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What if life gets worse? What if the unimaginable happens to you?

I naively thought following Jesus would insulate my family from the threats of the world … I was wrong. We have a promise, and that promise is eternal life – not easy life, not perfect life, not happy little bubble life. Jesus promises eternal life for those who place their faith and trust in him. Everything before eternity is tainted with human messes and attacks from the enemy.

We just don’t talk about that do we? To sell Christianity, we present a life of overflowing joy … which we do get to experience sometimes. But if that’s all I sell you, then when life hits you’re going to want your money back. Cancel my commitment to Jesus … life got hard anyway.

Life is going to eventually touch each of us. We will hurt. We will lose. We will grieve. But with Jesus, we have a promise that outlasts all of that. And that promise gives us something here and now that makes us wildly rich and ridiculously blessed.

Jesus tells John to write a letter to the church of Smyrna. Smyrna was a rich city with leaders who demanded to be worshiped. If you didn’t worship their leaders, then you were forced to suffer in extreme poverty. The Christians there were under the harshest of conditions with literally nothing. All they had to do was call their leaders Lord and pretend to worship them, but they refused. In faith, they would only offer Jesus their praise. Only Jesus would be called Lord. So, they suffered.

And guess what … Jesus knew they were suffering. This is after Jesus’ crucifixion, so Jesus is now sitting in complete power on the throne of heaven, seeing all of this. Seeing his people being punished for following him. He has the power to stop it. He has the power to change it. But instead, he sends this letter.

Revelation 2: 8-11, “This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive: I know about your suffering and your poverty – but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for 10 days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.”

So essentially Jesus is telling this group of suffering faithful people, “Yip, I see this and it’s going to get even worse for a period of time.”

They had done nothing wrong. They weren’t being punished. They had absolutely nothing physically, but they had everything spiritually.

If you were to take an inventory in your own life, what do you have physically? Now, what do you have spiritually? Which is most important to you?

Jesus is looking at the uber wealthy of Smyrna, the ones in palaces with the most comfortable and easy lives and comparing them to his followers who have been stripped of everything and live in complete poverty. He calls one of them rich. Who was that? It wasn’t those with physical things … it was those with spiritual things. This is true wealth.

If I’m being honest, that all scares me a little bit. Would I praise God if it meant absolutely everything I have was taken? If I were suffering because of Jesus, would I still serve him? Now what if my family were added to the suffering? Would I remain faithful if it meant my family was threatened with that same pain?

These are the people Jesus is sending this letter to. People with that kind of faith. People with that level of commitment. And to them he says, “You are rich!” They are rich because of what they have spiritually. What they have is what really matters. They have a relationship with the one true God. They have an eternal promise beyond the very fleeting things of this life.

It’s so easy to get caught up in this temporary life that we forget how quickly this will all be over. I’m a few months away from turning 50 and I honestly don’t know how that has happened. How am I this old and how has my life gone this fast? How are the sands in my hourglass less on top than they are on the bottom? While I’ve been busy building and collecting things, eternity is getting closer and closer. And the moment eternity begins, not a single thing I ever bought matters. My house won’t matter, my weight won’t matter, my bank account won’t matter. Only the spiritual things will matter. And if I’m living this life poor spiritually, my eternity is in jeopardy.

Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.”

Jesus is very clear:

• I see all of this.

I can’t promise you that life won’t come in and touch you, but God promises it will be measured and limited. And he promises if you will remain faithful through the hardships of this life, he will give you the crown of life.

Here’s what that doesn’t mean:

• It doesn’t mean you won’t ever get sick.

We’ve twisted God’s promises and there’s a whole lot of brokenhearted followers of Jesus falling out of love with their Savior because they are so utterly disappointed in this life. But, my friend, it’s not about this life … it’s about the CROWN OF LIFE.

The crown of life is the victory on the other side of this. The eternal perfection with God that awaits us. This is our promise and it is absolutely untouchable by the enemy. He can’t steal it from us.

Now, go back to the beginning of the letter and notice how Jesus introduces himself. He says he is the one who was dead but is now alive. He is victorious over death. he faced death, but now he is alive. He’s not promising us long life or easy life, he’s promising us eternal, perfect life … that’s FAR BETTER. He says, you’re going to suffer and die, and so did I. You can also join me in life after this.

That’s your invitation.

It’s not an invitation to an insulated, always happy life here in a Jesus bubble. It’s an invitation to a protection from the second death. The spiritual death that would separate us forever from him. We don’t have to experience that death when we accept eternal life through Jesus.

May you be so spiritually rich that physical things have less of a hold on you. May you hold this life loosely while you live intentionally focused on the eternal life being promised. May you remain faithful knowing through it all there’s a crown of life awaiting you.

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Did you know you have demon repellent available to you? Like bug spray, the enemy and his evil little workers absolutely cannot pester you when you use what God is going to show you today!

Let’s continue our study of the book of Revelation, remembering this is not a book of doom and gloom and confusing mysteries to remain hidden. No, the very title itself tells us this is a book of revealing. The revealing is coming to John directly from Jesus. Let’s get started today in chapter 2.

Verse 1: “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:”

Now remember, the seven gold lampstands are seven churches. Does it mean there are only seven churches? No. Seven is a number that represents completion and perfection, so this is simply all of God’s people collectively. This is a letter to one of God’s gathering of people in the church of Ephesus. This church was started by Paul and over the years, it had become influenced by the world around them and lost their way a bit. Jesus has something specific to say to them.

He begins his letter to them by reminding them who he is. He reminds them he holds the seven stars in his right hand. These stars are symbols for God’s angels and messengers. Jesus has powerful command over his enemies with angel armies. He can send out defense and deliverance at any moment. The devil and his demons stand no chance against him. And with that reminder, he says, “I am the one who walks among my people.”

Now imagine that. He’s not sitting in the distance. He’s not watching from afar. He doesn’t create boundaries and then command his angel armies to fight for him in places he’s not willing to go. No, instead, he walks among his people. He’s in the trenches with us. He’s climbing those mountains with us. He’s on the battlefield. He’s in the office. He’s in our homes. He’s near.

And with all the power of heaven and earth held in his right hand, he walks among us, seeing everything, drawing near, ready to move on our behalf. That’s our Jesus. He’s right here.

Now, he says to his people in verse 2-3, “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.”

Jesus shows us how to have a tough conversation. He shows us you begin by recognizing what is going right. You offer praise first. Remember that when you’re in your next tough conversation where you must discuss things that need to change. First, tell them what you see that’s already good. You can’t come out of the gate complaining, Sis. You can’t begin a conversation with condemnation and finger pointing, and expect it to create the change you hope for.

Half of the lesson Jesus teaches us isn’t in the teaching itself, it’s in HOW he does it. This is how you address necessary changes in someone you love. First, I will recognize what you’re doing right.

