A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way? – Proverbs 20:24
A thought from “The Power of Prayer” is that difficult situations strengthen us in the Lord because when we go to the Lord in prayer, we receive a helper in the Holy Spirit so we know how to gain the victory.
As we read God’s word for advice on how to live and make decisions, we understand the plan and have Jesus as an example to follow. We can also be encouraged by songs like Come Let Us Return to the Lord by Matt Redman. The Lord will direct each step and as surely as the rising sun, we will get a great start by returning to the Lord and doing our part.
During setbacks, we have nothing left except to seek guidance from the Lord. The problems we face make us feel that the walls are tumbling in around us but through prayer, we are given a great power that guides us towards answers that are the start of comebacks.
Reading today in 1 Samuel 30, the Amalekites had raided Ziklag, burned it down, and taken everyone captive. When David and his men returned to Ziklag, their wives and children were gone and the city was destroyed. The men blamed David so he was greatly distressed but he found strength in the Lord his God (v. 6).
David inquired of the Lord on what to do and the Lord encouraged him to pursue the raiding party and rescue those taken captive. An Egyptian was found in a field who turned things around for David. The Egyptian had some information and David consulted with him to find out the location of the raiding party.
David and his men used this information to surprise attack the raiding party. The Amalekites were unprepared for the attack so the battle was won by David and his men so all the captives were rescued. All the plunder they had stolen was returned along with the flocks, herds, and other livestock. David was a hero and could have taken a large share of the plunder for himself but decided to share the wealth with others.
In our battles along this journey called life, we can enter into some discouraging times but like in today’s passage, God can use these times to strengthen us and we have prayer that connects us to powerful advice. Knowing God’s word, experiences, consulting with others, and the Holy Spirit are all resources used in gaining the victory.
Each day is a new day Lord. Yesterday is in the past and we have gained experience in how to better fight our battles in the future. Your word provides a plan and the principles taught by Christ will help us meet adversity, put things in perspective, and lead us into a future beyond what could have ever been imagined. Amen.
Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. –Proverbs 4:5
The main point brought out in the post “Direction” is that using your experiences and following the prompting of the Spirit helps in your decisions. God can deliver you from bad situations and help so you don’t just follow the crowd but make wise decisions based on good information.
Like the song Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin, God is good who loves us and gives us direction in the Way to step ahead. He sets up a future in which we can have hope and a future in which we can flourish. Make an appointment with God each day in prayer asking that any disappointment can be turned around so there are more opportunities for enjoyment.
The decisions we make have a big impact on the future and that’s why we need to have the right information. The best way to achieve this aim is to constantly get direction from God’s Word as we take in the instructions given. Reading today in 1 Samuel 29, we come full circle with David in a situation where he is fighting against the Israelites.
Once, a hero for the Israelites, he is now with the Philistine army. Noted is that the Philistine army leaders would not let David fight for them because they were concerned that David would turn on them to get in good standing with Saul. Since they would not be allowed to fight, David and his men went back to the Philistine territory where they had been living.
So David was spared the predicament of possibly fighting in battle against the Israelites. Think of circumstances in your past when placed in a predicament where you suddenly could be fighting on the side of the enemy. Be thankful that our Father knows what is best and sets things up for us to get us out of the predicaments we put ourselves into.
God can deliver from bad situations and help so we don’t just follow the crowd but make wise decisions based on good information. Using our experiences of the past and following the prompting of the Spirit help in our decisions so we can find solutions to difficult problems.
This day with You Lord, we pray that our disappointments can be turned around so there are more enjoyments. Help us in our decisions through the lessons we learn from the Word, the Holy Spirit speaking to us, and the experience we go through so we follow the Way. Amen.
Jesus appointed twelve disciples so that more people could be helped and the Good News message could spread at a faster rate. This poem suggest we organize as Jesus taught to pull together in this tug of war against the chaos, hurts, and pains of this world.
