Await and Arise Teaching: Prayer Amid Opposition

In this world you will have trouble, (struggle, tribulation...opposition).  But take heart Christ has overcome the world. 
Life is not promised to be easy, it is promised that we will face tough situations and among those situations conflict is one.  So it isn's a matter of "if" it is a matter of "when" and then "how" will we respond.  
My prayer for you is that you respond with first taking a step back and going to God first.  He is the only one who can show you the response that best preserves all parties involved in the conflict.

I hope you enjoy the teaching today.  

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Transcript

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We are in 52, 54, 83, 34, and 141. I'm definitely in situation. I really would encourage you to free the scripture for yourself and if you're looking at a pictureful situation where he trusting people that he were in happening in your life. In this world, you will face tribulation. The word tribulation or crucial pressure. In this world, you will feel trivial. You will feel free. You feel free. You feel free and feel free. And if you want to work it with you, all of your hope in you. And you will find yourself in for your life. And it is good. I'm so glad that you're here. And I just hope that you're blessed today. Welcome to another episode of Await and a Rise. Join me as we dive into scripture and just pause in awe of our good God. And as we give our souls just a moment of rest and refresh. Well, good morning, and I'm so glad you're here. Thanks for being here. This week we're talking about hurts, offenses, and attacks. So, how many of you have been through church hurt? How many of you have been through ministry hurt? How many of you have been through work hurt? How many of you have been through organizational hurt? Yeah, because anytime you bring people together, people get hurt. That's what we do. We get together, we get involved closely together, and hurts happen. That's part of living in this fallen world, right? I walked through my first church hurt with my family when I was about 15 years old. The denomination that my family had been a part of for three generations, I believe that's right. Three generations. My grandfather was a pastor in it, my parents met at the college for it. Like we were tied in, man. And um and when we walked through that, I was 15 years old. There was a um a pastor that was misled. He attacked my husband or my my dad, and um that sent us out the door to another church. I was 15, I had been involved in some things that I shouldn't have been. I know, go figure. 15-year-old making really wise decisions. I assumed it was me. I just thought that must have been my fault, and I carried that for years. I believed it was my fault that our family got asked to leave the church. So there was that. That happened. It created this chasm in me, this belief that church is not safe. It's not safe. It's a place where you get hurt. If you get too involved, you get hurt. Well, in my 20s, I found myself on the outskirts of church because I still believed I needed to go to church. I just didn't believe I needed to be involved if I stayed on the outskirts and I just attended and I keep my head down. I won't get hurt. I won't do anything wrong, they won't hurt me, nobody will notice, and it'll be all right, right? Well, in my 30s, I was or in my 20s, sorry, later 20s, I watched as my parents' church went through a split. And it hurt the whole church and a lot of people that I was connected to because I went to high school in that town and I knew a lot of the people, I watched that hurt. And even though it didn't happen in my own church, it caused me to pull back even more from my own church because of fear. That chasm was getting deeper and deeper. And then I watched in my 30s as my brother, who had been called into youth pastoring, he had to leave his first assignment, his first calling. And it was such a hard leaving, it was a hurtful leaving. And I again pulled back more. It's just not safe. It's not safe. And then I watched as my parents were attacked again by a close friend and pastor in their now church. And I watched that hurt. I mourned with them. I cried with them. I even spoke to the pastor because I was friends with that pastor about what had happened. And then I begged them don't get involved. People, look at what has happened over our history. Keep your nose out. Don't get into leadership, just go, don't be a member, just go, shut down. Then they'll leave you alone. I got involved in CBS at 26 years old. And man, I was excited. I jumped into any leadership position that they put me in. I was ready. I prayed that God would use me in the ministry, and He did. And I was under this false assumption that because CBS is a parachurch organization, which means it's adjacent to church, we are supportive of church, we are not church, and that's true, we're a Bible study. I can't get hurt here. Well, that's a lie. Because guess what? People are here. And you know what else? I'm people, which means I not only can get hurt, but I can do the hurting. Darn it. Again. Now, um, a couple of weeks ago, I got my head down. I'm in church, and an attack happened to me. Came out of the blue, I got a message, and it was so unexpected, and it hurt. And I thought, Lord, I have my head down. I'm doing the things you called me to do. Where did this come from? I was really fortunate because the person that lashed out also reached out quickly to reconcile the situation and praise God for that. But what it did for me