{"id":21789,"date":"2019-03-20T08:18:43","date_gmt":"2019-03-20T12:18:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=21789"},"modified":"2019-03-20T15:52:36","modified_gmt":"2019-03-20T19:52:36","slug":"worship-wednesday-it-is-not-good-to-be-alone-i-am-not-alone-kari-jobe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=21789","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – It Is Not Good To Be Alone – I Am Not Alone – Kari Jobe"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: Kari Jobe, Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

[Adapted from the Archives]<\/p>\n

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone<\/strong>. I will make a helper corresponding to him.”<\/em>– Genesis 2:18<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, \u201cDo not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!” <\/strong>When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.<\/span> \u201cFor I am the LORD your God.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 <\/strong>Isaiah 43:1-3<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

In all the good that God had accomplished in creating this world (Genesis 1<\/a>), He Himself points out the one “not good” thing. “It is not good for the man to be alone.<\/em><\/strong>”<\/p>\n

Pastor Cliff<\/a> is preaching a series on Genesis, and this was where we landed this past Sunday. He talked about that aloneness as being something we experience apart from intimacy with God and His human provision for us. Not just marriage, but family, close friendships, and genuine community.<\/p>\n

What Does Genesis 2:18 Mean?<\/em> <\/a><\/p>\n

Our hardest battles are the private ones…the ones in which we feel alone.<\/strong> We could be surrounded by coworkers, family members, friends, yet we can\u2019t really bring to words the terror in our hearts\u2026the questions\u2026the sense of isolation, of aloneness. We are not usually overcome by such things; it\u2019s not who we are. Yet, there are days when it seems, seems, that we are alone. Everyone else is rocking with the latest turn in life\u2026but me. It seems I am somehow alone in this.<\/p>\n

First\u2026if we could speak it out loud, we would find others with questions and wondering. We are not alone. Especially in the deepest places. Then, remembering again: we have\u00a0great and many promises<\/a> that God is with us through all of where He takes us. Most importantly, He sometimes orchestrates these places of weakness for us to remember His strength. It is for us to learn afresh to trust Him. His desire is for us to see and manifest His glory meant for our good and for those around us. This sometimes comes through those dark, desperate times of seeming aloneness. We. Are. Not. Alone.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Several years ago, I heard a seminary professor, Chuck Lawless<\/a>, teach on spiritual warfare. He reminded us, through passage after passage from God\u2019s Word, that our battles belong to God. He will fight for us. We are not alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe turn to Job when our own life hits the wall. Job 1:20<\/a> \u2013 Job worshipped. I hope if I lost everything, I would still worship God. In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. Spiritual warfare \u2013 It\u2019s not escaping from the battle; it\u2019s worshipping God in the battle.\u00a0 Job is in a battle he can\u2019t win. He trusts the Lord anyway. And we must as well.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

It is in our weakness that we find victory.<\/strong> When the noose is around our neck. When we can come to a place where we\u2019re content with the worst\u2026then Satan can\u2019t affect us. We lean on God in our weakness \u2013 we lean on God. We can say, \u201cI\u2019m o.k. with this.\u201d We don\u2019t like spiritual warfare because we want to hang on to our stuff \u2013 our dreams, our idea of ourselves, our position \u2013 whatever it is. Hang on to God. Alone.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

When our job is on the line or we are facing an uphill battle in our work, when we face a devastating diagnosis or diminishing health in our elder years, when our marriage is in a hard place or there seems no hope for marriage for us\u2026whatever our situation. We are not alone.<\/p>\n

As I listened to Dr. Lawless back then and to Pastor Cliff on Sunday, I looked around the room and my heart filled with love for those people God had placed in our lives. We may be unaware of the struggle\u2026but we know a God who knows and joins us together with Himself and each other…in our struggles.<\/p>\n

We have this amazing spiritual privilege, a divine work: to take each other to God in prayer\u2026preemptively. Proactively not just reactively.<\/strong> The more we do this, the more quickly we will remember that the battle belongs to the Lord<\/strong>. [2 Chronicles 20:14-18<\/a>] Satan would have us divided against each other, feeling on the outside of whatever is the preferred inside, stuck in thinking we are missing whatever is the better part. Not true! God loves us and He fights for each of us. Remember the Truth; cling to Him. We can pray confidently, knowing that we are not alone. Ever.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dark of night will not overtake me<\/strong>
\nI am pressing into You.\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Kari Jobe<\/a><\/p>\n

Worship<\/a> with me to Kari Jobe<\/a>‘s beautiful, full-of-truth song I Am Not Alone<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n

When I walk through deep waters
\nI know that You will be with me
\nWhen I\u2019m standing in the fire
\nI will not be overcome
\nThrough the valley of the shadow
\nI will not fear<\/span><\/p>\n

I am not alone
\nI am not alone
\nYou will go before me
\nYou will never leave me<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In the midst of deep sorrow
\nI see Your light is breaking through
\nThe dark of night will not overtake me
\nI am pressing into You
\nLord, You fight my every battle
\nAnd I will not fear<\/p>\n

You amaze me
\nRedeem me
\nYou call me as Your own<\/p>\n

You\u2019re my strength
\nYou\u2019re my defender
\nYou\u2019re my refuge in the storm
\nThrough these trials
\nYou\u2019ve always been faithful
\nYou bring healing to my soul.*<\/p>\n