In the previous message "Here or There" I mentioned that Elijah was told as recorded in 1 Kings 17 v.3 and 4 to go to the brook Cherith. He was told by God that He commanded the ravens to feed him "there." In I Kings 19, Elijah was hiding from Jezebel in a cave and God asks him in v. 13 "What are you doing "here?" Elijah was in a dangerous situation as there was wind, fire and an earthquake. It is dangerous to be where your flesh wants to be, or "here." It is so safe to be where God wants you to be or "there" no matter what is happening around you. In Luke Chapter 1, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her (v. 35) that the power Holy Ghost would overshadow her and Jesus would be conceived in her. She said in v. 39 "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word." She then ran with haste to her cousin Elizabeth’s house and it was "there" that this "overshadowing" took place. She had to go "there." She had to get away from where she lived and Joseph to go where God wanted her to go ("there"). I use to think that when Gabriel appeared to Mary that this was the time when the Holy Ghost overshadowed her. But, in v. 45, Elizabeth tells her, under the power of the Holy Ghost that there "shall be" a performance of what the Lord said would happen. So, at this point the Holy Ghost had not overshadowed her. In v. 46, this overshadowing started to take place. In this verse the Holy Ghost overshadowed her soul, which is her mind, will and emotions. Mary said that "my soul doth magnify the Lord." In v. 47, she said that her spirit hath rejoiced. This is when the Holy Ghost overshadowed her spirit. In v. 49, she said that "He that is mighty "hath" done to me great things." You see this overshadowing could not have taken place where she was or "here." She had to go where God wanted her to be or "there." She had to leave other people and go somewhere else. God maybe asking you to leave some of your "friends" in order for you to get to another level. They may be blocking your entrance to this new level. God may want to do a work in your life in His presence all by yourself; just you and Him. Don’t hold onto to anybody because you "need’ them. Some of your friends may have been used by God, but they where just "boosters, "to help get you to a new level. Just like those rocket boosters at Cape Kennedy, they may have to separate from your life; after they helped you get to a new level! This may be necessary for you to get to a new level in God or "there."
In Genesis 26, Isaac dwelt on Gerar and every time that He tried to dig up a well that his father Abraham had dug, the enemy stopped them up. He removed from where he was and went to another place (v. 22) and dug another well. This was "there." This time the enemy couldn’t stay up with him and was not able to dig up the wells. Not only that, but the enemy came and surrendered to him and signed a covenant of peace with them. The enemy knew that the hand of God was upon them and fear was in their hearts. It is all because Isaac kept digging even though the enemy was fighting him and eventually as he kept digging, he struck water in a new well that the enemy couldn’t come near. You may not like what the enemy is doing in your life but keep pushing in the spirit and get to where God wants you to be or "There." That is where the blessings are. It is only a matter of time before God moves! When He tells you to go "there" he won’t let you be there by yourself. He will show up and show out for you.
In Daniel Chapter 3, the three Hebrew children were told to bow down to the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up or else go into the fiery furnace. They were not going to serve Nebuchadnezzar at all (v. 17). They wanted to be where God wanted them to be or "there." "There" just happened to be in the fiery furnace! You see, the enemy wanted them to go "there’ and so did God! The enemy didn’t know that God would come through for them but the children did! The enemy wanted them to sin against their God by bowing down to an idol! Don’t compromise! Be willing to "go through" for Jesus. He will always "come through" for you! The Hebrew children knew their God! Do you know your God? If the footsteps of a righteous man are of the Lord, and He directs you to a place where the enemy has a trap set up for you, do you really believe that God would leave you "hanging"? No! As a matter of fact God is already "there" waiting for you. "There" is a place where victory is assured and God gets all the glory! God always confounds the plans of the enemy concerning you! God showed up for the Hebrew children and delivered them from the fiery furnace and no harm came to them! In v. 30, the word says that the king promoted them as a result. The king knew that their God was the only true God. You see, God always gets the glory when you go "there." He wins for you and promotes you, at the same time! Praise Him!
In Acts 14, Paul was stoned at Lystra and left for dead. Miraculously, Paul was not killed and rose up and left the next day to Derbe. After he had preached there, he went back to Lystra, or "there." I am sure that in his flesh that he didn’t want to go back "there", but God wanted him back in Lystra! He went back and the people who stoned him could not touch him this time! You may be worried about going back to a location where you were hurt before, but it will be different this time! "Affliction shall not rise up the second time! "(Nahum 1 v. 9) Paul went back "there" and confirmed and encouraged the disciples. He also ordained elders "there." The people were probably so encouraged just by Paul showing up where they least expected him to be. They didn’t realize that Paul knew that the safest place to be is where God wanted him to be. It doesn’t matter if Satan himself is "there"; God will win for you and give you the treasures of darkness that the devil is holding onto "there."
Remember, that the safest place to be is where God wants you to be, no matter how much "trouble" is "there." ‘Trouble" is just an opportunity for God to move, bless you and show forth His glory for all to see! Everybody but David saw Goliath as "trouble" but David saw him as an "opportunity." David asked one of his brothers to tell him again what would be given by the king to the one who destroyed Goliath (I Samuel 17 v. 26). Don’t give into the comforts and dictates of your flesh and stay "here." Remember Elijah! Remember the danger that he was in while hiding in the middle of an earthquake, fire and wind. Again, it is so safe to be where God wants you to be or "there."