So I’m sitting on my couch in my feelings because there is so much going on: things incomplete; distractions have become a norm; instability seems to be the regular way of life. I think I should pray and read but my head was scattered and I couldn’t focus on what to read so I gave in to my escape of playing games on my tablet. One of my games is called Bible Words. It sounds like a really deep game but it really as I figured out while escalating through its levels. However, today, my game spoke God’s Word to me so that I could write my Permission Slip for August! I love how God works!
The game scrambles letters that you decipher into words. At the end of each level, it fills in letters of words in a puzzle that is a scripture. I completed the last level and it fills in the entire scripture which is what blessed me and got me out of my feelings. The scripture is 2 Kings 17:39 KJV - But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and He shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. Whoa! Hmmm… I re-read the verse and I heard clear and plain -- HE SHALL DELIVER YOU OUT OF THE HAND OF ALL YOUR ENEMIES … ALL YOUR ENEMIES … ALL OF THEM!! I took a deep breath and closed my eyes mentally resonating on the words of the Lord!
So the scripture in context (2 Kings 17:36-40) is that Israel’s cities were being invaded by foreigners -- those who believed differently than they did, whose priorities were different, who created and served different gods in addition to Israel’s God. The Israelites were instructed to remember that the Lord who brought them out of Egypt with great power is the one to be feared/revered/worshiped. They were to remember the covenant that God made with them and not serve other gods. They were further reminded to worship the Lord God and he would deliver them from their enemies. The 40th verse says “but they would not listen and continued in their former customs.”
As I “heard” the words of the Lord in the 39th verse, I thought of all the “enemies” I seemed to face in the moment. His Words continued to resonate that if I remained focused on Him, prayerful and worship Him, He would deliver me from the hand of all of my enemies!! What a powerful and encouraging Word! What are the enemies you face today? God will deliver! Let me call out some of the enemies that come to distract us from worshipping the Lord our God:
Hurt and betrayal Disappointment Loneliness
Financial lack Employment struggles Relationships
Feeling displaced Sickness & diagnoses Broken things at home
Marital distress Discord with children Identity theft
Delayed responses Absent village Self-esteem issues
Disrespect & disregard Addictions and so many more….
As I type, Sirius radio is playing “Keep the Faith” by Pastor Charles Jenkins, Jekayln Carr singing “Miracles”, and Tasha Cobbs Leonard “You Know My Name!” The message is now clear that I am to move from the question “will I be delivered?” to the statement of the fact that “God will deliver!” Check His track record and know that He will deliver again! 1 Samuel 12:24 says Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things He hath done for you. Be Encouraged: He Shall Deliver!! Luke 1:71, 74, 75 says that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us. This is not people in the real sense, but the attacks of the devil that come to hinder us because he hates what God is wanting to work in and through us.
God will Deliver!!
-CK