Overwhelmed? Turn To The Wall..

 Overwhelmed? Turn To The Wall..

When you feel so overwhelmed by challenges on everyside, or just too humongous for you to bear, find a place of solace, turn your face away from all the distractions, and your back away from all the noise. Turn to the wall, and seek God's face in prayer. His word to us is that, if and when we seek HIM with all of our hearts, we will find HIM. HE will always come to our rescue. Jeremiah 29

Prayer is our most powerful weapon! 

FACT: PRAYER is the most powerful weapon on earth!

11 Kings 18 - 20 This is the story of King Hezekiah. 

Hezekiah was a jewish king of Judah several years ago.  He became king at age 25. His father worshipped idols and false gods. But when he became king he did the very opposite of his father. He worshipped the Almighty God, and did right in the sight of God. By destroying altars, and all places of worship to other gods, simultaneous to re-opening the temple of God for local worshippers; Hezekiah was committed to his faith in God. He destroyed the bronze snake rod that belonged to Moses because the people had started to idolize it. He re-introduced God to his nation. 

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At that time, there was a very powerful Assyrian king called Sennacherib who was determined to conquer all of the region. This included Judah. At first, Hezekiah tried to sway him by offering all the silver and even the gold which came from the architecture of the temple.  He was extremely arrogant. He boasted that having conquered all of Israel, that Judah was defensless towards him. In fact,  he stated that it was also futile for them to seek the assistance of any allies such as Egypt. He offered Hezekiah 2000 horses if he conceded. His army consisted of 185,000 soldiers.  

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All the nations were afraid of him. So far, he had conquered everyone else.  But Hezekiah had a strategy. His defense was to go into his chambers and pray to his God. That's all that he did.  He went into God's temple and asked God for intervention. He encouraged Isaiah and others to pray with him to God. He sought help from his God, and God answered favourably. God sent one angel who killed all the 185,000 soldiers in one go.  When the Asyrian king returned to his home, God allowed his very own two sons to kill him with his sword.  God has not changed. HE'S still in control of everything and everyone in the earth.

Problems are a part of life.  They come in different sizes, shapes and forms. Some are like tsunamis, they knock us off of our bearings completely.  They are so gigantic and overwhelming. Especially now that we're in the latter days.  We have to decide in advance what will be our strategy when confronted. The bible says God has shortened the days because they are more evil than before.  HE did it to help believers cope and encourage their faith.  

Matthew 24: 22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

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On another ocassion, God sent Isaiah to Hezekiah with a message. He told him to get his affairs in order because he was going to die.  AGAIN, Hezekiah went before God.  Hezekiah used the same strategy as before.  His defense was to go into his chambers and pray to his God. That's all that he did. He shut his door and turned his face to the wall and prayed for God to change his mind. Before Isaiah could get far, God instructed him to turn back and tell Hezekiah that HE had heard his prayers.  HE was going to extend Hezekiah's life by fifteen more years instead. Practice turning to and talking with God especially when you're in problems. Start the conversation and wait on God. James 5 The effective fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much, ask Daniel.

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When we walk in obedience to God and HIS precepts, what won't HE do for us?  When we trust HIM with all of our hearts and soul and mind, what can keep HIM from coming to our rescue? HE loves us so much.  HE leaves the 99 and comes after us the one lost sheep. HE'S the father of the prodigal son, watching and waiting for us to come back home to HIM.  (HE does not condemn us.) We are the lost coin HE stops at nothing to find. HIS love is relentless towards us.  All we have to do is call upon HIM because HE is our for sure deliverer.  When everyone else is afraid or has deserted you for whatever reason, look to God your faithful father. 

Psalm 91:14-16

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

WORSHIP: Great Is Thy Faithfulness

TESTIMONY:

HE will protect you always!

A Week Like This...from celebrating to suffering!

A Week Like This...from celebrating to suffering!

 

What do you do when the picture changes so fast?  How could it have been so great not so long ago and now so drastically different?  Where are you God in all of this?  You said I was blessed, we were blessed.  I had a....job/ husband/ good children/ a home/ money/ my parents, etc... What changed? Things changed! Now it's all just horrific, pain and suffering and so much agony.  God do YOU understand what I'm talking about?  Where are YOU now?  You suddenly find yourself in the middle of a crisis. I want to encourage you to believe that Jesus understands because HE'S been there too.

  

Luke 19: 29 - 38

29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying,

“Blessed is the King
    who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
    and glory in the highest heaven!” 

 

Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was greeted with a fanfare, a great pageantry of Hosannas. Yet at the very end of that week the very same crowd shouted crucify HIM! Instead of spreading robes on the ground they have stripped HIM of HIS very own garments, beaten HIM, spat on HIM, and given HIM a cross to carry. At the beginning HE was surrounded by all of HIS disciples and the crowd, yet in the end HE is on the cross alone between two strangers and forsaken by God HIS Father.  Luke 23

It comes with the territory....

 

Know that if you get to live long enough, life is all about opposites.  There will be good and bad days.  Bad days are inevitable. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God they were excommunicated from access to God and HIS Kingdom resources in heaven.  God gave Adam dominion over the earth and Adam gave/ lost that dominion to the devil when he sinned.  The devil and his demons have been ruling the earth ever since. Originally the devil and his demons were angels in heaven who rebelled against God.  Since then God excommunicated them from heaven.  They tried to replicate God's Kingdom government in the earth.  They have power and they use it to do evil.  

 

When Jesus came HE brought the original government of heaven which is more powerful than the kingdom which the devil ruled on earth. Isaiah 9 Jesus Christ was sent by The Almighty God as the Messiah to earth to overthrow the devils dominion and give it back to men.  HE  did that through HIS death and resurrection.  The devil only continues to rule territories which men allow him to.  Most men are not used to kingdom government, and definitely not God's government.  Hence, Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to teach us how to dominate the earth effectively.  St. John 14 The Holy Spirit is familiar with the nature of God and the culture of heaven. Power of authority to overthrow and control our original domain - the earth is based on our relationship with The Holy Spirit.   Jesus only grants power to those who follow HIS guidelines and leadership representative of the Holy Spirit.  

 

^{St. John 1: 12-13}

¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

 1 Peter 5: 8

 

 ⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

 

 St. John 10:10

 

 ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

 

Just as you prepare for a wedding or an examination, so too you should prepare for the bad days, for they will come.  Bad experiences can be so overwhelming and in order to get through them you will need some kind of support; some kind of hope; some kind of 'advanced' plan to overcome. Often times the bigger the situation the bigger the resolution required.  Today I'm proposing God as your resolution.  There is no situation that HE is not equipped to deal with.  

 

The Almighty God is Supreme.  HIS WORD is true.  When the bad days come, God NEVER leaves. God is never in a crisis.  HE created the heavens and the earth. Fear not! Trust God to get you through your bad times.  People will forsake you, but God never will.  HE always has a way of escape. God has no plan B.  HIS plan A always works!  When Jesus was on the cross and HE called out to HIS Father HE knew that HIS Father had a bigger plan and this was all a part of it.  HE knew that HE was in the middle of God's plan, God's purpose. Know that you were created for HIS purpose.  Let HIM direct you.  

 

Psalms 23:4  

 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

TESTIMONY: FROM MODEL TO MISSIONARY || My Christian Testimony

WORSHIP:  The Blessing

                       

                      

 

Don't panic - nothing takes God by surpise, absolutely nothing!