Running with Horses: Daily Devotions to Inspire Bold Confidence in God

By Shirley Weaver

When life races with chaos and uncertainty, run beyond your fear with bold faith.

Humanly speaking, we are no match for a horse's strength or speed. But "the han

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bublish, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781647042554

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© 2020 Shirley Weaver

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Distributed by Bublish, Inc.

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV).

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-64704-256-1

eBook ISBN: 978-1-64704-255-4

Contents

Introduction

JANUARY 1          Your Journal

JANUARY 2          Start with What You Have

JANUARY 3          New Beginning

JANUARY 4          A Family Altar

JANUARY 5          Stronghold

JANUARY 6          Don’t Stop

JANUARY 7          This Year

JANUARY 8          You’ve Got This!

JANUARY 9          Wisdom from Heaven

JANUARY 10        For Goodness Sake

JANUARY 11        The Arm of the Lord

JANUARY 12        Strong Foundation

JANUARY 13        Spiritual Day

JANUARY 14        His Reward

JANUARY 15        Perception Is Everything

JANUARY 16        Prophetic Believers

JANUARY 17        Willing to Hear

JANUARY 18        Guilt-Driven

JANUARY 19        Adversarial Advantage

JANUARY 20        Impartation

JANUARY 21        At the Center

JANUARY 22        Truth Answers

JANUARY 23        Supernatural Possibilities

JANUARY 24        Doors and Gates

JANUARY 25        Right Time, Right Place

JANUARY 26        Morning

JANUARY 27        Price Equals Value

JANUARY 28        A Heart That Is Awake

JANUARY 29        Apostolic Prayer, Prophetic Benediction

JANUARY 30        Rescue Mission

JANUARY 31        Wise Investment

FEBRUARY 1           The Power of Belief

FEBRUARY 2           Follow Me

FEBRUARY 3           Fear Not

FEBRUARY 4           Remain in Me

FEBRUARY 5           Your Righteous Cause

FEBRUARY 6           Sent with Wisdom

FEBRUARY 7           He Healed Them

FEBRUARY 8           Praying Far Above

FEBRUARY 9           Prophets, Wise Men, & Teachers

FEBRUARY 10         Prophetic Merger

FEBRUARY 11         His Authority in You

FEBRUARY 12         View at the Top

FEBRUARY 13         Redemption’s Voice

FEBRUARY 14         Compare Spiritual with Spiritual

FEBRUARY 15         God Said

FEBRUARY 16         Influence

FEBRUARY 17         Raising the Bar

FEBRUARY 18         Authority Assigned

FEBRUARY 19         National Redemption

FEBRUARY 20         The Third Heaven

FEBRUARY 21         Able to Make You Wise

FEBRUARY 22         Time to Draw the Line

FEBRUARY 23         Intercession for You

FEBRUARY 24         Belief in His Word

FEBRUARY 25         Voice of Authority

FEBRUARY 26         Point Man

FEBRUARY 27         Governmental

FEBRUARY 28         Slippery Slope

FEBRUARY 29         Accountability

MARCH 1             Kingdom Demonstration

MARCH 2             The Real Thing

MARCH 3             Enemy of The Kingdom

MARCH 4             Orders of the Day

MARCH 5             A Tent to Cover You

MARCH 6             Talk Back

MARCH 7             Able to Discern

MARCH 8             The Spirt of Man

MARCH 9             You Would Think

MARCH 10           Today is the Day

MARCH 11           Righteous Covenants

MARCH 12           Christian Worldview

MARCH 13           New Season

MARCH 14           Called

MARCH 15           Character, God’s Mark

MARCH 16           Riding Shotgun

MARCH 17           Intercessor Man

MARCH 18           Spirit Power

MARCH 19           Boundaries

MARCH 20           The Strong Hand of the Lord

MARCH 21           Strong Church

MARCH 22           Ask for Wisdom

MARCH 23           Clear Mind, Clear Path

MARCH 24           Confident

MARCH 25           The Barzillai Company

MARCH 26           Covenant of Deliverance

MARCH 27           No Jezebel

MARCH 28           Discipline for Your Soul

MARCH 29           Critical Leadership

