A Woman's Walk

[Judy Harder]

A Woman's Walk

Monday, January 25, 2010 

Week of January 17
Strength

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  ~ Isaiah 40:31             

Eagles can soar above storms.  They can ascend to heights that other fowl cannot.  And they represent what we can do through the Lord as our strength.             

Strength is a reward and a byproduct of obedience.  Joshua 1:7 says, "Be strong and very courageous.  Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go."  God reiterates "be strong" in verse 9.             

Remember when Sampson revealed the secret of his strength to Delilah who deceived and betrayed him (Jud. 16:17)?  Sin weakened him.  But afterwards, amid horrible consequences, when he prayed, God still accomplished His purpose by taking down the enemy.  Even if we lose our strength, God's power is made perfect in our weakness to accomplish His purposes (2 Cor. 12:9).             

1 Chronicles 16:11 says to "look to the Lord and His strength."  That's what Sampson did (Jud. 16:28).             

Strength is empowered by love.  The Sampson and Delilah story is the flesh or sin representation of this.  Conversely, God speaks of His loving relationship with us in Deuteronomy 6:5 and His strength, presence, love, deliverance and inheritance for the Israelites in Deuteronomy 4:37-38 where He went before them to drive out strong nations to set the captives free.               

Strength is activated by faith.  Hebrews 11:32-34 tells of great conquerers, like Gideon, David, Samuel and the prophets, and how their weaknesses turned to strength by calling on the Lord.             

Strength is expanded by wisdom.  Proverbs 24:5 tells us that "a man of knowledge increases his strength."  Knowledge is ammunition.  It is a tool that God can use through us.  Remember, there's nothing holy about ignorance.  Proverbs 21:22 tells us that a wise man can pull down strongholds in a mighty city.             

Our greatest source of our strength comes from above.  1 Corinthians 1:25 says, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."               

It was the Father's strength that raised Jesus from the dead and placed Him above all things at His right side (Eph. 19:21). 

The Apostle Paul understood this kind of strength when he said, "I can do everything [that pleases God] through [Christ] who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:13).             

Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength.  Science now understands that when we are joyful, chemicals are released in our brain which gives us increased vigor, focus and motivation.               

What particular kind of strength do you need in your workplace?  Endurance, patience, confidence, knowledge?  Perhaps it's even physical strength.  Whatever we need, the Lord our God, our Strong Tower, is faithful to provide for the asking.   

Let us remember Isaiah 41:10, which says, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

[Judy Harder]

Week of January 31
Humility 

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."  ~Col. 3:12

Very recently, God sent me back into the workforce.  One of many things He said to me beforehand was "Humility."  What I sensed that meant for me was that He purposed this job assignment to do a work of humility in me and that humility would be a key for survival.  Whoa, was He right!

Divine humility is the opposite of pride.  It is confidence in God, not self.  It is unpretentiousness at its finest.  It was the walk of Jesus, and it can be ours if we choose it or, as in my case, thrust into it.

Contrary to some beliefs, true humility is not passive, pathetic or weak.  Rather, it is divinely powerful.  It does not pause at or placate to foolishness.  Rather, it ushers in unity.  It does not damage us or grieve the Holy Spirit.  Rather, it honors God, and God, in turn, honors us when we exercise it according to His plan (Prov. 15:33).  Like truth, humility is a swift and divine weapon of righteousness, unity, love and wisdom that we can choose to wield.

Many of us understand that we are to humble ourselves before the Lord.  But what about choosing humility in the face of false accusers, persecutors, people who intend to harm us?  People who compete with us?  People who react out of fear and insecurity?  The ones the enemy uses to separate believers and thwart divine plans.  The ones God uses to test us?  Jesus chose humility.  His example was an important demonstration for us, a divine strategy, an assignment from The Father.

Surely, as He painfully hung on the cross with undeserved insults hurled at Him, His flesh and His heart ached for relief.  But He knew He was on a high mission to save a world of people for generations.  He knew His role of obedience and love, of priority, of divine purpose.  He knew divine truth in the face of ignorance.  He knew His Father and the humbling power of His love and mercy, and He was obedient to the call, even though it opposed man's limited understanding.

Jesus did not fall to the enemy's devices.  He needed no man's approval, only His Father's.  He trusted in His Father's plan.  He understood that humbling Himself unto the Father also meant responding with humility to man (Titus 3:2).  He knew that God's grace would sufficiently carry Him through the mission and that His divine purpose would be fulfilled regardless of man's actions.  Indeed, God was in control.

