Rabbi Schneider - How to Live Above Your Circumstances
Many of us know David's words that are recorded for us in Psalm 23, where he said, "Lo, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me". It's really interesting to consider how the Lord tested David. We know David as a king and we know David as a worshiper. But did we ever think about all the testings that David had to go through before he could walk in that place of anointing that he walked in so that he could say with confidence, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me"?
Beloved, I want to encourage you today to practice the presence of God when you're facing a difficult circumstance in life as David did. David didn't write Psalm 23 in the midst of being on vacation. He wrote Psalm 23 when he was going through a difficult time. All of us face difficulties in our life. If you're not facing one now, it probably won't be too long until you do. And when you do face a difficult time, I want to encourage you to make that declaration: Father, even though I'm in the midst of this difficulty, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Beloved, God is calling you and I to live in faith above our circumstances. We need to learn to do this. God will specifically bring us into difficulty until we learn to do this. God is not going to pamper us in a bed of pillows for our whole life. He wants to raise us up to be mature sons and daughters, so we can walk with Him through the fire in faith. Let's not let our circumstances control us. Let's not let our emotions control us. Let's be controlled by faith. Wherever you are, God is with you. Wherever you go, God will be there.
I want to encourage you and I today, beloved, let's rise up and be warriors. Let's declare truth and faith over our lives, regardless of what we're facing and what our emotions are. And when we get through this beloved, when we pass this test, we're going to be sons and daughters that have been tried by the fire. And as a result of that, we'll be shining in the color and radiance of the Holy Spirit.