Day 20 of 30: Anchored Firmly By His Word

   "Are you ready? What for? That you may move and be moved by the mighty power of God that cannot be moved and so chastened and built up till you are in the place, it doesn’t matter where the wind blows or difficulty comes, you are fixed in God.

   Are you ready? What for? To come into the plan of the Most High God, believing what the Scripture says, and holding fast that which is good, believing so that no man shall take your crown."    --Smith Wigglesworth  

  "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."  James 1:6

Doubt is the opposite of faith.  

James is speaking to the people in James 1:5 telling them to ask God if they lack wisdom.  He was talking to people struggling with how to go through trials, and he tells them these trials test their faith (notice he did not say God caused the trials.)

It is in the middle of difficulty we can become unsure and lose sight of who God is and His Word.  We may be tempted not to trust Him, rely on Him, and we forget He is a PRESENT and ACTIVE God.

Photo Credit:  Joy Neasley

James describes doubt as being "like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind."  

This sounds like a ship that is not anchored.

An anchor prevents a ship from drifting away due to the water currents or tide.  Therefore, the ship aimlessly is tossed to and fro with no direction or guidance, and it is influenced by the circumstances around it (the wind, the current, the weather).  

In difficult situations we can lose focus and let our anchor (God) go.  We may even struggle with whether faith still works.  As doubt enters, it replaces faith and we become influenced by everything around us rather than what we know as truth.  

We must walk by faith, not by sight.  Stay anchored tightly to Him, trusting His Word is True and that He is ever present.  

Researching how an anchor works, I discovered the anchor itself is only part of what keeps the ship from drifting aimlessly, securing the ship.   

  

When anchored, the ship lays the anchor together with a length of its iron cables on the seabed.  The length to be released is determined by many factors (the situation and circumstances surrounding the ship).  

It is not the weight of the anchor, but the weight of the huge iron cables connected to the anchor that "secures" the ship.  The anchor plays a very important role in grounding the cables, and hooking the cables to the seabed, but the usage of the proper length of iron cables plays an equally important role.

God's Word and the Holy Spirit are the iron cables that keep us connected to the anchor.  John 8:32 tells us that it is the Truth that we know that makes us free.  

Photo located at
http://karishope.blogspot.com/2010/11/anchor-of-hope.html

We can anchor to God and trust Him, but if we do not know who we are IN CHRIST through His Word, we cannot stand on the promises of God during troubling times of difficulty.  If we are to walk by faith, not by sight then we must know what faith is through His Word.  

A ship properly anchored is held to a circular area surrounding the anchor by way of the iron cables.  The radius we circle around the anchor is determined by the length of the cable released.  

God's Word keeps us focused with our eyes on Him during potentially stressful situations.  It ties us to Him, and keeps us circling around Him, unable to drift too far away.  

Today's passage, Psalm 103, is uplifting and insightful.  Meditate and pray over this passage for understand, wisdom, revelation of Him, and how this is for you personally.

Psa 103:1  A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 

Psa 103:2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 

Psa 103:3  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 

Psa 103:4  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 

Psa 103:5  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. 

Psa 103:6  The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. 

Psa 103:7  He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 

Psa 103:8  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 

Psa 103:9  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 

Psa 103:10  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 

Psa 103:11  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 

Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 

Psa 103:13  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 

Psa 103:14  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 

Psa 103:15  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 

Psa 103:16  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. 

Psa 103:17  But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; 

Psa 103:18  To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. 
Psa 103:19  The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. 

Psa 103:20  Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 

Psa 103:21  Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 


Psa 103:22  Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.