It is difficult to provoke a truly humble person into a dispute because they will lean into God's powerful love, peace and mercy when attacked, just like Jesus.  Simply put: Humble people do not react to other people's issues.  They are not controlled by them.  They respond in the Spirit because they do not feel the need to prove their worth to others.  They know their security and identity rests in Christ, even if others do not.  They are committed to the Lord's ways, and they are purposed.  They are too dedicated in seeking the Lord's righteousness and humility to give way to futile, self-exalting spats.  They hold onto God's power like a lifeline, and they are not willing to foolishly let it go.

You will know humble people by the fruit they bear and the mercy, peace and sincerity they exhibit (James 3:13-18).  This is because God can work His virtues through a humble person, whereas, with a prideful person, this cannot be.  Rather, selfishness rules, leaving little space for God to operate.  When we choose selfishness, we get what we choose: Our limitations.

Conversely, the humble journey is a true adventure.  There is great freedom and excitement in soaring with our trustworthy God.  Yielded to Him, He will take us higher than we can venture on our own or even imagine.  Yielded to Him, we receive His supernatural power, favor, rewards, strength, provision, love, grace, mercy and strategies to complete divinely-appointed assignments that are larger than we.  Is there any greater thrill?

Who among us couldn't use more divine humility?  I am challenged daily to respond to circumstances like Jesus, in His strength, His power and His love.  It is a process, a lifestyle, a series of moment-by-moment choices, a walk.  If you would like to break out of the prison of limitation, repent and take hold of the Lord's hand.  Choose to trust Him.  Soar with Him.  And prepare to be awed like never before!

[Judy Harder]

Week of February 7
Relationship

"The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him."  ~ Galatians 3:11 (The Message)

Oh the power of relationship.  From our primary and everlasting relationship with the Lord to working relationships and intimate relationships, we are blessed by those which God arranges in so many ways.

Often, God sets us up with people who greatly influence our lives—bosses, leaders, mentors, co-workers, family members and even those who appear to have little power.

And He always works in us and through us simultaneously.  His purposes are mighty and far reaching, often influencing nations of people.  And they always require obedience.

Consider Ester and her cousin Mordecai.  Ester 8:1 says, "And Mordecai came before the king because Ester had explained their relationship."

This was no accident.  It was a set up or an "arrangement" by God for purposes bigger than either of them. 

Mordecai was not only Ester's blood relative and adoptive parent, he was her advisor, confidant and informant (Es. 2:10, 20-23).  God strategically assigned them to work together—one inside and one outside of the king's palace—as His secret agents for the higher purpose of freeing a nation of Jews.

Although their missions felt risky to them, their faith in the Lord and trust in each other had been established (Es. 2:11).  Indeed, God knew just what they needed, how circumstances would unfold and which emotions would be pricked as His process for ultimate deliverance took place.

Mordecai and Ester honored God and consulted Him on strategy (Es. 4:16).  And God never forsook them along their journey.  They remained loyal to God and to each other throughout, no matter how hopeless things appeared, even as the power of their positions shifted (Es. 4:17).

God honored them in return with His divine favor, wisdom and life, perfectly advancing them amid the enemy's deception and plot to kill Mordecai (Es. 5:2-14).

Desperate, Mordecai waited on God, urgently standing at the king's gate again and again.  He never gave up.  And when the time was right, God exposed His truth of evil through them (Es. 7:6).  God's justice was accomplished (Es. 7:10), Mordecai was promoted (Es. 8:2, 15, 9:4, 10:2-3), and the Jews were ultimately set free (Es. 9:1, 5).

Throughout their assignment, Ester and Mordecai remained obedient to God.  They lived in right relationship with Him by embracing what God had arranged for them in advance.

When God assigns us to relationships, He always purposes them beyond what we know at the outset.  One of my favorite (and usually desperate) prayers is, "Lord, reveal to me Your divine purpose in this.  Let me see it as You do.  Give me Your divine understanding.  Open my eyes, and help me to receive Your revelations and stay on track."

God loves it when we humble ourselves and seek His heart and His purposes for each arranged assignment in our lives.  He honors us and blesses for seeking His face and for desiring earnestly to be obedient and serve Him, placing His ways above our own.

Ester and Mordecai stepped into a risky life-or-death journey.  The only way they could get through it successfully was to carefully obey God in their relationship with each other and with Him.

What arrangements are you involved in?  Are they divinely assigned or ones of your own making?  How's your relationship with God and others?  Do they honor Him?