MARCH 30           Metal Test

MARCH 31           Mercy Day

APRIL 1                 Prophetic Month

APRIL 2                 Resurrection Morning

APRIL 3                 Crossing Over

APRIL 4                 Declare the Power of His Blood

APRIL 5                 Prayer for a Miracle

APRIL 6                 Religious Tradition

APRIL 7                 The Lord is on Your Side

APRIL 8                 Supernatural

APRIL 9                 Righteous Governance

APRIL 10               Grace

APRIL 11               Relationship and Connection

APRIL 12               Break the Cycle

APRIL 13               Convergence

APRIL 14               Familiar

APRIL 15               Witness Him

APRIL 16               He Will Make You a House

APRIL 17               True Authority

APRIL 18               Glorious Change

APRIL 19               A Line Has Gone Out

APRIL 20               The Prayer of Faith Will Heal the Sick

APRIL 21               Prophetic Longing

APRIL 22               Prayer Connection

APRIL 23               Power Brokers

APRIL 24               The Genesis

APRIL 25               Authentic Christianity

APRIL 26               In the Night

APRIL 27               Some Things, You Just Have to Go Through

APRIL 28               Turn the World Upside Down

APRIL 29               More Than One

APRIL 30               Princes with Deborah

MAY 1                   When There Are No Words

MAY 2                   Thoughts Equal Belief

MAY 3                   No Spin

MAY 4                   Marching Orders

MAY 5                   Bordered by Watchers

MAY 6                   Winning Combination

MAY 7                   Every Believer

MAY 8                   Strength to Strength

MAY 9                   Healing Prayer

MAY 10                 Change

MAY 11                 The Eighty-Twenty Rule

MAY 12                 He Has the Preeminence

MAY 13                 Tumult in the Nations

MAY 14                 Answered Prayer

MAY 15                 Authority to Change It

MAY 16                 Women Who Lead

MAY 17                 Whose Counsel?

MAY 18                 Offended

MAY 19                 Steward the Gift

MAY 20                 Held Before the Lord

MAY 21                 Prophetically Drawn

MAY 22                 Heaven Comes Down

MAY 23                 Discipline

MAY 24                 Receive the End

MAY 25                 His Lordship is Peace

MAY 26                 Crossroads of Principle

MAY 27                 Prophetic Intercession

MAY 28                 You Are Not Alone

MAY 29                 Systematic Uncovering

MAY 30                 Faith Is

MAY 31                 Vital Connection

JUNE 1                  Wisdom’s Mark

JUNE 2                  Self-Judge

JUNE 3                  Pursuit of Greatness

JUNE 4                  Spirit Wind

JUNE 5                  Bring Forth the Day in Truth

JUNE 6                  Buy & Sell, Sow & Reap

JUNE 7                  His Direction

JUNE 8                  Called to Bless

JUNE 9                  Historic Firsts

JUNE 10                An Entrance

JUNE 11                Global Influence

JUNE 12                Healing Fields

JUNE 13                Lazarus Come Forth!

JUNE 14                Decisive Leadership

JUNE 15                The Prophetic Word

JUNE 16                Pride

JUNE 17                Ready to Reward

JUNE 18                I Believe, So I Speak

JUNE 19                Many Emissaries

JUNE 20                Love is Focused on You

JUNE 21                Sabbath

JUNE 22                The Land

JUNE 23                Kingdom Economics

JUNE 24                The Hammer

JUNE 25                Go Therefore

JUNE 26                Where Did You Invest?

JUNE 27                Predictable Response

JUNE 28                Born for This Time

JUNE 29                As David Did

JUNE 30                Mentored by Someone

JULY 1                  Leaders, Rulers & Someone to Dream

JULY 2                  Judgment

JULY 3                  Purity to Believe

JULY 4                  Come Up Here!

