From Pity to Praise

Life presents us with many challenges, but thankfully encouragement can be found at our fingertips. Reading the Bible might not change circumstances in the moment, but our strength can be renewed, and our attitude can be adjusted while we walk through our trials.

Isaiah 54:17 is one of my go-to verses, that sets me on the right track.

“No weapon that is formed against you will prevail, and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the Lord’s servants, and their righteousness is of me, says the Lord.”

God made a powerful declaration and promise here. He is reminding us that His people are of His might and sovereignty, as well as His abiding love for them. This really echoes an assurance the Lord gave the young nation of Israel. “I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose those who oppose you” (Exodus 23:22).

Though it evokes images from an older age, this verse has meaning for us today in our struggles, whether small or large.

Simply put, God is stating that anyone who is seeking to do evil against His people will fail. Even though for a time it may seem that we are defeated, God assures us the victory.

God’s Word doesn’t promise His people a life free of problems. In fact from the very beginning, we will be dealt with a harsh journey, just as the Israelites did. No matter the journey through the desert, and the enemies we will encounter that want to destroy us, God will remain faithful to care for us.

Jesus stated plainly that “In this world you will have trouble, (John 16:33) and each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). But He also added reassurances that God is near and would be active in His children’s lives.

The truth is that everyone must handle all sorts of problems. And sometimes we find ourselves at odds with other people for one reason or another. Paul addressed the battles as “spiritual warfare.”

“ For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” -Ephesians 6:12

But no matter what comes against us, seen or unseen, we can be able to stand when we lean into God’s grace.

This is what my Pastor sends every week to my church. It’s helps to keep us connected to God throughout the week.

Unresolved past issues, traumas, or hurts will keep surfacing in new situations and relationships, creating cycles of familiar pain or dysfunction until we consciously address and heal them.

It took me many years to learn this, but once I did my entire life changed. Before this I felt stuck, not moving forward.

This is a psychological concept that is linked to repetition compulsion, where our brains unconsciously recreate scenarios like repeating job issues or choosing a certain type of partner hoping to finally master or change the original painful outcome, but instead getting stuck in the same loop. Kind of like going around the same mountain over and over and expecting to get somewhere different.

Until you break the cycle nothing will change. To break the cycle we must engage in some self-reflection, honest communication, setting boundaries, and seeking support from someone to can help identify and resolve your core wounds.

There are many applications to this:

• Unresolved trauma: Childhood wounds or past rejection can lead to seeking similar dynamics to gain life or control. This concept is related to adverse childhood experiences.
• Relationship patterns: We can repeatedly find ourselves in emotionally unavailable relationships or conflict-ridden situations because we haven’t healed the underlying need or fear.

• Behavioral loops: Ingnoring bad habits or past mistakes can keep us stuck, breaking the cycle requires facing what needs fixing through self-awareness and action.

• The need for healing: The “repair” involves acknowledging the pain, understanding your role, setting new boundaries, and practicing self-love to interrupt old patterns and foster growth.

When repairing ourselves there are a few keys.

• Self-reflection: Look inward to identify your parts in the continuing cycle.

• Honest communication: Talk openly about issues to understand and validate experiences.
• Set boundaries: Establish healthy limits to prevent mistreatment in the future.

• Seek support: Find a pastor, counselor, mentor, or someone who will offer a safe place to heal deep wounds.
• Practice new behaviors: Consciously choose different actions and reactions to build new neural pathways.

It’s important to realize that this is not an easy task. I know many people who don’t continue because it’s a long process. I can tell you from experience it took me 4 years to break the cycle. But, once I accomplished it my life began to change.

Changing our brain patterns is hard because our brains prioritize efficiency and comfort, forming strong neutral habits through repetition. Like well-worn paths in a riverbed, it’s easier to use old roads rather than build new ones, especially with ingrained emotional responses and cognitive biases like fear of loss.

It feels like fighting your powerful automatic systems with your thinking brain it takes conscious effort to replace old reward loops with new ones, rather than just trying to stop the old habits.

This makes changing very difficult and most people are not willing to put in the work. But, if you can your life will improve dramatically.

True deep faith isn’t tested or built in easy times, but rather difficult, uncertain, or painful situations. The “darkness” fosters reliance on God, much like seeds grow underground before emerging into light, preparing us for greater purpose and strength.

It’s about trusting God’s character and unseen work during our struggles, not just understanding His plan, turning trials into transformation, and finding boldness through a deep connection with God.

It’s easy to trust when things are clear. But real faith emerges when we can’t see the next step, requiring reliance on God’s promises, not feelings.

Dark times aren’t punishment but an opportunity for God to mature us, reveal His light within, and prepare us for a future purpose.

Darkness isn’t the end it’s a temporary, necessary part of a cycle that leads to greater joy, understanding, and light, because darkness cannot ever overcome the light of Jesus.

Often in our darkest times, we find that in the most difficult days, we can face pivotal times that mark our lives and even our future.