If you're not sure, our Divine Creator has all the answers, and He's waiting to reveal them to you for the asking.  May you be blessed and walk in divine peace and purpose in all your arrangements.

[Judy Harder]

Week of February 14
Intimacy

"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."  ~ Mark 7:6 (NIV)

Jesus spoke against the traditions of the temple elders that denied His Father's commands in their worship.  Their unrepentant hearts were prophesied in Isaiah 29 and resulted in consequences of judgment upon them.

Moses experienced a similar confrontation in Numbers 16 with appointed councilmen, who were deceived in their minds and hearts, convinced they were holy among themselves.  In verses 31-35, we see God do a bit of house cleaning among this relentless leadership, as each one instantly perished in an earthquake.   

God's truth is that we can only come close to Him by being chosen by Him. Jeremiah 30:21 says that God causes us to draw near.   The councilmen were not chosen by God to have the same anointing or assignment as Moses.  It was not their place to elevate themselves above the role in which God had placed them.  Likewise, we are not worthy to come close to God except through His covenant with His Son, Jesus Christ.

In Romans 7:7-25 the Apostle Paul explains this principle in painstaking detail, confessing in verse 24, "What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord."

When we obediently choose to draw near to God through Jesus, we receive life, rewards and blessings in great abundance.  We thrive!  We move toward our divine destiny.  And a surrendered heart opens the door.

David understood this.  He declared to God in Psalm 50:6, "Behold, You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart."  Later in verse 10 he boldly beseeches God by saying, "Create in me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me." 

When we come close to God through Jesus, He will make known to us His mysteries through revelation (Eph. 3:3).  What better place to be than understanding the wisdom of God that He longs to give us and to know His love that surpasses knowledge (Eph. 3:19).

Not surprising, the word intimacy is from the Latin words "intimare," which means "to make known" (as in reveal Himself) and from "intimus," which means "innermost" (as in holy of holies, heart).

To be intimate means to have a close personal relationship, to be thorough as in having an extensive knowledge or experience, to be connected through influence (of God), involving the innermost nature (spirit, soul, heart).  It means having a quiet or private atmosphere and a personal or private utterance (prayer) or action (praise, worship).

Where there is intimacy, there is power; there is grace; there is peace. To get in position to receive God's fullness of power, we must exercise faith, respect, reverence, communication and honor.  When we love God, we listen to Him.  We care what He has to say.  His heart is important to us, much more than our own.  We regard Him as higher than ourselves.  And life becomes all about Him.

Psalm 73:28 assures us it is good to draw near to God.  Isaiah 58:2 confirms it is a delight to draw near to God.  As we choose to do this through Jesus, we can lay claim to the truth of John 7:38, which says, "He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as in the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow springs and rivers of living water."---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ. 

[Judy Harder]

Week of February 21
Unity

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them in all together in perfect unity."  ~ Colossians 3:13-14 (NIV) 

In Colossians 3:1-17, the Apostle Paul offers up these Rules for Holy Living.  As we read them, may we be reminded that, as Christians, we are chosen and assigned by God to our places and positions of work.  These scriptures offer a roadmap to getting along with our cohort's, who are also divinely-assigned, and to thriving in our careers God's way . . .     

"Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things . . .

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry . . . you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.  Do not lie to each other . . . put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator . . . Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Unity is important to God.  In order to achieve it in a work environment, we must work out issues that arise with others through forgiveness, truth and love.  Simultaneously, we must overcome our own fears, insecurities and baggage and lean into God to remove the obstacles that are out of our control.  Our attitudes and commitment to God's ways, along with the levels of dysfunction within us, others and the organization, can determine how hard and how long our journey will be.

When God assigns us to usher new order and breakthrough into a work environment, our roles are usually challenging and require fortitude and perseverance.  Oftentimes, this feels like anything but God's doing.

But if we commit ourselves to remaining in our divinely-assigned role, moving forward in God's purposes, we will witness Him break obstacles and make a way to unity (God's finest), which can involve changing people's hearts and attitudes, promoting people or reassigning those who, by their free will choice, are not willing to cooperate. 

Therefore, unity is often a process.  And in this process, God forges us, our co-workers, our leaders and our organizations often through the heat of pressure.  The reason He has us in this vice is because He's trying to teach us, purify us and position us for promotion.  But are we willing to be teachable?  Are we willing to die to the limitation of selfishness?