is it made me recognize this 15-year-old girl inside of me, that chasm that was still there, this belief that church is unsafe. And that is not true. And so, yeah, that didn't, that wasn't fun. And that hurt, but it opened my eyes to that chasm and that lie, and it allowed me to give it to the Lord and say, Oh, I don't want that anymore. I don't want that belief. Because that's not truth. It is true that we're gonna get hurt, it is true that we're gonna find ourselves in conflict. We live in a world that is fallen. It is truth that God goes before us, that God handles those things, that God will fill that chasm with love and healing and his truth. Satan would have loved for me to deepen that chasm. He would have loved for me to step back more and go, oh, I was right. Fifteen-year-old in me was right, but instead and give it to God. David understood what it meant to be pressed on all sides, to be attacked by people he thought were safe. But David, what I love about David is he doesn't sit in that hurt. He takes that hurt to God. He takes, and he doesn't just take his hurt to God, but he takes his own shortcomings, his own iniquities to God. He says, Lord, let me reflect on what you are doing in my life as well as what they're going through, so I can understand what it is you're doing here. Because it's the enemy that attacks us. And sometimes he uses us to attack others if he can. Because people uh have conflict. That's the world we live in. It is a fallen world. You will, you will find yourself in conflict, in disagreements, in hurt places. It is how we respond to that that matters. I don't have the answers. I have the answer, and that is that you take it to God. And uh in these verses, and we'll talk about this here in a minute, but the word alone, God alone is used, I think it's like four times in the first chapter that we study. God alone, only God. And that's what I want us to focus on today. Only God. Truly, my soul awaits on God alone. Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we just thank you that you alone save us, you alone are our rock. You alone go before us. Lord, that you know exactly what we're gonna walk through, you know how we're gonna respond. You don't abandon us there. Lord, that you carry us. You continue to pick us up, you continue to walk through the things with us and to teach us and to bring us along so that we might look more and more like you. And in conflicts, we might glorify you and not pull back. Lord, I pray that you would just help me to have your words and not mine, and that we would just honor you and glorify you as we study this passage. Amen. So as we've studied the Psalms, and primarily David, I just love to see him as he's quick. He's quick to come back to God. He's quick to own his own fault and his own sin. And then in most situations, I mean, I know there were some that he was a little slower on, but really, you got to give him credit because how many of us would be as quick as he is, right? And I appreciate that. It encourages me because it shows me that I can fall. I'm going to make mistakes, I'm going to have shortcomings, but I can give it to God. And then I can reconcile it, right? With those that, hopefully those that I hurt or those that hurt me. He seeks to make his heart pure only after God. And isn't that good? Isn't that something we should focus on? If I'm truly seeking after God, yep, I'm gonna make mistakes, but I can get back up and continue seeking after God. And he is good and faithful to continue to bring me along and train me and teach me and make me better and to help my heart show him more to the people that are around me. In chapter 86, we get this prayer, and this is one of 14 specific prayer requests that David has in Psalms. And this is one of three that's actually called a prayer of David's. So here David acknowledges that he is a sinner, he deserves to be sent to the depths of Sheol, but God. God's mercy saved him. Being able to look introspectively at his own heart and continually to align it with God's gives him this ability to see the attacks for what they are, that they are the enemy's work. In chapter 64, he recognizes the attack despite the attackers. He recognizes that the enemy of God is behind it. The words that are spoken are untrue and they're bringing havoc on his life. And he describes the tongue of the attacker as wetted. It's wetted like a sword ready for sharpened and ready for battle, or like a razor ready for battle, or even an arrow. It is a weapon being used by the enemy of God to stop the action that you are taking for God. In words, it says in James 3.6, are a world of iniquity set on fire of hell. Yeah. Some of those words have been mine. Like a blaze. And I thought about it this morning. I was thinking about how how quickly we are to sh to say those sharpened words, to use that sharpened sword to get somebody, right? To lash back. I'm quick. I'm quick, I'm sharp, and I'm dangerous. And the Lord has to do a real good job of guarding my mouth. I have to pray for it regularly because my tongue is a fire and it is ready to start more fires. And I was thinking about it this morning as I'm driving to town and I'm like praying for our land to get moisture because it's so dry. But you think about the heart that's being beat on, that's being accused, that's being attacked. And that's like this dry ground that we have out here. One spark and it goes up, and the whole thing is gone. That's what we could do with our words to a life. We have no idea what is going on in those hearts, and our sharp word might be the spark that destroys it. But we have to