JULY 5                  Refuse Guilt

JULY 6                  Under Pressure

JULY 7                  Prophesy!

JULY 8                  What Was I Thinking?

JULY 9                  Circles of Prayer

JULY 10                Cast All Care

JULY 11                Circuitous Routes

JULY 12                Midnight Cry

JULY 13                Among Men

JULY 14                Say It Again!

JULY 15                Deceptive Anything

JULY 16                You’re the Man

JULY 17                The Behavior of Royalty

JULY 18                The Spirit Searches

JULY 19                Time to Go!

JULY 20                Angels, the Supernatural & Divine Intervention

JULY 21                Appointed Fires of Breaking

JULY 22                Artistic Creativity

JULY 23                Arise, Shine!

JULY 24                Build, Baby, Build

JULY 25                Broken Authority

JULY 26                Integrity

JULY 27                In the Spirit of the Two

JULY 28                Frozen There

JULY 29                The Same

JULY 30                What Do You Have to Give?

JULY 31                Divine Spin

AUGUST 1            The Sound of The Lord

AUGUST 2            Faith, Not Fear

AUGUST 3            Believe Him

AUGUST 4            Cliff Hanging

AUGUST 5            Coming Through!

AUGUST 6            And So, We Lead

AUGUST 7            Ordained Genius

AUGUST 8            Compassion

AUGUST 9            Declare the End

AUGUST 10          Disciplined Faith

AUGUST 11          Steady Diet

AUGUST 12          Windows in Heaven

AUGUST 13          The Forerunner

AUGUST 14          Believe for a Miracle

AUGUST 15          God’s Presence in Our Lives

AUGUST 16          Recovery of Lost Things

AUGUST 17          Promotion Comes from The Lord

AUGUST 18          Say What?

AUGUST 19          Go to The Rock

AUGUST 20          1 Samuel 17

AUGUST 21          Your Laid Down Life

AUGUST 22          Lessons from the Pressure Pot

AUGUST 23          Stirred by Almighty God

AUGUST 24          Conformed to Wisdom

AUGUST 25          Forerunner Father, Making Disciples

AUGUST 26          Held in Trust

AUGUST 27          Listening In

AUGUST 28          Coming Out!