I love the NIV note for verse 15, which tells us that the peace that only Christ can give us is to prevail in all human relationships, like an umpire over an attitude of bitterness and quarrelsomeness.  Where there is disunity, there is disconnection, fragmentation, a loss of synergy, of power.  It is a place where the enemy thrives to negate the plans of God.

The path to unity is through repentance, forgiveness, cooperation and a commitment to journey God's way through the circumstances that surround us by His leading, no matter what.

If you find yourself in a chaotic work environment, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what your divine assignment is.  Ask Him to reveal to you strategic keys.  Ask Him how to pray, what He desires for you to learn.  Then ask Him to help you receive what He wants you to so that you do not have to journey around the mountain repeatedly.  Walk in humility and confession.  Praise the Lord in the midst.  Submit to the Lord's ways, and enter into the place of peace where God leads you.  Then watch the favor of God manifest on your behalf.

[Judy Harder]

Week of February 28
Beauty

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."  ~ Proverbs 31:30

God is the essence of beauty, and He longs to share His beauty with us.  When we accept Jesus, His beauty resides within us.  And if we revere Him, we will mirror His beauty from the inside out.  This is God's desire.

Consider Esther.  Although she was physically beautiful, Esther also glowed with an inner beauty that was established and purposed by God before she ever entered the king's palace (Es. 2:7, 15).  She won the king's favor and approval because she was on a mission from God to save His and her people.  And God's hand of favor and protection was upon her as she consistently made right choices, yielding to the Father's will.

Esther understood wisdom as is evident by how she followed her uncle Mordecai's counsel to not reveal her identity and the eunich Hegai's suggestion to not ask for anything when she came before the king (Es. 2:10-11, 15).  Esther understood the wisdom of 1Peter 3:4, ". . . the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."  And she also understood the power of revering God through fasting (Es. 4:16).

Esther had substance, and her beauty was a power tool used by God to accomplish His will to save a nation.

How is God using your beauty?  Likewise, how are you using your beauty?

Contrary to the nobleness of Esther, the once perfect (Ps. 50:2) but fast fleeting beauty of Jerusalem is described in Ezekiel 16 as prostitution.  When we "trust in our beauty and use our fame to become a prostitute" (vs. 15), our beauty becomes pillaged by the enemies of destruction and death.  Our own disobedience and idolatry to ungodly pleasures opens the door, giving the devil a legal right to "pimp" us out, leaving us depleted, defiled and disgusted.

As we journey through life, what will we choose?  Perfect beauty or prostitution? 

If the latter has been your choice (even if not in the literal sense), there is freedom through repentance and restoration.

The beauty of God is everlasting.  It doesn't fade.  It is perfect.  In this, we have hope.

Lamentations 3:22-26 says, "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.  I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.'  The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." 

May we choose to honor God by living in the nobility of a yielded heart, mind and body and therefore embrace His full measure of reigning beauty for His glory.


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Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ. Check out the God's Love at Work 2009 Women's Conference & Expo [http://www.godsloveatwork.com/2009womensexpo] in the Atlanta area on Saturday, November 7

[Judy Harder]

Week of March 7
Temperance

"But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet."  ~ I Thessalonians 5:8

Temperance is restraint in the face of temptation.  It is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23 KJV).  The root word "temper" originally meant "mixture" in Latin.  As Christians, we are an amalgam of body, soul and spirit.  And it is God in us who gives us harmony, who guides us and enables us to live temperate lives.  To Him, we must yield.

If we look at the Old Testament, unleavened cakes and wafers were "tempered with oil" and "anointed with oil" (Ex. 29:2).  In these simple passages lives so much meaning.  Just as the wheat and the oil were combined to complete a substance that would sustain life, the bread of life (Jesus) and the anointing oil (the Holy Spirit) sustains us in times of trouble, in the dry desert journeys, in the face of the tempter, Satan.

Although God is always in control, He allows us to journey through difficult circumstances to temper us, to cause us to reach for Him and depend upon Him with a great urgency and intensity for help.  God's firing or tempering process prepares us for the next promotion.  It challenges us to reach the next glory and obtain a higher level of purity and holiness (Ex. 30:35-37).  Yielding to the Holy Spirit brings us into greater composure, which positions us for action (I Peter 1:13) in an upcoming season. 

I recall an occasion when a friend of mind received a major breakthrough in her career.  She had been under the authority of a boss from whom she felt great heaviness and oppression on a daily basis.  Yes, she was being tempered.  I watched her at church each week as she journeyed through this dry place.  I saw tears of desperation fall from her cheeks.  I saw her heart cry out to God for relief.  And I saw her offer sacrifices of praise to the Lord while in the midst of emotional pressure and pain.