Jesus literally knows everything we do. He’s walking right here among us. He sees it all. He hears it all. You can hide absolutely nothing from him.

Yesterday I was in a store in downtown Branson, MO and they had a solid white sticker with Jesus’ head creeping in from the corner and it said, “I saw that.” He did. Jesus really did see that. If that causes a bit of panic, regret, embarrassment, or stirring of excuses, recognize what’s really happening. This is holy conviction. This is God’s spirit within you saying, “My girl, I love you. What you did isn’t my best for you. I want to show you a better way. Let’s work on doing better together.”

Jesus saw that. And he wants you to know first that he sees what you’re doing right. He’s sees how you’re trying. He sees how far you’ve come. He sees how hard it’s been and he sure is proud of you for not giving up.

Verse 4-5, “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.”

This is a group of God’s people who looked really good on the outside, but on the inside they had left love behind. They had become more focused on rituals and appearances and forgotten it was first and foremost about love. And this is what happens to us.

It becomes about boxes to check over a love for our God. Church, check. Bible, check. Pray, check. Next.

And Jesus says this is a problem, come back to me. Come back to how you once wanted to spend time with me. Come back to how you used to be in awe of me. Come back to the passion you once had for what I was doing in your life. And my people … what they need more than anything is love. If you’re not doing this is love, then you’re simply making it worse.

What if God were to check your heart and see what the true motives and intentions were behind your actions. Why do you raise your hands? Why do you smile? Why do you send that message? Is it to look good? Is it to fit in? Is it to make someone like you? Is it to try and get your way? Is it to make you feel better? Let me tell you, my eyes have never been opened more than when I started praying that God would examine my heart and reveal to me anything that wasn’t pleasing to him and needed to change. I found out beneath a whole lot of things that looked good on the outside, I wasn’t coming from a place of love. I was coming from a place of performance, manipulation or control. Love had been left behind.

To that, Jesus says, “Turn back and repent.” To repent means you don’t have to feel different about it to start doing it different. You don’t wait on the feeling, you lead your feelings. You start doing different before you start feeling different. You turn and change directions.

Don’t allow rituals and appearances to become more important than love. 1 Corinthians 16:14, “Do everything with love.” Now that’s a memory verse. Let’s practice it together. DO EVERYTHING WITH LOVE. Easy, you’ve already got it. Now, respond to that holy conviction you feel within when God reveals the things you do that aren’t coming from a place of love.

I’ve learned you can send the same exact text message with the same words, but the intent of your heart cannot be hidden. If your actions are coming from a place of manipulation or show or control, it will be known. You can’t hide that forever. So first, check your heart. If you can’t send that text from a place of love, don’t send it. Ask God to work on your heart first. Actions from an intent of love simply hit different. There’s no open door for the enemy to work when you’re operating from love. The devil can’t dwell in love. True love is like a demon repellent. He’s banished. But the moment you begin doing those same exact things from a place of trying to control or impress or check a box, the enemy has an empty space void of love to reside. All spaces void of love are a space available for the works of Satan and his demons.

When Jesus says, “Repent or I’ll remove your lampstand from its place among the churches”, he is saying, “I can’t use you for my good purposes if you’re not operating from a place of love.” You can label your works as ministry, but if it’s not done in love for God and others, then it is simply not useful to God and he doesn’t want it.

Yesterday, I also saw a sign that said, “Jesus loves you and I’m trying.” You know, what if it were that simple? What if you start looking at that jackwagon that makes your eye twitch as you resist wrapping your hands around their neck, and you remember that is a person that Jesus loves so much he was willing to die for them – and what if you just TRIED to love them too. For real, just try harder.

Verse 6, “But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do.” Jesus doesn’t say he hates the people who are doing wrong, he says he hates what they’re doing. We’re not called to hate a single person. But we should hate sin. Why do we hate sin? We hate sin because of what it does to the people we love. We hate sin because of the separation it creates. Because of the hurt it causes. But we’re called to love the person while we hate the sin. Lead in love. If you can’t do that, you’re only making it worse.

Finally, Jesus says in verse 7, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.”

This means, to all who come back to loving God and loving others and overcome their own cold heart, there is a promise of restoration and eternal life. We will have our place in paradise!

So what does this mean? It means it will be worth it!

God, examine our hearts. Where are we not loving as you have loved us?

Love is a demon repellent. Leave absolutely no empty spaces void of love for the enemy to dwell. In everything you do, do it with love.

Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela

What is your vision of Jesus? Do you see him as the humble man in a robe and sandals with kind eyes? Do you see him as the beaten, bleeding, innocent one hanging on a cross? Or how about the image of Jesus we see in the show “The Chosen”? He’s relatable, he’s personable, he’s fun, he’s engaged, and he’s patient. I believe he is all of these things. But, let’s take a look of another image of Jesus he specifically wants us to see.

Jesus himself appeared to John and told him to write down everything he saw. This is how John describes Jesus in Revelation 1: 12-18 –

“When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were life flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look – I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”

Remember, John knows Jesus. He was with Jesus during his entire ministry on earth. He saw Jesus move and work, and he walked along side him as a friend and partner in ministry. John knew this was Jesus. Jesus the relatable, personable, fun, engaged, patient, humble, kind one who he witnessed hanging on the cross. But now he sees God in Jesus. He sees this glorious being who resembles his dear friend and master, Jesus, but this person is far beyond human.

He sees pure power. He sees divine authority. He sees unmatched brilliance. And Jesus WANTS John to see him. He not only wants John to see him, but he says to John, “Write down what you have seen.”

Jesus knew you would be here today needing this vision of him. He knew you would need to see his power and his authority. He knew you would personally need to see his glory. And Jesus is saying, “John, you have to write this down because one appointed day, 1,930 years from now, my dearly loved and chosen girl will be seeking me, and she needs to see me as more than the brown haired man with kind eyes in a linen robe and sandals. She needs to know I am so much more. Write it down so she knows.”

So, here you are today, as God knew you would be. Now, first think about that. How absolutely wild is it that God always knew you would be precisely where you are right now, struggling with what you’re struggling with, questioning what you’re questioning, needing what you’re needing today. And he divinely aligned the details of today so you could see him.

Now, let’s see him, because that’s what he wants. He wants you to see him as more. He wants you to know of his power, his authority and his brilliance. Slow down, settle in, and envision the glorious being John sees and know THIS is your Savior. We’re given 8 details.

1. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. These are clothes worn by important high ranking people, rulers with great power, and angels representing heaven. So, this is an image of authority in all ways. He’s not meek. He’s not mild. He’s not defeated.

2. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. The color white represents several things. First, white hair, in many cultures, is associate with wisdom. Our Jesus KNOWS. He is not unaware. He is fully aware in every way of every detail. He knows the circumstances and he knows the solutions. Wisdom is his. He’s never perplexed. Never uncertain. And never without a certified, fool-proof, definite plan. He has always known the end from the beginning. White is a color associated with purity, righteousness and holiness. His hair is white because he is perfect. (Remember that the next time you complain about your white hair. Girl, it’s just a little bit of perfection showing up as you age and get wiser.)

3. And his eyes were like flames of fire. The Jesus John has known before was a meek servant who walked as a willing sacrifice. Now, John sees Jesus with these eyes of fire. This denotes absolute power and might. A blessing for his beloved people, but a sheer terror for his enemies. Those eyes see everything, and hold the power to do all things.

4. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace. Bronze was the metal used for warfare because at this time in history, it was the hardest and toughest material. Harder than iron. And Jesus feet, like polished bronze are showing they are armored. His armored feet are prepared, ready to move, and ready to CRUSH the head of his enemy.

5. His voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. Have you ever stood on the beach with crashing waves? Those waves are LOUD. Their sound reveals their undeniable force and power. You can’t speak over their sound. In Hawaii, our little house is several miles from the shore, and we can still hear those waves. John is telling us, the voice of Jesus is booming and loud. It is powerful. It cannot be denied or ignored. Our Jesus demands to be heard.

6. He held seven stars in his right hand. These stars are also defined as angels. Heavenly beings. Messengers of God for his people. And Jesus holds them in his right hand. The right hand is a symbol of authority and power. But also understand, the right hand was the hand used in attack. The sword for attack is held in the right hand, while the defensive shield is held in the left. Jesus is showing he holds the power to attack and annihilate the enemy. He will command his angels to bring victory. All authority is his. Nothing can happen without his awareness. Does he orchestrate all things? No. However if he allows it, know that it wasn’t because it slipped by him or defeated him – in authority, he allowed it because he knew he could use it. And in his right hand, he will use it to bring eternal victory.

7. A sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. To understand, we must turn to Hebrews 5:12, “The word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” How many times have you been listening to this devotional and thought, “Wow, how did she know? How did she just speak precisely to what I’m going through? How does it always hit just right?” Well, simply because I’m not speaking my words, I’m speaking the words of God, and his words are alive. They move, they flow, and they hold divine power. Jesus speaks with that power. For his people, this means blessings – for his enemies, this means they will face that sword and they will be utterly defeated.

8. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. Jesus does nothing small. Just like the sun touches and changes the whole earth, and without the sun there is no life, Jesus changes everything and brings life to all things. The sun represents the ultimate source of light and energy. Jesus face radiates his glory. Nothing compares to his face because nothing exists without him. He is pure power.

And with this vision of Jesus, he says, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look – I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave!”

Not the devil. He doesn’t hold the keys. He doesn’t hold the power or have access. The keys are held solely by Jesus.

This is our Jesus, and he wants you to see his power!!!!!

Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela

Have you assumed a surrendered life to God promises an easy life? Have you equated a life for Jesus as a comfortable life filled with all joy and no pain?

Last night, here at our BIG Life Missouri Lake Retreat, we gathered in the family room in our pajamas and we began sharing our stories. Random stories of “I’m a taxidermist, I hula hoop, I used to competitively drive mud trucks and I’m a homeless traveling gypsy. (One of those is me, the others are most certainly not.)

Then Emily shared. Emily is a stunning beautiful blonde who is well put together with a certain touch of class, yet air of your new best friend. She shared how 4 years ago, her 7 year old little boy died in a drowning accident. This unspeakable loss broke her and brought her to a place of such immense pain that she planned to end her own life. She simply couldn’t go on. BUT GOD.

But God has been healing her heart, renewing her spirit, and doing what only he can do … he’s been turning all this intended harm into a work of his goodness that saves many lives. Her testimony is one of faith and promise in the midst of unimaginable loss and grief. She showed us a Jesus that never leaves, with sufficient grace to cover our worst disappointments and disasters.

Emily reminded us a surrendered life to God never promises an easy life. Emily reminded us a life for Jesus does not equate comfort with all joy and no pain. However, that life, given to Jesus, does mean a hope beyond all hopes and a story that brings glory to God.

In the mental hospital as she was fighting for her own will to survive, she met a man who’s child had been murdered. In this man’s immense pain he had lost his faith in God. And this divine encounter, amidst the hardest of circumstances life could ever hand them, allowed Emily to illuminate the path for that hurting Dad’s way back to God.

My friends, maybe your life experience has fallen far short of how you thought it was supposed to be as a beloved daughter of the King. And maybe it’s time to surrender all of that to the only hands who can hold it for you, and let a relationship with God Almighty use all the intended harm in your life for something eternally good now.

As we study the book of Revelation together over the next several days and weeks, remember we are promised God’s blessings for reading, hearing and obeying what this book of the Bible reveals. This is the revealing of Jesus, our judge and our redeemer.

This often avoided last book in your Bible is written by John, and as we discussed yesterday, John personally knew Jesus. He walked this earth with Jesus … literally. John was in the boat on the night the waves were taking them under and Jesus came out walking on the waves, calming the storm. John was serving in the crowd of 5,000 men, plus women and children, who were miraculously feasting off only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. His feet were washed by Jesus. He was the one who knew without a doubt, Jesus loved him. It was John’s entire identity. I’m the one Jesus loves.

So, after 60 plus years of faithfully spreading the gospel, telling nothing but the truths of Jesus, and leading countless souls to salvation, you would assume he is greatly rewarded. Like in my mind, that kind of dedication deserves success. That kind of commitment deserves overflowing blessings and a place of honor. But instead, do you know where John is when he’s visited by this angel of God and told to write the words we read today in Revelation?

He’s in exile on the island of Patmos. I’m an island girl, but this is not the island you want to be on!

The island of Patmos is nothing but a harsh desolate rock covered in thorns where the unwanted were sent into banishment. And this is where John is. John – the one who’s complete identity is being loved by Jesus. The one who has faithfully served God his entire life. The one who was chosen, called, set apart, and devoted.

Banished.

Exiled.

Suffering.

Enduring.

How can that be? How is that fair? Where is God in this?

Let me tell you where God is in this … right there with him. And let me tell you what God is doing in this … he’s working!

Chapter 1, verse 9, “I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus.”

Now, verse 10, “It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit.”

And that is the game changer! Even with all he was going through, even with the harshest of circumstances and the most undeserving of realities, John is sitting in the thorns, worshiping God.

What are your thorns? What surrounds you and causes you pain? Is it that unimaginable loss you have endured? Is it that divorce you never imagined? Is it that agonizing wait and uncertainty? Is it the past you can’t seem to forget? Is it that loneliness? Is it that sheer disappointment from a reality that you feel you don’t deserve? Is it the daily grind that’s sucking the life out of you?

You have a choice here, and this choice will make all the difference in the world for you.

You face this with God, or without God.

