December 17: REPLACING THE LORD (part 2)
“Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them— Those who contended with you. Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing.” Isaiah 41:11-12
When humble souls surrender to the Lord’s call to be cleansed of those things that push Him off of the throne of their heart, there will always be misunderstandings and criticism from others, some of whom may be dearly loved ones. Nevertheless, the best course is always to continue to prayerfully seek the will of the Lord, for He is ever at work in you, to bring you closer to Himself. This, beloved, can become the very testimony of Jesus in you (Revelation 1:2,9; 12:17; 19:10) that causes your critics to take a sincere look at the “unreasonable” counsel of the Lord.
Gaining a higher perspective, one that is moving closer to the Lord’s view of things, helps each of us to realize how truly unreasonable it is to reject any of His counsel. He is at work to build us up spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. Any rejection of His counsel brings a default replacement to the front and center. The archdeceiver is always waiting in the shadows to bring things into our thoughts and habits that will work to break us down in all of those areas. One of the most challenging, yet critical, disciplines of Christian living is to allow the Holy Spirit to bring us into complete harmony with the teachings of Christ.
Isaiah 41 is an amazing chapter that highlights not only the problem with idolatry, but the priceless closeness of the Lord to any who sincerely wish to be free of it. Our weakened human nature may be vulnerable to the deceptions laid out for us by Satan, but the strength of character that the Lord desires to place within us far outweighs the temporary discomfort or ridicule that is likely to come on the heels of a newfound will to live in obedience.
If you are experiencing a time of isolation, feeling that you are alone, make a project of memorizing John 17. This prayer of Jesus will hone your awareness of His work in your life, providing you with a much-needed paradigm shift. The prayer of Jesus is for you to be one with the Father as He is. This is a love relationship that sweetens all others. Your attitude determines whether you are helping God to answer that prayer, or if you have some other goal for your life. Since you became a disciple of the Lord, you must learn to fully depend and rely upon Him. Independence is no longer an option!
“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10