Many interceded for her, including myself.  And on the day that she was offered a new job, which was unbeknownst to me at the time, the Lord showed me that because she sought His heart with all of her heart, and because she was faithful to stay the course and exhibit love in the process, He shielded her from undue harm and was promoting her to be in authority over others.

Indeed, God must temper us to be leaders (2 Tim. 3:2, Titus 1:7).  We cannot do it alone, only through His grace (Titus 2:12). 

Inasmuch, God recently sent me back out into the job market.  After seven weeks of intense training, during which I had to lean into the Lord for His grace, my boss turned to me and quickly said, "You're going to be mastered by fire."  I knew just what she meant.

Consider Proverbs 25:28 (NIV): "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control."  My friend, in her flesh alone, surely felt like retaliating towards her boss.  And without the Holy Spirit's strength and guidance, she would have been defenseless and disgraced, like a city without walls.  But because she persevered by leaning to God, she finished the journey rewarded by promotion and surrounded by His glory.

Proverbs 16:32 (NLT) says, "It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city."  My friend chose to be patient in the suffering.  She believed that God's power was more than enough to defeat the enemy who attacked her.  And she waited upon God until He brought her to complete victory.  Such character development readied her to carry out her next divine assignment.

If you are being tempered, know that the process will not continue longer than God apportions.  Take courage and know that He is fighting your battles for you and that you will reign victorious if you persevere to the finish.
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Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ.

[Judy Harder]

Week of March 14
Understanding

Acquire wisdom!  Acquire understanding!  Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth."  ~ Proverbs 4:5 (NASB)

God desires for us to wait until we hear from Him before we act.  He wants us to listen and to "get it."  He wants us to receive His revelation, His instruction and His understanding.  Sometimes He speaks to us quickly, and sometimes God takes His time.  But no matter how long He takes, we are to "not . . . turn away from the words of My mouth," (Prov. 4:5).  We are to "get understanding" (Prov. 4:7).   

The alternative is to miss God's finest, to be foolish, to do it quick and cheap—our way (Eph. 5:17, Prov. 3:5-6, 18:2).

Early last week, I found myself engaged in a long conversation with a ministry leader concerning many topics.  As I listened to him speak, I could easily see that he had acquired a great deal of knowledge, wisdom and understanding over the years.  The presence and the peace of the Lord in the room was profound, and the Lord showed me that this man was very anointed by God. 

One testimony he shared with me particularly stood out:  When I asked him how he knew and understood so much about the Bible—revelation wisdom I had never heard from any other source—he accredited seeking the understanding of the Lord.  He said that years ago, he and his cousin would pore over the Bible, maps, commentaries and other resources and would seek the Lord for hours to help them receive a deep understanding of the Lord's messages.   As always, the Lord was faithful to deliver.

I understood that the key here is the time factor.  God speaks to us in many ways, but sometimes, it is necessary to "press in," to fervently seek Him over time in order to gain deeper levels of understanding.

The issue is: Are we willing to spend the time?  It is our heart's desire to sincerely know Him better?  His ways?  His messages?  His revelation understanding that will change our lives?

If we read further in Proverbs chapter 4, we see that if we walk in divine wisdom and understanding, the Lord will reward us.  He will exalt us and honor us (vs. , He will crown us with His grace and beauty (vs. 9), He will give us a long life (vs. 10), He will cause our paths to be clear (vs. 12-13).  Essentially, He will promote us.

Surely, spending intimate time with the Lord is a treasure that brings treasures.  It is a double blessing not to be missed.  It is a divine gift.

In the times when I have felt like I do not have time to spend with the Lord, and I have chosen to do it anyway, I have felt anxiety and pressures give way to the Lord's peace and grace.  And in that time, He always reminds me that had I not spent that time, I would not have received His greater intimacy, His greater understanding of who He is and what He wants me to know.  I realize this is so precious, so important, so critical to the heart of God.

If you are experiencing spiritual dryness where you feel distant from the Lord's presence and you cannot even hear God's voice clearly, I encourage you to submit to spending more intimate time with Him.  There, you will be refreshed; you will come into His peace; you will receive revelation instructions, strategies and understanding that will propel you forward in your divine destiny.  There is no shortcut.  There is no cheap substitute.

