Why they failed to possess what God promised…..

“The Lord was with Judah, and [Judah] drove out the

inhabitants of the hill country,

but he could not drive out those inhabiting the [difficult] valley

basin because they had chariots of iron. “

Judges 1:19

 

“But the Benjamites did not drive out the Jebusites who

inhabited Jerusalem:

the Jebusites dwell with the Benjamites in Jerusalem to this

day. “

Judges 1:21

 

The Israelites failed to drive out the nations they were supposed

to drive out after Joshua died.

The Lord instructed them to utterly destroy the

surrounding nations (Deuteronomy 7:1-3) but somewhere

along the way the command from God was forgotten or ignored.

 

On paper the enemy was definitely stronger than Israel but

that was not a new revelation. They already knew that.

God had already proved Himself again and again that He

was stronger than the enemies who came against them.

So what happened?

Did they forget that God was more powerful than the enemy?

Did they compare their own resources and weapons against

those of the enemy?

 

Whatever they did robbed them of the promise God made to them.

They were promised land by God but were not able to possess it.

Was it fear?

Did they look at the iron chariots and let fear consume them?

Did they look at all the other tribes failing to possess their land

and think it was normal to fail? (read Judges 1)

 

Even though tribes were failing to possess the land didn’t

mean God had changed His promise.

He wanted Israel to possess the land. He didn’t want His

people to settle for less than he had promised.

He wanted them to dominate and rule.

But they settled.

They had to share the land with the enemy.

That was not God’s plan.

 

What have you settled for today?

No matter how hard things get, God does not want you to settle.

He wants you to possess the land. He wants you to walk into

EVERYTHING He has planned for you. The enemy on the

other hand would love you to settle.

 

Are you relying on your strength to fight the enemy? 

Look to the Lord’s strength as you face the enemy. When you

rely on your own strength to get you through a situation or problem

you are setting yourself up to fail. God is the One who is supposed

to fight your battles. When the enemy confronts you face to face

turn to the Lord for help. He is stronger then every problem

in your life. There is no problem stronger than Him and the

enemy knows this.

 

Are you following the crowd?

What kind of environment have you surrounded yourself

with? I spoke about this in my previous post. The people that

you surround yourself with have a great impact on your life.

Get rid of the negativity in your life.

Just because someone says something is impossible doesn’t

mean it’s true for you.

Always remember, someone else’s truth doesn’t have to be your

truth.

Your truth is what God has told you.

We make the mistake of accepting other people’s truth about

finances, health, family and so on when that truth directly

contradicts God’s word!

Let’s be aware of that.

 

The bottom line is this, God is stronger than the enemy.

We don’t have to fear, we don’t have to settle.

We can boldly confront the enemy knowing we are

not facing him alone.

You don’t have to downsize your dream.

God does not want you to downsize your dream.

The enemy on the other hand wants you to do that.

He wants you to fail.

He wants you to think small, he wants you to not expect much.

But it’s all a lie!!

 

God has so much in store for you.

There is no limit to what God has for you.

Make sure you pursue everything God has for you.

Don’t listen to the enemy.

Don’t listen to people who put limits on what you can trust God for.

Make sure you are following what God has told you.

Hold to that path rigidly!

God bless you friends!

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

Who are you surrounding yourself with?

“Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about

six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children.

A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds-a great

deal of livestock.”

Exodus 12:37, 38

 

When the Israelites left Egypt they left with a mixed multitude. The bible doesn’t

say much about the mixed multitude.

They could of been running away from the Egyptians.

Maybe as they saw all the miracles God performed they

thought they would see more miracles where they went.

Maybe some left because people were leaving.

 

Whatever the case Israel never left alone. At first you think nothing

of it but things aren’t what they seem.

 

“Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving;

so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat?

We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons,

the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up;

there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

Numbers 11:4-6

 

My question to that is, who made the Israelites remember??

 

As I read these scriptures I couldn’t help but think of the people we allow

in our lives. We need to be very careful who we allow in our lives.

 

I know I can’t blame the mixed multitude for all the Israelites problems.

The Israelites were to blame for a lot of the bad that happened along the

way. But at the same time I can’t ignore the fact that the mixed multitude

were part of the problem!

 

Having the wrong people in your life could be disastrous.

