Encouraging yourself in the Lord!

I am thankful to be a part of such a great church family that I can lean on during hard times, and that help me and encourage me, as I continue growing in the Lord and await His return for me. All of us face difficulties in our lives. But we can have victory over them if we keep our eyes on God. With that being said, when there are times I can't get to church, and I am in the middle of unexpected attacks, I have learned how to encourage myself in the Lord just as David did. Let me tell you, I wouldn't trade anything for my life with Christ, nor being a prayer warrior, nor the Holy Spirit allowing me to have certain spiritual gifts and being used of Him. I am no spiritual giant, I am just the willing vessel and God's mouthpiece and in those moments when I am fully surrendered to God and in tune with His Holy Spirit, are the times He sees fit to work or speak thru me. During those church services when the Holy Spirit chooses to use me, that week is usually a full-on battle of spiritual warfare, because the enemy wants me to shut up! Though it won't happen, because no matter the hindrances or distractions the enemy uses, God's word will always go forth with power and victory. After another week of unexpected challenges, and missing a week of church services, God took me to 1st Samuel, Chapter 30. Not many of us have experienced as bad a day as David did when he returned to his home in Ziklag after a journey and discovered that his enemies, the Amalekites, had destroyed or stolen everything that was important to him -and his own men turned against him, they wanted to stone him to death. However, we can imitate David's response when we do face difficulties. David could allow grief and bitterness to conquer him; he could sink into the black hole of depression and give up and quit. Or he could fight back. In that moment, he could turn to no one but the Lord. 1 Samuel 30:6 tells us that David knew the source of his strength was outside of himself and was in God and "he encouraged himself in the Lord" — and he ran to Him. He knew that while he was at his weakest and was unable to fight in his own strength — he could “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians 6:10). After strengthening himself in the Lord, (probably praising and singing songs to the Lord as he played on his harp), David cried out to God and was led to defeat the Amalekites. He recovered all he had lost and also claimed some of the Amalekites’ possessions for Israel. The battle belongs to the Lord. The enemy knows our weakness as humans and will seek to exploit them to make us fall. Even at our best, we are weak and need God’s strength. God has given us armor and weapons, but their power comes from God. 2 Corinthians 10:4 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh (carnal) but have divine power to destroy (pull down) strongholds.” In God we have divine power to destroy strongholds, fight battles, and gain victory. Cry out to God to fight for you and with you. You can’t do it on your own. Rely on God, put on your armor, pick up your sword (God's Word), and fight. God protected David and the enemies had to give back everything they stole; so encourage yourself in the Lord- believing and knowing that He will do the same for you.