Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.  ² He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.  ³ He renews my strength.  He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.  ⁴ Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.  ⁵ You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.  You honor me by anointing my head with oil.  My cup overflows with blessings.  ⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”  NLT

As I prayed, read, and pondered the Word of God today, my heart was moved with the intricate care and keeping of the LORD!  In Psalm 23, a powerful reminder of who God is and who we are provides hope of total victory in the darkest of times.

For us to become all that God has declared us to be and walk it out in our lives, we must come to the place where we know who we are in Him.  That involves intimacy with Him.  It is not a cliché, “I am the Lord’s.”   It is embracing and experiencing His person, nature, character, love, grace, and trustworthiness in our lives.

For us to become all that God has declared us to be and walk it out in our lives, experiencing the provisions He has made available, we must reach a place that we understand, recognize, and embrace His Covenant.  As we know, God’s Covenantal Promises and Provisions, we are able to implement them in our lives and live in complete peace and confidence.

For us to become all that God has declared us to be and walk it out in our lives, we must realize that we are sheep.   We need a Shepherd, and our Shepherd is the Lord Jesus Christ! He is our total supply, and we are dependent sheep!

In Psalm 23, there is a dimension that too often seems to be missed.  In the Valley He Restores Our Souls!  That is a wonderful truth, but the disturbing reality that our souls need to be restored is troubling for many. Man, although he expresses his inadequacy in words, in action, and heart, seems to believe that he is good and somehow his personal goodness will buy favor with God.

We all need our souls restored!  We all need a shepherd! We all need a savior! We all need to be transformed!  We all find ourselves on the Ash Heap of Life and need to be rescued!  None of us is capable of handling what life hurls at us in our own strength, willpower, ability, or determination. We need JESUS!

Just as Jesus declared, “Behold I stand at the door and knock” to the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:20, He is standing at the door of our hearts today. He wants to be our Savior and our LORD!   He wants to be our Shepherd and our Guide!  He wants to be our example and enable and equip us to become who He has declared us to be.

Today is our day to become more than conquerors in experience, not just in theory!  It is time to rise from the Ash Heap of Life and roar with the Lion of the Tribe of Judah! I declare today a day of victory!

Have a fantastic day in the LORD and become all He has designed and desired you to be!