Defeated?

Perched just outside my window in the Dogwood tree, is a songbird with her head thrown back, singing her heart out at the break of a new day.  Oh my heart sings a new song to God right along with that beautiful bird.

I’ve been busy the last few weeks with a host of things and especially the preparations for the EXTREME event this weekend.

Honestly, I’ve been more than busy, I’ve been close to the point of exhaustion. A cloud of heaviness and discouragement has been following me around although I haven’t been able to put a description on this feeling.

Until last night…

My friend, Joyce, was telling me about some things going on in her life lately and then she said the word that perfectly identified what I’ve been feeling.  ”I asked the Lord, “Why have I been feeling DEFEATED?”

Wow! That’s exactly how I’ve been feeling.

I came home from church and got ready for bed. While I was in my closet, I got on my knees and confessed my feelings of DEFEAT. “Lord, I know I am more than a conqueror because of You. Forgive me for believing the lie that I am DEFEATED.”

God immediately brought to my mind the story of a great army’s battle. I knew it was in 2 Chronicles, but couldn’t remember the chapter.

Flipping through my Bible, I saw a commentary on the left-hand page with the title, “Abraham – Friend of God” Being a little ADHD, I began reading it. Here’s what jumped off the pages at me, “Abraham loved and trusted God without reservation and was wholly committed to walking with Him. He never withheld anything from God.”

Pondering what I had just read, my eyes ran across the right-hand page. There at the top of the page, the very first word was …DEFEATED.

I was smack-dab in the middle of Chapter 20, the story I was looking for. Not only that, but the exact word my friend had helped me pin onto my experience lately, was there at the top of the page.

This story ministered to me in SO many ways…

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours but God’s. ”

“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you…”

“Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.”

“Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld…”

In this story, “Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of His holiness…”

“As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men…who were invading… and they were DEFEATED.”

Oh His Word is ALIVE!

Run to God! Don’t withhold anything, tell Him how you really feel. Search His living, active Word. Allow Him to speak truth to your heart. Then throw your head back and sing a song of praise!