I well remember the feeling of exuberance after having successfully completed my years of study in Bible college and graduating in June of 1969. I still feel the excitement of my chance to enter “the ministry”, knowing I had an opportunity to turn the world upside down for my God! As I look back years later, after having gone through my share of battles that often left me discouraged, disillusioned and pretty used up at times, I must give unending praise to the Master for never leaving me–although it often felt like it and there were many times I certainly deserved it. His grace; His mercy; His love and patience are beyond our ability to adequately describe. His power and loyalty to us, His people, always proves to be more than sufficient.
The eager anticipation to do something new for God and with God, knowing His Spirit is there to power you through to the destiny He has called you to, is difficult to describe in earthly language. It is however just as difficult to describe the devastating effect of the enemy coming in like a flood as he attempts to snuff out the little candlelight we have faithfully been carrying and shielding, leaning hard against the howling wind of storm after storm, attack after attack–whether from foe, friend, or fiend from hell.
One of my favorite Old Testament stories is of the great prophet Elijah and his confrontation with the prophets of Baal and Ashera on top of Mount Carmel. Most of us are familiar with the story but I would like to take the example of Elijah and the storyline God gives us in 1 Kings 18 and 19, and draw an application for us today.
The nation of Israel was repeatedly going through the cycle of serving Jehovah God for a time, then going back to old habits of worshipping pagan gods. Sometimes they were worshipping both at the same time. This was Israel’s situation at the time of this story. Israel’s king and queen were Ahab and Jezebel; Jezebel being the daughter of Ethbaal, king of Tyre which was part of the ancient Phoenician empire.
God’s prophets were used by God as his mouthpiece, to deliver the message God had for his people. Their the job was foretelling, and also forth-telling. Some of the Old Testament prophets were given details of future events, foretelling thousands of years in advance. Prophets like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Zechariah and others are examples of some of these. Other prophets were used more for “forth-telling,” to lead and guide the nation of Israel, and on occasion a neighboring nation, when God had a special purpose for them. Elijah was one of these. His was a powerful voice. The Holy Spirit also used him in ways that bent natural laws to fulfill divine purposes. Because of Israel’s apostasy, God used Elijah to speak a command that was obeyed by the weather systems in Israel for about 42 months. When Elijah told Ahab that it would cease to rain and would not rain again except by his word, God enforced Elijah’s word and there was not a thing Ahab or any false prophet, soothsayer, or wizard could do to break the power of the word spoken by Elijah. All King Ahab could do was send men into all parts of the known world around Israel to try and find Elijah. God of course was way ahead of Ahab and sent Elijah into Jezebel’s own home country where he stayed with a widow woman in Zerephath, which was located just north of Tyre.
After about about 3 ½ years, God told Elijah to present himself to Ahab. I will skip all the details of their not-so-friendly reunion except to say that when Ahab accused Elijah of being the one that was bringing trouble on the nation of Israel, Elijah fired back saying that it was in fact, he, King Ahab who was the problem because he was leading the nation into idolatry and causing them to worship pagan gods, specifically Ba’al and Asherah. This of course undoubtedly sent Ahab into a rage, being the egotistical, self-centered king he was, but Elijah through his God, was well in control of the situation, not Ahab. This presented Elijah the opportunity needed to set up the epic challenge of the “gods” on top of Mount Carmel.
As a quick summary of the story, we find that Elijah challenged the people to stop wavering between two opinions, two Gods. Either Ba’al is God or Jehovah is God. Time to prove which it was! He then challenged the prophets of Ba’al to prepare a sacrifice with a slaughtered bull and put it on the altar. Their instructions were to prepare the sacrifice in its entirety but not to light the fire. The fire must come supernaturally. Because there were 450 prophets of Ba’al and another 400 prophets of Asherah, he insisted they go first and do whatever they had to do in order to convince their gods to answer by fire. After they had danced, chanted, and called on their gods for quite some time, Elijah began to taunt them, telling them they would need to yell louder; maybe their god was busy or asleep. This just caused them to go into a frenzy, cutting and slashing themselves until they nearly collapsed into a bloody heap. There was however no fire!
