When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.
The first time I swam the full length of an Olympic size pool was at my university. My coach kept assuring me that I could do it, and he will be watching over me at the side of the pool. Even with all those assurances, when I reach the middle of the pool where there was a sharp drop in depth, I could not help but felt that I was all alone. The cool water enveloped me and my heart beat significantly faster. But one thing I knew was that, if I did not pass through this stage, I will never move on to the next. I will never know what it means to swim the full length of an Olympic size pool!
Some of us may not be fearful of death. However, many of us when going through testing, trials, waiting, pain or challenging situation, both in our inner struggles and external warfare, we find it most unnerving. Living in a fallen world, among imperfect sinners (even though some are redeemed), the Lord knows we will face challenges. Therefore He promises His presence when we pass through waters, rivers and fire. He promised His protection, so that we will not give up along the way.
Note that we are only “passing through”. It is not meant to last forever! Anti-God, anti-blessings occurrences are in the world we live in. That is one of the characteristics of the Anti-Christ. God uses suffering, which the enemy meant for evil, to work out His good purposes in us. He doesn’t need the enemy’s help, it simply means that in ALL circumstances, God is always having in mind our best interest!
How then, do we keep moving towards breakthrough? Know that our God who loves us will not abandon us. Open your heart to the Holy Spirit. Invite Him to pour God’s love into your heart, so that hope might be a reality in you.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)
- Ask the Lord to forgive you if you have given up too soon and too hastily when you were faced with challenges. Confess and repent of the times you may have been angry with God and even with yourself when you were going through difficult times.
- Open your heart and invite the Holy Spirit to come and fill you with God’s love, bring healings and restore hope.