AUGUST 29          Personal Power

AUGUST 30          In the Crisis

AUGUST 31          His Purpose in Your Situation

SEPTEMBER 1        Do Good to Israel

SEPTEMBER 2        Joined to the Cry

SEPTEMBER 3        Discernment and Understanding

SEPTEMBER 4        Stewardship Of

SEPTEMBER 5        The Gifts and Calling Remain Forever

SEPTEMBER 6        Domino Effect

SEPTEMBER 7        Spirit, Soul and Body

SEPTEMBER 8        Your Potential

SEPTEMBER 9        Discipleship & Mentors

SEPTEMBER 10      Change Agents

SEPTEMBER 11      The Terrorist, the Bully, & the Abuser

SEPTEMBER 12      Creation’s Design: Male & Female

SEPTEMBER 13      Unshaken

SEPTEMBER 14      Medicine Man

SEPTEMBER 15      Positioned Well

SEPTEMBER 16      This Is the Refreshing

SEPTEMBER 17      End-Time Perspective

SEPTEMBER 18      Panic Attack

SEPTEMBER 19      The Righteous Rich

SEPTEMBER 20      Everything Else

SEPTEMBER 21      Truth Teller

SEPTEMBER 22      Message in the Background

SEPTEMBER 23      The Thief

SEPTEMBER 24      Visible & Audible, Bones & Breath

SEPTEMBER 25      Fully Convinced

SEPTEMBER 26      Speak the Word

SEPTEMBER 27      Restoration of All Things

SEPTEMBER 28      Quickened to Speak

SEPTEMBER 29      The Eyes of a King

SEPTEMBER 30      Fanatical Ones

OCTOBER 1          Visionary

OCTOBER 2          Something of Value to Say

OCTOBER 3          Providential Help

OCTOBER 4          Fit to Rule

OCTOBER 5          Lost Things Recovered

OCTOBER 6          You Have the Upper Hand

OCTOBER 7          Increase of His Government

OCTOBER 8          The Truth About Where You Are

OCTOBER 9          Spirit Man

OCTOBER 10        By Faith

OCTOBER 11        Watchers Are Needed

OCTOBER 12        Not Down, Not Out

OCTOBER 13        Equipped to Rise Above It

OCTOBER 14        Your Words Stand Before the Lord

OCTOBER 15        Stand with Israel

OCTOBER 16        Ready or Not?

OCTOBER 17        Isaiah’s Word Concerning You

OCTOBER 18        Free Yourself

OCTOBER 19        Primary Calling

OCTOBER 20        Refuse Unbelief. Believe.

OCTOBER 21        Personal Chutzpah

OCTOBER 22        Built to Last

OCTOBER 23        Whatever He Says to You, Do It

OCTOBER 24        Man the Deck!

OCTOBER 25        Critical to Child Training

OCTOBER 26        Decisive

OCTOBER 27        More of The Same

OCTOBER 28        Press for the Prize

OCTOBER 29        The Faithful Compared

OCTOBER 30        Declare, Decree Healing

OCTOBER 31        Time to Cover Them

NOVEMBER 1       Pray for Persecuted Christians

NOVEMBER 2       The Struggle for Control

NOVEMBER 3       Seated with Him

NOVEMBER 4       Career Blueprint

NOVEMBER 5       Land of Your Anointing

NOVEMBER 6       King Already

NOVEMBER 7       Renegade Thought

NOVEMBER 8       Appointed Things

NOVEMBER 9       Given the Advantage, Take It!

NOVEMBER 10      Patience

NOVEMBER 11      Critical to Faith

NOVEMBER 12      Prophetic Insight

NOVEMBER 13      Buy Truth, Do Not Sell

NOVEMBER 14      The Contradiction

NOVEMBER 15      Life in the Moment

NOVEMBER 16      Biblical Forecast

NOVEMBER 17      Test of Integrity

NOVEMBER 18      Your Giving to God

NOVEMBER 19      Write the Vision

NOVEMBER 20      The Compelling Love of Almighty God

NOVEMBER 21      Strength on Loan

NOVEMBER 22      So We Built The Wall

NOVEMBER 23      God Does It

NOVEMBER 24      An Uncommon House

NOVEMBER 25      On the Lord’s Side

NOVEMBER 26      Relationship & Covenants

NOVEMBER 27      Small Things

NOVEMBER 28      Collective Power

NOVEMBER 29      Governed by Goodness

NOVEMBER 30      Teach Your Children to Tithe

DECEMBER 1        Wisest of the Wise

DECEMBER 2        Consider the Vision

DECEMBER 3        Above the Load

DECEMBER 4        Not the Same

DECEMBER 5        The Rule Follower

DECEMBER 6        Thoughts and Actions Are Seed

DECEMBER 7        God’s Love Will Snatch Them

DECEMBER 8        Three Things

DECEMBER 9        Divine Connections

DECEMBER 10      As a Man Thinks in His Heart

DECEMBER 11      Prayer Circle One & Two

DECEMBER 12      Forgot to Remember

DECEMBER 13      Frame Every Assignment with the Word

DECEMBER 14      Spirit Life

DECEMBER 15      Determined to Hear Him

DECEMBER 16      Name Change

DECEMBER 17      Never Stop

DECEMBER 18      Greater Works

DECEMBER 19      Cyrus, Positioned by God

DECEMBER 20      Happiness Is Not the Same as Joy

DECEMBER 21      Integrity to Lead

DECEMBER 22      This Christmas

DECEMBER 23      Wonderful Season

DECEMBER 24      Gift Container

DECEMBER 25      Christmas Day

DECEMBER 26      God Is Sovereign

DECEMBER 27      Don’t Back Up

DECEMBER 28      The Land Will Yield its Increase

DECEMBER 29      Looking Forward to a New Beginning

DECEMBER 30      Prophetic Pronouncement

DECEMBER 31      Transition Time

Introduction

If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?

