It's All Fun and Exciting Until You Don't Act Quickly and Someone Gets Hurt!

Have you ever felt The Lord directing you to go, do, or say something?  Did you do it quickly?  Did you delay?  Did you just simply ignore it all together?  If you truly understand God then you understand He has plans to not harm us, give us hope and a future.  This promise is found in the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you", declares The Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope an a future."

With that truth then it's a no brainer that when God calls you to do something, then it goes inline with these very same promises.  So if you act quickly great!  If you delay then is it too late?  If you ignore then who got hurt?  

I have a great friend and sister in Christ named Carol.  Carol once came to me in confidence and said "God has put so and so on my heart and wants me to discuss a controversial issue.  I don't know why or understand.  What should I do?"  My response was "If God said do it, then do it and don't question why."  

Long story short, Carol didn't hesitate and did what God said to do. The next morning Carol shared "it was awesome, I didn't understand why.  It was amazing, what God placed upon my heart was exactly what this person was struggling with."  

Carols quick obedience led to the other young lady turning away from a very destructive life style.  Today the young lady she talked to is a Godly woman with an intense passion to serve The Lord!  

What if Carol ignored The Lord?  

In Jeremiah, we learn of Abigail.  Abigail responded immediately to the Lords direction.  In doing so she spared the lives of numerous men.  She brought gifts to David right after her husband cursed David for his kindness.  David's response to Abigail's obedience is found in 1 Samuel 25.

1 Samuel 25:34  otherwise, as surely as The Lord, the God of Israel lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.  

What's at stake if you delay or even refuse to obey the lords direction in your life?  What rewards and blessings are in store if you chose to act quickly?  May I encourage you to not question why, just do whatever The Lord places upon your heart and experience His mighty plans!  

Ask, Seek, Knock

Matthew 7:7-8  Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; Knock and the door will be open to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be open.

NEVER I repeat NEVER take this scripture out of context.  God is not offering free genie wishes here.  It seems like we are so apt to tell God what we want and expect it to be given.  With that mindset, you will only be discouraged, defeated and done with God. 

Ask; have you ever stopped to think that God already knows your needs.  He already has in His hand what he wants you to have? All you have to do is ask for it.  "Dear LORD, I want to receive what you have for me." 

Seek;  This isn't a game of hide and seek.  Life can be distracting with all the hurts and hardships we face. In the  midst of our trials we tend to quit looking for God because we think He has left us.  The truth is, He is right there with us.  We have just allowed our struggles to blind us.  Seek Him daily, you will find him.

Knock;  God is not home sleeping.  And He certainly isn't hidden behind a closed door.  What He is saying is this; pursue a personal relationship with me.  Come join me, I will let you in.

Goliath's

When one  truly grasps and understands the power of the living God then one can put the battles of life in proper perspective.  Like David we all face Goliath's.  Some of our giants are physical, some mental, some emotional, some relational, some addictional, but all are spiritual.   Until you realize that this life is a spiritual battle and you must have the living God on your side then all you will do is live in fear, tremble at the threats, run away and eventually lose every battle.  

David knew that the battle between the Israelites and philistines was a spiritual battle.  He did not fear the giant sized mammoth warrior Goliath. David viewed Goliath as nothing more than an enemy of God compared to nothing more than a slaughtered bear and lion.  It was in David's confidence and faith that the battle was won before it ever started.

I have faced a lot of Goliath's in my life that the LORD has claimed victory over.  Addiction, depression, fear, anxiety, financial burdens, health issues, persecutions and on and on.  In 1 Samuel 17:36 David compared Goliath to being nothing more than the slaughtered bear and lion God had already delivered him from.  Like David I can say with confidence and faith that my tomorrow's Goliath is nothing more challenging or powerful than what has already been defeated.  

To my Goliath of tomorrow, you are nothing more than a defeated addiction, a defeated depression, a defeated burden, a defeated illness, a defeated enemy of the living God.  I will not fight any battle by my own flesh and blood, I will not attempt victory by my own power.  I will give it all to the LORD because in Him every battle has already been won!  

1 Samuel 17:47 all those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that The LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's and he will give all of you into our hands.