You draw closer to God in relationship, or you push him away.

You wonder about all the questions you can’t get answers for, or you worship him in the midst of those questions.

I’ve found this to be true: When you take 1 step towards God, he takes a thousand steps towards you. He personally attends to you. He heals you. He strengthens you. He equips you, then he uses your story to bring him glory. James 4:8, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”

John is sitting in his undeserved exile, banished to the harshest of living conditions amongst thorns, and he is making a choice. A choice to come close to God. A choice to worship. And his choice to come close to God has God moving in close to him.

And right here, in this choice of coming in close to God and worshiping in the middle of his undeserved thorns, comes a loud voice like a trumpet blast with a message from God. And that voice revealed Jesus. That revealing is our book of Revelation. Our promised blessing from reading, hearing and obeying today.

Because John made his choice to lean into God when his life got harder, because he chose to still worship when his obedience was repaid with suffering, God leaned into him, pulled him in close, and used his thorns for divine and eternal blessings for us today.

Emily, the beautiful mother who lost her 7 year old son in a river, is now a blessing to countless people because she has chosen to lean into God.

Have you ever heard of Nick Vujicic? Nick was born with no arms and no legs. He’s simply a torso and a head. His testimony forever changed me. 20 years ago, I heard him say, “If you don’t receive the miracle you are hoping for, you can become a miracle for someone else.” He’s never been able to give another human being legs or arms they weren’t born with, but he’s been able to give hope for a life of purpose even without them.

I pray you get your miracle. I pray you are blown away by the sweetest supply of God’s divine healing, restoration and provision. I pray today is the beginning of a radical change. But even more importantly, I pray if you don’t receive your miracle, you make the choice to lean into God and worship him. It’s a choice, and that choice will supernaturally strengthen you and direct you in becoming a miracle for someone else.

How can you lean into God today? How can you make the choice to pursue a relationship with him? How can you worship him on your harsh rock in your undeserved thorns? God’s already on his way to you at this moment. He’s here for this. He’s here for you. And somehow, someway, you will find your way and you will be a miracle worker in his hands.

Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela

Revelation: In Greek is Apocalypse

We have changed the word apocalypse to mean chaos and catastrophe, however, the original meaning of apocalypse was the “revealing”. So, instead of thinking of Revelation as the chaos and catastrophe to come, instead of fear driven doom and gloom, it is a revealing and unveiling.

The revealing in this book is of Jesus. We’re getting to see Jesus risen and in full power as never before. We get to see him reigning and redeeming as promised.

Does it mean we will understand it all? Absolutely not. Our human minds do not have the capacity to understand the mysteries of God. However, our spirits do. The truths of God are not hidden from us, but instead revealed to our spirit when we seek God.

Jesus says, “Seek and you will find.” He also says, “When you seek God, you will find him.” If Jesus said it, I choose to believe it. If I’m seeking, I will find God … but if I’m not really seeking God, he will remain an untouchable mystery. This applies to the often avoided book of Revelation. When we seek God, our Spirit will come to understand what God intendeds to reveal to us.

And let’s be clear, God WANTS to reveal something to us. What is it? JESUS. Revelation is the revealing of Jesus.

The author of Revelation is John. You know, the fisherman, John, who became one of his 12 disciples. He walked with Jesus for 3 years, he was at the foot of the cross when Jesus was crucified, 3 days later he ran to find the tomb empty, and later that week he had breakfast on the shores of the Sea of Galilee with Jesus, examining his nail scared hands.

John knew Jesus.

He is the one referred to as “the disciple Jesus loved”, and guess who called John this? John himself did, which makes me giggle. “Yeah, I’m the one Jesus loves.” He wasn’t saying he was better than anyone else, he’s simply confident in Jesus’ love for him. He knew their relationship was special.

Can you say that? More on that level of confidence in Jesus’ love later …

John writes the book of Revelation by means of an angel who revealed things to him in the spirit. That angel was sent by Jesus under the instruction of God. How do I know? Chapter 1, verse 1, “This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John.”

See, not so confusing, huh?

Do you know why we’re afraid of Revelation and avoid it? Because that’s precisely what our defeated enemy wants. He does not want you to know of his destiny, nor does he want you to know of the dangers in delayed obedience to God. But, there’s another reason the devil wants to keep you away from the book of Revelation … he wants to steal your blessing!

Verse 3, “God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophesy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to is message and obey what it says, for the time is near.”

It’s a blessing to read this revealing of Jesus. It’s a blessing to hear about the unveiling of the full power and promises of our Savior. It’s a blessing to know chaos and catastrophe are coming, and we are promised to be saved from it all.

There are blessings here for us in this misunderstood and often avoided final book of our Bible. And I don’t know about you, but if there’s a blessing on the table, I want it. If God has offered a blessing, I want to be the girl that grabs it.

My husband taught our kid’s in soccer when they were little. Each year in the very first practice, he would gather all his energy filled tiny players with the attention spans of a gnat, and he would dangle a 20 dollar bill. He would say, “Who wants this?” Oh, all the kids would squeal, “Me, me, me.” “Who wants it?” They would raise their hands and begin to scream louder. “Me, Coach, pick me.” And he would continue to dangle the 20 and say, “Who wants it?” Inevitably, there would finally be one bold child that would want that 20 so bad they would stand up and grab it. Then Coach would say, “Then you’re the one that gets it. If you want it, get up and get it. Go for it! Do something about it.”

So, we’re being told there’s a blessing in the offering here. Dangling right in front of us. Who wants it? The one who goes for it is the one who gets the blessing. I’ve decided to dive in! I’m grabbing this book of Revelation and I’m getting the promised blessing. I will read it, I will listen and I will obey.

Jesus is being revealed to us, and God felt it was important to talk about. And if God is concerned enough to talk about it, he wants us to be concerned enough to listen. We are blessed by READING, we are blessed by LISTENING … it doesn’t say understanding is required for that blessing.

John, the one who personally walked with Jesus, the one who sat at the foot of the cross with Jesus, the one who saw the risen Jesus, has been spreading the gospel of Jesus at this point for over 60 years. Jesus went to the cross in AD 33, and now John is being visited by an angel in 95 AD, 62 years later, to reveal more of Jesus. The news wasn’t getting old. The promises were still holding. And John was still passionate in telling everyone he could about this Jesus who loves them.

Verse 5, John writes, Glory “to Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”

The day you understand Jesus personally and directly loves YOU, is the day your life changes. And here, we understand the extent of his love … he chose to wash us instead of just throwing us away.

Think about this … if you get paint all over your jeans, you would only try desperately to wash that paint out if you really loved those jeans. Otherwise, you would just throw them away and get a new pair of jeans. But, if you love them, you would google all the ways to wash out the paint.

The solution for getting paint out of denim is rubbing alcohol. The solution for getting sin out of you is the blood of Jesus.

