A Life’s Journey of Faith

YAHSHUA said whoever does not persevere and carry his cross and follow after Me cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:27). We do have a cross to bear on our journey of faith. It is our responsibilities, our surrendering to His will, it is He living in us, being Lord of our life and controller of our destiny. We must determine what really matters in our spiritual sphere of time and life, in order to persevere in the faith that will take us home. Many bridges we must cross and many crossroads we will face. Sometimes, we make wrong turns, having to return to His purpose and will designed for our life. Only then do we find His peace and joy – the strength that will secure us when we face our trials. The higher the mountain, the harder it is to climb, but we must persevere climbing to be near to our Lord. In His strength and personal bravery, the believer fights the good fight with strong feet like that of a hind’s feet to reach higher with each step we take, as He makes us to walk through our sufferings. He grants us victory in our spiritual achievements, as we get closer to Him. Climbing the rocky steps in a relationship with our God, He then says to us: O my dove, in the seclusion of the clefts in the solid rock, in the sheltered and secret place of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely (Song of Solomon 2:14). We can experience a close relationship with our Lord YAHSHUA, in our journey of faith, by breaking all barriers of doubt and fear, by closing the doors to the enemy of our soul. The more that we focus in following Him and doing His will, the closer that we get to His love and the reality of His presence. There, we can fight the enemy and be protected, for there is no power greater than His power.

YAHSHUA is calling His bride to be near Him to battle the spiritual battles in the heavenly. The enemies of our soul reflect in the active works of the devil to destroy us, as YAHSHUA has said in contrast, the thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10a). We must keep moving ahead, without looking back in fear and dismay; without stopping in shock, as if paralyzed. He said, Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world and all its power; nothing shall harm you. Young David, had only five stones and a sling in his possession to fight the full armored giant Goliath and the Philistines, because he went in the strength of the Lord, recognizing the battle to be not his, but the Lord’s. He said, The Lord saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands (I Sam.17:50). These are militant days; there is no time for passivity in the urgency of the moment. We are to be warrior like brides, dressed in righteousness with God’s Word in one hand as our offensive weapon, ready to destroy the enemy’s strategies against God’s plans, standing fast, trusting God, praying and declaring God’s power over the enemy, and praising Him, for praise is a very powerful weapon available to us; for the weapons of our warfare are not physical, but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds (II Cor. 10: 4). Then, the world will perceive and recognize that we are God’s victorious people.

It is in the battle field that the glory of the Lord shines brighter. It is there that our dependency on Him will be needed more than we realize, when we come to the point of complete surrender of our weakness to His strength. Today, more than ever, have we felt the burdens of the wicked one upon us, our families personally, and upon our country’s way of governing.  It is an evil time, when darkness impairs our understanding, bringing confusion and doubt to those who do not know the Lord. But for the believer, it is the time when we should greatly rejoice in the Lord, for He has clothed us with garments of salvation, and covered us with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels (Isaiah 61: 10). It is time for the bride of Christ to celebrate the nearness of her redemption. YAHSHUA said, when you see these things happening, look up, for your redemption is drawing near. The Thessalonians suffered hard persecution to the point of thinking they were in the great tribulation. Paul, however comforted them by assuring them of God’s recompense upon those who were persecuting them. They had an unwavering hope in the return of the Lord in their life time; they looked patiently for His coming, a time when He was going to rescue them from the wrath to come, by drawing them to Himself (I Thess. 1:10).

Our hope is established in the coming of our Lord for us before heavens break loose with God’s wrath upon the wicked ones. Nothing keeps us afloat more than the promise in which our hope is secured. Let not your hearts be troubled… believe…when I go, I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also (John 14:3). No believer who is waiting for Him should be found undressed of faith, as long as he keeps looking up, in the direction that takes him to God’s promises. No athlete who competes looks back to win, but forwardly. Circumstances, as powerful as they might be, should not be the controller of our thoughts and emotions, but only God’s promises found in His Word. He has deprived the world of its power to harm us; nothing that comes against us can overpower Him. Men’s power can never touch our spirit, where life originates. Only God can. He is our hope of glory, our redemption, our Judge and vindicator.  As for today, our prayer of confidence should be: I will lift my eyes to the hills from whence shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth… the Lord is my keeper; the Lord is my shade on my right hand…The Lord will keep me from all evil; He will keep my life; the Lord will keep my going out and my coming in from this time forth and forevermore (Ps. 121: 1-3,7).

Be still, my friend, and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass…for evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait and hope and look for the Lord shall inherit the earth…The wicked plot against the righteous; they gnash at them with their teeth; the Lord laughs at, for He sees that their own day is coming…the swords [of the wicked] shall enter their own hearts, and their bows shall be broken (Ps. 37: 7,9,12-13).

I DECREE THAT

The Lord is my Light and my Salvation-whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life -of whom shall I be afraid…though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, in this will I be confident…for in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock…wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord (Ps.27:1,5,14).  As for God, His ways are perfect; the Word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him; for who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God? He makes my feet like hinds’ feet; He sets me securely upon my high places; God has girded me with strength for battle; He has subdued under me and caused to bow down those who rose up against me. The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.  (amen and amen)! (Ps. 18: 30-33,39,46).