Elijah then called the people near. As they gathered, he took twelve stones and rebuilt the altar. He then cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the altar, pouring barrel after barrel of water on it until the trench around the altar was full of water. Elijah then prayed, asking the Lord to confirm to the people that He alone is Almighty God and that he. Elijah was his prophet. God then confirmed by sending the fire. The fire that God sent not only burned the sacrifice but also the rocks of the altar, and licked every bit of the water up as well. God left no question regarding His own identity, nor did He leave any question about who Elijah was!
Elijah then, with the help of the people, executed every last one of the pagan prophets and priests that had assembled on the mountain. After the false prophets had been executed, Elijah told Ahab to eat and drink; then hurry back to the palace because there was an abundance of rain on the way. Elijah then went and prayed, repeatedly sending his servant to check if anything in the skies was changing. When looking the seventh time, Elijah’s prayer was answered and he caught up with King Ahab, outrunning Ahab’s chariot back to the palace, which was about 30 miles away!
What a victory! Yet, Elijah had been greatly outnumbered and his life was in constant jeopardy. God backed him every moment of the way and at the end of the challenge, God made it abundantly clear who He was, and that Elijah was His chosen prophet of the hour. Hundreds of pagan prophets were slain on the spot, and it all happened right in front of King Ahab. Then, to cap off the miraculous events, Elijah was empowered to outrun the chariot carrying Ahab back to the palace in Jezreel—approximately 17 miles away! Impossible, yet it happened. Even if the horses pulling Ahab’s chariot were just leisurely trotting along, this is still quite a feat. It is more likely that Ahab was driving the horses at a fast pace because Elijah had told him he’d better get back in a hurry or the storm would overtake him.
What a series of powerful displays of the power of God working through Elijah’s ministry! This one lone prophet had withstood the death-threats of the most wicked king Israel had ever had. Not only could Ahab not find him, but when Elijah confronted him, Ahab had to bend to the challenge made. While on the mountain, Ahab could have had Elijah killed, but God did not allow it. From beginning to end, God was Elijah’s bodyguard, provider, and enforcer. What happened next however is amazing.
As soon as Ahab told Jezebel what had happened, the queen sent a messenger to Elijah with a death-threat. It so unraveled the great prophet that he ran for his life! He had just faced off everyone in the kingdom and now he was running from one lone messenger delivering a threat on Elijah’s life from Queen Jezebel. Elijah was so rattled that he not only left town, running to Beersheba, but left his servant in Beersheba and went another day’s journey into the wilderness. There he sat down under a tree and asked God to take his life, because as far as he was concerned, he was done! Then he fell asleep. I Kings 19:3-14 continues the story:
But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” The as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”
So he arose, and ate and drank: and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD,” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his,mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
In the passage above, we have the story of the angel that prepared food for him–twice, telling him that he needed to eat because the journey ahead was going to be too much for him if he didn’t. He then traveled for 40 days and nights until he arrived at Mount Horeb, which is also called Mount Sinai, where Moses met God and received the ten commandments.
As we read in the text, Elijah gave God the same answer twice when he was asked what he was doing there at the mountain. From the instructions God gave him after the display of the wind, earthquake, and fire, we know that Elijah was 180 degrees in the wrong direction from where God wanted him. It seemed that God ignored Elijah’s whining about being the last servant of God, and after giving him specific instructions of where to go next and what his instructions were, God added as a seeming afterthought, “By the way, I have 7,000 more that have not bowed their knees to Ba’al!
Elijah, the man of God, when he caved in to the attack against him, not only went in the opposite direction God wanted him, but also a long ways from delivering the messages God wanted him to deliver. He also ran away from where he would be of value to the people God had called him to minister to. Now, in his depression and discouragement, everything was about himself instead of God, his chosen people, and God’s lifelong call on his life as a prophet of the LORD!