The simple fact that Jesus washed us with his blood proves his unequaled and undeniable love for us. We are dirty. We fail. We mess this thing up on the regular. Jesus has the power to destroy us and just start over again. He could make a replacement for you. He could erase you and start again. But instead, he chooses to wash you so he can save you.

Why would he do that? Because, girl, he really really really loves you. And he’s proven it.

So, remember this …

1. Revelation is not intended to be a hiding of mysterious chaotic events. It is a revealing of Jesus, his power and his sovereignty.

2. There are blessings being offered in reading and listening to these words. If you want the blessings, you have to be willing to grab it. Grab ahold of this word. Don’t be afraid of it. God for it. The Spirit of God wants to reveal truths to you.

3. You are like a favorite pair of jeans that will be washed and saved because you are so totally loved. Jesus isn’t throwing you away, he’s washing you, girl!

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Mark 5: 25-29 “A woman in the crowd had suffered for 12 years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. in fact, she had gotten worse. She had HEARD about Jesus, so she CAME up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she THOUGHT to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.

Psalm 71: 15-16, “I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words. I will praise your mighty deeds O sovereign Lord. I will tell everyone that you alone are just.”

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It’s okay to wrestle with the things you don’t understand. But in your wrestling, don’t pull away from God. Lean into him.

Just how quick do you give up on God? How fast are you to say, this isn’t working, God isn’t listening, and there’s no point in praying. Right now, how pointless do you feel it is to seek God first? Really, how disappointed are you in God’s movement in this world or on your behalf?

One of my most pivotal moments in my relationship with the Lord came on one of my most desperate and disappointing days. It was early 2000’s, my husband and I had built a successful business in Dallas, then we felt the prompting of God to move to El Paso, Texas and help start a church. In obedience, we left everything we had worked so hard to build in Dallas, and we moved to the desert.

We assumed going where God told us to go would bring immediate blessings. We assumed the money would just be there. The business would quickly take off again and we would be rewarded for our blind move of faith. WE WERE SO WRONG.

We got to El Paso and we struggled. We struggled to pay rent. We struggled to buy groceries. We hid our car in the garage because the repo man was circling. Every day I got up thinking this couldn’t be right. This couldn’t be our story. This couldn’t be the way God repays obedience. And every day, it kept getting worse. And that Church we moved there to help start was a hot mess.

I was exhausted from trying to fake my way through it. Beneath my smile was utter disappointment and a growing urge to quit. One day I sat on the couch with my husband and he said to me, “Pamela, just admit you’re mad at God about this. Admit you’re disappointed. Get it out.”

No. I couldn’t. I’m the happy girl. I’m the one who always sees the bright side. My faith can’t waiver. But the truth is, it was killing me inside. So finally, the words came out of my mouth, “I cannot believe this is the way God repays faithfulness. We came here because God said to come, I know he did. And now we get this????”

My husband said, “So, you’re mad at God.” YES! I’m mad.

And that was the pivotal moment in my relationship with the Lord. He didn’t strike me with lightening for being real with him. He didn’t turn away from my honest emotions. He handled them with care.

We continued to struggle for several more years. But then, things began to change. Breakthroughs. Divine alignment. Blessings. Victories. Callings.

You see what I didn’t realize is God said GO, but he never promised ease. God said GO, but he never promised success. God said GO, but he never promised I would like it once I got there. Today, I’m so glad we went. The lessons we learned there have brought us here. The sacrifices then prepared us for blessings now.

So, as a person who understands the feeling of disappointment in God and the let down of hardship following obedience, let me ask again, just how quick do you give up on God? How fast are you to say, this isn’t working, God isn’t listening, and there’s no point in praying. Right now, how pointless do you feel it is to seek God first? Really, how disappointed are you in God’s movement on your behalf?

Have you given up on God because he didn’t come through for you the way you thought he would?

Judges chapter 20 tells a story of obedience met with hardship, and it shows God’s sovereign power through it all. We’re not called to understand it, but it’s pivotal in our relationship with God to accept it.

Verses 18-28:

18 Before the battle the Israelites went to Bethel and asked God, “Which tribe should go first to attack the people of Benjamin?”

The Lord answered, “Judah is to go first.”

19 So the Israelites left early the next morning and camped near Gibeah. 20 Then they advanced toward Gibeah to attack the men of Benjamin. 21 But Benjamin’s warriors, who were defending the town, came out and killed 22,000 Israelites on the battlefield that day.

22 But the Israelites encouraged each other and took their positions again at the same place they had fought the previous day. 23 For they had gone up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the Lord until evening. They had asked the Lord, “Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again?”

And the Lord had said, “Go out and fight against them.”

24 So the next day they went out again to fight against the men of Benjamin, 25 but the men of Benjamin killed another 18,000 Israelites, all of whom were experienced with the sword.

26 Then all the Israelites went up to Bethel and wept in the presence of the Lord and fasted until evening. They also brought burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. 27 The Israelites went up seeking direction from the Lord. The Israelites asked the Lord, “Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again, or should we stop?”

The Lord said, “Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you.”

Then verse 35, “So the Lord helped Israel defeat Benjamin.”

Here’s what the Israelites show us … they show us it’s okay to be defeated and keep seeking God. It’s okay to lose one and stay in the battle. It’s okay to keep fighting when you’ve been losing. And God shows us his instruction to go doesn’t promise guaranteed victory. God shows us when he says it’s time for victory, it will finally happen.

I never knew you could go in obedience and be met with disappointing struggle. I blindly assumed if you’re walking in the will of God, then blessings will overflow with every step. I was wrong.

What God’s word says is, James 1:12, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that god has promised to those who love him.” Testing and temptation … then blessings. You must endure first.

You know, you never have to endure goodness. You don’t endure beautiful sunsets and delicious meals on tropical vacations. No, you endure things not going the way you hoped. You endure people doing and saying things that hurt you. You endure things being unfair and ridiculously hard. You endure loss. You endure hospital stays, treatments, surgeries, and really hard unimaginable days. And God says, PATIENTLY ENDURE that. Keep showing up in it. Keep coming back and asking me what the next step is, even when you’ve lost the last round.

Did you lose this last round? Are you beaten down and discouraged? Maybe you’re like I was, and you cannot believe this is the result after trying so hard to do it God’s way. It’s okay to feel that way, just keep coming back to God. Come back angry. Come back frustrated. Come back questioning. But Sis, just keep coming back.

Patient endurance looks like this: God, I did what you said last time and now it’s a mess. What am I supposed to do next? Now listen. Listen to what he says. Listen as you’re still licking your wounds from the last endurance session. Listen as you’re feeling beat down and disappointed. And respond in faith.

Faith doesn’t mean it will be easy. Faith doesn’t mean guaranteed success. Faith doesn’t mean you will love it. But faith means you’re going to keep trusting God through it all. Because AFTERWARD, there’s a crown of life waiting.