If you’ve lived long enough, you may know what it is to struggle through deep loss, brokenness, and pain. Almost all of us have been there at some point along the way, and though our personal times of great darkness may look different, they always offer the greatest potential in our lives to change us. Because the person who walks out of the storm, out of the fiery trial, or straight out of the deep, is different than the one who first walked in.

We’re changed.

We’ve battled.

We’ve struggled.

We’ve wrestled with ourselves, with others, and even with God.

And yes maybe we still have some battle wounds.

Often it takes time to fully understand and begin to see how God will turn it all around for good and purpose. Because the dark times sometimes so deeply affect us. But through Jesus, we can have the assurance and hope that only He can give, knowing that He will indeed use dark days for an ultimate blessing in this life.

We may not see it as it is happening but we can fully trust that He will strengthen our faith, deepen our roots, and build greatness within us when the strong winds blow.

A few things I’ve learned along the way and I still am learning when difficult days come, and these truths that God gives us, so that we can rise above the difficult times. He reminds us not to be surprised when the fiery trials come. Though it may be hard, and of feelings might try to steer us in other direction, we have to be determined to keep walking in light and truth, refusing to listen to the enemy’s lies.

It is crucial to stay anchored deep in God , so we can grow stronger through any storm we face.

Here are a few things to keep in mind during dark times:

• Keep your eyes on Jesus.
• Fill your heart and mind daily with God’s Words.
• Talk to God and Pray His Words back to Him
• Remember that God Promises to bring purpose out of every hard place.
• Know that God loves you, He cares, and will never leave you on your own.

• Keep praising Him, even when you don’t feel like it.
• Choose Joy, find something to laugh about everyday.
• Choose to give to others during your dark days.
• Surround yourself with people who support you that you can trust.

• Remember you are only passing through. This is not your home.

Drawing near to God is not only a command but also a privilege. When we take deliberate steps to seek and commune with God, we position ourselves to enjoy the divine benefits that surpass anything the world can offer.

Many of us live beneath their spiritual potential because they don’t understand the blessings that come from an intimate relationship with God.

God’s presence transforms, and empowers our souls. There is no substitute for closeness with Him.

Drawing near isn’t a one-time act but a consistent lifestyle. I was listening to a study on “drawing near -intimacy with God,” by John Bevere today and he said something profound, “God is the only god who can communicate with you.” Think about that. But, many of us don’t give Him a chance to speak to us.

We have access to God’s heart. As we draw near God reveals His thoughts, plans, and secrets to us. In Jeremiah 33:3 God says, “Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great and difficult things, which you don’t know.”

There is growth in a relationship with God. Knowing God goes beyond salvation, it’s about continual intimacy and depth.

There is confidence in His presence. We gain the boldness to approach Him with our needs and burdens. Hebrews 4:16, “Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace,that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.”

When we are close to God there is a sense of belonging. We no longer feel distant or rejected, but we know we are His children. Romans 8:15, “For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry Abba Father,”

Having an intimate relationship with God provides a renewed spiritual, emotional, and even physical strength. Isaiah 40:31, “But those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.”

There is peace in God’s presence. Anxiety disappears in the presence of the “Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.”

These are just a few benefits of having an intimate relationship with God.

The blessing of drawing near to God are both eternal and immediate. Intimacy with Him leads wisdom, power, rest, direction, and joy. It is in God’s presence that we are transformed into His likeness and equipped for life.

No matter your background or current spiritual state, the invitation to draw near remains open. You don’t need to be perfect to come close to God, you just need to be hungry for Him.

Breaking strongholds refers to overcoming persistent negative patterns like fear, addiction, and lies, through spiritual means.

A few months ago I took a Bible study on being rooted. There was a section that was called Breaking Strongholds. My first thought was that this would be an easy section, but I was wrong. It really made me think about the power struggle going on in my life. The power of sin against the Holy Spirit.

We are constantly choosing between two kingdoms life or death, light or darkness, truth or lies. While we might not do it consciously we allow our adversary to have authority in our lives. And this is what scripture calls “strongholds.”

Paula told us in Galatians 5:16-21,

Breaking strongholds is a process of identifying deceptive beliefs, confronting them with truth, and using spiritual weapons like God’s Word to dismantle mental or spiritual barriers.

I learned from this Bible study that there are key steps to breaking strongholds.

1. We have to identify the stronghold. We need to recognize patterns of negative thinking, behavior, or emotional bondage life fear, anger, or self-defeat that feel like walls.

2. We have to identify the lie. We need to determine the deceptive belief that fuels the stronghold whether it is “God doesn’t care” or “I’m not worthy.”

3. We have to take our thoughts captive. To actively reject wrong thoughts and replace them with truth from scripture, bringing our minds into obedience to Jesus.

4. Pray and Fast. Engage in persistent prayer and fasting as led by God to gain strength and clarity.

There is something called “The Daniel Fast,” if you can’t go without eating because of a health condition.

5. Turn away from sins and confess ungodly patterns.

I think it is important that we do not pick up the same sinful patterns over and over. While we all make mistakes, let’s try to be a better version of ourselves than we were yesterday.

