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Have you ever experienced the God of Suddenly? Think back to a time when you were in a bind, then you prayed and suddenly, everything was different. The situation turned around and you went from frowning to smiling from ear to ear. That's what happens when we encounter the God of Suddenly. He is an expert in instantly changing a situation so that you experience a 180-degree transformation.
He did that for the Israelites in Egypt. One day, they were slaves and the next, the Egyptians were showering them with gifts of gold, silver, and clothing (Exodus 12:35-36).
He did that with Joseph. One day he was a prisoner and the next, he was running the kingdom of Egypt for Pharaoh.
He did that for Esther. One day her people were on the verge of extinction then the next, they were safe and the one who'd wanted them dead perished instead.
God is in the business of doing things suddenly. He has promised that suddenly your enemies will be no more. They will simply vanish. You will look for them but will not find them (Isaiah 41:12). His word states in Isaiah 29:5-8 - But your many enemies will become like fine dust, the ruthless hordes like blown chaff. Suddenly, in an instant, the LORD Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire. He has vowed to show up suddenly for His own.
Hannah was known as a barren woman before becoming the mother of many children. The Lord has promised that as He did it for her, He will suddenly erase the season of barrenness from your life.
He's the God who is committed to taking you from the wilderness into the land of milk and honey. And He'll do it suddenly so that you will be like those who thought they were dreaming when He restored the glory of Jerusalem (Psalm 126:1).
The individuals above have one thing in common - they each honored God. He can't resist showing up suddenly for those who do the same. If you obey His commands, submit to His will, study His word, and live for Him (albeit imperfectly), then He wants to do the suddenly for you. And if you haven't lived for the Lord and don't even know if He really exists, you are also the sort of person He desires to give a suddenly-moment to. That is if you are interested.
What are you going through that needs the God of Suddenly to show up? Prayerfully ask Him to make an appearance. Now, beware! God decides when and for whom He will do the suddenly for. All we get to do is ask in faith, but we cannot force Him to move. That said, He reserves His best for His children and will not move for the wicked (John 9:31). Nor will He honor detestable prayers. If you are seeking a suddenly-moment that will not serve His purpose or glorify Him, He reserves the right to not move for you.
I say these things to set expectations based on God's word. Sometimes people are surprised that their prayers aren't answered but they fail to realize that just as they have expectations of God, He has expectations of them. And when those expectations are not met, delayed answers can be the result. So please use this opportunity to get right with God and become rooted in Christ. Acknowledge Him and submit. Repent of your sins. Forgive those who have hurt or offended you. Turn from your wicked ways of New Age 'Spirituality', yoga, occult, lying, pettiness, revenge, and those things that don't please Him to experience His suddenly. God wants to help you leave these and other sins in the past. Let Him.
My prayer is that you shall encounter the God of Suddenly and that He will do exceedingly and abundantly more than you asked for or imagined. I pray my God of miracles will show up big for you all, IJMN Amen.
And because today is our 400th P&P, let's share some of our favorite P&P messages, teachings, or prayers that we have experienced in this community. Welcome to P&P 400, the day to see the God of Suddenly!
You can learn more by reading:
At some point, you have declared your trust in God. Arguably, every Christian has done so. You've likely done it through singing along to a song, saying lyrics such as "My trust is in You" or "I will trust You, Lord." And there's a high probability that you've also declared this in your prayers.
It's all part of the Christian experience. Once an individual submits to Christ and makes His Father, God, their Commander in Chief, they become a magnet for trouble. This is because satan wants every believer to regret choosing God. It wants the individual to think their life before Christ was easier so that they slip backward, instead of forward, in their faith.
Thus, Christians beleaguered with opposition, will eventually have to declare their trust in God. Not just as a warning shot to the devil but also as a battle cry that encourages and reinforces God's faithfulness and their confidence in deciding to walk with Him for the rest of their lives.
However, how should Christians show that they actually trust the Lord? Is this just a matter of words or is there something else they need to do?
The Bible provides the insight needed on this issue. Isaiah 26:8 - LORD, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name (NLT). This scripture illustrates exactly how every Believer should practically display what their mouths say when proclaiming that they trust God - obey His laws.
Believers cannot say we trust God if we habitually disobey His instructions. It is not enough to obey those laws that are convenient while ignoring those that we disagree with. We cannot say we won't cheat on our spouses but think it is fine to cheat on our taxes or use artificial intelligence to cheat on school work. We cannot say we trust in the Lord but seek out revenge and do petty things to those who've upset us. A Christian is lying if they claim to trust God but insult their leaders instead of praying for them. Do we complain and grumble when things don't go our way? That is not how to display trust in the Lord who has promised that His plans for us are good (Jeremiah 29:11).
God cannot be mocked (Galatians 6:7). He cannot be fooled. He knows everything we do. He is not like humans who only pay attention to what their eyes see (1 Samuel 16:7). God's gaze pierces into the very marrow of a person. Indeed a person's heart is a lamp to God, nothing can be obscured (Proverbs 20:27).
How are we showing that we trust God? Are we obeying His instructions? Are we even reading His manual - the Bible - to learn what those laws are? Are we praying that His Spirit will teach us and remind us how to live a life reflecting true trust and confidence in who the Lord is and what He can do? These are questions that you and I need to answer. None of us are exempt from taking an honest look at ourselves.
May the Lord help us never to take His faithfulness for granted. May He heal our unbelief so we grow in faith and live lives reflecting complete trust in Him, IJMN we pray, Amen.
To learn more about this topic, please read:
Trust God - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) June 30, 2020
Rely on God, Not Man - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) July 21, 2020
Rely on God - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) March 9, 2021
Faith vs Trust - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) September 10, 2021
Be a Turtle - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) May 20, 2022
It's Gonna Be Alright - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) July 12, 2022
Listen, Obey, Trust - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) August 12, 2022