Jesus offers us life. He said in John 10:10, “I came so that you may have life, and life to the full.” I believe that means an eternal life in heaven, yes, but also life here and now. A rich and satisfying life here too. The problem is, we want to get to the rich and satisfying part without going through the patiently enduring part. We want the victory on battle 1, and when we don’t get it, we decide there’s no point in asking God what to do next.

Keep asking God, “Should I go, or should I stop.” Keep responding in obedience. When you lose, come back and ask God for the next step. Don’t hide. Don’t assume you’re being punished. Don’t give up on God.

You win some and you lose some, God is still the Lord of it all. He still knows what he’s doing, even when you don’t understand it.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. At time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for ward and a time of peace.”

I don’t have to like it. I don’t have to understand it. I personally would only choose the dancing times, the being born times, the laughing times. But in God’s divine wisdom, he says, there’s also a time to grieve, a time to die and a time to cry. Just stay with him at all times.

Some are listening to this today laying in a hospital bed. It’s not fair. It’s not what you wanted. I’m truly so sorry. I’m sorry for this battle you’re in. I’m sorry for this pain and struggle. I don’t understand why this is happening to you. But, my sister, don’t quit seeking God.

Do you remember when Jesus gathered his best friends and he tells them it’s necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and suffer many terrible things and ultimately he must be killed. And his bold friend Peter says, “Heaven forbid, Lord, this will never happen to you!”

Then do you remember what Jesus said? He said in Matthew 16:23, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing thing merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

It’s a dangerous trap to only see things in our human ways. God sees things different. If he allowed his son to suffer and die out of love, what else will he allow out of his unstoppable love?

He allows losing battles and winning battles alike. He calls us to faith in both. My experience is God grows our dependence on him exponentially during those uncertain, disappointing times. And then, when he does eventually give us the victory, we come out of it with an unshakable faith and deepened relationship with our Savior.

It’s okay to be disappointed right now. It’s okay to question in this. Just don’t pull away from God in this. Keep coming back and saying, “Now what do I do, God?”

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You’ve heard the saying, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.” It’s not your job to try and fix them, remember you’re not Jesus. Yes, God calls us to love, but love doesn’t mean you give them access to your life.

Now let me tell you, it goes much deeper than this. How about when you know something is a real temptation for you, but you keep flirting with it. How about when you know something isn’t right for you, but you keep doing it. How about when you know God has told you to shut it down, but you keep opening it back up. What eventually happens is we create a very unnecessary mess in our lives and the lives of others. Then that mess just explodes.

Honestly, has that happened to you? You knew they weren’t right … you knew this wasn’t right … you knew that needed to stop, but you kept going, you kept looking, you kept texting, you kept picking it back up. And here you are today, in a real explosion of a mess that’s embarrassing, painful, expensive, and feels impossible to fix.

Well, you’re not the first person to ever make a mistake like this. Have you ever heard of the story of Samson? You know, he was kind of the Fabio of the Bible. A man with long hair and supernatural strength, and the ladies liked him. (Side note, if you don’t know who Fabio is, you clearly didn’t live through the 90’s. Fabio got his start as the model for the cover of romance novels. Then he became the spokesperson for ‘I can’t believe it’s not butter.’ I know this much, my mama bought that stuff!) Okay, so in my mind, Samson is kind of like the Fabio of the Bible.

He had supernatural strength that could not be stopped, and long flowing hair. He single-handedly began rescuing the Isralites from their enemy, the Philistines. And this was all by God’s design. In fact, before Samson was even created, God had aligned his purpose. There was a man and woman who could not have children. They had tried everything to get pregnant and still no baby. Then, God sends an angel to speak to the woman and the angel gives her very specific instructions. In Judges 13:5, The angel said, “You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.”

So, sure enough, the impossible happens and this barren woman has a son. They named him Samson and kept the commitment to never cut his hair. Scripture says God blessed him as he grew up and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him.

He grew so strong his enemies feared him. He was unstoppable. Any rope they tied him in, he broke. Any army they sent against him, he destroyed. One time his only weapon was the jawbone of a donkey and he killed a thousand of the enemy. And they knew, his strength was special, it wasn’t natural. The Philistines knew the only way they could defeat him was to find out the secret to his strength.

Samson fell in love with a beautiful woman named Delilah. Delilah was easily swayed by the enemies and sold out to them. They offered her money in exchange for enticing Samson to tell what makes him so strong and how they could overpower him. And so it begins.

Delilah begins pestering Samson. She pokes at him, nags at him, begs him. Judges 16:16, “She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it.” And finally he gives in and tells her the truth. “My hair has never been cut, for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else.”

So, guess what happens? That night, she lulls Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, then she calls in a man to shave his head while he’s sleeping. And verse 19 says, “She began to bring him down, and his strength left him.” The Philistines were finally able to capture him, and he couldn’t break their ropes. They bound him and gouged his eyes out.

Brutal. But let me tell you something, brutal things happen when we flirt with the enemy and those who have sold out to the enemy.

We become weak in ungodly relationships. When we compromise, we pay a price. Failure to correct our sin leads us straight into bondage.

God is patient and merciful in giving us time and opportunities to correct our ways. He first allows little messes as warnings. He even helps us clean up those messes with his grace. But when we continue to do what we know we shouldn’t be doing, when we continue to flirt with danger and play with fire, then eventually it all comes burning down. You’ve heard the saying, “Dancing with the devil”. That means exactly this – doing what you know you shouldn’t be doing with people you know you shouldn’t be doing it with. Well, if you dance with the devil, don’t be surprised when your life goes to hell.

But, God gives us so many chances before we get there.

Three times before, Delilah had asked Samson to tell her the secret to his strength, and each time he would tell her a different made up story. The first time he told her he would become weak if he were tied up with 7 new bowstrings. And guess what, the next morning he woke up tied in 7 new bowstrings and the enemy was coming to get him. He broke free and took Delilah back.

Then, she pestered him again for his secret and he told her if he were tied up with brand new ropes he would become weak. The next morning he woke up in brand new ropes with the enemy coming. And there stood Delilah, having been the one who tied him up. But again, he took her back.

She just kept tormenting him with her nagging, asking and asking. The third time he told her if his hair was woven into 7 braids, it would make him weak. And you know what that woman did while he slept? She literally put his hair into the loom and wove it together with fabric, and right on que, here come his enemies thinking he would be weak. And what did that crazy man do for the third time … he let her back into his life.

Three times she showed him who she really was, but he was too weak to resist her.

The enemy shows us who he is. We see how he works in our lives. We know the affects of our sins. We have all felt the conviction of what we know we need to eliminate or change in our lives … but we just keep letting him back in. And he does to us what Delilah did to Samson, he just torments us with his nagging day after day. He pokes and pokes and pokes. AND THE CRAZY THING IS, WE LET HIM.

