Watch Me Go Through This
Delivered by Bishop Charles C Jones
Text: Habakkuk 3:19: The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
Our lives are constantly on display. People are always watching how you go through your problems and they are watching how you respond to adversity. Even though at times they may not understand, the truth is they respect the fact that you keep showing up when life is at its worst.
I believe that God uses situations like this to allow us to become evangelistic.
Life at times is UNPREDICTABLE.
As the song writer says, “time or life is filled with swift transition ”.
We must recognize that our trials are not about us, but about other people. Through your trials, God may be creating a situation to allow your response to be a testimony to someone else. As we look at our text we see how Habakkuk the minor prophet, in the midst of defeating life's reality,he shares with us his unfailing source of strength and confidence in which ultimately leads to his necessary satisfaction and contentment in the Lord Himself. The strength God gives Habakkuk say's is like the power found in the feet of a deer, a gazelle, or any active, swift- footed animal. Much as a deer can quickly abound through a dark forest, so the prophet said he could move joyfully through difficult circumstances. Though his legs trembled (v. 16) at the awesome theophany of God, that same Lord was His joy (v. 18), strength (v. 19), and assurance.
Furthermore, God enabled the prophet to walk on the heights. Not only would he abound through trials; he would also climb to the mountaintops of victory and triumph.
Can I tell you something?
It is important how you reply in your situation. Cause what you are going thru was designed for the glory of God. God only gets the glory if you go thru your situation like you should. You got to keep your head together when others around you are losing their minds. We have to go thru our trials and tribulations giving God the glory so that others will know that He is able.
If someone is watching you go through your trails, will they know that God is able?
The bible declares that in verse 17, they are going through some touchy circumstances.
Habakkuk 3:17-18:
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, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
I. How do we respond?
1. How you respond to your situation speaks of your relationship with God. In the scripture (verses 17-18), they were going through a drought. The bible says instead of complaining or giving up, they simply acknowledged the situation. It is alright to acknowledge what you are going through in order to use it as point of reference, so that when God delivers us, we can say look where He brought me from.
The main thing is not to stay there.
2. It is ok to acknowledge our problem(s), but don’t be in denial about them either.
Many of us are living with conflicting realities, for example when you end up with more month than money or more problems than answers. What do you do in a situation like this? Just because you are in a drought doesn’t mean you have to doubt God.
3. What do you do with conflicting realities like we find in verse 17? Verse 18 says rejoice! You have got to come to the yet in your life, which means God hasn’t delivered you yet. But....I am going to trust you and I am going to praise you no matter what others do, because Lord! It is about what you are going to do. So I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
4. We must:
a. Rebel against the circumstances.
We might be in a recession, but we refuse to participate in the recession. As children of God, we rebel against every attempt the enemy has made to derail our destiny.
b. You have got to Rejoice in your covering. If you get a revelation from a sermon, you ought to be thankful for your covering. God sends a tailor made word just for you through your Pastor.
c. Revelation of covenant. We must rejoice in the God of our salvation. In the text, we see the people believed in the practice of Soteriology or the thought that one needs to be saved. However, in their situation, they realized that through their resources, they could not save themselves.
People call 911, because what is in their medicine cabinet is not enough.In other words its not doing the job alone. Just like this it is not enough to rely on ourselves. If the people that are in the text are going to come out of their situation, it has to be God that brings them out. God is our 911. We know that if God brings them out, he can bring us out. How we respond while going though our situation says a lot.You really dont have time to be tripping. If there was a witness this morning that could testify I believe Job would stand up and say,"I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. Job 19:25 (NIV)
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:Job 13:15a But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (KJV) Job 23:10
5. What does God do while we are waiting on him? When we get through going through the motion of saying he is able, the fact still remains that the money still isn’t in the bank. What do we do then? We refer to the next point.
II. He restores our strength.
1. The Lord God is our strength.
Circumstances can drain us. Sometimes as saved people, we try to act like we don’t know what it feels like to be tired. The truth is that it is hard trying to help others,especially when your trying to make them think that all is well, yet you all the while you are drained. You have to realize that the Lord God is your strength.You can appreciate his strength when you
acknowledge his dominion or power in your life.
2. God has the power to change your circumstance. You didn’t get into school, because you were always doing what was right. You didn’t get that job, because you always did right either. Sometimes you just got in by default. You tried other things and it didn’t work and then finally you decided to try the Lord.
3. We must know:
a. God is active around us!
b. We must acknowledge God’s abundance.
When you say something behind your name, it simply leaves a question mark.
Example: Charles is? If someone said this, your answer would be, Charles is what?
When you say the Lord is, it answers the question that was asked. He not only gives peace, He is our peace. When we recognize that the Lord God is! It gives us determination. Just when you think you can’t take any more, thats when God steps in.
4. God has indicators that let us know that we need Him.
I remember one time while driving that i recieved a phone call from a close friend. While talking to him I noticed that my phone started beeping.My phone was trying to tell me that I needed to end the call or else it was going to die on me. This was an indicator that I needed to plug my phone up to a source of power so that it could be recharged. I dont know who im speaking to this morning but you are about to get recharged. Your weakness or lack of strength is an indicator for you to recharge or get plugged into your source of power.
We give God the glory, because he restores our strength.
III. He raises my status
1. God will raise your status while you are praising Him. He will not leave you where He found you. You need people around you that are willing to empower you. If they are not willing to empower you, then they are not your friends. Iron sharpens iron. The prophet says God will make a demand upon your life.
2. In verse 19, God wants the best for us. This is a metaphor that is talking about the red female deer or the gazelle. The gazelle is a creature that is used as an example of what God does with us. 19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights
3. Hinds feet mentioned in this scripture were prepared for:
a. Steep climbs.
b. which allowed the gazelle to be swift.
c. which also allowed the gazelle to be stable. God says what I let you go through in verse 17, was designed for your destiny.
Habakkuk 3:17
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.
As you responded accordingly, God is going to make your feet like hinds feet.
Feet deal with purpose or destiny Ex-The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…or … How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. The devil tries to tell you that you will stay in your situation in verse 17. Remember we are rebels. We rebel against things of the world. If we have destination to get to, then we issue over how God will move us from 17 to 19. How will God get us from barrenness to having the blessing so the gazelle? While we were trusting in God to be our strength, he gave us something that we could not give ourselves. When everyone else is looking at other obstacles, God makes our feet like hinds feet. We are able or have the ability to go higher. We are able to see what others can’t see. The next time you see me I will be at another altitude. You can see yourself overcoming obstacles. Many of you can testify that it takes hinds feet to make it where you work at.
d. Made us Swift. God makes the gazelle fast and swift enough to overcome obstacles. So fast one moment you can look up and they are there, but the next minute they are gone. There are some things you are believing God for. You have been so faithful; God is going to do a swift turn around for you.
e. Hinds feet are also stable. They can go to rough terrain and still be stable. This generation is so unstable; God will bless those who are stable. God will honor stability. God will make you ruler over much. God allowed you to go through this for his glory. This is just a test for building up for who you will become.
Watch Me Go Through This!
Habakkuk was about to "go under" when he started this book. Destruction, violence, strife, conflict, injustice, and wickedness were all he could see. But he cried out to God and his cry did not go unheeded. The Lord not only answered his complaint but also provided the confidence needed to lift him from the quagmire. Habakkuk started in the pits, but ended on the mountaintop. His journey was not exactly an easy one, but it was certainly worth it.
Help Me Holy Ghost!
