"But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here."

Matthew 12:6

Someone reading this devotional maybe facing, what appears to be, a seemingly insurmountable situation. They're tired of going in circles, around the same mountain, not knowing any other direction to go in life because something has had them bound. It might be an issue that has persisted over the years or something that has recently manifested itself in their life. Whatever it is, it has caused them to doubt their ability to overcome it, or to live the life God wills for them to live. They've searched for answers but nothing seems sufficient to deal with the mountain that impedes their progress. They've come to the conclusion that they need something greater in their life if anything is going to change.


In three separate occasions in scripture, Jesus makes the announcement that "something greater" has come. He says that, "something greater than the temple (Matt. 12:6), Solomon (Luke 11:3) and Jonah (Luke 11:32) is in our midst. Something greater and more valuable than the 3 things the Jewish people held in highest esteem; their religion, kings and prophets, was here. Jesus was teaching them not to place their hopes and trust in any limited or earthly resource, but in the One who is greater than them all!


Whenever I face a seemingly insurmountable situation, I've discovered that things are not always what they appear to be. The enemy specializes in magnifying our problems, causing us to become preoccupied with them, resulting in fear. Whenever you focus or become preoccupied with anything, it grows in its influence over you. Satan does not want us to come to the revelation that we possess something, or more precisely, Someone on the inside who is greater than any situation or attack he can launch against us. His objective is to cause us to become fixated on the facts and to take our focus off of our faith in God's word.


This is what happened when the children of Israel came to the doorway of their promised land. They magnified their problems and minimize themselves and God who was with them. They saw themselves as mere insects in the face of this giant nation of people. They had forgotten that God, in the not so distant past, brought the mightiest nation on the earth to its knees with insects. Their focus had moved from what God had promised to the size of their problem. With God on our side, all things are possible - even what appears to be impossible.


What are you facing? What have you been focusing on? Has it been the size of your problem or the strength of your God? Whatever your situation might be, engage it with boldness. You are not alone. Never forget that there is "Someone greater" in your midst!