May I share a personal testimony with you?
Nearly twenty years ago, I experienced a visitation from an angel, whose fierce presence was powerful beyond what I can adequately describe. I knew in my spirit, as he stood inches before me, that he was a high-ranking warrior and that he had come to reveal something life-giving.
I felt indescribably overwhelmed. And I was glad I was sitting in my prayer room at the time. Had I been standing, I would have surely fallen from shock and fear (Jdg 13:6, 9, 18, 20-21; Lk 1:12, 2:9).
I vividly remember my heart racing as I sat still, frozen really, and listened to this messenger. It was a Psalm 46:10 moment, and he had my full attention. This encounter helped me better understand why Moses wasn’t allowed to see God’s face at Sinai (Ex 33:23).
The message the angel came to reveal included four keys of strategy and a warning to help me navigate what God was bringing me through in the deep, behind closed doors.
The angel delivered the 4 keys and then said to me, “This is the only way you’ll get through this.”
God’s message resounded in my soul to the point that I knew I had to make choices of life over death by adhering to God’s ways. I knew that God revealed this strategy to me in a way that I could never deny. It was as important in my life at that time as it is right now.
Very recently, our Lord brought one of those important keys to remembrance, reminding me to adhere to it regarding my path of promise.
The key is “careful obedience.”
In God’s mercy to meet us right where we are, when the enemy attacks, when it doesn’t go the way we thought it would, it’s time to trust God as He trusts us to move forward with Him in His redeemed way.
That’s what Caleb did—the wholehearted one. The one who had a different spirit than his mainstream community. The one who was called out by God to fight battle after battle in Joshua’s army. The one who did it victoriously, knowing God better in it, having been made stronger through it and coming out on top. Caleb was established in the outward fruit of victory-salvation.
Caleb’s story teaches us that all is not lost when those around us disagree with what we know to be God’s will. As with Caleb, God helps us work out our salvation with fear and trembling, in reverence to Him above any fear of man.
One of the pseudo obstacles that presented itself to me recently was an unwilling spirit from others to move forward with an opportunity. But, like Caleb, I decided to turn to God, believing He will reveal His redemptive next steps to me. And so, I trust Him.
I have come to realize, even more, that Caleb’s story involves redemptive grace in action. I am excited to see how God works it out, as I do my best to carefully obey Him.
I share this testimony to put to rest any apprehensions or disappointments you may have experienced in your own destiny-journey. To encourage you about opportunities God has for you. Opportunities that the enemy would have you think you may have missed. Always remember that God is not without redemption when your heart is submitted to Him (Kairos – Strong’s #2540).
So, you will not be turned away when the community around you does not obey God. Instead, God will see your willing heart and make another way for you, even if He has to call you out from among them and set you on a new path, like Caleb.
We can receive our instructions and go forth, knowing God and His fierce angels are with us in battle. Therefore, may our fear of God be greater than any fear of man, including the unwilling behind us and the resistant before us.
This is what God’s command of “Obey Away!” means—to fully and firmly commit to His process of the establishment of His purposes and promises, above and beyond falsehoods that will fall away in His Presence. Keep going, no matter what.
So, let’s put our confidence in God as we remember and walk out His faithful truth in Deuteronomy 30:15-16 ESV, which says, “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.”
Thank You, Lord, for helping us choose life. To You be all glory, honor and praise. Amen.
This devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.