This is what happens when we listen the voice of the enemy. The loudest voices in our lives are not usually the voice of God! God speaks to us with that still small voice that we become familiar with through our intimate communion with Him. If we respond to all the noise and threats around us, we will find ourselves wandering outside of the will of our God. Elijah, instead of running away from the threat from Jezebel, which was much like the wind storm, the earthquake, or the fire on the mountain, should have listened for the still small voice that he had always gotten direction from in the past, and obeyed it. God had protected him when he stood by himself against the greatest of odds, could God not protect him from Jezebel as well? When we read the rest of Elijah’s story in the Scriptures, we find that God did exactly that with both Ahab and Jezebel.
Servants of the Lord, no matter what their position in the Kingdom of God, cannot afford to be detoured from the road and calling God has put them on. God’s callings and anointings are not taken back by Him. Once we are on a path that He has put us on, we are to stay on that path until He tells us different, not when we think it is time to quit.
In this story in 1 Kings, God’s mercy and forgiveness brought Elijah back into line so that he could fulfill his God-given task. That is exactly what he then did until the day that the chariot of fire snatched him off the earth. This is exactly what our commitment should be as well. I would like to direct our attention to a Scripture that I have used before. Hebrews 10:35-39 is applicable here. Let’s look at it in the Amplified version:
Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away (and enjoy to the full) what is promised. For still a little while–a very little while–and the Coming One will come and He will not delay. But the just shall live by faith (that is, My righteous servant shall live by his conviction respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, and holy fervor born of faith and conjoined with it); and if he draws back and shrinks in fear, My soul has no delight or pleasure in him. But our way is not that of those who draw back to eternal misery (perdition) and are utterly destroyed, but we are of those who believe–who cleave to and trust in and rely on God through Jesus Christ, the Messiah–and by faith preserve the soul.
While meditating and praying about this subject, I re-read the first three chapters of Job and found the story of Job speaking to me once again. Let’s take a brief look and see what Job’s story adds to what we see in the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18-19.
Job 1:1-5 gives us an accounting of Job, his family, and his great wealth. We are also shown what kind of a man Job was. There is no question that this man, who was a contemporary of Abraham, was a godly man. He was well known for his honesty and integrity. He also cared greatly for his family and their spiritual welfare. After being introduced to Job, the storyline changes and this is how it reads in the NKJV:
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
To say what happened next was devastating would be an enormous understatement. One person after another came to Job telling him of the disasters. First he lost all 500 yoke of oxen and the 500 female donkeys feeding next to them, as well as all but one of the servants caring for them being slain with the sword. Next a man came in saying that fire had just fallen from the sky burning up all 7,000 sheep and every single shepherd except for one to bring the bad news. Then came a one survivor to say that all of his 3,000 camels were stolen and the caretakers killed by sword.
As if that were not enough, the next messenger told Job that all ten of his grown children (7 sons and 3 daughters) were feasting at the oldest brother’s home when a huge wind storm blew in from the wilderness and caused the house to cave in on top of them, killing every single one of them!
Job’s response defies description, because I am not sure how many people would be able to respond with such humility and grace. Verse 20-21 of the first chapter says this:
Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshipped. And he said, “ Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
After the grace we see in Job’s response, we find the writer of the story saying, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. An entire book could be written about that one phase–and possibly someone has, but we’ll come back to it later.
In the second chapter, we find another meeting between God and the evil one, and the interchange went like this:
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause?”
So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand but spare his life.”
Most of us know what happened next. Job was struck with boils that covered him from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. In light of the fact that this was an attack directly by the devil himself, I suspect that these blistering, bleeding, ulcerous boils had to be worse than what we would imagine. In the story, we find Job sitting on an ash heap scraping himself with a broken piece of pottery because they itched so badly! I believe that Job’s story was planned to be extraordinary in every way because God knew that you and I would read or be told of this story long after Job was dead.
