We Don't Have To Understand It

We don't have to understand what the Lord told us to do, we just have to do it.  Fasting is a perfect example of something the Lord told us to do that probably for centuries we did not have the science to understand it.  Now, we know that fasting has the power, both scientifically and spiritually to break every chain, to miraculously heal etc.  For most of human history we had no idea, whats the lesson?  We don't have to understand it, we just have to do it.  We have to trust Him if we know whats best for us.

This ^^ was an introduction to consider what the Lord told us to do here:

1 Thess 5:16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise prophecies, 21but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil.


He told us to do 8 or so things here ^^ but lets focus on this:  rejoice always.  Think about that one.  Rejoice always?  Even in crisis?  Yep.  Even when we are being assaulted on every side?  Yep.  Even when we can barely utter a word from our mouths because we are so troubled?  Yes, yes and yes.  Does that sound easy?  No.  Why should we do it?  Because He told us to and...…..we have to understand there is a depth and a richness to everything He told us to do with Divine understanding behind every Word of it, all of it designed for our benefit.

The Lord recently impressed this nobody with a hint of 'why' we need to rejoice always.  This understanding has something to do with breaking down the exact problem, crisis etc that is troubling us.  What is the mechanism behind this, how does it work?

Ps 22:1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.

3Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises^a of Israel.

He inhabits the praises of His people.  Guess what happens when the Lord God shows up in your situation with His presence and His power?  Everything that's not supposed to be there has to go...Many but not all of our problems come from this:

Ephesians 6:12 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of ^[a]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Guess what happens to these principalities, powers, rulers  and their demonic minions when Lord God Almighty shows up in person to your situation?  They don't stand a chance.  The Lord God is not an angel that He would have to fight or struggle with these spirits.  If He gives them a disapproving look they wither.

What's the point of all this?  Do what He told us to do, you don't have to understand it just do it.  If we would practice simple obedience many of our troubles would be less heavy and less problematic.  He gave us the Book of answers that is the Bible.  Its all in there.  This world is so royally screwed up because man, time after time has decided to do things his way and look at what a mess we have created.

This writer would encourage you with the encouragement the Spirit gives that we should do what He told us to do:

1 Thess 5:16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

And watch as the walls that oppose you come tumbling down.  Speaking of walls, and a good example, consider this:

Jos 6:15On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city. 17And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction.^b Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. 19But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. 21Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.

When we read the instructions the Lord gave to Israel concerning Jericho we might ask ourselves "whats with all this marching, and circling, trumpets and shouts?"  Same exact principle.  Israel did what the Lord told them, exactly.  In doing so, the walls came tumbling down.  We don't have to understand it, we just have to do it.  Glory to God.

grace and peace