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“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and God” – Psalm 42:5

July 7th 2019

Have you once experienced a setback? It’s a part of living on planet earth that we should experience setbacks. Chuck Swindoll described the Christian journey as “Three steps forward, two steps back.” How do we deal with those unforeseen events that seem to set us back in life? The action taken by David when his wives and children were kidnapped is often used to illustrate how to respond to a disappointment, crisis, or setback. You will recall that Saul became the number 1 enemy of David as soon as David was anointed a king over Israel. David ran away from home, hiding away from Saul so that Saul would not find him or kill him. It is also noteworthy that David was also afraid of killing Saul because Saul was the Lord’s anointed. In order to overcome his problems, David joined forces with the Philistines against Israel his people. This was at a time when the Philistines decided to fight against Israel. The action of David by joining forces with the Philistines was not good at all. As you may recall, the Philistines were the arch enemies of the Israelite. However, the Philistines being afraid that David might turn against them in the course of the battle, decided to send David away. David had no choice but to return to his people hoping to begin a normal life once again. But he was wrong; on returning home, they met the city burnt, and their wives and children were taken captives. This was a great disaster and a major setback for David and his men. They had just lost everything they ever worked and lived for! What would you do if you hit an unexpected reversal of fortune as David and his men encountered in the above passage? For instance, what would anyone do if he suddenly loses a close relation in a car or plane crash, or even in the course of an ill-health? What would you do when you had thought you might get a promotion, some kind of elevation and instead, you get laid off or even rejected outright? Many of the challenges we face in life do not have to destroy us, rather, they should strengthen us to greater heights. We must respond to these things in a godly way like David did (Ref. 1 Samuel 30). Some of the things David did are templates for us in times of crisis. Although David had wept, like a man after God’s own heart, he took solace and courage in God and His promises. David encouraged himself in the LORD….” He found strength in the Lord. So also we must do in times of crisis. Believe in God and his promises. Take the decision to move forward. Next,

David INQUIRED of the Lord. He wanted to know the way forward for him.
David lived thereafter in obedience to God after everything. David encouraged himself in the LORD….” He found strength in the Lord
David did not blame anyone for his travails. Therefore, you must do likewise. When you blame others for your woes, you lose alignment with divine blessings as well as the focus on the solution to your problem.

When a crisis happens in your life, take a little time and collect your thoughts. Remind yourself of the Lord’s faithfulness. Encourage yourself in the Lord; ask God to reveal to you what lessons there are to learn from the bad events that happened to you. And then ASK God what to do next! Ask for His wisdom and His consolation. Don’t assume you know what needs to be done next – you might be wrong in your assessments. The good news is that David recovered everything that was taken away from him, especially his two wives and children. Now it’s your turn to experience the hands of God in your life. What has the devil stolen from you that need to be recovered? Are there family members in bondage that need to be set free? Are there financial breakthroughs that need to happen? Is the devil trying to rob you of your health, promotion or of relationships? Look up to Jesus, and take the steps that David took during his travails.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ rescue me from the hands of demons and give me the power and grace to experience a way forward in my life. AMEN

FURTHER READING: John 10:10

Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi

Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi was born in Nigeria to Patrick Abuda Obeakemhe and Juliana Fatimatu Obeakemhe, both from Ogbona Town. With a master’s degree in law, she was called to the bar at the age of twenty-two, and she is currently the principle partner of the law firm Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi & Associates. She is also the founder of two philanthropic organizations: the Living Waters Mission and the Rose Croix Foundation. In addition to law, Lawrence-Dokpesi was drawn to spiritual pursuits at an early age, having begun studying philosophy, theology, chaplaincy, and spirit therapy by the age of eighteen. Inspired by her spiritual calling, she has produced ten intensively researched manuscripts on spiritual matters. Although Understanding the Spiritual was the last to be written, it is the first to be published. Lawrence-Dokpesi is a mother and a wife living in the city of Abuja, Nigeria.