My heart is breaking for the people in Ukraine. I wasn’t planning to address this topic, I’m not one for politics or the latest news but this is big. It’s unjust and I am having a hard time believing that this is even happening. It’s so hard to watch and imagine what people there are going through right now. I am not debating sides here and I know that non of us will probably ever know the full truth to the story but my heart goes out to the people that are hurting right now, regardless of if they are in the right or wrong.
Here are some photos of Ukraine. It’s beautiful.
Today the kids and I started off our morning reading and quoting our “power verses”. (Read about that here) we then went into a time of worship and while I was praying for Ukraine, I realized how heavy my heart felt for all the people who are “trapped” in the middle of this political power struggle. It’s not their fault that all this is happening to them, it’s definitely not fair and worst of all they can’t do anything about it. People in Russia are protesting against war (Russia is not a free country. You do not have the same rights there as we do here in the US. You’re literally putting yourself in danger going against the government by protesting). It all just shows that the citizens of these countries do not necessarily want violence and war. I don’t know for sure how people there feel about each other but here in America, Russians and Ukrainians are basically considered the same. You know “same same but different”. Anyway we are family not just by nationality but in Christ and as human kind. But unfortunately the dictators of this world are in the position of leadership and not the Godly people who want peace and unity.
My oldest daughter turned on Andrew Wommack after our time of prayer and worship together. We watched a few healing testimonies and I was overwhelmed at God’s love for us and how good he is. The lady talked about resting in the finished work of Christ. It is not about what we can do, say or earn but it’s absolutely and fully, his love that shakes prison cells, moves mountains, crumbles Jericho walls and rescues his people from their enemies.
I was reminded of one of my favorite stories in the Bible, it’s written in 2 Chronicles 20. The setting of the story is that there were two nations coming against Israel and king Jehoshaphat. This is so good I want you to read it with me. Starting with verse 3.
3 Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. 4 So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help.
5 Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the Lord. 6 He prayed, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! 7 O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? 8 Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name. 9 They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war,[d]plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’
10 “And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them. 11 Now see how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”
13 As all the men of Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, wives, and children, 14 the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.
15 He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says:
Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
16 Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”
18 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.
20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:
“Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!”
22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. 23 The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other. 24 So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.
25 King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing,[e]and other valuables—more than they could carry. There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all! 26 On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing,[f] which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the Lord there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.
27 Then all the men returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, overjoyed that the Lord had given them victory over their enemies. 28 They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets, and they proceeded to the Temple of the Lord.
29 When all the surrounding kingdoms heard that the Lord himself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them. 30 So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
This is sooo good! It spoke to me years ago when I was dealing with some really difficult seasons in my life. The Lord kept telling me to just trust him and let him work on my behalf. Boy are his ways better than our own!
This scripture came to me today not in a sense that one nations needs to destroy another nation. NOT AT ALL, we don’t live in those times anymore. But what stood out to me is the part that we praise God, during what seem to be the lowest moments, even BEFORE our victories. We may feel hopeless, discouraged and powerless but oh how far from the truth all that is!
We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in this world.
We aren’t physically in Ukraine right now and may feel helpless but what we can do and need to be doing is focusing on how big God is. Worshiping him in the good and the bad. Paul and Silas were in chains in prison and they were worshiping. God showed up!
“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.” Acts 16:25-26
They probably could’t even imagine that he could rescue them like that but they were just so full of praise and thanksgiving that they couldn’t contain themselves and that’s when God shows up. He breaks off all our chains and shakes the foundations of the world, in the praises of his people. I wrote my last entry having no idea what the world would come to, just a few short weeks later. If you have a minute please read or re read God is bigger than…
We as his believers here in America can join together as one, we can praise, worship and declare victory in the Spirit. Thanking God that he IS BIGGER than anything we can face or imagine. He is good, he is for us and he will come through and do what only he can do. We can’t physically do anything to help Ukraine but oh how much we can do in Christ, through our faith and trust in Jesus.
No amount of worry, fear or dwelling on the latest news is going to change anything, it only shakes us even more and we become unstable in what we believe. I always remind myself that God is not surprised by this, he’s not shaken by it and he gave me, through the Holy Spirit all the tools I need to move the mountains in my life and to stay as grounded in love and peace as he is.
Jesus predicted these things taking place as signs, he told us not to panic but to be prepared. Matthew 13:5 Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 6 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’[a] They will deceive many. 7 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.
So every time you think of Ukraine today and the days to come, please take your thoughts and tell yourself to worship and praise our father, instead of dwelling on despair and worrying. Release an atmosphere of heaven over Ukraine and Russia. Speak JESUS over them and all the leaders, here and there and may his praise never leave our thoughts, lips and spirit.
Together let’s fight for love and peace in this world by magnify the rightful King of Kings, JESUS and let him rule over our life, our family, our country and our world.
Blessings and love to all of you.
Natty
P.S. There are people and organizations who are raising funds to help with food and supplies. So donating money is something we can do practically if we are un able to go there and help in person.