“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”—Psalm 34:17
The word “deliverance” means,
“the action of being rescued or set free.”
It can mean, to be carried through, with nothing but His strength.
It can mean a believer being set free from demonic oppression.
It can mean God intervening to rescue us from an attack on our lives.
It can mean God rescuing us from our own selves…
I’m being real here…
As Christians, sometimes the word “deliverance” can make us feel uncomfortable, or ashamed, or like we don’t want to feel as though we could ever need any kind of “deliverance” because we think of how our “weakness” appears to others, or how it makes us feel about ourselves.
Subconsciously, we may like to think we’d be “above it” ?—I cringe saying that, and yet how many times do so many of us feel this way without really realizing it?
Sometimes it’s hard to admit we’re dealing with something, right?
Sometimes it’s hard to admit when we’re “not okay”…
We don’t like to realize or show that we’re “a mess” sometimes…
But pride can keep us from being set free.
We may think we don’t “need rescuing” when we so desperately, always do.
But the Lord gives grace to the humble... ?
“Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.”—Psalm 138:6
“In fact, God treats us with even greater kindness, just as the Scriptures say, “God opposes everyone who is proud, but he blesses all who are humble with undeserved grace.”—James 4:6
What is the purpose of “deliverance”? What is the result of being rescued?
Not only are we so gloriously set free, not only are we miraculously rescued and redeemed…
…but from that “bad situation” we were in…. our Deliverer rescues us, and we are given a beautiful and glorious story and testimony of His goodness and faithfulness that can be shared with a hurting and hopeless world.
“I look for your deliverance, Lord.” —Genesis 49:18
Humility is running to Him for daily deliverance! Humility is looking for His deliverance and telling the stories and the testimonies of His faithfulness that He gives us!
Pride is thinking we don’t need Him.
Don’t be be ashamed about being delivered…don’t run from it.
Because from deliverance…from that rescuing, from that liberation from sin, from that time of being carried through when you had no strength of your own, comes a most beautiful and glorious testimony that He wants to use in your life.
And that beautiful and glorious testimony can cover up all of the “bad stuff” that you had to go through, all of the “ugly” and the weakness and the stuff you wanted to cover up and hide—and He makes it beautiful and glorious and He uses it!
Your testimony will radiate His glory and it will glimmer and shine and do things in peoples hearts that you never dreamed or imagined it could do. He can do that. ?
Don’t hide your story, don’t hide your testimony away. God needs you to let it shine. ✨He wants to use your story, your testimony…. to shine His light and His hope to a broken and hurting, and hopeless world. ?☀️
“Your lives light up the world. Let others see your light from a distance, for how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop? And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that the commendable things you do will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.”—Matthew 5:14-16 TPT
Father, how we desperately need You, always! The enemy tries to make us feel ashamed for needing You… how ridiculous is that? We all need deliverance, every day! We’re all in need of being rescued by You! We’re all in need of You searching and healing our hearts, we’re all in need of You setting us free. You take our situation, and You so beautifully redeem it… and You give us a story that is wrapped up in Your light… a testimony that You can use to pierce into dark and broken hearts, and fill them with hope. Thank You, Lord. ☀️
“Lord, I will worship you with extended hands
as my whole heart explodes with praise!
I will tell everyone everywhere about your wonderful works
and how your marvelous miracles exceed expectations!
I will jump for joy and shout in triumph
as I sing your song and make music for the Most High God.” —Psalm 9:1-2 TPT
-Heather ?