Turnaround (Part 2)

Turnaround (Part 2)

Zephaniah 3:14-17 “Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

I believe part of our problem with being blessed is that we don’t know how to receive the blessings in the way the Lord intended. We allow sadness to rule over our lives and we become our own worst critic. We think because of any series of events that go wrong we are going to continue to see the storm clouds rise and fall by the wayside because we condemn ourselves to a life of doom. It’s in those times we don’t see the Lord in our midst, but impending darkness on every hand. A turnaround has to happen in your heart/mind first before things will ever get better. If we let fear and anxiety rule the day, a turnaround will never come. We need a holy boldness to help us be strong and not weak and expect God to do something good within our lives.

Again, God says three things we must remember if a turnaround is to happen in our lives:

-He will rejoice with gladness over you!

God did not send Jesus to condemn you, but that through Him you might be saved. We are not immune to trials or difficulties just because we’re saved. We have to fight sin, temptations, sickness, poverty, fear, and many other things just like any person. The difference is that when we are in the valley of despair God doesn’t want us to stay there. He makes sure we have a passageway out. He rejoices over you and with you when you make up your mind not stay in the valley, but begin to rejoice within that your momentary sadness will eventually bring great joy. If the angels in heaven celebrate when a lost soul comes to know Christ then how much more does Christ rejoice when you walk out of your trials. That’s why the prophet told Israel to rejoice and sing because the Lord had taken away their judgment.

-He will quiet (calm) you with His love!

Jesus calmed the sea when His disciple were sore afraid. Jesus calmed a madman that no one could control in. Jesus calmed a child who kept throwing himself in the fire. Jesus calmed a crowd who was crying for the death of an adulterous woman. If Jesus could do all of that, what do you think He can do to calm you and start a turnaround in your life? Sorrows only last for the night, but friends, JOY comes in the morning. Your turnaround is just waiting to happen.

-He will celebrate with a song!

Our God created all melody, rhythm, rhyme, and harmony. In David’s mind the way to a turnaround was to sing psalms unto the Lord. The Word says its psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. The prophet said God would sing in celebration over the turnaround in your life. I don’t know the words to your song, but God does. You might not be able to carry a tune in a bucket, but He can. It’s His melody and harmony. He sets the time signature and knows exactly when you need to hear the words. Your turnaround begins when you hear those heavenly harmonies rejuvenate your soul.

Turnaround begins when you acknowledge God is in your midst. Let Him rejoice because you have accepted His victory in your time of darkness.