Compelling Love

By keeping our eyes on the Lord (YHVH) and trusting in Him to lead and sustain us, we will be victorious in the challenges we face, and eternally fruitful in our lives. Joseph’s triumph in the midst of continual adversity is a wonderful example of overcoming faith. His jealous brothers sold him into slavery, but he kept his eyes on the Lord, eventually rising to be second in command under the Pharaoh of Egypt. After the death of Jacob his father, his brothers came to plead for mercy. He told them:

But as for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it for good, to do as he has done this day, to save many lives. (Genesis 50:20)

Like Joseph, David learned to praise God in the midst of every circumstance. He found his strength and joy in the Lord in the face of immense adversity.

Psalm 57
1 Be merciful to me, O God (Elohim), be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by.

5 Be exalted, O God (Elohim), above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

In Psalm 28, David declares that the Lord (YHVH) is his strength and his shield, and his heart leaps for joy as he remembers the goodness of God.  He then prays that the Lord will be the shepherd of His people carrying them forever.

Psalm 28
6 Blessed be the Lord (YHVH),
Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.
8 The Lord (YHVH) is their strength,
And He is the saving refuge of His anointed.
9 Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also, and bear them up forever.

To know the Lord (YHVH) as our shepherd is surely a blessing He desires for every believer. David describes this relationship in Psalm 23.

Psalm 23
1 The LORD (YHVH) is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD (YHVH) for ever.

The Apostle Paul (Shaul) like David kept his eyes on the Lord (Elohim), winning the victory by walking in His love.

Romans 8
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 37 … in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John declares that through faith in the Messiah God has sent, and by keeping his commands, we too win the victory and overcome the world.

1 John 5
1 Whoever believes that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Son of God?

Faith is the victory that overcomes the world! Yeshua (Jesus) desires this victory for every believer, and he seeks for a deep companionship with his people day by day. Those who keep the faith will sit with Yeshua on his throne, just as he overcame and sat down with the Father on his throne.

Revelation 3
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Trusting in God and in the Messiah He has sent leads to everlasting life. Yeshua (Jesus) declares in John 3:16,

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Victory is secure for those who believe in the Savior God has sent, and live in a deep and humble partnership with him, walking in his love. This is Yeshua’s invitation to every believer to enter into this kind of personal and intimate friendship with him:

Matthew 11
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Psalm 97 has these promises for those who love the Lord and hate evil:

Psalm 97
“10 You who love the Lord (YHVH), hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.11 Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart.12 Rejoice in the Lord (YHVH), you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.”

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, https://compellinglove.net/, 4/20/2013