21 Days of Prayer and Fasting
Day 18
“No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17
This verse sounds similar to one we read a few days ago about dwelling in the shelter of the Most High. A place where nothing can touch me, and nothing can hurt me. I crave a sense of protection and a shelter from suffering. I am addicted to comfort. However, real life is very different. I often feel exposed, and experience the internal pains of suffering. I know all of scripture to be true, but how can this verse be true.
This verse does not promise an isolated protection. It promises a success at the end of the suffering. None of the enemy’s weapons can destroy me or prevent what God desires to do in my life. The weapons that do succeed and the tongues that do rise in judgment are ones that I have entertained and allowed into my life. I gave the weapons the power and permission to rule over me. I have believed the lies and given authority to others that rightfully belongs to God. I am my worst enemy.
I recently heard a man say, “Suffering is part of life. It is not if you will suffer, but what will you do with the suffering. It can make you better or crush you. If you choose to use suffering as a lesson for life, then the pain will end at some point, but the lesson will remain.”
The enemy attacks my life with pain and difficulty. He whispers his lies to try and destroy my life. I cannot escape any of that. I struggle with my sin nature, and my weakness offers the enemy a point of leverage where he can maximize his painful attacks. But God (the best words of Scripture may be “but God” because it means everything changes when God shows up). But God can use the enemy’s attacks and lies as a lesson for my life. It may be a painful lesson. But the key to the lesson is to seek God in the pain and not comfort. To retreat to protective comfort means I don’t want to learn from this suffering, I just want it to end. If I retreat, the pain will end one day, but I have learned more about comfort and less about God. Often in my life God has simply repeated the same lesson in order to teach me. I go through a similar pain, in order to learn what I need to learn.
My goal should be the heritage I want to leave as a servant of the Lord. Then I will embrace the lesson. I will accept what the Lord brings my way because I am His servant. I will pursue a path of spiritual growth and seek Him. I want my heritage to reflect the power of God to change a life like mine.
Prayer: Father God, You Word says that no weapon formed against me will prosper and I believe that is true. I believe that you can carry me through the worst of times. I believe You can take suffering and use it as a lesson to teach me more about You. The painful times cause me to look for You and cry out for You. Father God, I believe that You never waste a pain. Every tear I cry, You know about. In the end, it will all work for good and Your glory. So rather than looking for a shelter from the suffering, teach me in the suffering. One day the suffering will end. I want a heritage that glorifies You when it does. So teach me.