Mighty To Save

Fear the Lord, follow His ways, and become mighty as you are filled with the Holy Spirit.

“All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over…David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him. These were the chiefs of David’s mighty warriors—they, together with all Israel, gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the Lord had promised— this is the list of David’s mighty warriors: Jashobeam…raised his spear against three hundred men…Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty…David put him in charge of his bodyguard.” 1 Chronicles 11:1-25

Do you want more power in your life? Would you like to level up and leave a legacy? Believe in the power of God and make room for more of His presence. David grew in power. Many people do not understand that growing in power takes practice, trust, and more of God’s presence. How are you practicing your gifts and purifying your heart to create space for more of His presence?

We like promotions and elevated authority, but take note of God’s process. Before David became king, he made a covenant with the people. It goes back to the old adage that no one cares what you know or can do until they know you care and are committed to them. Are you committed to Christ? Before He will lift you up, He needs to know you will love Him and live out His commands.

No one wins alone. David was filled with God’s presence and filled his life with courageous, faithful people. The mighty men were not afraid. They stood when others fled, they fought when the enemy attacked, and they approached life with the expectation that with God they could win every battle. Is this how you feel?

God wants you to be mighty. He does not make mistakes, nor will He ever leave you forsaken. He is with you and for you. He wants to empower and equip you with the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. God made you to be brave and believe. Are you ready to do battle? What good is it for God to empower someone who wants to sit on the sidelines? Are you ready to let God do great things in and through you?

“Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world, both low and high, rich and poor alike: My mouth will speak words of wisdom…Why should I fear…People, despite their wealth, do not endure; They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; for they will take nothing with them when they die, People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.” Psalms 49:1-20

David makes a clear contrast between the wise and the foolish. His son, Solomon, said the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. David said to listen to wisdom and not look to those who cannot redeem you for strength. Look to God alone.

How often do we turn our focus away from God? If spending time with God makes us strong, what does ignoring Him do? David said do not be overawed by wealth. What happens to our hearts when our focus is on what others have or what we want rather than on drawing closer to God? We lose our might. We lose our power. If you feel weak, perhaps the call today is to change your focus and make room for more of God’s presence.

David said the upright will rise. The truth is, you were never meant to live a static life. You are not meant to be the same person next year that you are right now. We are meant to grow and rise as we practice the presence of God and learn to apply the power at work within us to each day of our lives.

“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come…before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark…and the strong men stoop…the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; Remember him—before the silver cord is severed…and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:1-14

God wants to change your perspective, and it starts with remembering that your time on Earth is finite. Your strength will fade, your hearing will fade, your eyesight will fade, and all your senses will fade. Perhaps they already have, and you recognize your time is short. The point is to look beyond the present moment so you see with an eternal perspective. We all came from God, are made by God, and will stand before God. Knowing this, perhaps we should live for God.

The wisest man to have ever lived wrote a great one-liner. The conclusion of the matter is to fear the Lord and follow His commands. Honor God and live with the wholeness and holiness of how He tells us to live.

He is God. You are not. He gets to decide what is right and whether we are upright in His eyes. He gives commands, and we have a duty. It is an interesting connection to consider the term duty in light of the passage about the mighty men of David. God not only wants you to do your duty, but He wants you to do it well.

God tells us that we have a job to do, and thankfully, He tells us He will do the heavy lifting if we give Him our hearts. He makes it clear we will be held to account while giving us the power to perform at a high level. He does not want us to fail the test, so we will see in Acts how God sets us up for success. Have you considered your role in serving the King? Are you ready to stand before Him?

“The army of the king of Babylon was then besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was confined in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace of Judah…Buy my field at Anathoth, because as nearest relative it is your right and duty to buy it.’..Great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. You performed signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day…They turned their backs to me and not their faces; though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline…I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.” Jeremiah 32:2-41

The text takes a turn from mighty men to admiring Almighty God. Jeremiah said great and mighty are Your deeds. Signs and wonders have been seen before and will be seen again. He buys a field in the midst of a siege because he believes the power of God is greater than the forces working against them.

Jeremiah had the same heart as the mighty men who took a stand in the field when everyone else fled. Will you? When the tides of culture and the ways of the world are screaming out for you to be afraid or abandon the kingdom ship, will you take a stand? Will you share the good news and proclaim the power of God?

Have you taken time to praise how great God is? Where have you seen Him do a mighty thing in your life? Solomon said we should remember our Creator. Remember how great and mighty He is. Fearing the Lord is more about standing in awe and wonder before our God, who is unlike any other.

You will not be perfect in your practice or in pursuing God. He knows this. He made you. He already sees and recognizes your weaknesses. God brings everything back to covenant relationship. Just like David made a covenant, God says He will bring a new covenant that we know comes through Christ to all people, that they would have singleness of heart, fear Him, and follow His ways.

God is love, and it is out of His great love for us that He buys us back, redeeming us like Jeremiah redeemed the field. It is His right as our Creator. God said He rejoices in doing good for us and helping us prosper. Jesus said the same thing when He said He wants us to find eternal life, a Zoe life, the life empowered by the Holy Spirit. Are you ready for a change? Are you ready to grow and be guided by God into a deeper, more powerful relationship where you are empowered to be mighty?

“He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised…For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem…Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” Acts 1:3-14

Jesus said you will have power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. Paul said to the Corinthians that the life of faith is not a matter of words, but of power. You were made to be mighty. Jesus did not say you might be able to do some things, or that it is possible that if you get the words right in your prayer, you can squeeze out a couple of cool moments. No. He said you will have power as the Holy Spirit is upon you.

The text said David became more powerful as the Lord was with him. It was not accidental nor unintentional. He and the mighty men practiced their gifts and put their power to work. The text says the disciples, Jesus’ mighty men and women, gathered to pray. They prepared their hearts for power that comes from more of God’s presence. How much time will you spend in prayer today?

One thing about God is He gives you what you need at your place of need. But if you never put yourself in a position to need power, is it any wonder you do not see signs or wonders? We are people who should pray for the sick, intercede for others, plant seeds of generosity, live by faith, and pursue intimacy so we can deepen the relationship that is our everlasting covenant.

You have a duty. There is work to do. You were not given the Holy Spirit simply to make your life more comfortable or to rest on your laurels. Jesus said you were given power to witness. The Greek word is martyr. It involves being willing to sacrifice yourself and take a stand so that others would be saved.

The mighty man or woman of God knows life is not about making a name for yourself, but about lifting up the name of Jesus. You are not where you are by accident. Who will you help today? Where will you take a stand or stand up for someone in need? Who can you pray with or fight for in prayer?

We know how the story on Earth ends. We die, but the upright will rise. Before we put a bow on the gift of our time and before our bodies fade, remember to always fear the Lord and follow His ways. Seek His presence and put yourself in a position to need His power. You are not mighty in your own strength. You are mighty because the mighty God makes you so as He fills your heart and His love flows through you. One day you will stand before Him. Decide today how you want that day to go.

There is a song called by Mighty To Save that you might enjoy along with this post! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCZ3Kcl4uEQ&list=RDiCZ3Kcl4uEQ&start_radio=1