Morning by Morning, November 28 - For the Cause!
"And David said, ... 'Is there not a cause?'" (1 Samuel 17:29 NKJV)
The armies of Israel and their king were trembling in fear before the Philistine giant, Goliath. But David was stirred in his spirit with passion for the honor of his people and with faith in the power of his God. "Is there not a cause?" was his battle cry. "Is there not reason to arise and shine, to walk by faith, to move in the power of God, trusting in the victory of His will?" was the declaration of his heart. "Then David said to Saul, 'Let no man's heart fail because of (this giant); your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.... The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine" (v. 32-37).
While others were trembling in fear, paralyzed by the puniness of their faith in the face of their enemies, David ran to the battle. His cause was to be the one, by power of the grace of God "who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel," saying "who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (v. 26)
Full of faith and inspired by the power of Your Spirit, David's heart would not fail and David's aim would not miss. Neither did his words fall to the ground unfulfilled. "David said to the Philistine, 'You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel! Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands! (v. 45-47)
With a cause in his heart and confidence in his spirit, "David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and stuck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth!" (v. 49) "And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursed the Philistines" (v. 51-52).
Lord, let there be a cause in me. Stir up my faith, inspire me and empower me by Your Spirit. Give my life meaning and purpose, with a strong sense of direction, to honor Your name and advance Your kingdom through my life each day. Give me courage to face my giants and faith to speak Your Word with authority through my words and my actions that inspire others to remember their identity and fulfill their destiny.
"Is there not a cause?" ... Yes, there is! It is the cause of Christ. It is the cause of the truth and power and love of the Kingdom of God being made manifest here in my heart and here in my world, on earth as it is in heaven. And by the Spirit of Christ, arising and shining through me, I can say with You, "For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth" (John 18:37 NKJV). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you are stirred up and running to battles the Lord sets before you today, inspired and empowered by His Spirit for the cause of His glory, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friend!
I invite you to join with me on the spiritual journey of hungering and thirsting for more with a couple of my books I believe I've been led to write and to share:
A Deeper Journey to Healing and Freedom
A Deeper Journey to Intimacy in Prayer
God bless you and thank you for joining with me in the journey!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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