Memorise:
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13
Read: Psalm 27:12-14
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Message
Despondency is a tool the devil uses to steal people’s vision. He injects this poison into a man’s heart through the experience of loss and suffering. That today is bad and the future looks bleak does not mean that your tomorrow will be terrible. As long as you are in Christ, you can rest assured that your tomorrow will be alright. Don’t give up on your vision! Even if the devil stole a particular blessing from you, don’t give him your vision. Dry up your tears because you need clear eyes to see new opportunities that God is giving to you. In fact, the avenue to your recovery can be around you as we speak, but as long as your eyes are flooded with tears, you will see only the situation and not the opportunities. Has the enemy taken everything from you like he did to job? That could just mean that like Job, you too are going through a trial of your faith. Don’t give up on God! Don’t let the devil take your joy, because the joy of the Lord is your strength. The knowledge that God is with you in that particular situation, and that the devil has clear boundaries with regards to the extent and timing of your trial should comfort your heart (Job 1:12 & 2:6). Make sure that like Job, after your trial, you emerge as gold. In addition to putting an end to tears, you also need to encourage yourself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6). To succeed in life and in the Christian race set before you, don’t be surprised that in the midst of certain situations, the things or people you thought you would draw great motivation from could end up becoming the source of great discouragement.
In 1 Samuel 30:4-6, after David had wept over his losses, he encouraged himself in the Lord. This shows that he remembered God’s unlimited ability after he had lost all hope in his own ability. Hope and strength came to him after this. No wonder he confessed in Psalms 27:13 that:
“I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”
David went through situations that swallowed his hope and made him despair even of life, but when he remembered who God is, what He had done and what He could do, his hope came alive again. He therefore declared that in spite of his current unpleasant situation, he would still experience the goodness of the Lord while alive, and it was so. Take courage, believe and confess that the negative situation you are currently experiencing will not kill you. Don’t allow it rob you of your tomorrow. You shall see God’s goodness in the land of the living in Jesus’ Name.
Key Point
What you focus on in the time of trial will determine its effect on you. If you focus on your loss, you will lose strength, but if you focus on God, you will gain strength and hope.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: EXODUS 8:16-9:35, ROMANS 6
Author: Pastor E. A. Adeboye
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