—Jeremiah 12:5

Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

—1 Kings 18:45-46

Our title implies an illogical prospect since humanly speaking, you and I are no match for the horse’s strength or speed. But the choice is fitting imagery for a volume of daily writings exhorting every individual to run their race with bold confidence, focused on the prize. It is the kind of teaching that has been our ministry’s brand from the beginning: to go everywhere and make disciples of Jesus Christ who demonstrate bold confidence in God and discernment of the times as containers of God’s powerful message for all of mankind.

Running with Horses derives from biblical principles expressed in the writings of two prophets –— Jeremiah and Elijah. Basically, Jeremiah asks why we expect to respond with confident and bold faith in the crisis and while under pressure when in days of peace and the absence of trouble, we have been neither – not confident, and not bold in faith. Elijah demonstrates both for us in 1 Kings 18, proof that God’s hand on a man raises him to the task, to heights previously considered impossible.

We pick up the story of an ongoing confrontation between Elijah and the feckless King Ahab on Mount Carmel. In an over-the-top display of man’s obedience and God’s power-encounter response, king and prophet flee an approaching rainstorm that has been sent by God to end the three-year drought and resulting famine throughout Israel. Both events—drought and rainstorm—were set in motion by Elijah’s unwavering obedience to prophesy according to God’s words to him, according to the divine plan rather than man’s.

The story inspires strength of integrity, leadership, vision, determination, and especially bold obedience. The chapter ends as the prophet of God girded up his loins, meaning that he tucked the skirts of his robe into his belt in preparation, then outran King Ahab’s horse-drawn chariots, arriving at the city gates of Jezreel first… ahead of the horses. Scholars have projected the distance between Mount Carmel and Jezreel at approximately thirty miles.

Our Story

Such inspiration is how this book evolved. For several years, I have posted daily devotions—writings that I believed were prophetically inspired—on our ministry website, made available for any and all who found our online presence, and decided to follow or subscribe. The mission was to lay out a solid case for my deep conviction that God wants His people to trust Him for impossible outcomes, even supernatural interventions. The content was aimed at men and women, millennials and older, and made available around the world digitally and free of charge.

The online response was fantastic. Feedback frequently included requests for a hard copy version with everything compiled together, all in one place. In my heart, I agreed with the prospect and kept it on the table and before the Lord, until recently, when I realized we had the nod to go for it! At the same time, and as if on cue, encourager-workers came alongside with spunk and vision for the project, and others joined in with rearguard voices encouraging—don’t stop!

So here we go, Running with Horses. My goal is to inspire you with bold confidence in God that reaches beyond reading to deeper thought and meditation, enriching your relationship with Almighty God—the same God whose Spirit upon a man did in fact, enable him to run ahead of the horses from Mount Carmel to Jezreel. I want to magnify this long-ago event in the present tense to keep before your eyes the probability of unimagined possibilities like Elijah’s run to Jezreel that day—far and fast! Faster even than the horses and chariots he outran.

The Story of Secretariat

Our title also reminds me of two related ideas: a passage in the Book of Job and the story of Secretariat, a thoroughbred racehorse whose physical capacity to run record-breaking distances and speeds is miraculous on its face. By all accounts, in performances that were beyond the norm at the very least, and more probably demonstrations of a creative miracle, Secretariat’s gift for the distance-speed combination is attributed to his oversized heart—he was literally born to run, far and fast!

In a record-setting instance of endurance and speed, the winner of horseracing’s 1973 Triple Crown can only be described in dazzling terms. Besides performances on the track—which were previously