"Let God arise, and his enemies be scattered. Let those that hate him flee before him.”
|Psalm 68:1|
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Every start of a new year I expect the year to be different. I make plans, set goals, and envision things that I expect to see come to fruition. But I have been feeling a bit hesitant to make plans because I feel a sense of fatigue and anxiousness. Why? Because there is a lot on my list, and no plan or strategy seems sufficient. I think I know what to do but I don’t know what to do, you know? However, this morning, after I prayed, Psalm 68:1 came into my mind as a song. So, I searched the verse, and I read verses 1-2: Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered. Let those that hate him flee before him. As smoke blows away, let them blow away. As wax melts before a fire, let the wicked perish at the presence of God. [KJV]
And as I was saying it out loud, I thought about this entire year, and the expectations that I have. As I was seeing the months of this year in my mind’s eye, it suddenly occurred to me: if you want a successful year, let God arise. Exalt God over every need if you want to see your goals manifest. Focus on God if you want to see good success.
Whatever you magnify will manifest. Whatever you focus on, what you magnify, what you complain about, worry about and what you exalt is what is going to arise. And whatever it is that you are lifting will, like smoke, spread over your entire year. And when the atmosphere is heavy with smoke, you can’t breathe. You can’t think. You can’t see. You can’t move. Your mind is only focused on surviving.
I remember when there were forest fires happening in the neighboring province, and the smoke from there moved and covered our entire city. The smoke covered the sun; the air quality was extremely poor. People were encouraged to wear masks or stay home if they didn’t need to be outside. You couldn’t escape the stench. Even I felt the smoke settle in my lungs whilst indoors, and I helplessly prayed that I wouldn’t become sick, or suddenly become asthmatic because of it. It sincerely felt inescapable.
I’m familiar with that sense of feeling stuck, trapped, like the situation is inescapable. But God reminded me this morning: allow Him to arise over every expectation and need. And the enemies of God – the enemies to His purpose and plans – will scatter. Like wax before a fire, they’ll melt and perish before Him. Whatever and whoever is fighting you is fighting God. And amidst that battle, if you exalt God, and continue to exalt Him, they’ll all perish before His presence. Whatever has been troubling, limiting, or has been a stumbling block will perish in His presence. You’ll gain clarity to fix whatever errors you’ve made, and clarity and boldness to come out of a season that has expired. But you must magnify Him. Worship Him. Your focus must be on Him – not just remembering him when you pray in the morning, or before you fall asleep, or when you go to church, but invoke His presence throughout your day, and acknowledge him in all things.
Your liberation and your joy and your glory will not come by power or by might. It will be by the Spirit of God, who has determined the days of this year, and knows what it is you need to do, where you need to go. As you exalt him, you’ll know where you need to be and what you need to; you’ll declare a thing and it will be established. God will move things that you didn’t know how to move, and break chains you didn’t even know were holding you bound. He’ll give you the strength to do exploits. The thing you didn’t know how to navigate, he’ll give you ease.
Yes, let God arise.
Your answer is not in people, places, systems, or yourself. Exalt God, not your worry. Exalt God, not your plans, exalt God, not your problems. Magnify Him, and he will show you what to do.
