Have you ever felt like a failure? Have you ever felt discouraged in how you fail to accomplish tasks? Have you felt like you are being defeated by the enemy? Have you felt like you are not enough?

I have. I feel like this is one of my worst struggles; almost daily I fight against these lies. I am learning how to take my time and schedule to the Lord for daily direction and inviting Him to do it with me; when I still have trouble accomplishing things it almost makes me more frustrated. Was I not following His will? Shouldn’t He give me the time I need? Did I forget Him and get off on my own somewhere throughout the day? Does He just not care about the things I need to do to care for myself or the work He gave me to do? It all feels confusing sometimes.

I know this is the wrong perspective, but sometimes feelings are so overwhelming. I know I should just accept that His timing is good; I should be content and confident that I was able to do His will that day, no matter how much or little. Sometimes I am; sometimes it is just frustrating when a task gets pushed back week after week.

In my devotions one Tuesday I was reading through Psalm 1, and God began to change my perspective. I hope this is encouraging to you today.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law, day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither whatever they do prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3

This is to the ones living for Him. If we have the right heart, we will do His will. Look at who He says we are for a moment: read each line slowly and let it sink in. He doesn’t say you might become like or someday you will be or if you try really hard you’ll will be… No!! He says you are like.

That person is like a tree

Planted by streams of water
which yields fruit in season

And whose leaf does not wither

Whatever they do prospers

What I hear when I read this is this

Planted by streams of water

John 4:10-14
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 7:37-39
On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

Ephesians 5:25-27
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Psalm 23
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;

Holy Spirit is the living water. What does water do? If a tree is planted by water, it has life. Water refreshes, heals, cleanses and grows. Holy Spirit does this for your soul.

Which yields fruit in season

I am reminded of my time in Puerto Rico, when, through a friend, God told me not to compare myself with others. Each tree bears fruit in its own time. It is ok that I am not growing the same way another is spiritually; but also, Holy Spirit bears fruit in us. If the tree is getting water, it will bear fruit.

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

These fruits are already ours to act in; we just have to choose to use them.

And whose leaf does not wither

Ezekiel 47 (various verses)
1 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 9b “so where the river flows everything will live. 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

I split the chapter apart to highlight the parts about the water and trees. I remember going through this verse with the staff from YWAM River City. Someone mentioned that these trees are actually not normal trees. I don’t know how he explained it exactly, but he was right. Trees don’t bear fruit in every season. Even in the fall and winter, it is healthy that their leaves fall, and their trunks become dormant. In fact, if they bloom in the wrong season they can die. When drought comes, they also will wither.

God is saying that we are not normal because He is our strength, our lifeline. He is how we will never wither, no matter how hard our trials are, because His Living Water is inside of us.

Whatever they do prospers

Because we walk seeking His path and plans, we are walking in His favor. He will bless the works of our hands when we give our hands to Him.

Proverbs 31:28-31
Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: “Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all. ”Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

You may believe lies that you are not enough, that you are a failure or that you are defeated, but the truth is you are growing. You are strong. Holy Spirit gives you life. You are thriving. You will bear fruit. You will prosper in everything you do. You do not have to let the enemy beat you down. This is who you are. This is your identity in Christ Jesus.

Read this passage again and speak it over yourself. Let Him sanctify and cleanse you with the washing of water by the Word. Let Him restore your soul. Come to Him and Drink.

That person is like a tree

Planted by streams of water
which yields fruit in season

And whose leaf does not wither

Whatever they do prospers

I challenge you to read Psalm 1 every day this week. Speak it over yourself. Please share with us in the comments what verses you cling to when you are struggling with lies of the enemy. Have a good week everyone!