People are longing to go back to a time that was far less complicated and tumultuous. Politicians are even running campaigns based on it. They are trying to convince the masses that they can make things the way they used to be. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we would do well not to place a lot of stock in their salesmanship. Our God is progressive. Since the beginning of time, there has never been an instance in human history where the past could be relived. The past is just that, the past. We can’t go back and capture what has already been. For those that do not trust in God and don’t care to know Him, times will become increasingly chaotic and confusing, but for those who love and obey God, just the opposite is true.
In Deuteronomy 31:6(ESV), our Heavenly Father told His people, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” He was encouraging a people that were afraid of what laid ahead. God had promised them a land that was bountiful and beautiful, but there were inhabitants already in this land, and they had claimed it for themselves. This is a very important principle for those of us that are committed to our faith in God. The houses we live in, the land they sit upon, the cars we drive, the roads that allow them passage from one destination to the next, none of it belongs to us or the folks who claim to own them. It’s all God’s. We should never think that any institution is above the Possessor and Creator of all things.
If we are faithful to His Word and trust Him with all that we are, our Heavenly Father will transfer blessings into our hands. Sometimes He does this so miraculously that it baffles our minds, but make no mistake, He is a Way-Maker, and if we are diligent, He will transfer blessings into our hands. The question for us is whether we will keep the blessing once we have received it.
Our Heavenly Father knew there would be obstacles in His people’s way. We can all relate to this because we know the devil is busy. As we take a look at our world today, it is bombarded with darkness, much of it in the form of misinformation and lies, because lies are the devil’s specialty; they come from his kingdom. As God’s children living during these modern times, we must wake up! We can’t allow all this negativity from the world into our minds and hearts, because it is specifically designed by the devil to confuse us and to separate us from having faith in God.
God commands us in Proverbs 4:23(NLT), “Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.” This isn’t a suggestion. It is a spiritual strategy that keeps us blessed in God’s protection and care. So many of us are disillusioned and disappointed because we’re not seeing the manifestation of abundance and blessings in our lives. One of the contributing factors to this is our refusal to guard our hearts and minds. We haven’t put on enough of God’s Word to be anchored in His truth, and because of this, we are easily deceived and manipulated. A ton of folks have been trapped this way, and some of them are believers.
We’re not going to be able to go back to the way things used to be. This is very challenging for many people to accept. Times will become way more complex and chaotic than they are today. Pressures will increase, and the hearts of people will become even more hardened against God. If you doubt this, just continue to keep your eyes open and the world will show you how firmly in satan’s grip it is. But as always, on the flip side of darkness is light. 1Thessalonians 5:5(NLT) declares, “For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.” As God’s elect, we are children of light, and we must stay close to Him to preserve our shine.
As satan puts the squeeze on people, relationships, institutions, and every other facet of society, we need to tighten our grip on our relationship with Heavenly Father. And the foundation of our relationship in God is our faith in Him through Jesus Christ. Our faith in Him keeps us in the arc of His safety. No longer can we be dabblers when it comes to spiritually growing in the Lord. We must pray more, live through His love, and we must study God’s Word every opportunity that comes our way. This is what God requires. He told His people in 1Chronicles 22:13(NLT), “For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the LORD gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!”
2Thessalonians 3:3(NLT) instructs, “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” This is the Will of God. He will establish us in the example of Jesus Christ when we follow His leadership and guidance. Then our faith will be strong, and we will not be shaken by the things that are happening in the world. As the psalmist so beautifully states in Psalm 32:7, God is our hiding place, and He will preserve us from trouble. So, let’s not wait to get our house in order, because the times are perilous. God is our sun and shield, and we must cling to Him and His Word while we still can. As we grow in our faith in Him, He will lavish us in His care and place a hedge of protection around us and our families as well.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“You Must Have God’s Hedge of Protection” written by Reverend Fran Mack, edited by Kim Times, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2021. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!