Reflections, February 19, 2012

Reflections February 19th, 2012

“Stand, Believe, and Praise God!”

“And he said, "Hearken ye, all Judah and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat! Thus saith the LORD unto you: `Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.” 2 Chronicles 20:15

Scripture Reading For This Week: 2 Chronicles 20; 1 Samuel 17; Hebrews 11; Revelation 16...

I don't know about you today...but I am on fire for the Lord! Yes! I am excited about the promises of God and seeing His word come to fruition in my life. I am praying the same for you! Far too long we have been in the valley of despair with our mouths shut; hiding behind shadows, and being pummeled by the enemy. Well...it's time for you to rise up! And declare what God has spoken!

We know that our lives are filled with hills and valleys. We know that sometimes we are up, and there are times when we are down—in the valley. Yet; the valley doesn't mean we cannot look to the Lord and believe and declare what God has spoken. We do not have to allow the despair of the valley hold us hostage. But in the midst of that valley; stand strong, continue to believe God, and praise Him continually for bringing you out!

I declare and decree that this week's Reflections will be a source of encouragement for your heart, mind and soul. I speak to you this day a word of life to every dead and dry area of your life. For God has decreed that He has fought this battle for you, and you have been declared the winner. So, while you may be in the valley, your spirit shall soar to the mountains when you begin to thank God for what He has already done! Amen!

I'm telling you: my soul and my spirit is on fire today! Oh, I may be experiencing some pain in my body. But healing is already mine! And it shall manifest! I may be experiencing a financial attack! But I am prospering in every area of my life! My God has kept His word, and has supplied all of my needs. And all that I ask of Him; I am receiving! Hallelujah! Yes! God said it! I believe it! I stand on it! I praise Him for it! I don't have to wait to see it to believe it or praise Him. Once God decreed it; that settled it for me! Thank you Jesus!

I admit that sometimes I can forget because of the onslaught of the enemy. That enemy be coming at us fast and furious! He don't let up one bit; especially if he smells fear, doubt, an impure heart, and a heart that has unforgiveness. Yet—he is still no match for my God!

I don't care what we are facing today. I don't care how hopeless and helpless it seems. Or, how many times the enemy has charged against you; he still cannot win when God is on your side and fighting your battle! Believe that!

You see—many of us have stopped believing in what God has said concerning us. Some of us do not even remember what it was that God said concerning us. We need to remind ourselves of what God has said and promised us. God is not a man that He should lie, or the son of man that He should repent! WHATEVER God has spoken to you, concerning, believe that it will come to pass!

I know...sometimes we grow weary because we always seem to be fighting and going up against the enemy. It is as though once we get over one thing, here is another attack! How can we possibly believe that we are winning because of all that we have or, are suffering? By standing still, continuing to believe God, and praising Him for the victory—even if you cannot see it yet!

I love 2 Chronicles 20! While God had me studying it, I kept learning new things. I received more revelation! Here it is; King Jehoshaphat is being attacked yet again! Now he has three more kingdoms coming against him, trying to take him and the children of Israel out! Jehoshaphat had enough! He remembered that they were children of the Most High, and surely the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would do for them what He had done for their ancestors. He decreed a fast, and that they would seek the Lord and do whatever it was that God told them to do.

And you see, beloved? Right there is where most of us fail. We do not do what God is telling us to do. Perhaps we have lost faith. Perhaps we just don't believe. Maybe we feel like it's not enough or it doesn't sound plausible? I don't know. Only you know why you do or don't do what God has called you to do to get the victory He has already won for you.

Yes...God often asks us to do things that just do not make any sense to our finite human minds. But that's what God wants to deliver us from. To get us to see what He sees, and to hear what He is saying, and to do what He has called us to do without any hesitation, but complete obedience! No matter how crazy or implausible it may seem to be.

Here it is; the children of Judah and Jerusalem are surrounded on all sides, being taunted and threatened, and God tells them not to be afraid by the great multitude against them; that He is going to fight their battle. Then, he tells them to go into battle, but do not fight! What? Don't fight? Didn't make sense. You do not go to battle not to fight. You go to battle...to battle!

2 Chronicles 20:16, 17 Tomorrow go ye down against them. Behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz, and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle. Set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Fear not, nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD will be with you."

Here is what God said to me: I want to show you that I have already declared you the winner. That, I have already won the battle for you. I want you to stand, and see Me move on your behalf and know that I am with you through every storm, every battle, every attack.

God wants us to know for sure, that no matter what this life entails; no matter what comes at us. No matter how big or insurmountable it seems; that He has already fought our battles. And all we have to do is praise Him and believe Him.

My God! He said that our position in the battle is not to fight. But to stand, in the presence of our enemies, circumstances, situations, problems, and praise Him! Believe that He has already done what He has promised!

Why would we go to battle to fight a battle, when God says that the battle is not ours but His? The revelation came to me, that our weapons of warfare are not just for the battle itself. It is for the preparation before the battle. So that we are covered, prayed up, and walking in faith and the anointing. That, when the battle comes, we can stand firmly in the presence of God, with the knowledge that He has already declared us the winner, and all we have to do is praise God for the victory.

Our weapons prepare us to stand strong in the Lord. To fight against the lies and taunts of the enemy. To gain our footing and assurance in the fact that God is fighting for us, and we can stand boldly proclaiming the victory. Do you know how it messes the enemy up to see you praising God when he is attacking you? He don't know what to do with that, but to flee! Our preparation occurs way before the enemy even shows up. And if we have been daily putting on the armor of God, and walking steadfastly in His word, then when the battle is launched, we know for certain we've already won! The enemy is always a day late and a dollar short! He's showing up to fight us, and God has already declared us the winner!

I declare that this week you are walking in the victory and in the knowledge that you have already been declared the winner! The spirit of peace and prosperity has found rest in your lives: spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, and financially. God has already declared you the winner! Walk in it! Stand. Believe. And Praise God! You are Blessed. Now go...and Be a Blessing!

©2012. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.