly on Himself;
(2) to wean you from all confidence in the flesh;
and (3) to help you get your eyes off people,
books, sermons and well meaning friends
and onto the power of God working in you."
What is this power of God working in me?
Romans 8:11 says...
"...that same Spirit,
that raised Christ from the dead,
He dwells in me!"
That's The Holy Spirit. In times of despair, difficulty and discouragement, God wants me to come directly to Him! ... without going to others first! And I don't have to go far, because He lives right here, in me -- in my heart. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). And I have immediate access to Him! (Hebrews 4:16). That's what God wants in my most difficult of times!
I know it's a bit cliche, but in the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy, (the girl in RED shoes), says the lesson she's learned is that everything she needs is right within the boundaries of her own back yard.
Well, this girl in RED shoes, (that's Me), has learned that all I need is Him... and as a Christian, He's right here, (pointing to my chest), living in me!
"There's no place like HOME!"
Gail
