Be Still

Sometimes situations arise beyond your control.  I am a peacemaker at heart, so I love when everyone is getting along.  I always want to talk it out and find a solution, solve the problem and have everyone at peace.  Recently I was the one not at peace, I kept thinking, "Ok, what can I do?  What should I say? How can I fix this?"  My mind was racing and my heart was unsettled.  Finally I quieted down and decided to ask the right question.  "God what do YOU want me to do?" He responded with:  "Be Still, the battle belongs to the LORD."  

Um, SO not what I was expecting!  Well this is definitely not what I have ever done.  I am typically quick to speak and act.  Be Still?  Hmmm, "Ok God, if that is what you want me to do, I will give it a try." I was calmed down, and although the situation was still unresolved, I had that peace that passes all understanding. God has go this, and God has got me!

The first church service I attended after this we were singing a song with the lyrics: "I will wait for YOU to move, for your mighty hand to save, when the troubled waters rise YOU are my hiding place......Your walls our SALVATION your gates our PRAISE. My deliverer is the LORD " By Chris Tomlin Full Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OC5eh-9LyI

I had recently read that salvation in Hebrew is pronounced: "Yeshua", and Jesus in Hebrew is pronounced "Yeshua" That song had a whole new meaning for me that day.  Walls protect a city right?  My walls are JESUS!  He is my protector and deliverer.  I am not longer protecting myself.  The One who is great and mighty, who took the keys and the power of the devil away and is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven.  He is my victor, my champion, my warrior.  Jesus protecting me, is ALL I NEED.


I went home and looked up the verse that the song was written from, I thought I had just read it somewhere in Psalms, the first verse that google pulled up was:

"In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts." Isaiah 26:1


I thought it was SO AWESOME, because that day we were literally singing about God making our walls salvation, like it said in the verse!  Tonight as I searched for the verse again, this one came up:


"No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise."  Isaiah 60:18

When you have the peace of God, you aren't stressed and there is not destruction going on inside of you.  I am all about calling my walls Salvation/Jesus, and praising my God!

It is so nice to wait on the LORD to move, for Him to be my defense.  It takes a lot of pressure off me, and instead of me leading, He is leading me.  "But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

This past Sunday at church we had a guest speaker.  Pastor Chris was burning up the pulpit!  Everyone I have talked to keeps saying AWESOME his message was- God was in the building let me tell you!  He spoke on  Jehosephat, an INCREDIBLE story.  If you have a chance to read the story check out: 2 Chronicles chapters 18-20  My quick version: Jehosephat is the king of Judah who the LORD was with.  And he decided to go and fight a battle, going ahead of God and not listening to His advice (taking matters into his own hands).  He is defeated, and humbled.  He realizes he needs God and pours his heart out to him in chapter 20.  He prays that The Lord will hear Him and Save him.  God responds with this:

 This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’” 2 Chron 20:15-17


When the Pastor read this passage I about fell out of my chair!  That is exactly what God has spoken to me- CONFIRMATION that I wasn't just making it up!  Sometimes God does in fact tell you to fight and he gives you the words and leads you in peace by his Spirit to do or say something, but there are other times that He wants to fight for you.  In the story he shared that Sunday, Jehosephat marched his army out to battle, the sang praise songs to God, the battle started, they did not lift a finger.  Their enemies started destroying each other.  AMAZING.  That is our God, He is something else!