"May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings...May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests" (Psalm 20:1-5, NIV

But God

Let me see... I would like to say something that will change people's lives. 

All I can say, is what I have lived through and my experiences, and what God has done for me.

How God has brought me through the flood, the fire, the storm.

How God brought me through a very difficult childhood, having been raised by a teenage

mother who committed suicide when I was 24. I was sitting in a hotel with a brand new baby. 

If it had not been for God, I would have lost my mind. He brought me through a marriage with 

a very sick and immature husband, who died in a diabetic coma at the age of 34. 

I remarried a man who I later found out was a crack addict.  God answered my prayers and 

delivered him from crack addiction. 

I had a pregnancy of twins.  They were born premature.  One lived with many problems. They 

told me he wouldn't walk, talk, see or hear-no quality of life-forget about him.  He walks, talks, 

sees, hears, laughs, dances, skips, jumps.  He loves geography. 

All of the statistics pointed toward no hope for me... But God....

Obedience Brings Favor

Let’s look at two examples.

First, let’s look at David, mighty David.   What was David doing when Samuel went looking for him?  David was obeying his father’s instructions.  David was watching the sheep.

When God gave David the victory with Goliath, what was David doing?  David was obeying his father’s instructions.  David’s father told him to take provisions for his brothers.  As David was obeying his father, he encountered his first opportunity on his way to becoming king.

Now, let’s look at Joseph.  What was Joseph doing?  Joseph was obeying his father’s instructions.  Israel said to Joseph, “Go and see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again.”  Gen.37:14

Joseph didn’t know that this was the first leg on a journey to becoming a great leader.

Obedience brings God’s favor.  Honor thy father and thy mother.

Just a short note.
If you have a special needs child.....you are a hero.  For all of your sacrifices. For all of the silent tears.
For all of the days you think your strength will never come back.
 Jesus, give every parent of a special needs child and caregiver of the elderly extra strength today.  Amen.
 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31

Cross references:

1. Isaiah 40:31 : S Ps 37:9; 40:1; S Isa 30:18; Lk 18:1
2. Isaiah 40:31 : S 1Sa 2:4; S 2Ki 6:33; S 2Co 4:16
3. Isaiah 40:31 : S Ex 19:4
4. Isaiah 40:31 : 2Co 4:1; Heb 12:1-3

Vision, Boldness, Strategy

Vision, Boldness, Strategy

The story of Gideon illustrates the devourer. The devourer had come to devour all Israel had. Gideon hid in a wine press to thresh out his grain. Judges 6:11 He did not want the Midianites to know what little grain he had. If they knew, they would come and steal what little grain he had.

This is similar to the spirit of envy. Envy does not want you to have ANYTHING!  Satan will use people with a spirit of envy to devour your goods. We have to hide our blessings around people who have a spirit of envy. Favor and anointing seems to draw the spirit of envy. We need to be wise as serpents, gentle as doves.

However, as Gideon was hiding his substance (the enemy will even try to steal our substance!) an angel of the Lord appeared, and reassured him, which gave him BOLDNESS.  The angel called him MIGHTY WARRIOR. God was reminding him of who he really was, and gave him a strategy to deliver himself and all of Israel.  He confirmed what the angel told him by presenting an OFFERING. Next, he tore down his father’s altar and sacrificed his father’s good ox-BOLDNESS!  He got rid of that stinking stronghold that was keeping Israel in bondage. The thing that was giving the enemy a legal entry to steal!

First the angel came and gave him VISION and IDENTITY, reminding him of how God sees him! Gideon received courage. Then, Gideon confirmed the visitation by presenting an offering. Next, Gideon received a STRATEGY to deliver Israel.

Gideon went from fear to faithful, after his true identity was revealed by God!