He keeps looking for the cracked door in our lives to gain access to us, and we’ve been so distracted that we’ve left the dang door open. So surprise, the devil has slipped in and he’s wrecking havoc in your family.

Our strength is in our relationship with God. But if we fail to correct our sin and listen to the promptings of God that tells us this needs to change, then we invite the bondage of the enemy. We literally let it happen.

And we know it. Just like Samson knew it. Samson had to know Delilah was tricking him. He had to know her intentions were evil. He had to know she was working for the enemy. But he kept letting her back in thinking he was strong enough to dance with her but not be defeated by her. He was wrong.

We are not strong enough to dance with the devil and not go to hell with him. We are not strong enough to play with the fire and not get burned. We are not strong enough to flirt with disaster and never end up in the disaster. We are not strong enough to keep sinning and not be held in bondage.

That is where this leads.

Whatever God has told you to change, change it now. Whatever God has told you to protect, protect it fiercely. Whatever the enemy has been tempting you with, slam that door so hard all hell hears it.

You’re being poked at. Tormented. The devil is just hoping he can wear you down again. But not this time! This time is the last time. God has supernaturally strengthened you to defeat the enemy. So defeat him. Deny him. Slam that door. Leave absolutely no space for him to reenter.

Jesus said, “With God, all things shall be possible.” With God, you can do anything. There it is, your secret supernatural strength is doing this WITH God. It’s your relationship with him. It’s your commitment to him. It’s your offering to him. It’s that sacred space in your life for him. And that is precisely what the devil will come after because he knows that’s the source of your strength.

Can’t you see how the enemy has bombarded your commitment to God with distractions and temptations. Can’t you see how everything you’ve offered to God is now clouded with busyness and excuses? That’s your enemy at work after the very thing that makes you strong.

What are you going to do about it. Sadly, many of us have curled up in the enemy’s lap and fallen asleep with our phones in our hands. He’s gouging our eyes out and making us blind!

Wake up, my sister. It’s time for us all to wake up. No more dancing with the devil.

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Why does God do things the way he does? Scripture says his ways are not our ways … well, no doubt. We would always choose the easy way. We would always choose the fastest route. We would certainly choose the straightest path with clear sight of the destination. But God chooses the ghetto route. God chooses the round about, windy way that takes longer and seems a whole lot harder. Why is that?

Quite simply – he wants you to know it’s only him. Only he could work this out. Only he could make it happen. Only he could turn this around and use it for something good. You see, he wants you to know him and trust him. He’s showing you who he is.

If it were easy, you would think it was you. If it were fast, you would fail to see God. If it were certain there would be no need to trust.

So, what hardship, struggle, long wait and diminishing odds are you facing? God wants to show his power here and he doesn’t want you to miss it!

We have a lot of scripture to read together today, but you can’t afford to miss this.

Judges 7 is the story of Gideon defeating the Midianites. Remember yesterday’s devotional we read in chapter 6 about Gideon, the young Israelite who’s hiding in a winepress threshing wheat because he’s starving and fearful the Midianites would come and steal his harvest. And that’s where God comes to him and calls him a mighty warrior and tells him to go with the strength he has because he is being sent to destroy the enemy and rescue his people.

Now Gideon has gathered his troops. He has 32,000 warriors and he is facing an enemy that is over 4 times bigger than him. The odds are 4 to 1, and he’s the 1. Not good, but he’s trusting God. But watch what God does next. This will blow your mind!

Verse 2-7, ”

2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. 3 Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.

4 But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” 5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” 6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.

7 The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.”

Now Gideon has a tiny army of warriors, only 300. When he started with 32,000, it was already too little, now this is only 1% of that. ONE PERCENT. God took 99% away from him. The odds are now 400 to 1, Gideon and his little army are still the 1.

Who marches into battle with those kind of odds stacked against them? Who is willing to still show up when 99% of the little you had is taken away from you? THE ONE WHO HAS FAITH IN GOD.

When God said, “With what you have left I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites”, Gideon had a choice to make. Either trust God, let go of what was being taken, and move forward in faith with what was left … or don’t. And by “don’t”, I mean don’t fight for the victory. Go back to that hardship and misery where you’ve been stuck for 7 years under the bondage of your enemy.

For many of us, that’s the choice we have to make today. Either trust God, let go of what has been taken and move forward in faith with what is left … or don’t. When you don’t trust God with the little you have left, when you don’t move forward in faith with those terrible odds, then you go back to life where it’s only getting worse. You stay stuck. The enemy keeps stealing from you. And you just continue to live that same life of bondage, oppression and misery.

What if you’re only left with a little because God is trying to show himself to you? What if the odds have gotten worse and worse because God wants to make it clear, HE IS YOUR ONLY ANSWER.

That is the reason. God says in verse 2, “You have too much. If I let you fight with all this, then you will think you saved yourself in your own strength. So, I’m taking it away. I will use 1% of what you had to save you, then you’ll know it was me!”

• Moses stood at the Red Sea with the enemies closing in behind him, facing certain death for him and all 2 million of the Israelites who were fleeing bondage in Egypt. There was nothing they could do to save themselves. Only God could part that sea and lead them through on dry ground.

• Daniel stood in the lion’s den facing ferocious hungry beasts. There was nothing he could do to save himself. Only God could seal their mouths and bring him through that night.

• David was a young teen when he stood facing a giant that was nearly 10 feet tall in full armor and weapons. There was nothing he could do to save himself. Only God could equip David in this battle for victory.

• Abraham was old and impotent, Sarah was old and menopausal, and they had no children. There was nothing they could do to get pregnant. It was impossible and beyond hope. Only God could give them their promised child.

These are the odds God allows so that when it happens we see him and we know him. With odds of 400 to 1, with less than 1% of what you had when you started, God says, “TRUST ME. ONLY I CAN DO THIS FOR YOU.”

I can tell you how the battle ends. It ends just as God promised … victory. Gideon and his tiny army of warriors showed up with God’s battle plan and literally watched as their enemies ran in a panic and fought against each other. The Lord took out their enemies, but Gideon still had to show up in faith for the battle.

But there’s one more part of the story before the victory that is my favorite. The sweetest little detail tucked within Judges 7: 9-15:

9 That night the Lord said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them! 10 But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah. 11 Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged. Then you will be eager to attack.”

So Gideon took Purah and went down to the edge of the enemy camp. 12 The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore—too many to count! 13 Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!”

14 His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!”

15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!”

Now, that might not make sense to you, so let me explain. God is encouraging the fearful Gideon before battle by letting him overhear the conversation of his enemies. This conversation reveals a dream one of the enemy soldiers had. In that dream, their entire camp was destroyed by a barley bread. Barley bread was only eaten by the poor. This barley bread represented humble nobodies, and the humble nobodies were about to destroy them.

