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Habakkuk 3:17-19 - How To Rejoice In The Lord Always.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 - How To Rejoice In The Lord Always.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NLT) Even though the fig trees have no 
blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop 
fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die 
in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will 
rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! 19 The 
Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able 
to tread upon the heights.  

   Habakkuk saw injustice and violence, misery, and sin all 
around him. He had cried to God for help, but no help had come. in 
fact, the Lord told Habakkuk things were going to get worse - he was 
raising up the cruel Babylonians to oppress the Israelites even more. 
How can you let them get away with this evil? Why aren't you doing 
anything about this? Habakkuk cried. God did not change the situation as 
Habakkuk had asked. He didn't drive out their enemies. But he did reveal 
his plan to eventually foil those who trust in themselves and 
succeed because of corruption. When God laid out the big picture and 
told Habakkuk of the victory to come, the prophet was so humbled and 
awed by the Lord's greatness that something even more important did 
change: Habakkuk's heart. He didn't stop asking for the Lord's help, but 
now he asked with faith and a heart of worship: No matter how bad 
things get, "I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be joyful in the God of 
my salvation." Ask God to build that kind of heart in you ... no 
matter what. 
   LORD, I have "heard all about you, and am filled with awe by 
the amazing things you have done." In our time of deep need, begin 
again to help us as you did in years gone by. Show us your power to 
save us! No matter what happens, whether I see prayers unanswered or 
victories, may my heart rejoice in you. I will find my joy in you, for you 
are my strength! [Praying Through The Bible By Fuller re Hab. 3:2, 
17, 18] 

   If you feel hopeless, helpless, or powerless - unable to deal 
with people or problems and on the verge of exhaustion - take heart 
in the prophet Habakkuk's stirring conclusion to his short book. 
   Knowing that a savage army of Babylonians would soon plunder 
and pillage his homeland, Habakkuk recited a litany of probable 
destruction. Times would be hard. Food would be scarce. An agrarian culture's 
source of income would soon dry up and blow away (Hab. 3:17). 
   Yet despite this disheartening scenario, Habakkuk penned an 
amazing response: "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God 
of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet 
like deer's feet, and he will make me walk on my high hills" (Hab. 
3:18, 19). 
   Where did the prophet find such hope in the face of such 
terrible calamity? For one thing, clearly he had been spending time in 
God's Word. His expression of faith closely echoes the words of David, 
uttered centuries before: "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my 
deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the 
horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who 
is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies" (Ps. 
18:2, 3). 
   For another thing, Habakkuk had been spending a lot of time 
alone with God. His whole book is a record of his extended 
conversation with the Creator about the way the Lord does things. Habakkuk 
did not always understand (or particularly like) what he heard from 
God, but he recognized that the Lord knows what He's doing and so he 
chose to place his trust in Him. 
   When the outlook looks grim, Christ is your strength. When 
the circumstances seem volatile, Christ is your stability. When the 
future appears foreboding, Christ remains your hope. The strength of 
Christ is both inexhaustible and immeasurable--and it is yours to 
receive. 
   God delights in upholding the weary and reviving the 
fainthearted (Is. 40:29-31). Your reservoir of emotional and physical energy 
may feel nearly drained, but God's supply of spiritual stamina never 
runs out. Come to Him and His Word for the strength to carry on, and 
He will supply the power you need to traverse the rough terrain 
ahead. That's His promise, and God always keeps His promises. [Life 
Principles SB By Charles Stanley re Hab. 3:17-19] 

   Anybody can be joyful if circumstances are going well. The 
real test is whether we can be like Habakkuk, rejoicing that God is 
our Savior even when life is heartbreaking and God seems silent. 
   It's natural to pay more attention to a broken arm than to 
all the parts of our bodies that aren't broken. We're hardwired to 
do that. Unfortunately, this trait makes us prone to focus on 
whatever is going wrong in our lives rather than on the solid truths 
about God that haven't changed. 
   If you've been swamped by negative circumstances, take some 
time out and think about God being your Savior, healer, and redeemer. 
No matter what obstacles are in your path, he promises the gift of 
his presence and the comfort of his never-ending love. Rejoice 
because God is your Savior and his mercies are new every morning. [The 
Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional] 

   Remember that joy is not dependent on your circumstances. 
Some of the world's most miserable people are those whose 
circumstances seem the most enviable. People who reach the top of the ladder 
career-wise are often surprised to find emptiness awaiting them. True Joy is 
a by-product of living in My Presence. Therefore you can 
experience it in palaces, in prisons. . . anywhere.  
   Do not judge a day as devoid of Joy just because it contains 
difficulties. Instead, concentrate on staying in communication with Me. Many 
of the problems that clamor for your attention will resolve 
themselves. Other matters you must deal with, but I will help you with them. 
If you make problem-solving secondary to the goal of living close 
to Me, you can find Joy even in your most difficult days. (Hab. 
3:17-19; 1Ch. 16:27) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young] 

   A thankful attitude opens windows of heaven. Spiritual 
blessings fall freely onto you through those openings into eternity. 
Moreover, as you look up with a grateful heart, you get glimpses of Glory 
through those windows. You cannot yet live in heaven, but you can 
experience foretastes of your ultimate home. Such samples of heavenly fare 
revive your hope. Thankfulness opens you up to these experiences, which 
then provide further reasons to be grateful. Thus, your path becomes 
an upward spiral: ever increasing in gladness.  
   Thankfulness is not some sort of magic formula; it is the 
language of Love, which enables you to communicate intimately with Me. A 
thankful mind-set does not entail a denial of reality with its plethora 
of problems. Instead, it rejoices in Me, your Savior, in the midst 
of trials and tribulations. I am your refuge and strength, an 
ever-present and well-proved help in trouble. (Hab. 3:17, 18; Psa. 46:1) 
[Jesus Calling by Sarah Young] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY:

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2014/20140219-1630.html

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:

Importance of Choice: 
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]  

Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782

Musical Devotional On Christian Living: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c  

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDY:

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/

LINKS FOR PROPHECY SEMINARS

The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor: 
http://www.lastdayofprophecy.com/ 
[March 21-26, 2016: Charlotte, NC in person with live streaming 
and multiple outreach locations] 

Revelation Today by Pastor John Bradshaw: 
https://revelationtoday.com/other-streams/  

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657