Jesus Boot Camp: Promise → Allies Praise

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promise: pledge to do, bring about, or provide
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Have you had a huge task to complete lately, Dear Reader? At home or work or school. Maybe for PTO or a church committee. Have there been times when you just wanted to throw up your hands and say, “Forget it! It’s not worth the aggravation.”

We’ve all had those, haven’t we? Tom and I have one now. After praying and planning and anticipating, our house is hitting the market sooner than we expected. AND the realtor thinks we’ll be out in two months or less.

But, but, but…we were going to…and…we’re not ready!

And then we remember. We remember we said we would rest in God’s time, continue to praise Him for His favor in the marketplace, and trust Him for our new home. We remember His promise to always be with us.

Three days after signing with a realtor to list, he emails that there is already a serious buyer who is EXTREMELY qualified and ready to close in 30 days.

After a few frantic phone calls between the realtor and me, and Tom and me, I knew what I needed to do.

I found the box the size of a Fiat I’d been saving in the basement. Then I started packing flowers. What?!

It was fast and easy, and when the Fiat box was full I was calmer and felt like I’d accomplished something. The bonus was that while I was packing, my brain went on cruise control allowing the peace of God to enter my spirit.

“If you love me, obey me; and I will ask the Father and he will give you another Comforter, and he will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, for it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, for he lives with you now and some day shall be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm—I will come to you.”
John 14:16-18 TLB

Jesus left the disciples, and us, with a big job. Along with it, He left us with a promise that He would send the Holy Spirit to help us. What could be better than mentor, cheerleader, and guardian angel all wrapped into one, as near as a breath and as powerful as a heartbeat?

Dearest Reader, the Lord has something incredible for each of us to do; that includes you and me! He’s given us the tools (obedience, commitment, assurance, revelation, collaboration, service) to equip us for getting the job done and the promise of His Holy Spirit to empower us to be His leaders in a fallen world.

Resurrection Day is nearly here, Dear Reader. Let our boots hit the ground, and the earth shake with our battle cry, “Victory in Jesus!”

No one will be able to oppose you as long as you live, for I will be with you just as I was with Moses; I will not abandon you or fail to help you.
Joshua 1:5 TLB