In the face of many challenges, I have made a decision. No longer will I put my faith in my circumstances. No longer will I trust the things that I can see. Instead, I am choosing to have faith in God alone.
I have to admit…it’s very easy to have hope in opportunity. It’s very easy to have hope when everything seems to be working out, or when we can see a way out. But what happens when there is no evidence of this hope? What happens when everything around us is utter darkness? Will we accept this darkness…this lack of hope? Or will we choose to have hope in the One that created light from the darkness…the One that sees all and knows all?
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalms 139:10-12 NIV)
I may not be able to see a way out, but I know that God has already prepared a way out.
This is a declaration that I am making about my situation, and I believe that there is someone else that needs to speak hope into their situation right now. Maybe you’re facing an illness. Maybe it’s a broken relationship. Maybe it’s a financial hardship. Whatever it is, speak this declaration over your situation. Trust God even in the face of unfavorable facts, and watch Him work a miracle in your situation.
At this moment, the Holy Spirit is giving me a picture of the Israelites as they reached the Red Sea. They were completely trapped, and they were confused. Why would God rescue them, just to lead them to this place?
And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” So the Israelites camped there as they were told. (Exodus 14:4 NLT)
God led the Israelites to the Red Sea intentionally. He led them there, because He knew that the only way they could survive was with His help. He wanted them in a position of desperation. He wanted to display His glory before them and before the Egyptians.
When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses. (Exodus 14:31 NLT)
Moments of desperation are opportunities to experience the glory of God.
What if God had never led them this way? What if they were never put in this life or death situation? Would they have learned to put their faith in God? Would they have gained an understanding of who their God is?
Most of our worries in life come from a lack of understanding of who God is.
We are stressed because we think that we have to figure it all out. We are anxious in life, because we falsely believe that we have control over our situations. But the truth is that God is the only one that has everything figured out, and He is the only one that actually has control over our lives. When we remember this, we can rest in the fact that we may not know what to do, but He does.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. (Psalms 139:16 NLT)
This scripture says that every moment of our lives was laid out before a single day had passed. This means that He knows what’s around the corner. He knows what’s going to happen in the next second, in the next minute, in the next hour, day, month, and year. We don’t have to fear, because we have a God that knows all…and He is watching over our lives. He is going before us, protecting us, and guiding us. He is ensuring that every second of our lives works for us and not against us.
Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT)
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28 NLT)
God is greater than the situation.
He is greater than anything that we may face. The bad report…He is greater than that. The circumstance that you can’t see a way out of…He’s greater than that. The broken relationship…He’s greater than that. The incurable illness…He’s greater than that.
We serve a great God. He’s a God that stands outside of creation. The entire universe was formed at His command. The very earth that we live on is His footstool. He made everything we can see, and the things that we can’t see. He is above all and through all. There is nothing too hard for Him.
For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens. Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. (Psalms 113:4-6 NLT)
By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. (Hebrews 11:3 NLT)
‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, Or what is the place of My rest? Has My hand not made all these things?’ (Acts 7:49-50 NKJV)
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. (Colossians 1:15-17 NLT)
one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:6 NKJV)
When we understand how great our God is, we can then understand that our circumstances aren’t as big as they seem.
The problem is that we’ve magnified our situations, instead of magnifying our God. We need to change the way that we think. We need to change the way that we speak. No longer can we speak about the greatness of our problems. We must begin to speak about the greatness of our God.
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. (Psalms 34:1-4 NKJV)
Like King David, we must magnify the Lord. We must speak of everything that He has done for us.
For a moment, I want you to imagine where you would be without Him. Where did He rescue you from? What has He delivered you from? What has he done in your life? And then, I want you to praise Him for all of it. Praise Him for His favor. Praise Him for his mercy and grace. Praise Him for His protection and love. The same God that watched over you then, is the same God that is watching over you right now. He is right there in the situation with you. But at the same time, He stands outside of your situation. He stands on high, in His sovereignty. He is watching over you, to make sure that His will is fulfilled in your life. He is ensuring that everything you go through, brings you closer and closer to the plan that He has for your life. He will never leave you, nor abandon you. He will see you through this, and anything else you may face. Put your hope and faith in Him alone.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for bringing me out of my past, and for leading me to a place where I can have hope and faith in you. Father, forgive me for the times that I have magnified my situation instead of magnifying your name. Today, I am making the decision to magnify you above all else. You are greater than my circumstances. You are greater than any negative news. You are greater than anything that may come against me. I choose to put my hope and faith in you today. Your word says that your plans are to give me hope and a future. Your word says that you already have my days laid out. So today, I am choosing to believe that what you have laid out is good, and that you are working everything out for my good. I believe that you go before me. I believe that you are right beside me. And I believe that your protection is all around me. I love you Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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