[Judy Harder]

Week of March 21
Persecution

You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side.  ~ Psalm 71:21 (NKJV)

When we are persecuted whether in our workplaces or otherwise, our hearts turn to urgent cries and pleas for God's rescue.   As we are in the midst of such suffering and pain, we can quickly forget about God's purpose, grace, hope, comfort and restoration.  Yet the Bible reminds us that He is with us in tribulation and that after we suffer a little while, He will restore us (1Peter 5:10).  This truth we must cling to.

I recall a season in my life of intense persecution that lasted 18 months.  The Holy Spirit revealed to me that this was a period of spiritual development.  I learned that more than spiritual growth, spiritual development requires greater resistance, much like body building in the physical realm.  And just as in an intense weightlifting workout, I anticipated the end of each strain and each pain because what truly lasted a little while seemed like an eternity.

As I cried out to the Lord to rescue me daily, my personal trainer, the Holy Spirit, encouraged me via scriptures, teachings, visions, prophecies and signs and wonders.  In addition to Psalm 71:21, He gave me another key scripture, Romans 12:12 which says, "rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer" (NASB).  He led me to proclaim this verse daily, to pray for understanding and to praise Him sacrificially. 

Toward the end of this developmental journey, the Holy Spirit gave me the understanding that my heart had to be crucified in order for me to enter into a greater level of love for others and for God.  He taught me to truly love those who persecuted me and to earnestly confess, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34, KJV).  He also taught me that Christ Himself suffered greater pain, which humbled me and put my circumstances into perspective.  In this light of understanding, I was able to choose to rejoice in having participated in the sufferings of Christ (1Peter 4:13).  And when the journey ended, I knew that I had come closer to the Father in a way that was new to me.

Indeed, the Lord brought me through a journey of greater dependence, comfort, patience and endurance (2Corinthians 1:7).  He gave me a greater understanding and a greater vision of His perspective concerning love, and He restored my heart.  Indeed, His glory was revealed.

If you are being persecuted, ask the Lord to reveal His purpose to you.  Ask Him to fill you with His strength of joy in the midst and enable you to understand what is happening so that you may receive His full measure of glory.

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[Judy Harder]

Week of March 28
Joy

"You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound."  ~Psalm 4:7

Our Heavenly Father created us with an ability to experience joy.  We know when we have it, and we know when we don't.  And even though we can receive enjoyment from our loved ones, activities, work or even material things, only the Lord gives us everlasting joy.  It comes through receiving all of Him, beginning with the joy of salvation and redemption. 

Remember the children's song that goes, "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart to stay"?  How profound this simple truth is.  For when we sincerely accept Jesus into our hearts, so, too, do we invite His joy. 

Like peace, the Lord's joy is found in His presence.  It is a divine gift, a byproduct of His love.  Joy is cyclical.  It propels God's heart to move on our behalf and our hearts to move on His.  He plants joy in our hearts, and we give it back to Him through actions of praise and worship and a walk of obedience.

The joy of the Lord is powerful.  It is described as "complete" (Jh. 15:11), "exceeding" (Ps. 43:4), "filling" (Ps. 126:3), "everlasting" and "overwhelming" (Ps. 35:10). 

And as we come closer to His joyful presence, He pours out His divine favor upon us.

Consider the Psalmists.  David said in Psalm 16:11, "You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy . . . "

Psalm 45:7 says, "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy above your fellows.

Psalm 97:11 says, "Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.  Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise His holy name."

The joy of the Lord is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) intended for sharing.  Pouring out joy imparts joy.  Ever notice how difficult it is to be down when in the presence of God's joy that pours through someone else? 

Even when we sin, the Lord provides a restoration of joy for those who repent. 

Consider the exiled Israelites in Nehemiah who lost their joy and their homeland to disobedience.  When Nehemiah repented on his and their behalf, God, in His unending mercy, led them to restore Jerusalem's wall with His hand of favor upon them, and they celebrated with "great" joy.

Nehemiah 8:10 says, " . . . Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."  Choose joy.

Moreover, obedience invites the reward of complete joy (Jn. 15:10-11).  May we press through any blockages of sin for the fullness of the Lord's reward.

Since the Holy Spirit who resides in us brings joy (Luke 10:21), no one can diminish it unless we allow access. 

May we hold fast to the resounding joy of the Lord.  It is our divine, prevailing strength.  It keeps our hearts built up, soaring above the pit of despair, propelling us in His glory to work unto Him and to reach others.  All that's required is that we simply remain in close relationship with Him


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Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ. Check out the God's Love at Work 2009 Women's Conference & Expo [http://www.godsloveatwork.com/2009womensexpo] in the Atlanta area on Saturday, November 7.