BEYOND EHUD: THE LEFT-HANDED WARRIORS OF BENJAMIN PART 11: WHEN GOD GIVES YOU ANOTHER CHANCE

Image
BEYOND EHUD: THE LEFT-HANDED WARRIORS OF BENJAMIN PART 11: WHEN GOD GIVES YOU ANOTHER CHANCE Judges 20:23, 27–28 (NLT) "But the Israelites went to the Lord and wept before him until evening. Then they asked the Lord, 'Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again?' And the Lord said, 'Go and fight against them.'" In Part 10, we witnessed a painful reality. The Israelites entered battle and suffered a devastating defeat. Twenty-two thousand men died in a single day. Yet instead of allowing defeat to destroy them, they encouraged one another and returned to their positions. But there was something even more important they did. They went back to God. Before they returned to the battlefield, they returned to the presence of the Lord. And that is where today's lesson begins. Sometimes, the greatest response to defeat is not to try harder. It is to seek God again. Defeat Should Drive You To God, Not Away From Him When things go wrong, our natural rea...
Post a Comment

THE GREAT CHEF: WHEN GOD COOKS PART 6: JOB — THE INGREDIENT OF PRESSURE

THE GREAT CHEF: WHEN GOD COOKS

PART 6: JOB — THE INGREDIENT OF PRESSURE


In Part 5, we followed the life of Moses and the ingredient of detours. We learned that: God can begin your story differently from where He will end it. Even mistakes can be woven into divine purpose. The wilderness is not waste — it is formation.

Detours are divine rerouting, not denial “I have seen the affliction…” (Exodus 3:7)

“I will be with you…” (Exodus 3:12)

Now we step into a heavier kitchen environment… Pressure. Pressure is intense. Because it does not just delay you —It tests what is inside you. Pressure comes when:

Things are removed. Stability shakes. Silence replaces answers. And everything familiar disappears. And in those moments, you begin to ask: “God, where are You?”

Let’s step into the life of Job — a man who met God in the middle of unbearable pressure.


Pressure Can Touch Everything Except What Matters Most

Job experienced total loss. “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away…” (Job 1:21)

He lost: Wealth. Children. Health. Reputation Yet something remained untouched — his faith foundation.

This reveals a mystery: God may allow pressure around you… But He protects what is within you.


Pressure Reveals What Comfort Conceals

Before pressure: Faith looks strong. Worship looks loud. Confidence looks stable. But pressure exposes depth. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him…” (Job 13:15)

Job discovered something: True faith is not proven in comfort… It is proven in collapse.


Silence Is Part of the Process

One of the hardest parts of Job’s story is not loss… It is silence. No immediate explanation. No quick rescue. No visible intervention. Just silence. And in silence, many people misinterpret God. But silence is not absence. Sometimes God is: Observing Refining. Strengthening. Rebuilding


Pressure Is Not Punishment

Job’s friends assumed: “If you are suffering, you must have sinned.” But they were wrong. “In all this Job did not sin…” (Job 1:22) Not every storm is disciplinary.

Some storms are developmental. Some pressure is not because you failed… But because God trusts what is inside you.


Restoration Comes After Refinement

The story does not end in pressure. It ends in restoration. “The Lord restored Job’s fortunes…” (Job 42:10)

But notice: Restoration came after refinement. God did not just replace what was lost… He expanded what remained. Pressure reduced Job externally. But increased him internally.


Real-life Application (Practical Layer)

This speaks directly to real ministry and life experiences. There are seasons where:

Strength feels depleted. Answers feel absent. Support systems feel distant. And faith feels stretched. But pressure is not proof that God has left. It is proof that something deeper is being built.bEven in ministry:

Numbers may fluctuate. Recognition may delay. Resources may tighten. But depth is forming.


Reflection

Ask yourself:

What pressure am I currently facing?

What is it revealing about my faith?

Am I interpreting pressure as punishment or preparation?


Call To Action

This week:

Identify one area of pressure in your life

Instead of complaining, ask: “What is God building here?”

Declare daily:

“Though I am under pressure, I am still in process.”

