Then God said, “Behold, I am going to make a covenant. Before all your people I will perform wonders which have not been created in all the earth nor among any of the nations; and all the people among whom you live will see את the works of the LORD, for it is a fearful thing that I am going to perform with you. Exodus 34:10.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
Today take the victory, it is shining all around you. For you are seated above with Christ at My right hand and around My throne is a rainbow. And it is around you. I surround you with love and compassion. But do not be like the barren bush in the desert that never even sees good when it comes but lets the visitation pass him by. It is matter of to whom and to what you are giving your attention. And it is a matter of thanksgiving. Thankful people see things others do not and they seize the moment. Like Joshua. Not like the other ten spies.
Declare it before you see it so I can work wonders in your life which have not been created in all the earth nor among any of the nations. With you, I am doing something new. Go deeper. You need to know the Shepherd and hear His voice. You must not follow the voice of the stranger.
Today seriously begin the three-step process I discussed with you and let us begin with Psalm 23. Do you remember? It is about training your tongue, because you tongue is the steering wheel of your life, the helm. And to train the tongue, you start with your heart, for the mouth speaks from the heart’s abundance. So what is your work? Believe in the One I sent. He is the High Priest of your confession (in Greek, homologia, it means to be in agreement with Him). And how do you believe? Faith comes by hearing and hearing My Word.
So here again I will list the process: first, plant My Word in your heart and eat it every day.
Next, rejoice in prayer. Make prayer time not a time of whining and crying and begging Me. Enter with a shout of joy and rejoice in all I have promised you and am doing and have done in your life. Speak to your mountains with Me and ask with thanksgiving. Cast your cares on Me, pour out your heart and all you desire. Dream with Me and let Me speak to your heart.
Finally, whenever the fear or condemnation enters you again, declare the result you found in My Word and laugh at the doubt. Give thanks for things I have done and will do. Thank in advance. If you trust, you will be able to do this with confidence.
So, let us begin with Psalm 23. It opens, “The LORD is my Shepherd.” In Hebrew the words are Yahweh Ro’I (יהוה רעי). Literally one who feeds and pastures the sheep. Remember, Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep.
So first consider what that means to you. If you have no idea what a shepherd does it may not mean much. So who is the author, leader, developer, and finisher of your faith? Jesus. So let Him teach you about a shepherd, and more importantly, about Himself as the good Shepherd. For I, the God of shalom, brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus your Lord. And in Him, I equip you in every good thing to do My will, working in you that which is pleasing in My sight through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:20-21.
So what does Jesus teach you about the Shepherd? Go to John 10 to begin. Well, first you find that the Shepherd calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:3. Jesus leads you out of slavery to freedom, just like when I led the Israelites out of the slavery of Egypt by redeeming them by the blood of the lamb. By His blood He has redeemed you and frees you from the slavery of sin and death. He leads you out of condemnation and shame, out of darkness, out of prison, out of sickness, out of the curse to the BLESSING. He leads you out of Babylon to Eden.
And when He puts forth all His own (I know who are Mine) He goes ahead of them. He leads you. Keep your eyes on Jesus, do not get distracted and wander from the path upon which He is leading you. But even if you should, He will seek you out in the valley of the shadow of death and protect you from all harm by His rod and His staff that comfort you. He will stick with you like the good Shepherd does with wandering sheep and rescue you. He goes after the lost and brings them joyfully home, riding on His shoulders, and on His shoulders dominion rests. And We celebrate at your return to My flock, to whom I have given the Kingdom.
And how does He lead you? He is the Word. He leads by My Word in your heart. My Word is a light to your path and a lamp to your feet. Listen for My voice in My Word. And He, the great good Shepherd, has not left you as sheep without a shepherd. He is in you and with you. How? By the Holy Spirit. He gave you another Paraclete—one at your side. A Shepherd that walks with you, leads you, and guides you to all truth. A Shepherd that reminds you of all Jesus’ said and teaches you all things. And your great good Shepherd Jesus pours out My Spirit on you from My throne. You are never without direction if you want it. Jesus died to give you that.
And His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. A Shepherd does not beat the sheep, He feeds them, tends them, protects them, leads them, and sees to all their needs. But He leads them and calls them by His voice, by name. And they recognize their shepherd’s voice. Do you?
That is your first responsibility, to learn the Shepherd’s voice so you do not miss the goodness to which He is leading you. Study My Word until it speaks to you. Bind My Words continually on your heart, write them on the tablet of your heart by speaking them as your read them. Tie them around your neck. When you walk about, they will guide you. When you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk to you. For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light. Proverbs 6:21-23.
Call to Me and I will answer you. Draw close to Me and I will draw close to you. And I will call your name, you are Mine. Remember, the Shepherd calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:3. Mary Magdalene in the presence of the resurrected Jesus did not know Him until He called her name and immediately, she recognized His voice. John 20:16.
And Jesus goes on to tell you that when the shepherd puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers. John 10:4-5.
How can you know it is a stranger’s voice? It will be contrary to My Word. Examine everything carefully. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22. Do not believe anything someone says, no matter how many degrees from educational institutions they have, if it does not agree with My Word. But to know it does not agree, you have to know My Word. Read it, hear it, love it, enjoy it, eat it, rejoice in all the promises that are yours in Jesus, your great good Shepherd. Be like Mary, “Let it be done unto me according to YOUR WORD.” Not another’s word. Not evil reports of sickness, death, failure, court actions, evil intent, condemnation, shame, blame, bitterness, disasters, financial problems and the like but My good report of victory in Christ Jesus! He has paid you and Me for all those things and now He can lead you to green pastures, healing waters of peace, and right into the Holy of Holies to receive mercy and grace for what you need right when you need it.
A shepherd finds the lost, binds up the wounds incurred in the journey, feeds the sheep, protects the sheep, shields them from all harm and evil, and gives them rest and restoration. Jesus is the good Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep and came to give you abundant life. He came to lead you out of darkness to light, out of despair to joy, and out of lack to prosperity.
With Him as your Shepherd, you can boldly declare that you shall not want for any good thing. You shall not want for protection, for direction, for refuge, for restoration, for joy, for peace, for provision, for strength, for wisdom, for knowledge, for guidance, for the fruit of the Spirit, for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, for living waters, for the anointing—in other words, your good Shepherd gives you total care. He carries the lambs in His bosom. And He lays down His life for you.
And best of all: Jesus told you, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30.
For thus says Adonai YHWH (Lord LORD), “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd cares for his flock in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will cause showers to come down in their season; they will be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:11-12, 26.
I love you. I Myself will look after and feed My sheep. My Son and I are ONE. We shepherd you together.
And we have only looked at the very first line of Psalm 23. Tomorrow we will go to the next one.