6-26-18 The First 15

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The Weekly Overview Our heavenly Father is the giver of every good gift. His mercies are vast, powerful, and real. His love has the ability to completely overwhelm and satisfy every one of our needs. Everything he gives us satisfies, transforms, and leads us to abundant life. As we spend this week stirring up our affections toward God, allow your heart to become soft and open. Allow his loving character to draw you close and provide life to every dry and weary place in your soul. The Scripture “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.” - Psalm 32:7 The Worship Experience Artist: Rita Springer Song: Defender The Devotional Our God, who delivered Daniel from the clutches of ferocious lions, David from countless pursuers, Israel from the entire nation of Egypt, and Lazarus from three days of death, promises to deliver us from whatever schemes the world has set against us. 2 Samuel 22:2-4 says, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” When we call upon the Lord our God, he works in mighty, mysterious, and perfect ways. God is perfectly able to do any and every work it takes to deliver us. Whether you need deliverance from sin, affliction, lies, or sickness, God has the power and desire to deliver you. He is both mighty and loving. He is both mysterious and real. He is both servant and King. And he sees your need and longs to meet you exactly where you are. What enemy comes against you today? What stress, circumstance, sickness, or sin seems to have entangled you? The Lord says to you, “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation” (Psalm 91:14-16). Hold fast to the hand of your heavenly Father. Don’t just put your head down and muscle through whatever circumstance is before you. Instead, call on your Great Deliverer, place your hand in his, and allow him to guide you, equip you, and empower you for whatever stands in your way. God loves to take the very circumstance that seemed insurmountable and use it to reveal to you the reality of his power and love. He loves to take the walls of Jericho that seem to stand between you and your dreams and cast down the enemy that you couldn’t defeat on your own. Psalm 32:7 says, “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.” God is surrounding you with his shouts today. The question is, will you have the patience and faith to pause, open your ears, listen, and follow wherever he leads you? Spend time in prayer allowing God to deliver you, protect you, comfort you, guide you, and give you peace. The Prayer 1. Meditate on God’s desire and ability to deliver you from whatever lies before you today. “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:17-18 “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.” Psalm 34:7 “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.” Psalm 32:7 2. Reflect on your own life. Where do you need deliverance today? Ask the Spirit to give you revelation about an area from which he wants to deliver you. 3. Spend time in God’s presence opening your ears to hear all that he would speak to you. Ask God to deliver you. Pray boldly that your heavenly Father would come through for you in mighty and miraculous ways. Keep your eyes open today to take notice of all the different ways God answers your prayer. James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” God will deliver you because he loves you, and his nature does not change. If he delivered Lazarus, the Israelites, David, and Daniel, he will deliver you. Have confidence in the love and power of your heavenly Father today. Extended Reading: Psalm 34 CRAIG DENISON is the author and founder of First15, a daily devotional guiding tens of thousands of believers into a fresh experience with God's presence every day. He writes, speaks, and he and his wife, Rachel lead worship to help believers establish a more tangible, meaningful connection with God.