In The Fire
It’s almost as if each day of my life inherently includes a different adventure. This could be a direct result of the fact that I have three daughters, all under the age of ten. The youngest is one year old, and the oldest is nine years old. They tend to keep my wife and me incredibly fatigued while training us to celebrate the seemingly small wins in life that are very large in their eyes. One biggest of those small wins happened where it usually happens, in the backyard of our home with bugs and insects everywhere. It’s the usual suspects: bugs, flying bugs, and small panicked children. On this episode of “dad kills scary bug,” my middle daughter, Logyn, wanted me to head to the laundry room where the paralyzed insect was. I grabbed her hand, and we walked to the laundry room together. What she didn’t realize was that the insect was already dead.
Recently, Pastor Aaron Kennedy began his sermon with a point about the Apostle Peter and his powerful conversation with Jesus over breakfast. Like all of us, Peter wanted Jesus to fix his circumstance (like He always did) and change the outlook of his future. All the while, Jesus was saying, “I want you to face it.”
In Isaiah 43:2, it says “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you when you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” Though an Old Testament promise, it’s a reality today for those who are new covenant believers. Through the prophet Isaiah, God says, “Regardless of what you face, I promise to be with you to face it.”
We have a promise from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we will be accompanied by Him in the fire. We have a guarantee from the Creator and sustainer of all things that He won’t allow the waters to overwhelm us. I believe that when we choose to hold the hand of our heavenly Father and “face it,” we see something we hadn’t seen before. He brings peace in the turmoil we hadn’t faced and uncontained joy in discouragement we hadn’t yet experienced. He shows us very clearly that the enemy is convincingly defeated, fear has been driven out by his love, and death has no sting. When we choose to lean into His love, He shows us the bug has already been conquered, and even the valley of death has a pathway forward, for those accompanied by the great Helper.
Journal/Activation: For this week, write down the fear that you want God to walk with you through. Phrase it this way – “Lord, I thank you that you‘re with me in/with/_______.”
Prayer Prompt: Every morning this week, say this confession and note what the Holy Spirit says through the day by the end of the week.
Recently, Pastor Aaron Kennedy began his sermon with a point about the Apostle Peter and his powerful conversation with Jesus over breakfast. Like all of us, Peter wanted Jesus to fix his circumstance (like He always did) and change the outlook of his future. All the while, Jesus was saying, “I want you to face it.”
In Isaiah 43:2, it says “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you when you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” Though an Old Testament promise, it’s a reality today for those who are new covenant believers. Through the prophet Isaiah, God says, “Regardless of what you face, I promise to be with you to face it.”
We have a promise from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we will be accompanied by Him in the fire. We have a guarantee from the Creator and sustainer of all things that He won’t allow the waters to overwhelm us. I believe that when we choose to hold the hand of our heavenly Father and “face it,” we see something we hadn’t seen before. He brings peace in the turmoil we hadn’t faced and uncontained joy in discouragement we hadn’t yet experienced. He shows us very clearly that the enemy is convincingly defeated, fear has been driven out by his love, and death has no sting. When we choose to lean into His love, He shows us the bug has already been conquered, and even the valley of death has a pathway forward, for those accompanied by the great Helper.
Journal/Activation: For this week, write down the fear that you want God to walk with you through. Phrase it this way – “Lord, I thank you that you‘re with me in/with/_______.”
Prayer Prompt: Every morning this week, say this confession and note what the Holy Spirit says through the day by the end of the week.
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