You need to be very careful who you call friend.

Who are you walking with?

Do they have your best interests in mind?

Are they positive or negative people?

Do they challenge you to pursue the dreams God has put in

your heart no matter how impossible it seems or do they shoot

them down??

Are they always complaining, always whining, always speaking

about the bad?

 

This is a hard post to write but it must be written. If you are to grow

in the Lord, if you are to pursue the dreams God has put into your heart

you will need to look at the people you have surrounded yourself

with.

 

Make sure you have people who will push you to trust in the Lord.

Surround yourself with people who will encourage you

Surround yourself with people who will challenge you and be real with you.

Surround yourself with people who will remind you of God’s promises.

 

Don’t tolerate negativity in your life.

Be wise in choosing your friends.

 

God bless you friends

 

Rolain

Forty days of fear!

“And the Philistine said, I defy the ranks of Israel this day; 

give me a man, that we may fight together. 

When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine,

they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”

1 Samuel 17: 10, 11

 

One would think that would be the perfect opportunity for the

Philistine’s to attack Israel.

It would be an easy battle for them.

Saul and ALL Israel were dismayed and fearful.

But the enemy didn’t attack.

Instead of attacking, Goliath came out morning and evening

for FORTY days!

Yes, forty days!!

 

“The Philistine came out morning and evening presenting 

himself for forty days.”

1 Samuel 17:16

 

That is so crazy to think. It’s like the enemy enjoyed seeing

Israel cower in fear.

They loved seeing the Israelites in fear.

 

“David left his packages in the care of the baggage keeper

and ran into the ranks and came and greeted his brothers. 

 

As they talked, behold, Goliath, the champion, the Philistine

of Gath, came forth from the Philistine ranks and spoke the 

same words as before, and David heard him. 

 

And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from 

him terrified. “

1 Samuel 17:22-24

 

And this went on for forty days, morning and evening!

Who knows how long it would have gone on for if David had

not come along.

 

And this my friends, is one of the enemies most effective strategy.

He wants you to live in fear as long as possible.

He wants you to be paralyzed by it.

He wants you to be bound by fear to a point where you can’t

think and you can’t step out in faith.

 

You don’t have to go far to find it. Fear is everywhere. It’s the

headlines you read on your way to work.

It’s in the 8:00 news.

It’s littered on your Facebook page.

 

Because the Israelites were gripped with fear they could not

move in  faith.

Fear blinded them to the truth.

They forgot the Lord Almighty was stronger than the enemy

they were facing.

 

The enemy used fear to stop the Israelites from moving

forward in their purpose.

 

We can’t let fear win friends. If left alone it will steal

everything good in our lives.

 

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, 

of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us 

a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced

mind and discipline and self-control. “

2 Timothy 1:7

 

We need God’s help to overcome fear. God has brought me

so far as I look back at my life. I was so fearful but He continues

to take me to new levels of boldness. This is not an easy battle

friends. But we are not alone facing this enemy.

Fear’s hold on our lives must be broken.

The God we serve is stronger than every fear we face.

He is stronger than the author of fear!!

Take heart.

Blessings to you

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

What does your life look like in God’s eyes??

“And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, 

the Lord is with you, you mighty man of [fearless] courage.”

Judges 6:12

 

At that precise moment we know Gideon didn’t see himself

as a mighty man of valor. In fact he didn’t see much for

himself.

 

“Gideon said to Him, Oh Lord, how can I deliver Israel? 

Behold, my clan is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the 

least in my father’s house. “

Judges 6:15

 

How did Gideon get to that conclusion?

Someone told him of course!

It may have been his parents or his friends or neighbors but

whatever the case he didn’t see much for his life. He saw

himself as the least.

 

He may of expected nothing in his life but that didn’t change

the truth that God saw more….

He saw so much more for Gideon and He declared it……!

We may see a partial picture of our lives but God sees a full

one!

 

We need God’s help to keep seeing more.

 

There are so many things on a daily basis that push us to

doubt God’s plan for our lives.

The circumstances around us try to force us to believe

there is no plan, that this is how it will always be but it’s all a

lie!

 

“And He said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where did you come from, 

and where are you intending to go? 

And she said, I am running away from my mistress Sarai. 

