The Ashes of Defeat

Micah 7:8

Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy.  Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a light for me.

A good part of my life was spent being too scared to try anything for the fear of failure.  It was easier not to try, and so I accomplished very little.  I am nearly 40 and it makes me sad that I wasted so much time being scared to try.  When God got a hold of me that all changed!  I began taking risks, I was willing to step out in faith which meant I had to be willing to fail!

Although the fear of failure no longer stops me from trying, the fear still exists, maybe even more so because I hate the idea of letting God down.  When the fear rises, when I stumble and I fall flat on my face the devil is right there trying to keep me on the ground.  The enemy wants me shattered in defeat, too scared to try again.  The truth is that the devil has a lot to loose if I trust God and try again.  More often than not I need to be reminded that the devil is actually scared of us when we trust God, when we walk with God, when we push beyond the fear.  We are a threat to all that he has planned and if he can keep us crippled in fear then he might accomplish something, but when we step out in faith he loses every single time!  We need to remember that through the Holy Spirit we have power over the enemy and not the other way around!

Now is the time to choose to trust in the unseen, to take hold of victory!  Every failed attempt before was simply perfecting our faith, it only takes one time to succeed and we should look at every attempt as the time that success is at hand!  

Psalms 46:1

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

God is all that I need, He isn’t far away unconcerned with me, he is VERY PRESENT!  That's a powerful statement.  He isn’t just there, he is VERY much there!

Psalms 46:5

God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when the morning dawns.

God is with me, He is the firm foundation that cannot be moved!  His mercies are brand new each day, He does not leave us, He is with us to help us!

Psalms 46:10 

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Quit trying to get it done on your own!  God, the very God of all creation will help you if you will just trust Him and be still in His presence!  It’s not about us, it’s about Him and He is working it all out for His glory!  We need to stop carrying the full weight and put it down at the feet of the cross.  Victory is in the nail pierced hands and feet of Jesus, victory is at the empty tomb, victory is seated at the right hand of God, and victory is promised to those who put their faith in God alone!

I love the lyrics from the song “Resurrecting-Elevation Worship”

“In your Spirit I will rise, from the ashes of defeat

The resurrected King is resurrecting me

In Your Name I come alive to declare your victory”

I declare victory in the Name of Jesus!