We are living in unprecedented times. It seems that everything around us is being shaken whether we want us to or not as the Holy Spirit said it would be, Hebrews 12:24-27 (ESV)
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.
All that is temporal is being tested by His fire so that only the eternal will remain. We’re beginning to see this shaking in our nation. All cultural values have been and are being shaken. Every cultural mountain is being removed so that His eternal mountain of praise can replace them. We read of these mountains in Revelation 17:9 (ESV)
“This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated;”
This woman is the harlot, the “Whore of Babylon” (Rev 19), who seduce the word and made herself drunk on the blood of the saints, Revelation 17:6 (ESV)
“And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.”
Perhaps this the mountain Jesus is referring to in Mark 11:23 (ESV)
“Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.’
Here are the seven mountains of influence: “family, religion, education, media, entertainment, business, and government”. The beginning of this “7 Mountain movement actually began with a message that was given by God to three evangelicals, Loren Cunningham, founder of “YWAM”, Bill Bright, founder of “Campus Crusade For Christ” and Francis Schaeffer, Founder of “L’Abri Community” in 1975. It gained prominence in 2013 by a prophecy by Lance Wallnau. So, perhaps we’re living in the age that these seven mountains are being shaken and cast into the sea and replaced with Mount Zion which can never be shaken. Many have said and believe that President 45 is the instrument that God is using to bring this to pass. We shall see.
The question is, how can we live in peace and serenity when everything around us is not? I believe the first thing is to declare over your life the attribute that “God is Good”. King David knew a lot about struggles in life and the way not being clear, but He made this declaration in Psalm 103:1-8 (ESV)
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,and forget not all his benefits,3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
Remembering God’s goodness is vital when days are the darkest. Read David’s psalms! They are medicine to your soul on difficult days. Declaring God’s goodness continuously prepared David to rule with great compassion. David was prepared to be king after he learned to “encourage himself in the Lord” (1 Sam 30:6)
When King Hezekiah sent out the “worship team” before the military in 2 Chronicles 20, they went out declaring God’s goodness and His faithfulness.
Jesus’ half-brother, James declares this about Jesus in James 1:17 (ESVP)
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change”
Because God exist outside of time and space, He is eternally good, all the time without fail. Declare that today over the struggles of your life.
The second thing is because He is good, you can trust His ways. He is working out His perfect plan in every level of society. Don’t stress when you see evil triumphant, it will soon be destroyed. Again, we turn to the Psalmist in Psalm 37:1-7; Psalm 18:30 (ESV)
“Fret not yourself because of evildoers, be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!”
“This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true;
He us a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
God prepared David though years of trials and struggles to rule. He is doing the same with us. Paul encouraged Timothy with this, 2 Timothy 2:11-13 (ESV)
“The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.”
Is the way forward is unclear, don’t panic or be in despair, declare His goodness over your life and circumstances and trust Him foe He is faithful and His ways are perfect, David must have passed things truths on to his son Solomon who wrote in Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”