The Angel of the Lord said to her, Go back to your mistress

and [humbly] submit to her control. 

Also the Angel of the Lord said to her, I will multiply your

descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be numbered 

for multitude. “

Genesis 16:8-13

 

Hagar couldn’t take it anymore. She had to run away from her

household because Sarai dealt severely with her. She was at the

end of her rope. Did she see all that God had for her at that

moment? I don’t think so.

All she wanted was relief from the abuse.

 

But in such adverse circumstances God had a plan for her

and her family.

She couldn’t see it though. That is why she ran away!

 

The strategy has not changed. The enemy wants to discourage us.

He wants us to lose hope.

He wants us to give up on our calling.

 

But we have a chance friends. God is with us.

We need to hang on to what He says about us.

When He looks at our lives He sees the more He intended

for us. What we need to do is see it too. We need His help.

When we are discouraged, or we want to give up remember

there is more. God has so much more in store for us.

The enemy must not win!

Put your faith in the Lord.

He will bring to pass everything He has promised you.

Don’t throw in the towel.

Your life will turn around because God is with you.

That is my encouragement to you friends.

Bless you!

 

Rolain

 

The answer to the chaos around us…..

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath

to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. 

Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 

[Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; 

and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated

and cowardly and unsettled.]

John 14:27 (emphasis mine)

 

It’s a choice to walk in peace.

When things get crazy you have a choice to be at peace or lose

your mind.

The word is very clear about this,

 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be 

afraid. “

 

When things are not going your way do not let your hearts

be troubled.

It’s not easy staying in peace but Jesus wants us to fight for it.

Refuse to succumb to anxious thoughts.

Refuse to panic and fret.

Choose peace.

 

“Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; 

and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated

and cowardly and unsettled. “

 

There is so much opportunity to lose our peace today.

Put on the news, read the papers, talk to people and you will

see it as clear as day.

But Jesus goes against the grain. He doesn’t advocate us

succumbing to fear. Instead He tells us to stay in peace.

He encourages us to walk in the peace He has given us.

 

Today the word is simple, stay in peace no matter what!

When fear, terror, confusion, and anxiety come, stay in peace.

Easier said than done I know.

But we are not alone. The Holy Spirit will help us in our

weaknesses.

The bad news will keep coming but despite being surrounded

by such darkness hold on to peace.

We can’t afford to live without peace.

Peace is found in His word, it’s found in prayer as you

commune with Him.

Let’s choose peace today!

 

Rolain

 

When everything is crumbling and failing…….

“God is our refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to 

temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble. 

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change

and though the mountain be shaken into the midst of the 

seas, 

Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble

at its swelling and tumult. Selah [pause, and calmly think of 

that]! 

Psalm 46:1-3

 

That is what we are going to do. We are going to pause and

think about what this scripture means for us in these trying

times.

This scripture properly describes the times we are in now.

Things are being shaken, things are crumbling and falling.

Nothing is stable anymore.

You can’t help but feel that things could just come to a standstill

at any moment.

With all that instability, how does a person live?

How do we survive in such circumstances?

 

The word has the answer.

 

“God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to 

temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1

 

In the face of such instability and uncertainty we don’t need to

panic. The Lord is our Refuge and Strength!

He is the only way we will survive this chaos.

If we look to man, a government and anything else beside

God for an answer we will fail.

Everything that is not founded on God will fail, that’s a fact!

 

No matter how crazy things get don’t fear. God is with you…..

Be encouraged friends.

He is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to

temptation]! A well proved help in trouble…..

Amen

 

Rolain

 

A father’s faith??

“And blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who believed that 

there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken

to her from the Lord.” 

Luke 1:45

 

Do you believe that EVERYTHING God promised you will

come to pass?

Mary was called blessed because she believed God would

fulfill everything He promised her.

 

Things didn’t go too well for Zechariah, John’s father. He

didn’t believe the words of an angel who had been sent by God.

He didn’t think God could accomplish what He promised.

 

“Now behold, you will be and will continue to be silent and 

not be able to speak till the day when these things take place, 

because you have not believed what I told you; 

but my words are of a kind which will be fulfilled in the 

appointed and proper time.” 

