In Ezekiel 37 the children of Israel are pictured as dry bones ~ hopeless. Verse 11 says, “…Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!” This is pre-cross. A child of God is never hopeless. Why?

Our hope is found in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. 1 Peter 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Hebrews 6:18 says, “…it is impossible for God to lie…” so that, “…we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” Our living hope is described in verse 19. 

It says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.” Ships set out anchors to secure their position in storms. 

Psalm 119:147 says, “I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word.”

I love Ephesians 3:16 in the Amplified. It says, “May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the (Holy) Spirit (Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality).”

January 2, 2017 I had another brain injury. If I tried to think I got physically weak. The Lord sustained me by giving me what He wanted me to think about. One line at a time, that I kept in my mind until He gave me another.

Here is one: “I am right now being strengthened and reinforced, in and by and through Your mighty power.” There is construction going on near me. They strategically placed rebar in footings for a cement block retaining wall. Rebar is essential to reinforce the wall so it can overcome any adverse circumstances.

David was overwhelmed, but he cried out to the Lord in Psalm 61:1-2. The Rock of our salvation is our indestructible shelter ~ His steadfast love is our refuge in the midst of our hard trials.

Paul asked a question in Romans 8:35 then listed several adversities. It says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

In verse 37 he answered that those very things were the Lord’s vehicle to overcome through His love. It says, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Let’s go back to our salvation. Romans 5:5. It says that, “…the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Our heart was flooded with His love. 

Trials, adversities, and hardships produce perseverance. Verse 3-4 says, “…knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” James 1:3 says, “Knowing that testing of your faith produces patience.”

It is all part of our progressive sanctification to help us grow and mature. His goal is stated in verse 4 which says, “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Just to refresh your memory. Daniel did all to stand through trust. The king came the next morning and called out to Daniel. He answered in Daniel 6:22. It says, “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths…because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”

Daniel was unharmed. Yet, those who plotted evil against him? Daniel 6:24 says that the king had them thrown into the lion’s den. The lions killed them, “…before they ever came to the bottom of the den.”

We stand in the strength of the Lord through purpose of heart, prayer, heart integrity, no compromise, and no wrong. Our lifestyle is a testimony of God’s interventions. We are watched by believers and unbelievers alike. Are we displaying strength or weakness, jealousy or humility, or our fleshly reactions instead of responses to the Holy Spirit?

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego stood in God’s strength when everyone else bowed down. Daniel 3:17-18 says, “…Our God is able to deliver us…but if not…we do not serve your gods…”

I read through the book of Daniel. In chapter one Daniel purposed in his heart to not eat the king’s food. In chapter two the Lord stopped the edict of slaying all the wise men when Daniel prayed.

In chapter three, the three young Hebrew men withstood the king’s command to bow down to his idol. Heart integrity. As a result they were bound and thrown into a fiery furnace. Yet, the Lord met them inside there. 

In chapter six the king signed a decree. It was an evil plot. Anyone who petitioned any god or man except the king would be cast into the lion’s den. Daniel knew the writing was signed. Yet he prayed and gave thanks to the Lord. No compromise.

Why was Daniel targeted? Daniel 6:3 says, “Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.” Jealousy.

Ephesians 6:13 says to take up the armor the Lord has graciously supplied, “…and having done all, to stand.”

Jesus stood before Pilate. In John 18:37-38 Jesus said, “…Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice. Pilate said to Him, What is truth?” Truth stood right before him, yet he could not perceive it.

The Bible is full of truth. Yet it is only print on a page for us until it becomes our experience. John 8:32 says, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:36 says, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

The truth that we bring into our hearts through memorizing and meditating becomes the unshakeable foundation of our freedom from past hurts. Also from the lies of the enemy that penetrated and set up internal strongholds.

James 1:21-22 says, “…receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Without deep abiding truth, we will bite the bait of the devil’s deceptive lures. He works diligently to overthrow our faith. We stand through abiding truth undergirding our faith.

We live in spiritual warfare. In Ephesians 6:14-18 Paul detailed our armor. In verse 11 it says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” What are the devil’s wiles? It is deception in every aspect.

Verse 13 says, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” How do we stand? Verse 14 says, “Stand therefore having girded your waist with truth…”

1 Peter 1:13 says, “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind…” It is a picture of the Orientals gathering up their long robes with a belt to prepare for action. We cannot run the race of our life with the lies of the enemy entangling our feet.

We are never more secure than when we are standing in experiential truth. It is His truth that keeps us free, no matter what the temptation is. Proverbs 1:17 says, “Surely, in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.”

Here is an illustration. Draw a dot on the left hand side of the page. Now draw a dot 1/4” lower on the right hand side of the page. Take a ruler and draw a line between the two. See the slight deviation? It is a slow incremental downward slope.

Proverbs 2:10-13 says, “When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness.”

1 John 1:8 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 2:5 gives us a measuring stick. It says, “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”

All actions are first thoughts. Therefore God’s way of life is to experientially live in His truths ~ personal application of Scripture. Colossians 3:16.

There is a contrasting verse in Proverbs 10:17. In the Amplified it says, “He who heeds instruction and correction is (not only himself) in the way of life (but also) is a way of life for others. And He who neglects or refuses reproof (not only himself) goes astray (but also) causes to err and is a path toward ruin for others.”

In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way…” Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” God’s word clearly points the way for us to go.

When we ignore His word we sin. Proverbs 13:15 Amplified says, “Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the transgressor is hard (like the barren, dry soil or the impassable swamp).”

Hebrews 2:1 says, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” 2 Timothy 2:4 says, “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life…” We miss the mark when we veer into sin.

Isaiah 30:18 says, “Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him.”

The Lord waits for our heart to be revealed to us. Waiting is a trial that causes our hidden flesh to rise up. It also exposes the lies that we have believed. Listen to yourself when you are pressed, stressed, or distressed. 

I love Isaiah 64:4. It says, “…Who acts for the one who waits for Him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…”

In Galatians 3:5 it says, “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” The Lord waits graciously listening for our expressions of faith. Our NOW faith pleases Him.