(Part 2 – continued from same day)
“Show Him you remember that He is Mr. lncredible” (~E)
Part of our weaponry for not giving way to fear in present battles is to REMEMBER all that God has brought 
us through thus far. He told us repeatedly in this time to never forget how good He has been to us; He wants us to remember all the times that He has rescued us, healed us, delivered us, saved us, guided us, provided for us, protected us, etc. and to KNOW that He will be faithful to do so again.
Not only does He want us to remember, but He will also remind us. We have seen how He emphasizes different aspects of His nature to us in different seasons, wanting to reveal Himself to us in those areas in greater ways. One of those themes from the summer of 2011 that He began strongly emphasizing was that He is the Lord God Mighty in Battle, the Lord God of Angel Armies, who fights for us. This year, since April when the most intense season of testing began, He’s been surrounding us with, and establishing us even more securely in, the truths that He is our Shepherd and Keeper, our Impenetrable Shield of protection, our Refuge, Defense, Secure Fortress, Strong Tower ~ whose Name we run to and are saved (healed, delivered, protected, preserved) ~ our Help, our ROCK who is HIGHER than all else ~ He lifts us up from the enemies who have surrounded us, sets our feet securely upon Him, and establishes our way. He has also continued the theme of fighting for us (giving II Samuel 22, Psalm 18, Psalm 144 repeatedly, to name a few ~ though in the verses where David references his own merits, we state our only plea is JESUS!)
From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. For You have been a Shelter and a Refuge for me, a Strong Tower against the adversary. I will dwell in Your tabernacle forever; let me find refuge and trust in the shelter of Your wings. Psalm 61:2-4
I will lift up my eyes to the hills [around Jerusalem, to sacred Mount Zion and Mount Moriah]—From whence shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip or to be moved; He Who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand [the side not carrying a shield]. The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121
Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my Strength and my [impenetrable] Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise Him. The Lord is their [unyielding] Strength, and He is the Stronghold of salvation to [me] His anointed. Save Your people and bless Your heritage; nourish and shepherd them and carry them forever. Psalm 28:6-9
Several nights in a row He sang songs in my heart that I hadn’t heard or thought about in MANY years, including one that begins ~
“The Lord My Shepherd is; I shall be well supplied. Since He is mine, and I am His, what can I want beside?”
It was all the more exciting to hear that this song contained the message that “I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine” (from Song of Solomon), since this has also been a beautiful recurring theme in this season. After passing one of the tests of this time, the Lord had given me the breathtaking passage ~ “Drink, yes, drink abundantly of love, O precious one [for now I know you are mine, irrevocably mine! With his confident words still thrilling her heart, through the lattice she saw her shepherd turn away and disappear into the night].” Song of Solomon 5:1 AMP (similar to telling Abraham after he passed the test, “Now I know…” Gen 22:12)
When this Shepherd and Keeper theme first began in April, the Lord even had us learn a new song for choir (“Awesome“) which speaks about Him KEEPING US while we go through the valley. He promises to 
KEEP US as we go through the wilderness of testing, the refining fire, and the grave that He leads us into ~ that when we have passed the tests, He may bring us forth as GOLD in the power of His Spirit!!! This is our prayer for the whole body of Christ!
Despite the fire, wilderness, or grave, He wants us to know we are still empowered to make progress in these times as He works all together for our good.
Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God. Isaiah 50:10
He makes my feet like hinds’ feet [able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble]; He sets me securely upon my high places. Psalm 18:33
The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! Habakkuk 3:19
to be continued…
