Call in the Fall!!!!

Saturday, October 15th, 2011

Today's Passage> Psalm 42
Memory Verse> Ps. 42: 11

In every believer's life, there comes a point when our triumphs are very empowering. They confirm everything the Word tells us about being the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. Through the grace of God, we are allowed to see that no weapon formed against us will ever prosper, and this is such an awesome feeling. But something else happens, too. What we don't realize is that there's this tiny swelling of the head that begins to take place. Rather than giving God all the glory for His victory, we begin taking a bit of the credit for ourselves.

Not only do we start to get the big head about the few issues we think we've got worked out, we begin to look with a little contempt upon those who seem yet to be struggling in their walk. And that's when the enemy pounces. Yesterday's passage tells us to be mindful about thinking we're standing firm, when we're not. And here's why this happens: we're told that the enemy walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. While we're feeling confident that somehow it's because of what we've done that we've gotten satan to flee from us, that cunning fox is setting a trap for us.

The Word also tells us that pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. So all the devil really has to do is set the trap and wait for us to walk in it all by ourselves. A fall can come in several ways. One, we can be so into ourselves that we simply don't see the enemy coming through a loved one or someone else who's really close. When we should be praying, we're too busy gloating. Two, there could be other weaknesses inside of us that we don't see until the fall. Three, our pride could be the reason we may be deceived into thinking we really DO have it all together when we really don't.

So you find yourself in the place of oppression described by David, remembering only the times when all you wanted to do was rejoice in the house of the Lord. Now you are "cast down" or depressed, thinking there's no way God can get any glory out of your situation. But be encouraged. God's love for you is never-ending, and His faithfulness reaches to the clouds. He sees failures from miles away, and will never reject us no matter how disappointing the fall may be. Hope in God and wait for Him to deliver you, as He always does. Don't hesitate to call out to Him, for He is waiting to hear you declare your confidence in His power to deliver. Have confidence also in the Word that says the righteous man falls seven times and gets up from that place. There's no failure in our God. So trust Him to bring you back to relationship with Him.

Prayer> father, I'm a witness that You are a true deliverer. You lifted me out of my place of defeat and discouragement. I pray now for all Your children who need You to deliver them. May Your blood cover them as they call out to You, and may the enemy not be able to stop them from reaching out to You. Be glorified in spite of every trap the enemy sets. In Jesus' Name, Amen.