be so careful. We have to be so in tune with God that our words are not used by the enemy to hurt, to destroy, that our words are meant as encouragement, that they come from the word of God that lifts up, that points people to Him. David experiences the tongue that's being used as a weapon, sharpened like a sword, ready for battle, and we can see it too. We can see it in our own lives. The enemy of God would love to use lying and deceit to tear us down, to attack us, to make us stop opening the word of God and believing in his truth. But God gives us the word not to use against as a weapon, but to defend and to encourage, to uplift, to use the tongue in a way that gives life and defends against the lie. Just as my wrong belief of a 15-year-old that thought church isn't safe needed to be exposed so that the truth of God could cover that. So that he could say, Do you see what you believe, Anj? That isn't true. Now, let's look at what the word says and let's build that back up. And then out of that comes good and glory to God, right? You always you can always go back to it. It's not by my hand, but by the hand of the Lord, right? So I've been on both sides of it. I've been the receiver of harsh words, and I've been the giver of harsh words. Probably more so on that side, you know, up until like 45. I'm 45. Just kidding. No. But probably all of us have. And David definitely has. And we're reading these Psalms, learning how should I then respond? And how can then I, Lord, ask you and your spirit that dwells in me to guard my mouth so that what comes out is glorifying to you, is grace filled. Romans 12, 14 through 19 basically tells us to leave it to God. When you have been offended, it is God's to take care of. Did you know that there's a difference between revenge and vengeance? Revenge is out of passion, and vengeance is for justice. Guess which one we can't do? Vengeance. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. Revenge is what we do in haste, in anger, in passion. That's not good. Vengeance is what the Lord does for justice and for his glory. And the cool thing about it is when we let God handle the vengeance, handle the right making, he gets glorified by all the parties involved. But when we take it into our hands and we revenge, he doesn't get any glory. And lives get hurt. So it's so much better if we just let him handle it. Believe me, I know how hard that is. It's real easy to say it up here. I can say it. Just let God handle it. But watch me walk it out. This week was a little bit like Jumanji for me. You know, I've told you that before. That it's like Jumanji. And sometimes he has to walk me through those fires so that I can understand what it is I'm teaching on, so that it can be a little real to me, so that hopefully it relates to you all, right? So that we can put the word into our lives and apply it and go, oh yeah, I've definitely walked through that on both sides. And maybe you haven't, maybe you've only ever been attacked and you've never been the attacker. Kudos to you. But I doubt it. I bet we've all been on both sides. You know? And that both sides of it have to give it to God. You have to know He is the only one who can make that situation right? And when He does, the glory is on Him. That brings lives to Him, not away. So God alone, truly my soul waits on God only. In chapter 94, the psalmist is crying out to God to enact this vengeance. He says to the wicked, He formed the eye and you think he can't see, and He formed the ear, and you think He can't hear. Their wickedness is known by God and will be vindicated. You know, you've been in this situation, right? Where you're like, God, why are they not getting what they deserve? Why are you letting them carry on? They think you can't see. But we have to be patient, because God's timing is perfect. It might seem to take too long, but it's taking the perfect amount of time. He knows what he's doing. Trust in him alone. In Psalm 141, we see the psalmist ask for God to set a guard over his mouth, just like I've been talking about. In James 3, 8 tells us, no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil full of deadly poison. Let's just read that part again. No man can tame the tongue. Were we saying earlier? Only God. Only God. God alone. Who are you supposed to put your reliance in? You? No. God. You can't tame your tongue. You cannot. You gotta have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to guard your mouth. I need a guard on my mouth. Ask my kids. Quick, I'm quick. And then later I'm like, oh, I'm sorry. I have thought many times, as I I remember specifically a couple months ago driving somewhere where I was going to reconcile and humble myself and apologize. And I kept thinking, you know, if you just shut your mouth, you would not have to be humbled so often. Just you know, you hear, you listen, you just don't do. What does Paul say? I do what I don't want to do, and what I want to do, I don't do. Because that's what we do. We listen to our flesh because it's, oh, that's so driving, and it makes me move faster, and I feel right. And then later I'm like, I wasn't right. Felt right for a minute, and now I gotta go grovel. That's no fun, especially for a person who's right all the time. Darn it. Put that guard, pray that prayer over your life, that the Holy Spirit in you would guard your mouth so that all that comes out is what Psalm 45, 2 says, the grace pour from our lips. Grace encouragement meant from the word for his glorification and our edification. Right? Believe me, I sit with you. I have not yet figured it out. I am still a work in