Life Walk Bible Lesson 86: When Praying for Change
Isaiah 41:10 [NIV]
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
2Corinthians 12:9-10
9 "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Let's look at an example from the Old Testament of how God affected change in the nation of Ancient Israel during their time of great and continual loss.
In Judges 6-7 we find the story of how God, the Lord, Jehovah, the One responsible for Israel, helps Gideon defeat the enemies of the nation.
There was idolatry in the land, and Israel had succumbed to the current culture, blended in, and no longer served the Lord wholeheartedly. Consequently the devil had the legal right, according to the Law of Moses, to come against them, and steal, kill and destroy the works of their hands, and so they cried out to God for help.
The first thing God asked Gideon to do was to get rid of their incorrect focus, the idols of the land, so that they would refocus on God as their Source and Provider of all things. The focus on their demonically-influenced role models was causing harm and not good, whereas God told Jeremiah that He has good plans, and plans not to harm. Jesus said that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy, but He comes to give life, and that more abundantly. [Jeremiah 29:11; John 10:10]
Idolatry never satisfies the hunger in the human soul for connection with God. It can never produce good outcomes. It robs the individual of everything good thing, including their families, and possessions, and enslaves them to every evil thing imaginable, finally bringing about death and total separation from the love of God.
In a Western culture, people do not worship idols of wood and stone, brass or gold, as they did in ancient times, however there are things which have taken their place, whether they be human role models, or abstract pursuits, or addictions. In some Western societies human slavery is alive and abounding in the form of prostitution, human trafficking, [sexual, or human organs], and substance abuse.
In other nations where idolatry is still the common practice, there is usually the same kind of poverty as the ancient nation of Israel experienced, because the blessing of God is not on that lifestyle. God blesses those who seek Him.
Idolatry comes with various levels of oppression: spiritual, emotional, physical and financial. All people need deliverance from these many kinds of slavery, to harmful behaviors and pursuits, which Jesus is amply capable of providing, since He came to show us how to please God.
The Apostle Paul reminds the believers at Corinth, in 1Corinthians 1:27
"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
God can use something we don't think is very significant to totally remove the enemy of our souls, and stop him from every coming against us again.
Some troubles are of our own making, due to poor life choices. Some troubles are not of our making, due to the poor choices of others. Whatever the reason, we need God's help, because we know that God looks for those on whose behalf He can be strong. He likes to defeat the enemy of our souls for us so that we remain unharmed by the battle. [Isaiah 64:14; Isaiah 65:8; Jeremiah 29:7; Joel 3:2; 2Corinthians 5:15, 21]
This I have learned:
If you can change it, pray, and rely on God to work through you.
If you can't change it, pray, and trust God to work on your behalf through someone who can.
If only God can change it, pray, and thank God He's already working it out in your favor, for His glory.
Lessons we learn from Judges 6-7
God chose a man least likely to do the job, because God could work through Him.
God revealed Himself to Gideon as Jehovah Shalom, the God of Peace.
God did more with less than the number of people Gideon thought necessary to accomplish the task so that God would get the glory.
Being the One
In ancient times, God looked for righteousness in the earth, with which He could work, and found only Noah and his family. So God saved them in the ark and started over with just eight people.
At another time in history, God looked for someone to help, and there was no one, so He came Himself and took care of it. [Isaiah 63:5]
Let's be just as available as Gideon was, whenever possible, and stand in the Peace Jesus has filled us with, through His Holy Spirit, and see the salvation of the Lord, in whatever way He chooses to accomplish it.
Isaiah 35:3 says, "Strengthen ye the weak hands" in the King James Version. In the Amplified it says, "Encourage the exhausted..." In verse 4, it says, "Say to those with an anxious and panic-stricken heart, 'Be strong, fear not! Indeed, your God will come with vengeance [for the ungodly]; the retribution of God will come, but He will save you." [Revelation 22:12]
In the times in which we live, we can all identify with Isaiah 35:3. No matter the reason for the losses incurred, the fear and consternation felt, and the level of seemingly insurmountable odds against the needy, remember God says to the believer, through the Prophet Isaiah, "I Myself will help you." [Isaiah 41:13]
In fact this is God's answer to those who trouble the Servant of the Lord:
Isaiah 50:7
"For the Lord God helps Me, therefore I am not disgraced; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed."
And in verse nine of the same chapter, He goes on to say, "Behold the Lord God helps Me; who is he who condemns Me? Behold, they will all wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them.”
God can send a moth against the devil, the enemy of your soul, to wear the devil out, and disintegrate every weapon he forms against us, for it is written that it shall not prosper. [Isaiah 54:17] And God can work a great work through the faithful, who delight to do His will, to be a blessing to those in need of deliverance from the oppressor! Paul states in Romans 8:1, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." [NASB]
Stay in Christ
John 15:1-11 Stay in Him, and stay in His Joy
John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
How do we overcome? We overcome evil with good [Romans 12:21] because Jesus has given us His Peace.
John 14:27
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
"I do not give to you as the world gives..." is a profound statement, in light of Gideon's experience of God's peace!
Jehovah Shalom routed the enemies of Israel, (who were the ancient nation of the Midianites in this case) before their very eyes, while they rested in His Peace and did as He instructed them, even though an innumerable foe came against the nation to devastate it.
Satan and his innumerable number of cohorts have already been defeated at the Cross, so we can trust God for continual deliverance from evil, whether spiritual or physical. [Matthew 6:5-15]
Years prior, the Midianites had sold Joseph, the son of Jacob, to the Egyptians as a slave, [Genesis 37:36] however God took what the devil meant for evil, and saved many nations who were experiencing famine during Joseph's lifetime, by orchestrating circumstances until Joseph became the Governor of Egypt, under Pharaoh.
In Numbers 31:2, Moses records God's desire upon the enemies of Israel. God tells Moses, "Take full vengeance for the sons of Israel on the Midianites..." God has zero tolerance for the work of the devil against His beloved children, both then and now. God will repay, whether evil is done, or good. Best to do good and be blessed for it.
Encouragement:
John 20:26
"Again Jesus said, 'Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.”
The I AM said, "I am sending you." In Christ, therefore, we can do everything He sends us to do fearlessly, and in wholehearted obedience to His desires, for He is with us.
May God bless you to be a blessing as you walk with Him, with great faith, according to His purpose in His Kingdom for you, for He is Faithful.