Don’t break under it. Grow under it.


Prayer

Lord, in times of pressure, help me not to lose faith. When I cannot trace You, help me trust You. Strengthen what is inside me while everything around me is tested. Let pressure not destroy me, but develop me. And when I come out, let me be stronger than before. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


Next Chapter Preview

In the final part, Part 7, we arrive at the table — where God serves the finished story. We will see how all ingredients come together in Joseph, David, Jephthah, Moses, and Job.

The final message:

When God finishes cooking, nothing is wasted.

God is speaking, are you listening?



Prince Julius Nenebi-Darkson 

(EL-PJ God's penman)

Comments

Post a Comment

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your reflections, testimonies, or questions below. Let’s grow together in faith!

Popular posts from this blog

WHEN FOLLOWING JESUS COSTS EVERYTHING PART 7: WHAT IS YOUR “ONE THING”?

Image
WHEN FOLLOWING JESUS COSTS EVERYTHING PART 7: WHAT IS YOUR “ONE THING”? Luke 18:22 (NIV) When Jesus Christ heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing…” In Part 6, we encountered the rich young ruler—a man who was disciplined, moral, and sincere, yet walked away from Jesus Christ because of one thing he could not surrender. He was close to Jesus—but not surrendered to Him. Opening Thought 🌅 Sometimes, the greatest barrier between you and your next level in God is not many things—it is just one thing. Not obvious. Not loud. But deeply rooted. Key Phrase “ You still lack one thing …” Insight 🔍 This statement is both simple and profound. It means: You can be doing many things right… and still miss one thing. You can be progressing… and still be held back. You can be committed… and still be divided. The rich young ruler didn’t lack discipline. He lacked surrender in one area. And that one thing became everything. Deeper Application 🔥 Your “ one thing ” may not be money—but ...
Read more

WHEN THE ROBE COMES OFF: HONORING THE HUMANITY OF GOD’S SERVANTS PART 7: FINAL LAP: STANDING IN THE GAP — THE URGENCY OF INTERCESSION

Image
WHEN THE ROBE COMES OFF: HONORING THE HUMANITY OF GOD’S SERVANTS PART 7: FINAL LAP: STANDING IN THE GAP — THE URGENCY OF INTERCESSION  1 Kings 19:4 Ezekiel 22:30 “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the sake of the land, that I would not destroy it, but I found no one [not even one].” (AMP) Becoming Watchmen Over God’s Servants Recap of Part 6: Yesterday, we exposed the reality that some ministers are hiding secret sins—not because they don’t love God, but because they don’t feel safe to confess. We were reminded to pray, not punish, and to cover, not cancel. Heaven is still searching. God is still looking. Not for another preacher. Not for another platform. But for a gap stander. An intercessor. A spiritual defender of those who are too exhausted to pray for themselves. Throughout this devotional, we've uncovered the hidden battles of pastors and ministers—the emotional lows, the secret temptations, the heavy loneliness, t...
Read more

THE GREAT WALL: WHEN WALLS FAIL PART 2 — THE ENEMY AT THE GATE: STRONG WALLS, WEAK WATCHMEN

Image
THE GREAT WALL: WHEN WALLS FAIL PART 2 — THE ENEMY AT THE GATE: STRONG WALLS, WEAK WATCHMEN In Part 1, we saw that walls do not fail because they are weak; they fail when the gates are compromised. Even the mighty Great Wall of China, built with stones, sweat, and sacrifice, could not stop an enemy when its gatekeepers failed. True strength lies not in the wall itself, but in the vigilance and integrity of those who guard it. Now in Part 2, we explore how weak watchmen at the gate can undo even the strongest defenses. Every wall has two sides: the builders who raise it and the watchmen who guard it. A wall can be tall, thick, ancient, and mighty…but if the hearts of its watchmen grow tired, distracted, or compromised, the enemy does not need strength — just an opportunity. The Great Wall teaches us this: Strength is useless without vigilance. Protection is fragile without attention. A boundary is only as safe as the person standing at the gate. Let’s journey deeper. THE STORY — Part 2 ...
Read more