progress, but I am so thankful that God is doing the work. I am so thankful that I can hit my knees and say, Lord, I need you to reconcile me to you. I'm taking my own road again. But only God. Truly, I wait on God alone. So in order for grace to pour out of our lips, we must have the guarding of those said lips by the Holy Spirit. By God. We must have the edification from His scripture to fill us with His grace and love so that that is what pours out of us. Even in situations where we're hurt and lashing out seems like the best response. Wait, take a breath, pray. Seek godly advice if you have a minute. And then if you're called to speak, speak. And if you're called to be quiet, be quiet. But trust only God can handle it in a way that glorifies God and brings all parties to Him. So in moments of hurt, random attacks, I hope that you'll remember three things. The enemy wants you to hurt. He wants you to focus on your hurt so you are inactive for God, or at least reserved in your action for God. Two, the enemy wants hurt within the church. The enemy wants hurt within the body of Christ. Because hurt within the body means the body doesn't move forward. Recognize that. Recognize that when you have hurt, when you feel attacked, that's what the enemy wants. He wants us to lay quiet. He wants us to be inactive. He wants hurt inside the body. You say no. I'm going to, Matthew 18, I'm going to go to the person. I'm going to make it right. I'm going to reconcile this before the Lord so that his glory is known and so that we continue in action for him. The enemy doesn't win. And number three, only God can truly vindicate. He's the only one who can truly resolve a conflict and bring all the parties to peace and to his glory. We live in a fallen world. So we're going to face attacks. We're going to have letdowns. We're going to face conflicts. This is part of life. If you haven't figured that out by the We can't burrow our heads in the sand to stay enough to stay out of the fire of the enemy. We can't hide enough to stay away from his arrows. We can't. Do not make yourself inactive because something hurts. Take it to the Lord. Make sure that you level it out with him. Lord, I am holding on to this lie, whatever it might be. I need you to make it truth. I need you to fix that. Fill me with your truth, Lord, so that I can move forward for you. This is holding me up. And whatever it is. And if it's somebody else, go to them. Make peace. And if they won't have peace with you, then go to God. You be at peace. So that He can continue to work through your life. Hurt and conflict are going to come into our world. How we respond to it, how we take it to God, how we trust on God alone is what will make it move forward or stop us in our tracks. So my prayer for you is that you trust in God alone, that you wait on God alone, that he is your rock, he is your salvation, and in him you will let all of the vindication be through him. That you will lay it at his feet and you will keep pursuing his glory and proclaiming his name in your life. Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you so much that you are good. And that you see all of the hurt and that it makes your heart sad too. But Lord, more than that, you have given us your word so that we can be encouraged and that we can be encouragers, so that we can edify the body, so that we can give your name glory. Lord, I pray that we would just read your word, that we would be so seeped in it, that it would be what pours out from our lips, so that your grace and love are known and they go throughout the world. Lord, that your glory may not be stopped by the enemy's arrows, but instead that your glory would just continue to go forward. Lord, that we would trust in you, in you alone. Lord, thank you in your name. Amen. Thanks, ladies. Thanks for joining me today. If your soul was refreshed by this pause in the word, then I hope that you'll continue to join me weekly for these await and arise meditations. My hope is that this podcast space will be a reprieve for you to just take a pause away from the world, to be refreshed in the word, and to await in the presence of a good God. Would you go to the comment section and leave a word or a scripture that's lifted you up this week? I really do love to see how God is working in all of our lives. And my desire is to see that this space just grows as a community of people who come together and encourage each other in the word. I want to see him working in all of us. It's just such a sweet reminder that we are all in this together. And God, he goes before us. So until next time, I'm praying your heart stays anchored in his truth. A Wake and Arise podcasts are available on all podcast players. If you would like to see Ange, me as I teach weekly live, click on my YouTube channel or go to my webpage, AngelaRaber.com, and you can find those episodes there. Meditations come out each week on Thursday, and live teachings are weekly on Monday, and I post those on Tuesday. We hope that you'll subscribe and feel free to share this episode with family and friends and on social media. For more information for connecting with a community Bible study in your area, you can also click those links below. You can join a connect group online, or you can find a community Bible study in your town or in your area that you can join in person. It is so important to be in the Word, meditating on it and studying it for yourself. So it is my encouragement to you to find a Bible teaching church and an in depth Bible study and dig in. Thanks for listening. Now, awake in his presence and arise to his call.