07 November 2013

'I AM' coming out of this ...

'And Gideon said unto him, “Oh my lord, if the Lord be with us, why then has all this befallen us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us of ...' Judges 6:13

If the LORD be with us, why then has all this befallen us?
And where are all His miracles?
Gideon, I am sure, is not the only individual who has ever asked that question.

I started this post on September 6, 2012 and it has been sitting in draft since that date. When I started writing this post, it was entitled ‘If the LORD be with us…’ However, that title had to change with something that took place a few days ago.

 You see, three days ago I heard a message from TD Jakes and he was talking about storms - a topic of great interest to me given that they are a part of daily life and the subject of my yet to be published book 'When Storms Rage - 21 Principles to Keep You Anchored Through Life's Toughest Moments’.

As he talked about the situations that people face, he encouraged them to speak out and declare: 'I am coming out of this!'

Whether it be a storm of health issues, financial reversals, relationship problems, parenting challenges or any one of a thousand different life challenges that one can experience, he kept reminding them that God is with them in the storm and that He would bring them out. Therefore, they could declare with confidence, 'I am coming out of this'.

Great feedback - not revolutionary by any means. However, it is a message absolutely necessary as it is often the routine and 'seemingly obvious' things that are the source of struggles we face and that have a tendency to cause us to stumble. His message was inspiring hope in the hearts of his listeners and providing much needed encouragement. Yet beyond the encouragement that it gave me regarding the fact that I am coming out of my situation(s), was the perspective that it sparked.

'I am coming out of this’

‘I am coming out of this!’

I could feel faith increasing each time I verbalized those words.

However, repeated several times in my mind, the message that took root and immediately started to germinate was not of me emerging from my situation. The deeper, more meaningful reality that I started to hear, and recognize, and ‘see’ was this:

'I AM' … coming out of this

Out of every situation and circumstance, the LORD emerges and His glory is evident to all who stand as witnesses to the trials, to my trials and yours.

Yes, more important than me vocalizing ‘I am coming out of this!’ is me declaring with confidence: ‘I AM’ coming out of this

The glory of the great ‘I AM’,
The One who stands as LORD over everything,
Is coming out of this ...

Yet, you may ask, ‘What is the ‘this’?
It is different for every one of us.

For some the ‘this’ we desire is to come out of financial reversals. For some, the ‘this’ is health challenges. For others the ‘this’ is parenting problems, while others face the ‘this’ of marital strife. Many face the 'this' of religious persecution. And, then there are still others who face the ‘this’ of frustrations encountered on the path to destiny.

Whatever the ‘this’ is in your life – and mine
We must let this one revelation sink into our spirit

I AM’ coming out of this

If you read that entire story of Gideon, you find that GOD set him up in battle of seemingly insurmountable odds. Beginning with 32,000 men, by God’s direction, Gideon ended up going into battle against the Midianite army with only 300 men who, by Biblical accounts, ‘lapped water like dogs’. A most unlikely leader with an insignificant army in both size and distinction.

WHY WOULD GOD DO THAT???

So that Gideon, his army and even his enemies would recognize with clarity and see
‘I AM’ COMING OUT OF THIS

Understand that God will intentionally place us in what should be, by all human accounts, a losing battle. And He does it so that, when He brings us out, it is not just us coming out of the situation – but His glory comes out, revealed in and through every situation.

Weary heart … take courage tonight!

The LORD GOD ALMIGHTY
Truly is working all things together for your good and His glory.

And while I could comfort you by having you rehearse the fact that you are coming out of this. I pray, above all, that you will embrace His eternal perspective and boldly declare –

‘I AM’ COMING OUT OF THIS …

Every struggle, every hardship, every test of patience, every work of perseverance, every physical limitation, every disappointment, every financial reversal, every imprisonment for His Word’s sake, every martyred soul … THE GREAT 'I AM' IS BEING REVEALED.


‘I AM ‘… COMING OUT OF THIS!

Praying this morning, in the matchless name of Jesus,
That the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY’s abundant blessings rest upon you,
Today and Always ... God Bless!

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