“He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

Psalm 23:3

Have you ever felt drained of strength and left without the will to continue in the fight? Or, that the pressure that surrounds you is so hard that you are tempted to throw in the towel? Nevertheless, when you enter into that time of intimacy with God, you realize that the burden was not as big as you thought. The peace of the Lord that descends over your life brings encouragement and hope, and God comforts your soul.

Do you know what the people of Israel did in the past when one of them was in a difficult situation even when they faced death? Avoiding the Avenger, they would enter the temple, go to the altar and grasp hold of it tightly. The ones who wanted to harm them and eliminate them couldn’t do so, because they weren’t allowed to in that place.

There are moments in life where we have felt like the day is gloomy, that the situation is difficult, and that everything is against us. The more we firmly grasp the altar and pray to God with all our hearts, that prayer will be our means to hearing God’s voice. This is what Jesus did for us on the Cross, He will say, “Receive peace, nobody will be able to find you here, nor harm you. I am your Protector. I will guard you and nothing bad will overcome you because I will guard you.” It’s experiences like these that bring true comfort to our souls.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
A great friend and ministry partner came to look for me some time ago. When I opened the door and invited him to follow me inside he broke down and cried. This was very unusual for him because he was normally known for being very strong emotionally. When he calmed down he informed me that he had just received news that one of his daughters was pregnant. She was the ‘apple of his eye’, and he had dedicated a great part of his life to caring for and protecting her. He did not understand how she had managed to end up in this situation. He felt as if someone had stabbed him right through the heart. He spent several hours in my home in tears, utterly inconsolable.

Moments like these are very painful to live through; however, this is the reality of many households. When you receive bad news, you sometimes do not know how to react to it. As people become increasingly emotionally upset, some try to console themselves by feeding their desire for revenge, others surrender to grief and pain and end up wanting to die. Still others decide to take their refuge in God alone. These are the ones who enter into that secret place of prayer and pour out their hearts before God. This is when the sweet voice of the Lord tells them, “All things work together for the good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28). They are clothed with new strength and rise with great confidence knowing that God does, indeed, have everything in control.

This friend who visited my home found no other way through but to take refuge in the Lord. God gave him the wisdom to handle the situation and he managed to restore his daughter. Sometime later, she entered the ministry, formed a beautiful family, and today she and her husband serve God full time.

TODAY’S DECLARATION
“Because I trust in You and Your Word, You release me from all my troubles.”

Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume Two.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING

• Old Testament: 2 Kings 10-11; Psalms 119:137-144
• New Testament: Luke 5:27-32; Philippians 2:12-18