6. We need to seek guidance. Talk to someone you trust, like a pastor, therapist, or someone experienced in spiritual warfare.

Whether we recognize it or not, we are all in a spiritual fight for our lives.

7. Rely on God’s Word, worship, and confession to dismantle deceptive imaginations and strongholds.

8. We need to be desperate for freedom. Develop a deep desire to be free, willing to challenge our old, familiar painful patterns.

Knowing our authority in Christ Jesus is recognizing our power and rights over spiritual darkness -sickness, evil works through Jesus allowing us to enforce God’s will on earth by speaking His Word, using His name, and operating from our position “seated with Him” in heavenly places, as a reward of His victory, not by personal merit but as a gift to be actively use for His glory. It’s about being an agent of change, enforcing divine rules, and living a triumphant, not a defeated life.

Our authority is a gift, it’s not earned by works, but received by faith when we choose to give our lives to Jesus.

Jesus’s delegated power -Jesus, having all authority, has delegated His power to believers.

“Yeshua came to them and spoke to them, saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth” -Matthew 28:18

We have the position of triumph. We are seated with Jesus in heavenly places, a position of honor and victory, not defeat.

“And raised us up with Him, and made us dir with Him in the heavenly places in Messiah Yeshua” -Ephesians 2:6

Jesus gifted us authority over evil. We have the authority of satan, demons, sickness, and negative circumstances.

How to know and use the authority Jesus gave us.

• Know His Word. Meditate on the scriptures like Ephesians 1:20, 2:6, Philippians 2:9-10, and Matthew 10:8 to understand your position and rights.
• Speak His Word. Address problems (sickness, mountains) directly, commanding them to move in Jesus’ name, based on what God’s Word says.

• Operate in His Name. The name of Jesus carried ultimate authority, use it to release power, just as a CEO uses their name.

• Stay connected. Maintain intimacy with Jesus through prayer and worship, your authority works through your connection to Him.

“If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you” -John 15:7

• Be a steward. Use your authority humbly, not for personal gain, but to bring God’s glory and extend His kingdom on earth.

There are some key actions to keep in mind.

• Decree and Declare. Speak your authority, enforcing God’s will like a king or queen.

• Enforce Spiritual Law. Actively use your given rights to bring healing, deliverance, and freedom.
• Walk in Humility. Recognize that your source of power is Jesus, not yourself, to avoid falling.

When we know our identity in Christ Jesus as a child of God, a co-heir, we can speak God’s Words, blessings, and truths we can speak with faith and boldness, this aligns our lives with God’s will and we can use our delegated power over the enemy, sickness, and fear, as Jesus did. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit, not our own might, to fulfill God’s purposes.

It’s about walking as light, not relying on human power but God’s divine enablement to overcome.

No matter the situation, God is still in the business of making a way.

Life is filled with seemingly impossible situations, moments when human wisdom and strength fail. But we serve a God who specializes in impossibilities. He is the Way Maker, the One who brings light into darkness and creates paths where there are none.

When the Israelites stood before the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army behind them, it looked like the end. Yet, God showed that He is the One who can make a way through the sea. No obstacle is too great when God is involved.

Today, many are stuck in deserts of confusion or closed doors. But God is able to create rivers in our deserts and highways in the wilderness. We just need to trust His ability to do what no man can do.

Even in the most hopeless situations, God’s power can open new pathways. God can divide the sea of challenges before you and make a way.

He creates paths in the wilderness. Wilderness situations can be confusing, but God brings direction and provision. Isaiah 43:19 states, “Behold, I will do a new thing. It springs out now. Don’t you know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

God can open doors no man can shut. Even when men say, No, God’s yes overrides them. “I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no man can shut), that you have a little power…”

He turns impossibilities into testimonies. “For nothing spoken by God is impossible” (Luke 1:37).

God’s ways are not our ways. God doesn’t follow human logic. His methods may seem unconventional. He can use what we see as foolish to confound the wise. He often chooses strange ways to show His power. “But God chose the foolish things of the world that He might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that He might put to shame the things that are strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27).

God works on His own time. His timing is perfect, though it may differ from ours. “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

He leads by His Spirit, not human calculation. His Spirit gives divine leading beyond reason. We see this in Jesus feeding the 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.

God will always make a way for His purposes to be fulfilled. When God has spoken, nothing can stop it from happening.

His word never returns void. What He promises, He performs. “So is my word that goes out of my mouth, it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do” (Isaiah 55:11).

God uses every delay, detour, or denial to fulfill His purpose. He orchestrates events for His glory.

When He opens a way for us. He gives us the strength to walk through it. “He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might” (Isaiah 40:29).

He confirms His Word with signs. “They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed” (Mark 16:20). He proves His power by backing up His Word.

No matter the situation, God is still in the business of making a way. Don’t be discouraged by closed doors, dry places, or impossibilities around you.

Keep your eyes on the One who parted the Red Sea, who opened the barren womb, and who raised the dead.

When God makes a way, it brings peace, progress, and undeniable miracles. Believe it and walk in expectation of it.