By: Rex Stump
Inspiring messages, encouraging words, empowering speeches…we all need them! When was the last time you were facing a tough situation, an oversized opponent, or insurmountable challenge and someone stepped into your life to embolden you?
In Deuteronomy, an Old Testament book that is often overlooked, Moses reminds us of one of God’s empowering messages for a people needing hope.
The people of God got the scouting report of the Promised Land, and it didn’t look good. The land and the vegetation were incredibly good, but the report also spoke of giants, fortified cities, and massive armies!
What could possibly encourage these people? In those kinds of moments what do we need to press on? God replied with a message of hope!
We read in verses 29-31, “But I said to you, ‘Don’t be shocked or afraid of them! The Lord your God is going ahead of you. He will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt.
And you saw how the Lord your God cared for you all along the way as you traveled through the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child. Now he has brought you to this place.’”
If you were in their situation, consider what you are hearing from God. First, don’t be afraid! Recognize the emotion of fear is real, and flush it! Choose faith over fear.
Second, God will fight for you! We are like a little kid at recess and the big bad bully begins to push us around. Before you can even lift a hand to defend yourself, your big brother steps in causing the bully to run. The battles we face require someone greater than us, and that is God.
Third, remember what God has done for you in the past! “You saw” is a simple phrase that jogs our memory, causing us to rewind in time and remember the multiple times we have seen God flex His muscles, provide answers, healing, and hope!
He is the Lord YOUR God, not just a false god worshipped by the inhabitants of the land. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…our God is real, powerful, and majestic.
And…He cares! God sees us what we must face! I love in the next chapter when Moses says, “He has watched your every step through this great wilderness.
During these forty years, the Lord your God has been with you, and you have lacked nothing.”’ (Vs. 7). He has watched our EVERY step!
I’m old school, so forgive me for this illustration. Imagine sitting in the locker room at halftime of your basketball game, your opponent is big, you’re losing on the scoreboard, and you are feeling defeated.
The coach looks around and says, “I know how you feel, I’ve been watching you play, and I can see the challenge. I love you guys and I don’t want you to give up. Keep working hard. I’m putting in a new transfer to the team.”
You look over and Michael Jordan walks in wearing your team jersey, ready to play! Look out opponent! We’ve got victory on our side! Everything changes! Hope is restored, fear is gone!
Trust the Lord our God, for He is trustworthy! He sees, He cares, He goes before us and with us! What is He empowering you to do? Go do it!
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Rex Stump is the Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and serves as a Pastor at True North Church in Wauseon, Ohio.