What is the foundation upon which you are building your life? Are you building your life on the truth of God’s Word? Or are you believing the enemy’s lies and what you see happening in your circumstances and the world today? Jesus Christ is the living Word of God (John 1:1, 14). Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). He is our rock, a firm and unshakable foundation on which to stand in these turbulent times! We see in the parable Jesus told in Matthew 7 and Luke 6 that the foundations of two houses were very different.
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
But everyone who hears these sayings of mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand, and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24 – 27 (NKJV)
Jesus said the Words that He speaks are spirit, and they are life (John 6:63). We must be doers of the Word and not hearers only (James 1:22-25).
We see throughout the Scriptures the declaration that God is our rock (2 Samuel 22:32; Psalm 18:31; 92:15; 144:1; Deuteronomy 32:4; Isaiah 26:4). He is our fortress, refuge, deliverer, and source of strength (Psalm 18:1-3). Search the scriptures to see how often this is declared! Jesus came to reveal the Father. And in fact, not only was Christ revealed through types and shadows in the Old Testament, but Christ was present (John 8:56-58; Hebrews 11:26). When God hid Moses in the rock, that rock was Jesus (Exodus 33:21-23). Christ was the rock that followed the children of Israel in the wilderness, and they received water from the rock (Exodus 17:6; 1 Corinthians 10:4; John 4:14).
Jesus is the rock of our salvation (2 Samuel 22:3; Psalm 18:2, 46; 89:26). What does a rock symbolize in the Scriptures? A rock can symbolize strength and protection when we look at King David’s life. Caves and rocky crevices were often his refuges when running from Saul. It was during these times that he declared that God was his rock and salvation (Psalm 62:6 – 7). Rocky areas were also ideal locations for strong, protective city fortresses. These might have referred to physical circumstances but pointed to Christ, who would be the spiritual deliverer. Jesus is a trustworthy and rock-solid Savior! We have a sure foundation of eternal salvation through Him. Christ, our rock is not just for eternity but is for our here and now. He has provided our victory and shows us how to walk in what He has provided for us.
Jesus is the foundation on which to build our ministries, and He is the cornerstone of the church (Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 21:42; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 3:11; 1 Peter 2:6-7). The authority the church has comes from a revelation of who Jesus Christ is. Peter received the revelation of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:15-16). Listen to what Jesus told Him afterward.
“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18 – 19 (NKJV)
Where do you go and who do you turn to when you are feeling overwhelmed? We need to go to Jesus and keep our eyes fixed on Him. We need to see Him bigger than our problems and believe in who He is and what He has said in the Word. For with God, nothing will be impossible (Luke 1:37), and if you believe, all things are possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23). Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
When we go to Him, we can give Him all of our cares because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). He will give us rest when we take His yoke and learn from Him (Matthew 11:28-30). He will provide us with His peace (John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7).
We need to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). We do this with the help of the Holy Spirit. He will reveal to us anything that we believe contrary to the Word and the mind of Christ. We must cast down any thought that is in error. Feelings follow what we are thinking, and behavior follows our feelings. So we must allow the Word of God to renew our minds, so we believe correctly about us, our circumstances, who Jesus is, and what He has promised and done for us (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 1:20). God is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). When we believe right we will act right!
The Holy Spirit can show us the Word we are to stand on during each situation we encounter, and we can declare it over our lives, families, cities, and nations. God’s Word does not return void, but it accomplishes its purpose (Isaiah 55:11). We are to stand with the armor of God on and having done all to stand (Ephesians 6:10 – 18). The enemy is trying to weaken us by wearing us down so that we will drop our guard and lose heart. Don’t lose heart, but encourage yourself in the Lord (Psalm 16:8; 28:7; 31:24). Remember, the battle is not yours but the Lord’s (2 Chronicles 20:15). Go to Him in prayer and ask for the strategy that will defeat the enemy (Romans 8:26; Mark 11:24; James 1:5). Worship will bring the Presence of the Lord! Allowing another believer or believers to stand with you in agreement will also help to encourage and strengthen you until you see the victory (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Matthew 18:19; Galatians 6:2).
Prayer
Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of your wings. Selah. Psalm 61:1 – 4 (NKJV)
Living the Abundant Life 