The Lord says:
"This isn't the time to look at your left or at your right. This isn't the time to pattern after this or that in the world. But be patterned after Me. My ways are higher. My ways will not fail. When no one else in this world can help you, look to Me. When the system and structure of this world fails you, look to Me."
We are living in a very precarious world at the moment. Anytime, the world financial systems or the world economic systems can fail. You have seen some banks have even failed. You have seen how the cost of living keeps rising in many places.
But I tell you what, do not allow yourself to be shaken. There is help for you. God has a way out for you. He will give you the strategies to ride out these times; not just to survive, but to thrive as well. So, fear not! Because He knows how to help you and show you a way!
Let's go straight to the Scripture now.
In a time like this, remember Psalm 121 written by David.
Psalm 121:1-2 says, 'I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from whence (where) comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.'
Where does our help come from? Our help comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth! The word 'help' here is 'ezer' in Hebrew. It comes from the word 'azar', which means 'to surround, to protect, to aid'. Therefore, the Lord is saying He is the Lord who surrounds you, protects you, and aids you. He will surround you in the midst of the turbulence, He will protect you, and He will come to your aid in a time like this!
This same word 'ezer' can also be found in Psalm 46:1-3, 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.'
These verses isn't just literal, i.e. geologically; but it can also be symbolic of say, the financial systems or the economic systems of this world, or whatever system that is man-made that has infiltrated into this world!
Notice it's written in Psalm 121, 'I will lift up my eyes to the hills'. I used to think the psalmist was referring to any hill or any mountain on earth. But no! He was referring to 'the holy hills of Jerusalem'.
What do these 'holy hills' symbolize? These 'holy hills' symbolize 'where the presence of the Lord is'. For the record, there are seven hills that surround Jerusalem, i.e. Moriah, Bethsaida, Scopus, Olives, Opel, Zion, and Calvary.
Let's look at one of those holy hills, Moriah. What is the significance of Moriah? It was here that King Solomon built the first temple. It was also here that Abraham went to sacrifice his son Isaac as burnt offering, and the Lord provided him a ram, instead of him having to sacrifice his own son Isaac!
To deepen our understanding, let's go to Genesis 22:13, 'Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering, instead of his son.'
Notice the words 'lifted his eyes' here? This is very interesting, because David (in Psalm 121) 'lifted his eyes' too! So, both David and Abraham 'lifted their eyes', and in the context here, 'lifted their eyes' to the Lord and to what the Lord's doing!
In Genesis 22:13, notice also there's this ram caught in a thorny bush. Who does this 'ram' speak of? Jesus! When He was about to be crucified, the soldiers put a crown of thorns on his head. So, if the 'ram' here speaks of 'Jesus', then the 'thicket' ('thorny bush') speaks of 'the crown of thorns'! In other words, Jesus wore the crown of thorns, so that you don't have to wear it! It means He has carried away all your pains, whatever these may be, not just in your spirit, soul, or body; but even financial or economic pains!
Here in Genesis 22:13, the Lord has shown a way for Abraham. It is the same for you as well. The Lord will know how to show you a way in a time like this! Your part is to look to Him!
Genesis 22:14 then says, 'And Abraham called the name of the place The-Lord-Will-Provide (YHWH Yireh)...'
So, take heart. The Lord will know how to provide for you. If you need wisdom, ask and you shall receive. The Lord will know how to provide for you His divine wisdom. You will know what to do and how to go about in a time like this. If you need revelation from the Lord, ask and you shall receive. The Lord will know how to provide for you His divine revelation. You will know where you should be heading to in a time like this.
So, lift your eyes to the Lord! Just as David lifted his eyes to the holy hills of Jerusalem! Or just as Abraham lifted his eyes, and there was a ram caught in a thicket!
So far, we have looked at the Old Testament. How about the New Testament? In the New Covenant, the Lord has also promised you 'help'! Who is this 'help'? The Holy Spirit! That's why it is so important to have a deeper and deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, communing with the Holy Spirit, and receiving from the Holy Spirit.
In John 14:16-17, Jesus said, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you."
You see, this Holy Spirit dwells with you and lives in you! He is 24/7, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all the time, now and forever; as long as you do not reject Him!
The word 'Helper' here (or 'Comforter' in King James Version) is 'Parakletos' in Greek. It can mean 'Advocate'. In other words, 'the One who is for you'. That's what Advocate is. He is for you. He is not against you. Why? Because you have been made righteous through Christ. You have received this gift of righteousness through what Jesus has done for you on the cross. It can also mean 'Consoler'. He is your Consoler or Comforter in a time of crisis, in a time of need, in a time of turbulence, or in a time of trouble. You can count on Him! It can also mean 'Intercessor'. The Holy Spirit will know how to intercede in your situation, take over your situation, and turn things around for you!
In John 14:26, Jesus said further, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."
Not only the Holy Spirit is your Helper, He is also your Teacher! And He reminds you of all things that the Lord has spoken to you.
The next verse is John 14:27, and Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you; let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
John 14:27 should be read in the context of John 14:26. In other words, because the Holy Spirit has been sent to you, and because He is your Helper, He is your Teacher, He is your Advocate, He is your Consoler, and He is your Intercessor, therefore let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid!
This Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of shalom peace. This is the peace that the world cannot give to you. This peace can only come from the Lord!
Let's go to the book of Romans now.
Romans 8:26-27 says, 'Likewise the Spirit (i.e. the Holy Spirit) also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.'
There can be times we don't know what to pray, or we don't know how to pray correctly. Or maybe we sense certain danger or 'un-peace', and we don't know what to do. I tell you what, just pray in the spirit. Because praying in the spirit is praying in the perfect will of God. As you pray in the spirit, the Holy Spirit will intercede, will take over the situation, and will prevent certain evil (or danger) from happening.
Notice 'the Holy Spirit helps in our weaknesses'. It means whenever you feel weak, whenever you do not know what to pray, or whenever you do not know what to do, the Holy Spirit can help you!
The word 'help' here is 'sunantilambano' in Greek. This word 'sunantilambano' carries the meaning of 'two persons working together in partnership to get the job done'. It means the Holy Spirit (the Person of the Holy Spirit) and you as a person, both of you in partnership to get the job done (or to get a situation settled)!
Very interestingly, this word 'sunantilambano' can be divided into three parts:
- 'sun' = 'in partnership with, in cooperation with'.
- 'anti' = 'to come against (in this context, the enemy)'.
- 'lambano' = 'to take hold of, to claim, to receive'.
So, these three words, joined together, becomes 'sunantilambano'. In other words, 'sunantilambano' means 'in partnership and cooperation with the Holy Spirit, combining together with the Holy Spirit to push away the enemy, so that you can take hold of your inheritance that God has meant for you or promised you.' Wow!
Let us pray. "O Lord God, we thank You for the insight to what the Holy Spirit can do in our lives. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is our Helper. With the Holy Spirit dwelling with us, there's nothing to be afraid of in this world. We receive now the shalom peace. Just as Jesus has said, let not our hearts be troubled, and let not our hearts be afraid. So, whatever happens in the world, even when the systems or the structures of this world may fail, You O Lord will not fail. We look to You. We pattern after Your way. Because Your way will not fail. In Jesus' name. Amen."