Luke 1:20 

 

I think there was more to Zechariah being silenced. Yes, he

didn’t believe the words of the angel but I think there was

an additional reason.

I think it was to Zechariah’s benefit he was silenced. I believe

he would of talked himself out of faith in God. Because he

didn’t believe, he would have spoken about how impossible

God’s promise seemed.

As we believe in the Lord we need to watch how we speak.

Our words have power and they can do some real damage if

not checked.

 

What God promises He brings to pass.

 

“And listen! Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also 

conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her

who was called barren.

For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from 

God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. ” 

Luke 1:36, 37

 

Today, I am challenging you to believe what the Lord has

promised you will come to pass. It will be fulfilled.

I am challenging me too…….

 

As Mary was blessed because she believed God would fulfill

what He promised her so it is with you and me. You are blessed

when you believe!

 

Zechariah had time to reflect on what he did. Look at what

happened when he was able to speak again,

 

“And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and

he began to speak, blessing and praising and thanking God.”

Luke 1: 64

 

Was that how he was supposed to respond the first time he

heard the promise?

 

What are you speaking in this season of waiting for the

promise to be fulfilled? Are you talking yourself out of faith?

Are you blessing, praising and thanking the Lord??

 

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to watch your

words. God will fulfill His promise to you but your negative

words can disqualify you.

Just recently I was the one speaking negatively. But a friend

brought me back to the right place…..faith. Thank God for a

friend like that. My faith was ignited again as I was reminded

of the truth I am sharing with you.

 

God will fulfill everything He promised you friend.

He won’t abandon you. He won’t leave you stranded.

 

You are blessed when you believe God will fulfill all He has

promised you…..Amen!

 

Rolain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When man relies on himself…..(part 2)

This is part two of a four part series I am doing on David. If you

missed the first post click here to read.

 

“So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go

number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of

them to me that I may know it.”

1 Chronicles 21:2

 

“But Levi and Benjamin he did not include among them, for the

king’s order was detestable to Joab.

And God was displeased with this [reliance on human resources]

and He smote Israel. “

1 Chronicles 21:6, 7

 

This was another one of David’s mistakes. I would like to

make myself clear before I move on. My goal is not to discredit

David. God called him a man after his own heart so instead I

want us to learn from the challenges he faced. The enemy was

not just going to let him walk freely into God’s glorious plan. The

enemy would fight him with everything.  There

are some very valuable lessons we can learn from David’s

battles. Let’s move on…..

 

David decided to count Israel. Why?

The answer is found in verse one of the same chapter,

 

“Satan [an adversary] stood up against Israel and stirred up

David to number Israel.”

1 Chronicles 1:1

 

David counted Israel because the enemy filled him with fear, doubt

and lies! That is how satan stood up against him. Everything

was going well for David but the enemy used fear and lies

against him. “Does God really have my back?”

“Am I really safe?”

“Did God really mean all that He promised me?”

Where these the kind of things going through David’s mind?

And is David alone in this? I don’t think so….

 

I have allowed fear to paralyse me at times, I have allowed the

lies of the enemy to get my attention off God a lot.

David began to rely on what he had. Fear drove him to lean

on weapons, human resources and so on. Fear made him forget

God was by his side never to leave him! Fear made him doubt

God’s goodness and faithfulness.

How the enemy has done this to me so many times. He whispers

the lie that God has abandoned me, that God doesn’t have my

best interests at heart, that faith in God is futile because He will

surely let me down but it’s not true!

 

Our trust should always be in God. We should never rely on

man, a government, a system, the money and other resources

we have. Don’t rely on your strength, don’t rely on how smart you

are. Instead, trust God! He wants us to trust in Him.

Where is your hope and trust at the moment? Is it in man? Is it

in the stuff you have or the stuff you have accquired? Is it in the

elaborate plans you have formulated for yourself?

I want to challenge you to trust in the Lord completely. The

enemy will always try and make you doubt, he will always

try and use fear but don’t let those things dissuade you from

trusting in the Lord. Hold on tightly to God’s

word!

David repented of his sin and God restored him. He can do the

same for us. Trust in the Lord completely. He can be trusted!

Amen!

 

Rolain

 

The warrior’s cry!

I wait quietly before God,

for my victory comes from Him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress where I will never be

shaken.

