From His Heart Daily Devotional 9 April 2022
BECAUSE HE SAID SO
“Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,’ so that we confidently say, ‘THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT SHALL MAN DO TO ME?'”
Hebrews 13:5-6
When I was in college, I was introduced to a popular teaching known as “name it and claim it.” The crux of the teaching went something like this: “What do you want? What big item, dream, healing, or wish is in your heart? It is yours in Jesus … so just name it and claim it.” Multitudes of people fell in love with this teaching, and began naming and claiming everything under the sun.
Does the Bible really teach a name it and claim it theology? The correct answer is “sort of.” But the one who names it is not you or me, it is the Lord Himself. We can claim by faith anything that He has first named for us. If He hasn’t named it, you have no claim to it. Moses surely couldn’t name and claim going into the Promised Land, because God had given him an emphatic, “NO! And don’t ask Me about this again!” (see Deut. 3:26). Paul couldn’t name and claim a mission trip to Bithynia, because “the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them” (Acts 16:7).
We can only claim what He names. He is the Master, and we are the servants.
DON’T FAIL TO CLAIM WHAT HE HAS NAMED
In Hebrews 13, we are given a great promise. It is the promise of His enduring presence. It is the promise that no matter what, our Savior and Lord will never ever bail out, forsake, or desert His own. When He saves, He saves forever.
And because He has named this, we can confidently claim Him as our helper. Because the Lord is with us always, there is no need to fret or fear. There is no need to face your giants, whatever they may be, alone. You can say with rock-ribbed assurance, “The Lord is my helper.”
Are you going through some really trying times in your marriage, family, finances, or health? Have you lost the love of your life and can’t seem to make sense of anything anymore? Are you drowning in an addiction to drugs, alcohol, pornography, or whatever? Do you feel like God has abandoned you? He hasn’t. He can’t. He has promised never to do that, and it is impossible for Him to lie.
BY FAITH CALL UPON YOUR HELPER
Regardless of where you find yourself today, will you start claiming what He has named? Will you claim Him as your helper, your faithful friend who will never turn His back on you? Will you claim His almighty, miraculous help in your dark and seemingly hopeless situation? He is your helper … and He wants to help you.
Perhaps you heard the story of the little boy who was playing in the sandbox. There was a big rock in the middle of the sandbox, interfering with his fun and games. He wanted it out, but it was too big for him to handle. Try as he might, he couldn’t get it removed. In utter frustration, he began to cry. His father, who was watching the whole thing unfold, said to his son, “Son, why don’t you use all your strength?” His son cried, “Daddy, I did use all my strength, but it still won’t move.” His dad said, “Son, you didn’t use all your strength… because you did not use me.”
“The Lord is MY helper.” He is the one who can remove the boulders of sin, sorrow, and setback from our lives. Claim the truth that He has named, and believe that He will help you and bring about miracles of provision, victory, and restoration.
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
