Forever

Forever:

"Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them for ever." (Psalm 28:9) 

The Lord, He is coming to rescue. He is coming to cast out all the dark, all the pain, and all the sorrow. Not just at the end of times, but in every battle we experience. 

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:4) 

No more pain. He is coming to erase my debilitating infirmities. No more sorrow. He is coming to trade my weeping for rejoicing. Not one tear that has left my eye has gone unnoticed by my Lord. This I know full well, for in every cry, He is always nearby. 

When He is near there's no need for fear, because His perfect love casts out my fears. When I'm in the Presence of God there is no prison of agonising affliction, for Jesus has already bought all healing. 

"The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5) 

No amount of pain or illness can ever defeat me, because the Lord is for me. The God over all is fighting for me. Though I may feel knocked down and beaten, I'm really just resting in the arms of the Almighty. He is right here with me through it all. This is not the end, because in Christ Jesus there is no end. 

"Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:17) 

In sickness, pain, sorrow, disappointment, and even death, He is with me. Nothing could EVER separate me from the Lord. The strength of my mighty Father will surround me in all circumstances. God's strength is everlasting, trustworthy, and a firm foundation, so I will stand unshaken. 

"Trust in the Lord forever, For in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength." (Isaiah 26:4) 

Who is stronger, my illnesses and iniquities, or my sovereign mighty God - the Creator of the heavens and the earth? Who alone is never-changing and never-ending? Only the One who was and is and is to come - the Alpha and the Omega. You alone, O Lord, You alone. 

"he will swallow up death for ever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken." (Isaiah 25:8) 

Hush, spirit, for the Lord your God has spoken. Not a word from God shall ever fail. 

"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19) 

I will speak these words over myself, over my situation, and over my entire life. He has spoken, He will not ever lie, and He shall make it good. Good! Whatever "it" may be, God is still good. He was good yesterday, He is good today, and every day to come His goodness shall be revealed furthermore. He is good at all times. 

The darkness of death cannot shadow over the light and purity of God. The filthy grip of sin has no hold on Christ, for Jesus crushed sin with triumphant victory once and for all. The bleakness of these gruelling attacks are incapable of thieving my eternal joy. The stinging and aching are incomparable to the singing and dancing that awaits in the heavenly realms. 

I take hold of my God-given authority, and demand death to depart from me. Time and time again I've been plagued by the cold snares of near death, but no longer. I declare God's everlasting Word over me. I am not a child of death or disease. I am a child of the God of love and eternal life and abundance. For it is written: 

"The last enemy that will be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:26) 

It may feel like a constant battle, but the ending is decided. Death died when Jesus rose. What happens when we close our eyes for good here? We open them for ever in Heaven! Death is not a destination, but a door. Death is the step from earth to eternal. Mortal to immortal. Once burden-bearing hands are now lifted up into never ending worship of our God. 

"Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7) 

We're returning to our Creator. One day, we'll behold Him face to Face. What a glorious day that will be! All peace and rejoicing awaits in the future that is our forever.

-The Introverted Evangelist