In verse 9, Mrs. Job comes to him and says, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” We immediately want to criticize Job’s wife for this, but we need to remember that she also just lost all ten of her children. Her perspective, as the mother and wife, is likely a bit different than Job’s. We need to have some compassion for her. But, of course, her advice was not good. It may have been because she did not want to see him suffer any worse than he already had, but the advice is still bad, regardless. Job however, did not falter and said: “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” Job’s response is one that flies in the face of many prosperity / word of faith evangelists that deny that God could ever allow something evil or bad to happen to one of His own. That just shows ignorance of God’s Word. No matter how you look at it, God allowed this! He gave His permission to the devil to unleash all these calamities! How could He “allow” anything bad? There is not enough time to explain the theology of the subject but suffice it to say that God is sovereign!
Once again, after the second round of torments that God allowed, we find the amazing comment being made, “In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” When Job’s three friends showed up, they sat in his presence for seven days without saying a word, because “his grief was very great.”
Here is where our humanity and limited view and understanding can get in the way. How can a just God allow such a terrible event? Does God’s Word not say that He watches over us and protects us from disaster, cataclysm, sickness, and death? Isaiah even tells us that God is our rear-guard! God’s Word teaches that and so I put my faith in that as well. There are, however, exceptions when God sovereignly allows something extraordinary for His overall purposes. God has had a plan for the redemption of the human race since the foundation of the earth was laid. As His plan unfolds, there are things that happen that are often very difficult for us to go through; in fact, we find it impossible to understand why such things could be happening and how it could possibly serve to bring God glory. But, we must trust Him with the mystery! This is exactly what Job did.
The book of Job of course gives us a long narrative involving not only Job. His three friends had their commentary recorded as well. Then we find the narrative of a younger man on the scene, who in honoring the older men, kept his mouth shut until they had repeated their own arguments enough that a fresh voice and view was needed. His long narrative was then interrupted by God Himself who provided the solid anchor that they all needed. He also made sure it was understood that the sovereign actions of Almighty God were based on His omniscience, knowing the end from the beginning. He was and is the only One qualified to oversee the process of all things being brought back to a state of perfection. He has the wisdom, knowledge, presence, and power, and there is no one else like Him. Job was hit harder than anyone else recorded in the Bible but he recognized there was an eternal perspective he needed to hang onto. When the losses are as great as his were, that is hard to do.
In our own situations, we have a very limited view. We understand little of yesterday and do not know about tomorrow. God on the other hand, rules from outside of time. The past, present, and future are all the same to Him. He is eternal. This is why He made the statement in John 8:58 saying, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
In God’s divine plan, each of us has a destiny. Some are called to do things that are easily recognized as great in the eyes of the world–maybe even the Christian world. Others have been put in a place of obscurity. Each, however, is an important piece of the whole. Some live long lives, and others seem to leave this world too soon. It seems so unjust that some of God’s most faithful servants live their entire lives, sacrificing everything they have to pour themselves out on a foreign field whereas they could have lived well at home, possibly even successful in business, and could have grown old around their families. Then we see the charlatans living in absolute luxury, while giving an impression of humility. But it is not our job to concern ourselves with these issues, nor is it our job to make judgments. Our calling is to walk in obedience to God’s call on our life and let Him handle the peripheral stuff, especially people.