What Gideon heard was the enemy, who was 400 times bigger than him and far more equipped than him, speaking FEAR. They were AFRAID of him. And this was the encouragement Gideon needed to go back to his tiny army of warriors and say, “Get up! The Lord has given us victory!!!!!”

Oh how I pray you can hear the conversation of the enemy right now about you. Satan is telling his demons, “Oh no, she got up today. She’s beat down, but darn if she didn’t get up again. She’s not giving up. Now, she’s reading God’s word and daring to grab ahold of His promises. She’s daring to believe she can do this with what little she has left. Oh no, God is on her side. She’s moving forward. We don’t stand a chance.”

That’s right, enemy. God is on my side. I’m not cowering down in fear. I won’t let you take what God has promised me for one more day. I may not have much and I may not do this perfectly, but God is going before me and I will show up for this battle.

What you have left is now small enough to be used by God. These are the odds he can really show himself in.

So, yes, little demons of Hell, you should scramble about in fear and confusion. Fight amongst yourselves and start destroying each other, you legion of demons. We are the girls with bad odds, showing up trusting in our big God, and we know this battle will end in the Lord’s victory!

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Have you ever asked God, “WHY is this happening?”

I have. I think we all have. It’s human nature to look at disappointing situations and wonder why the God who loves us and can change anything and everything he wishes, would allow these things to happen in our lives. God, why haven’t you changed this? In all this time, in all your ways, why has this suck continued to just suck?

Well here’s what I’m learning about God: When you ask God WHY something is happening, be prepared to be appointed to get involved.

Then, when God tells YOU to get involved, you’re going to have another question. Your next question is, “But God, why ME?” Did you ever stop to think maybe God chooses the ones to represent him in action because they’re the ones who cared enough to ask him why it’s happening?

Now, let’s see the questions play out in scripture. Judges chapter 6. Remember last week in episode #1912, “Season of Suck” we read of God’s people, the Israelites, who were under the oppression of their enemies the Midianites. Remember the Midianites were ruthless, stealing their crops and reducing God’s people to starvation. The Israelites are no longer living in their bountiful, overflowing Promised Land, they are hiding in on mountains in dark caves and in strongholds.

There, in their hiding, a young Israelite man is deep in a winepress threshing wheat. Let’s be clear, you don’t thresh wheat in a winepress. This young man was down in a hole, hiding his harvest so it too wouldn’t be taken by the enemy. He was likely desperate, hungry and fearful. He was doing what he could to survive. And there, in this place of hardship, he is called. Let’s read the story.

Judges 6: 11-16:

Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”

“Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, WHY has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”

There’s the WHY. Why is this happening? Gideon has grown up hearing the great stories of God’s miraculous works for his people, but he hasn’t seen them. He’s been hiding in caves, starving for 7 years now. God hasn’t shown up and rescued them the way he expected.

And maybe that’s the way you feel right now. God hasn’t show up and done what you expected him to do. He didn’t stop this. He hasn’t changed this. You’ve heard stories of how he’s done it before, so why isn’t he doing it now? Why would a good God allow this hardship to continue?

That’s a fair question. But just know, asking God ‘why’ may involve your participation in his plan of changing it. Perhaps the one bold enough to ask why is also the one God can trust to be bold enough to do something.

Verse 14, “Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

This is a real ‘oh crap’ moment. Oh wait, I wasn’t complaining about this because I wanted to be the one to do something about it. God, I just wanted you to fix it. I wanted to get you involved. And God says, “Yes, I am involved, now I’m involving YOU.”

Have you ever complained to God about a situation and God made you go first. You didn’t want to go first. You wanted God to bring a holy conviction on the OTHER person, change THEIR heart and make THEM go first, but instead he told you to go first. He involved you. He sent you?!!!!!

Yes, sister. God has heard your prayers about this. Now he’s responding. You go first. You get involved. You cared enough to bring it to him, now he’s bringing you to it. Face this. Let God change this THROUGH you!

Now honestly, I would much rather God just change this FOR me. I prefer when God has someone else go first. I like to be the recipient instead of the participant. But there are entirely too many people WANTING changes and not WILLING to go first in the change.

Go with the strength you have and do it. I am sending you, God says. But what if you don’t feel strong? What if you don’t know what you’re doing? What if you prefer the place of being the noticer who just complains, not the noticer who gets involved? Nope, God says YOU go with the strength you HAVE.

Verse 15, “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manaesseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”

Gideon is speaking the truth here. His family is part of a weak clan. They’re not warriors. They’re not trained. And of his entire family, he is the least. He’s likely the youngest, the one with the least influence or right to say anything. He knows no one would listen to him. He’s just a nobody.

Essentially, Gideon is saying, “God, you’ve got the wrong guy. I’m not it.” Whew, that sounds familiar. I’ve had that talk with God. Over 12 years after telling God I wasn’t his girl and there’s no way I could lead a daily devotional for more than 5 days, I’m still showing up every morning and writing devotionals. I thought I had a maximum of 5 in me … today is day #3,250.

That’s what happens when you tell God, “I’m not it.” He proves HE is it, THROUGH YOU.

No, Gideon, you are not a mighty warrior on your own, but with me, you will be.

No, Pamela, you can’t speak for me on your own, but with me, you can be my voice every morning.

And no, precious daughter of the King, you can not do this on your own, but with God, you’re going to!

Verse 16, The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

And that’s how it will happen. God will supernaturally strengthen you. God will miraculously equip you. God will divinely direct you.

NOW GO with THE STRENGTH YOU HAVE. You are being sent!

If you have strength to complain, then you have strength to praise. If you have strength to think about all the things that are wrong, you have strength to think about what could go right. If you have strength to get together a group of worriers, you have the strength to get together a group of believers. If you have strength to talk about the negative, then you have the strength to pray. If you have strength to walk, then you have strength to walk in a different direction. If you have strength to fight with someone, then you have strength to fight for someone.

You do have strength, now go with it. It’s you. You are being sent.

Whatever you’ve been complaining about, God is choosing you for. He wants to work through you to change things. He’s involving you. You are not dismissed. You’ve been hiding long enough.

We say, “God, it’s not me. I’m not the problem. I don’t know how to fix the problem. I’m not strong enough to change this. I’m not the one.”

To which God says, “GO IN THE STRENGTH YOU HAVE. I AM WITH YOU, AND THAT’S ENOUGH.”

It’s time to go with the strength you have and believe God is using you in this battle. The battle is not yours, it’s God’s. Don’t get all possessive. Stay humble here. But God is responding to your “Why” and he’s saying, “I’ve chosen you in this. Go with me.”

Where are you saying “It’s not me.” I’m not the problem. I’m not the one. I can’t do this. Hmmmm, it seems to me God is saying something different.

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