Have you ever encountered a situation that you felt God leading you towards but you had no idea of the outcome and what would transpire with He was calling you to do? Have you been in a place where you had to place all your trust in God to lead the way and follow after His guidance even when your path was unknown?
There have been many instances where I have taken a leap of faith and needed to place my trust in God, knowing that He would help lead me each step of the way, no matter the outcome. Being the planner that I am, I struggle trusting my unknown future to God, and coming to terms that I don’t have ultimate control over what lies ahead. We each can plan and make decisions, carefully articulating everything that we desire for our life, but none of us truly have control of what comes our way. As Christians, knowing God has our lives in His hands is something that we can find great comfort in, even when our future feels uncertain.
Proverbs 16:9
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
One name of God that reveals His character to me in times of anxiety or amidst an unknown future is Jehovah Sabaoth: The Lord of Hosts. While this may be a unique name to pair with anxiety, I find it incredibly comforting to know that God has an army of multitudes of angels fighting for me.
Psalm 91:11
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways
Some interesting facts about Jehovah Sabaoth:
- It occurs more than 270 times in the Old Testament.
- It combines God’s personal name, Jehovah, with the Hebrew word, sabaoth, meaning “host” or “multitude.”
We have an enemy who is out to get us, discourage and fill us with fear. When you are feeling anxious or fearful, it is not coming from God, but it is rather instigated by our enemy. When you are finding yourself feeling worried, fearful or anxious, be reminded that the source of those thoughts are from Satan. Remember God’s character, recall His promises and Scripture to defeat the thoughts that are causing you unrest.
Jehovah Sabaoth signifies God’s incredible power and might. When my problems feel so big and my worries consume me, I can release them over to the God who possesses the power to calm my heart, work through my circumstances and supply me with His peace.
Nehemiah 9:6
You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
The first mention of Jehovah Sabaoth is actually found in 1 Samuel as Hannah humbly prays to the Lord of Hosts seeking Him to provide her with a son (1 Samuel 1:11). Hannah prayed to God, acknowledging His power and might. Eventually in God’s timing God did supply Hannah with a precious son. Even though God is the Lord of multitudes, mighty in power and authority, He is still a personal God. He is an intimate God that focuses on our needs as an individual. He knows us each by name and seeks to comfort each of us uniquely with His focused attention.
Our God has power over all things. Just as Jesus calmed the sea, raised the dead back to life, healed the sick, and created the wonders of this world, He has complete control over everything that occurs in your life. You’re not alone in the battles you are facing. You don’t have to figure out your future, trying to plan, speculate and process all that could occur.
A fun fact, Sabaoth is also used to describe the vast host of stars in the night sky in Psalm 33:6: “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.”
Exodus 15:11
Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?
Entrust your life, circumstances and worries into the Lord of Hosts, knowing He has authority over all things. He will guide you each step of the way. He doesn’t expect you to have your life all planned out, but rather values a heart that is continually seeking Him with each tiny step, entrusting Him with His master plan for your life. Our lives can change in an instant, things we desired could fall through, but we know that God’s plan will be fulfilled. Nothing can stop what He has planned. The Lord of Hosts has ultimate power to do the impossible and knows exactly what you need, just when you need it.