Many of you know that we spent the summer in the mountains. For two weeks we were in an “evacuation ready” status. The grass and the trees were dry, we’d had no rain and the conditions were right for lightning strikes.
One thing we were told to watch for were smoke plumes. If we saw smoke in an area where we hadn’t seen it before we were to notify our managers who would in turn relay the information to the Forest Service.
We were always on alert.
Oftentimes we experience the same conditions in our everyday life. We are emotionally dry, adverse circumstances come and we begin to smolder. The smoke plume is evidence that we may begin to burn. This isn’t a good sign but it’s something the Father knows how to correct. We alert Him to the danger we are experiencing.
“God, get up and scatter your enemies! May all your enemies run from you. 2 May your enemies be scattered like smoke blown away by the wind. May your enemies be destroyed
like wax melting in a fire. 3 But let good people be happy. Let them gather before God and enjoy themselves together.” Psalm 68:1-3 ERV
God scatters His enemies like smoke blown by the wind, scattered like the seeds of a dandelion, scattered like dust across the prairie. The Lord scatters our enemies, putting out the fire of contention and destruction and brings us to a place of joy.
One of the names the prophet Isaiah used when foretelling the coming of Christ was “Powerful God”, Mighty God.
“This will happen when the special child is born. God will give us a son who will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be “Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 ERV
Our powerful and mighty God is victorious in battle, able to defeat His enemies and also those who seek to do us harm. He has given us victory, He has scattered our enemies.
“ Loving God means obeying his commands. And God’s commands are not too hard for us, 4 because everyone who is a child of God has the power to win against the world. 5 It is our faith that has won the victory against the world. So who wins against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” I John 1:3-5 ERV
Our faith in Jesus and who He is and what He has done for us is what brings us to a place of victory. Our Mighty God, our loving Father stands with us against our enemies, (physical, emotional and spiritual). As we stand with Him, we can boldly proclaim “Let God arise and His enemies be scattered!
Not only will God Our Father blow away your enemies like smoke… but he will be with you should you be within the fire itself. Just look at how Jesus protected Shadrach, Meshach and Adebnego after King O Nebuchadnezzar ordered then to be thrown into the furnace. Jesus danced with them in the fire, protecting them from the flames of the burning fiery furnace. When the King looked into the furnace…. he saw FOUR men….Jesus was with them. Dancing in their faithfulness. May we hold close to our own hearts the fact that no matter the reason, when we find ourselves standing in the doorway of the furnace, that Jesus himself will be with us to dance in the flames. As he has promised, we will never stand (or dance) alone. Have a wonderfully blessed day.
Amen and Amen!