Habakkuk 3:17-19 - How To Rejoice In The Lord Always.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 - How To Rejoice In The Lord Always.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NLT) Even though the fig trees have no
blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop
fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die
in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will
rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! 19 The
Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able
to tread upon the heights.
Habakkuk saw injustice and violence, misery, and sin all
around him. He had cried to God for help, but no help had come. in
fact, the Lord told Habakkuk things were going to get worse - he was
raising up the cruel Babylonians to oppress the Israelites even more.
How can you let them get away with this evil? Why aren't you doing
anything about this? Habakkuk cried. God did not change the situation as
Habakkuk had asked. He didn't drive out their enemies. But he did reveal
his plan to eventually foil those who trust in themselves and
succeed because of corruption. When God laid out the big picture and
told Habakkuk of the victory to come, the prophet was so humbled and
awed by the Lord's greatness that something even more important did
change: Habakkuk's heart. He didn't stop asking for the Lord's help, but
now he asked with faith and a heart of worship: No matter how bad
things get, "I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be joyful in the God of
my salvation." Ask God to build that kind of heart in you ... no
matter what.
LORD, I have "heard all about you, and am filled with awe by
the amazing things you have done." In our time of deep need, begin
again to help us as you did in years gone by. Show us your power to
save us! No matter what happens, whether I see prayers unanswered or
victories, may my heart rejoice in you. I will find my joy in you, for you
are my strength! [Praying Through The Bible By Fuller re Hab. 3:2,
17, 18]
If you feel hopeless, helpless, or powerless - unable to deal
with people or problems and on the verge of exhaustion - take heart
in the prophet Habakkuk's stirring conclusion to his short book.
Knowing that a savage army of Babylonians would soon plunder
and pillage his homeland, Habakkuk recited a litany of probable
destruction. Times would be hard. Food would be scarce. An agrarian culture's
source of income would soon dry up and blow away (Hab. 3:17).
Yet despite this disheartening scenario, Habakkuk penned an
amazing response: "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God
of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet
like deer's feet, and he will make me walk on my high hills" (Hab.
3:18, 19).
Where did the prophet find such hope in the face of such
terrible calamity? For one thing, clearly he had been spending time in
God's Word. His expression of faith closely echoes the words of David,
uttered centuries before: "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my
deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the
horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who
is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies" (Ps.
18:2, 3).
For another thing, Habakkuk had been spending a lot of time
alone with God. His whole book is a record of his extended
conversation with the Creator about the way the Lord does things. Habakkuk
did not always understand (or particularly like) what he heard from
God, but he recognized that the Lord knows what He's doing and so he
chose to place his trust in Him.
When the outlook looks grim, Christ is your strength. When
the circumstances seem volatile, Christ is your stability. When the
future appears foreboding, Christ remains your hope. The strength of
Christ is both inexhaustible and immeasurable--and it is yours to
receive.
God delights in upholding the weary and reviving the
fainthearted (Is. 40:29-31). Your reservoir of emotional and physical energy
may feel nearly drained, but God's supply of spiritual stamina never
runs out. Come to Him and His Word for the strength to carry on, and
He will supply the power you need to traverse the rough terrain
ahead. That's His promise, and God always keeps His promises. [Life
Principles SB By Charles Stanley re Hab. 3:17-19]
Anybody can be joyful if circumstances are going well. The
real test is whether we can be like Habakkuk, rejoicing that God is
our Savior even when life is heartbreaking and God seems silent.
It's natural to pay more attention to a broken arm than to
all the parts of our bodies that aren't broken. We're hardwired to
do that. Unfortunately, this trait makes us prone to focus on
whatever is going wrong in our lives rather than on the solid truths
about God that haven't changed.
If you've been swamped by negative circumstances, take some
time out and think about God being your Savior, healer, and redeemer.
No matter what obstacles are in your path, he promises the gift of
his presence and the comfort of his never-ending love. Rejoice
because God is your Savior and his mercies are new every morning. [The
Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional]
Remember that joy is not dependent on your circumstances.
Some of the world's most miserable people are those whose
circumstances seem the most enviable. People who reach the top of the ladder
career-wise are often surprised to find emptiness awaiting them. True Joy is
a by-product of living in My Presence. Therefore you can
experience it in palaces, in prisons. . . anywhere.
Do not judge a day as devoid of Joy just because it contains
difficulties. Instead, concentrate on staying in communication with Me. Many
of the problems that clamor for your attention will resolve
themselves. Other matters you must deal with, but I will help you with them.
If you make problem-solving secondary to the goal of living close
to Me, you can find Joy even in your most difficult days. (Hab.
3:17-19; 1Ch. 16:27) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
A thankful attitude opens windows of heaven. Spiritual
blessings fall freely onto you through those openings into eternity.
Moreover, as you look up with a grateful heart, you get glimpses of Glory
through those windows. You cannot yet live in heaven, but you can
experience foretastes of your ultimate home. Such samples of heavenly fare
revive your hope. Thankfulness opens you up to these experiences, which
then provide further reasons to be grateful. Thus, your path becomes
an upward spiral: ever increasing in gladness.
Thankfulness is not some sort of magic formula; it is the
language of Love, which enables you to communicate intimately with Me. A
thankful mind-set does not entail a denial of reality with its plethora
of problems. Instead, it rejoices in Me, your Savior, in the midst
of trials and tribulations. I am your refuge and strength, an
ever-present and well-proved help in trouble. (Hab. 3:17, 18; Psa. 46:1)
[Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY:
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2014/20140219-1630.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDY:
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
LINKS FOR PROPHECY SEMINARS
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
http://www.lastdayofprophecy.com/
[March 21-26, 2016: Charlotte, NC in person with live streaming
and multiple outreach locations]
Revelation Today by Pastor John Bradshaw:
https://revelationtoday.com/other-streams/
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
