“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:”
Genesis 12:1
When God told Abraham to leave his home, God deliberately led him through the desert. From the outside it appeared ridiculous to go from an apparent fertile land to a desert place. However, when God knows where the wells are in the desert, then no place ends up being a desert place. One of the ways Abraham became so wealthy is that God showed him where to dig the wells in the desert, so that anyone who needed water, had to come to Abraham. Wherever he settled, the valleys became green and fertile because of the blessing of God on Abraham’s life.
There are times where God will lead you in a way that you may not understand at first and may be even uncomfortable; but if you are obedient and just obey God, He will provide for you. It may not make sense to you in the natural. It may seem ridiculous to others. However, if you are faithful to tune into God’s direction, He will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey and make the desert place a garden because of the blessing that is on and in you.
The Israelites had to go through the desert to get to their promised land as well. Yet they never went without in the desert. God provided supernaturally for them. The desert is a place where self-effort no longer works. For God’s children, it is a place of supernatural provision, where God can show Himself strong and we have to depend completely on Him.
What do you do, if it feels like you are in the desert? When you are being hit from every direction and you feel far from the dreams and vision God’s placed in your heart?
- Keep your eyes on Jesus. Seek God’s counsel. Immerse yourself in the word, praying and reading and hearing the Word of God. As you do, God will direct you as to the next step to take.
This is what David had to do when he and his mighty men of valor had come back to their home in Ziklag, only to find an enemy had raided their camp and taken their wives, their children and their possessions. The men were so discouraged they spoke of stoning David. Yet, David asked for the Ephod and he inquired of the Lord as to what to do. Notice, that although David wept at first, he did not blame God for the attack. Neither did he lose faith, enter into depression or give up. Instead, he remembered who God called him to be; that with God we always have the victory and he knew the answer was in seeking God’s wisdom. The Lord said “Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.” (1 Samuel 30:8) That is exactly what happened. David acted on what God had directed him to do and he recovered their wives, children and everything the enemy had stolen. In addition, he spoiled the enemy and came back much richer than before.
- Take each step of faith as God directs you.
When God directed Abraham to go to a land that God would show him, he began walking in the direction God said. He trusted God and took that first step, and then the next and the next.
Think of Gideon. God called him to fight a vast army where he and his men were greatly out numbered. If that wasn’t enough God told Gideon, “You have too many men” and he told him what to do to narrow down the number. He ended up having to narrow down his army to 300 soldiers against tens of thousands of men. Then, Gideon instructed the men to take trumpets and lanterns and blow the trumpets and break the lanterns, and shout “The Sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!” ( Judges 7:17) This didn’t make sense, in the natural. How would this win the battle? Yet, he followed God’s instructions and won the war.
In Joshua 6, it recounts how the Lord told Joshua to have the men of war march silently around the city of Jericho once a day for six days. Amongst the procession was to be the ark of the covenant along with seven priests who each had a trumpet that they blew as they walked. On the seventh day God instructed that they were to march seven times around the city and then have the priests blow the trumpets and all the people shout together with a great shout. He said if they did this, the walls of Jericho would fall down flat and they would take the city and have the victory. How did this make any sense to winning a war? Yet, they followed God’s instructions and it came to pass just as God had said.
Psalm 119 says “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
As we immerse in God’s word, He will show us things to do. We then step out in faith on the light of that WORD and keep moving.
- Feed your faith on the promises of God concerning your situation and stand fast in Faith knowing God is faithful and just to perform His Word in your life. Trust that God’s Word will work.
In 2 Chronicles 20, when Jehoshaphat was surrounded by an enemy too large for him, he got into the word of God and even quoted God’s promises back to Him. He reminded God of the promises He had made concerning him and His people. Then He called on God to fulfill those promises and asked God for guidance. Of Course, God fulfilled His promises and gave Jehoshaphat the victory. He gave Jehoshaphat specific instructions. Jehoshaphat followed those directions and came back the richer for it and he didn’t even have to fight in the battle.
- Praise and Thank Him for His goodness. Praise Him for the victory.
This is what Paul and Silas did when they were thrown into prison, in the inner room in stocks. They didn’t cry and say “why me?” Instead they praised and thanked God knowing that God is well able to deliver them. As they did, the entire prison was shaken, all the prisoners’ bands were loosed and he was able to preach the gospel even to the prison guard. The guard got born again on the spot and took Paul and Silas to his own home, cared for them and fed them. The next day the order came to have them released. On top of that, the officials had to give Paul and Silas a dignified official escort out of the jail and apologize to them. This is how the church in Philippi got its start. Some believe that the Prison guard became the pastor of that church and that many of the inmates were some of the first congregants. This all happened because Paul and Silas refused to be overwhelmed by the circumstances. Paul followed what the Lord had said, which is “In all things give thanks”. He gave thanks and Praised God and God delivered them.
- Be Patient. Rest In God knowing He is taking care of it. Therefore refuse to worry, continue to thank Him and trust Him.
“In your Patience, Possess ye your souls.” Luke 21:19
Just remember, whatever you are going through is not new. You have a great cloud of witnesses that have also been through similar attacks and overcame. You will overcome and come out the better for it. Just Keep the faith! Trust God, He’s always known how to deliver His children and bring them out on top. He’s the same yesterday, today and forever. HE WILL NOT FAIL YOU!
Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Deuteronomy 31:8
“And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Isaiah 43:1-2
“But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
Isaiah 43:18-21
“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
Jeremiah 1:12 (AMP)
“Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am [actively] watching over My word to fulfill it.”
Isaiah 55:10-13
“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
1 John 5:4
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
For further reading see Judges 7, 2 Chronicles 20, Joshua 6, 1 Samuel 30, Genesis 12 and Acts 16