Psalm 62:1, 2

 

There is no doubt that David was a mighty man of war.

He killed his tens of thousands. He also had a crazy army.

Men who killed giants, killed lions, took on a whole army

single handedly……! David and his army were feared in the land

but as we look at the scripture above, David doesn’t rely on

any of that. For the scripture to make sense let’s look at

the context:

 

So many enemies against one man –

all of them trying to kill me.

To them I’m just a broken-down wall

or a tottering fence.

They plan to topple me from my high

position

They delight in telling lies about me.

Psalm 62:3, 4

 

So get this, there are people who want to kill David.

And it isn’t just one man but many! They are telling lies

about him behind his back and they want to topple him.

He is in some very serious trouble. Life threatning stuff

but instead of using his strength and power to take on his

enemies, he waits quietly before God!

 

He waits silently before God!

 

The enemy is strong, very strong but instead of

fighting, he waits silently before God!

Was it easy for him to wait? I don’t think so.

 

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,

for my hope is in Him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress where I will not be shaken.

Psalm 62:5, 6

 

Another translation says,

Patiently wait for God alone, my soul!

For He is the one who gives me confidence.

Psalm 62:5

 

You can almost feel the battle he is fighting on

the inside. There is the one side that wants

to do something, to fight, but he silences that part.

The warrior sees more benefit in waiting silently

before God than resorting to his weapons and fighting!

His waiting reflects his incredible faith in God! It takes

a lot to wait instead of fight.

 

Can you picture it?

There is David, waiting quietly

before God even though there are men trying to kill

him!

Lies are flying behind his back but he

waits silently before God!

The enemy has gathered together, planning his

dimise, strategizing how to take him down but

David quietly waits before the Lord!

His conviction is strong:

 

“my victory comes from God,

He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress where I will never be shaken.”

 

“My victory and honor come from God

alone.

He is my refuge, a rock where no

enemy can reach me. “

 

His conviction is our conviction and our truth!

We may be in a dark place, a hopeless place but we

need to wait quietly before God.

The victory is coming!

The enemy may have us surrounded, too strong for

us, but instead of fighting back in our own strength

we need to quietly wait before God.

He will deliver us from our strong enemy!

In the storm know that God is with you. He has

not abandoned you. Don’t lean on your own understanding

but lean entirely on Him!

Our victory comes from God and only God!

Amen!!

 

photo credit: google images

 

Rolain

 

When life seems dark……

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

 

[What, would have become of me] had I

not believed that I would see the Lord’s

goodness in the land of the living!

 

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord;

be brave and of good courage and let

your heart be stout and enduring.

Yes, wait for and hope for and expect

the Lord.

Psalm 27:13, 14

 

My heart jumped when I read this scripture in

the morning. As we live this life there needs

to be an expectation!

An expectation that God, the Maker of heaven

and earth and the whole universe will be good to

us.

The world we live in wants us to believe that there

is nothing good in it.

It wants us to live in fear.

It wants us to believe the situation is hopeless,

that life is hopeless!

But it’s not true people!!!!

As believers we have God our Father!

As believers we have a chance, a very good chance!

God has good things in store for us.

God wants us to believe that!

He wants us to expect Him to show up!

 

If that expectation dies we die!

 

I don’t know what situation you are facing

today but please hope again. Expect the Lord’s

goodness.

 

This is what I have been declaring for the past

couple of days:

 

For You send blessings of good things to meet him;

You set a crown of pure gold on his head.

Psalms 21:3

 

For You send blessings of good things to meet

me.

You set a crown of pure gold on my head!

 

What are you saying? What are you expecting?

Today, believe you will see the Lord’s goodness

in the land of the living!

I believe you will see it if you expect it, if you dare

to believe that God is good and He is busy doing good

things for you!

The last part of that scripture says,

 

Wait and hope for and expect the Lord;

 

It’s not easy to hope especially when the picture

on the ground looks bleak.

It’s not easy to hope when the bank account is empty.

It’s not easy to hope when things are not working out.

 

But the key is to believe that you will see the goodness

of God in the land of the living!

In the pain, in poverty, when things seem bleak

and hopeless,

believe you will see the goodness of the Lord!

Amen and AMEN!!!

Rolain