Stand Down!

Reading from the Book of Job 37:2-7

^{Job 37:2} Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth. ³ He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. ⁴ After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back. ⁵ God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. ⁶ He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ ⁷ So that everyone he has made may know his work, he stops all people from their labor.


"My Holy People, times are changing. My times are changing and so shall come a great shaking the like you have never known before. But it is all to your good. This shaking shall separate the works of men from My works. For it is time to bring an understanding regarding how I move in the earth. Things hidden are about to be revealed. Grasp hold of My ways. Grasp hold of My understanding. For My ways and My understanding are far above anything you could do on your own. I am about to cause the meek to be made strong and the humble to rule. For this is My way and this is what I intend to do in this season."


To "stand down" is action in God's economy. It is spiritual action. We usually take action in the natural realm and do nothing in the spiritual realm, but when we wait on God and stand before Him, we are taking spiritual action.


Waiting on God is to "stand down". 

The Great Comforter

Reading from the Book of II Corinthians 1:3-7

II Corinthians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. ⁶ If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. ⁷ And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Have you been disappointed or hurt? Have you had changes in your life and you are experiencing a loss? Do you feel like you've been a failure in some way? Are you just simply tired? What is your trouble today? God wants to help you by comforting you when you need it.

The Holy Spirit is actually called "the Comforter". His various names describes His character. They reveal what He does and what He desires to do for believers. He is willing to do a great deal for us if we are willing to receive His help.

God will allow people to do a certain amount for us, and no more. Even those people who are extremely close to us cannot give us everything we need all the time. When we expect others to do for us what only God can do, we have our expectations in the wrong place, and we will always be disappointed.

No comfort is as good as God's. People can never give us what we really need unless God Himself uses other people to reach us, which He often does. Whether He uses another person to comfort you or He comforts you Himself by the Holy Spirit, just ask for and receive His comfort whenever you need it. He is the Great Comforter!

Victory In Your Life!

Reading from the Book of Judges 6:5, 7:6

^{Judges 6:5} They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it.

Gideon was a simple farmer who God called to drive the Midianites out of Israel. When Gideon rallied an army of 32,000 men, God first reduced it down to 10,000, then to 300--and equipped them only with torches and trumpets. Marching against the innumerable Midiantes, with 300 men would have seemed like madness to Gideon--and to us. But Gideon learned that victory comes from the Lord, not from human strength or resources. Instead of telling Gideon that He would give him more men, God told him that he had too many men to gain the victory.

Sometimes God works through our weaknesses better than our strengths.  There are times when we have too much on our side in the natural for God to give victory. If we depend on ourselves and our own strength too much, God cannot work.  Our problem is not big enough for God to give us a miracle if anyone can help us but God.

^{Judges 7:6}And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

God was telling Gideon that his men were too strong in themselves and that He wanted them in a position where they would have to depend entirely on Him. God cut their army down to a size that made it impossible for them to experience victory without His divine intervention.

As the saying goes, God plus one equals a majority. If you are facing a formidable challenge, don't be discouraged by a lack of resources. Be encouraged by the presence and promises of God. Trust God and experience victory in your life!

Speak To The Weary

Reading from the Book of Isaiah 50:4-7, Nehemiah 8:10

^{Isaiah 50:4}The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.⁵The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.⁶I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.⁷For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

The prophet said that the Lord had given him the tongue of a disciple--a learner--one who is taught--so that he would know how to "speak a word in season" to the weary. Do you see weary people in the body of Christ? While the world has serious problems that can wear us down, we can experience joy from God, Who lifts us up.

^Nehemiah10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

The joy of the Lord is our strength. Joy is not found in our circumstances, it is found in Christ, Who dwells within us. You and I are learning to find our joy in Christ alone. While we are in the process, speaking words in due season to one another will keep us from growing weary. Speak to the weary.

A Bolt Of Lightening

Reading from the Book of Matthew 24:27

^{Matthew 24:27} For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Jesus said that we don't have to be worried about the exact time of His coming, and we shouldn't be deceived by those making false predictions. When He comes, there will be no doubt. As lightning flashing from the east to the west, splitting the sky in a millisecond, cracking the air with flash and fire, so will His coming be.

The next time you see a bolt of lightning cleave the sky, think of it as a reminder that His coming is near.