Now, back to Elijah’s story. Elijah was running away from where God intended him to be. He was forgetting the mantle that God had placed on his shoulders. We do this also. If God has put a mantle (a calling, an assignment) on your shoulders, there is only a “Plan A” for you. There is no “Plan B” or “Plan C”. Human nature causes us to want to keep our options open, but there really aren’t any good options other than what God has set aside for us. You don’t ever want to crawl out from under that mantle. Elijah was doing just that when he ran from Jezebel. This is why God asked Elijah what he was doing so far away from where he was supposed to be. He had gone from the top of the mountain to the depths of a depression hell. God knows that we are human and He knows that our flesh is weak, but that is why He promises never to leave us or forsake us. He has also given us His Word which provides us with everything we need for life and spirituality. Between God’s Word and His Presence, we are never lacking anything if we stay in close, intimate communion with the Lord. In Ephesians 6 we find:
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore…”
As Christ-followers, the sooner we recognize who the real enemy is, the more successful we will be in our service to our Lord. There really is no excuse for people being less than they should be, but people allow themselves to become pawns of the evil one. We may have someone that comes after us like a bulldog, but that bulldog is likely being influenced by the evil one to make our life difficult. This is what the armor in Ephesians 6 is for. Verse 13 makes a point of saying that we need the whole armor, and when we have done everything to stand, then stand! We must stand and look the devil in the eyeballs and with the power of the Name of Jesus and the power of the Blood of Jesus, he has to back up, not us. The enemy wants us to give up, but Matthew 11:28-30 gives us a better plan:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Psalm 61:1-4:
Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your taber acle forever; I will trust in the shelter of your wings.
Philippians 4:6-8:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.
It is easy when the pressures of life become overwhelming to forget that we are a small part of something very big being played out. We are now facing the end of the age and the Bible tells us we have a great cloud of witnesses observing what is unfolding on the earth today. In light of eternity, we must make sure that we have an eternal perspective on our lives. It will change our priorities and cause us to adjust our goals. Hebrews 12:1-3 puts it like this:
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
1 Peter 5:6-10:
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
At this time, so close to the return of our Messiah, I believe that the devil is doing everything he possibly can to wear out the saints of God. I have read the Scriptures for years that speak to the importance of enduring to the end. I really don’t think that is referring to enduring through the Great Tribulation, although for some this might prove to be the case. I believe for us in this last generation, it at least partly deals with enduring through the vicious onslaught of everything the devil can throw at us–including exhaustion, depression, despondency, and the like. We are at the point in history when we need to be running the last lap of the race at a sprint, but many are falling by the wayside and quitting the race, or at least settling for something much less than God had planned for them. Time is now of the essence and none of us can afford to be taken out of the race.
In closing this article I would like to share the story of the circumstances under how the old hymn “It is well with my soul” was written. I pray it deepens our commitment and walk with our Lord. I found the record of this story on sharefaith.com.
Horatio Spafford (1828-1888) was a wealthy Chicago lawyer with a thriving legal practice, a beautiful home, a wife, four daughters and a son. He was also a devout Christian and faithful student of the Scriptures. His circle of friends included Dwight L. Moody, Ira Sankey and various other well-known Christians of the day.
At the very height of his financial and professional success, Horatio and his wife Anna suffered the tragic loss of their young son. shortly thereafter on October 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed almost every real estate investment that Spafford had.
In 1873, Spafford scheduled a boat trip to Europe in order to give his wife and daughters a much needed vacation and time to recover from the tragedy. He also went to join Moody and Sankey on an evangelistic campaign in England. Spafford sent his wife and daughters ahead of him while he remained in Chicago to take care of some unexpected last minute business. Several days later he received notice that his family’s ship; had encountered a collision. All four of his daughters drowned; only his wife had survived.
With a heavy heart, Spafford boarded a boat that would take him to his grieving Anna in England. It was on this trip that he penned those now famous words, “When sorrow like sea billows roll; it is well, it is well with my soul.
Philip Bliss (1839-1876), composer of many songs including “Hold the Fort,” “Let the Lower Lights be Burning,” and “Jesus loves Even Me”, was so impressed with Spafford’s life and the words of his hymn that he composed a beautiful piece of music to accompany the lyrics. It was published in 1876.
“It Is Well With My Soul”
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll’;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, It is well with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blessed assurance control
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul
My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
And Lord haste the day, when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Philippians 4:6-7 tells us this:
Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
One final comment before closing this article. You may know someone who is going through a Job experience. You are commissioned to lift them in prayer when they are weak and vulnerable. Do not judge, but battle for them against the enemy that would defeat them if that were possible. As you pray, picture Exodus 17:11 and stand as Aaron and Hur:
Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set.
Jake Geier