Take It!
In today's Inspiration, Dianna Hobbs encourages you to take it—take courage, take your rightful place, and take hold of your destiny. Cast off fear, limited thinking, and pessimism, and boldly seize every promise, every victory—everything God has already declared yours through Christ!
Over the weekend, I thought my Buffalo Bills would finally break our playoff curse against the Kansas City Chiefs. I had it all planned out in my head: our house erupting in celebration, Bills Mafia flooding the streets of Buffalo, and me sharing our sweet victory story.
But that's not how it played out.
We've never beaten the Chiefs in the playoffs—not once. Yet this past Sunday felt different. Something in the air whispered that maybe—just maybe—this was our moment. I'd spent the week replaying our past defeats, envisioning how this experience could serve as a lesson in patience and timing—how those losses had prepared us for this breakthrough.
But it was not to be.
Now we're left with those four words every sports fan dreads: "Wait till next season."
The irony? My youngest son, Kaleb, born in Philadelphia, got to celebrate his Eagles beating the Commanders and making it to the Super Bowl. And here's the kicker—this kid doesn’t know a touchdown from a touchscreen. Okay, maybe he does. But the point is, he doesn’t care. When I told him about the Eagles' win (because, of course, he wasn’t watching), he lit up like a Christmas tree and started clapping.
I sat there thinking, "Really, Lord? This kid who couldn't name the quarterback just got his victory, while I'm over here suffering?" Okay, maybe I'm being dramatic, but Bills Mafia, you feel me, right?
Have you been there? Not with football, but with life? Watching others celebrate their victories, soaring like Eagles, while you're still waiting in the wings? When you've prayed and visualized your breakthrough so many times, you could paint it from memory?
It's in these moments we relate to Prophet Habakkuk's cry: "How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen?" (Habakkuk 1:2). How long before it's my turn?
This wasn't just casual questioning from the prophet—it was a raw cry during massive upheaval. At the time, the world order was changing. The Assyrian Empire, the longtime superpower, was crumbling, while Babylon was rising to take its place. It was like watching a championship team fall apart while a hungry newcomer rose to seize the crown. But this wasn’t a game—it was entire kingdoms rising and falling, with God's people caught in the chaos. Spoiler alert: the Babylonians were brutal rulers who committed terrible atrocities.
In the middle of this turmoil stood Habakkuk, God's messenger. He could hear from God, but it felt like his messages were bouncing back, as if Heaven's inbox was full. We know from 1 Peter 3:12 that God's ears are always open to the prayers of the righteous. But let's be real—it can feel like we're shouting into the void, waiting for a breakthrough that will never come.
Habakkuk's anguish is relatable when he cries out: "I call for help, but you won't save!" His world was falling apart. Israel's enemies were celebrating, and all he saw was violence and injustice. Habakkuk dared to ask the questions: "God, where are You? Why aren't You doing something?"
We often cling to Habakkuk 2:2-3, where God says, "Write the vision and make it plain," and promises, "the vision is yet for an appointed time; at the end it shall speak and not lie." We get hyped about manifestation season but overlook the raw, messy part of Habakkuk's story. He was deep in struggle when God delivered that promise.
Even after receiving God's assurance that the vision would be fulfilled, Habakkuk still had to wait. No countdown clock marked his "appointed time." His next season? He had no idea when it would arrive.
Yes, Romans 8:37 tells us "overwhelming victory is ours through Christ." But sometimes that victory feels more like a far-off promise than today's reality, doesn’t it? When health issues persist, when your bank account keeps saying "not today," when relationships falter, and your career stalls—your flesh cries out, "What victory?"
But here's the truth: despite what your circumstances scream, what God’s Word declares is still true. Overwhelming victory is indeed already yours—even in this waiting season.
“God said, ‘You have the victory TODAY, no matter how it looks or how it feels! Declare My Word and not your worries.’”
Watch This Shift
Habakkuk, even in his humanity, shows us how to break free from the waiting room blues. Before his breakthrough, this prophet was deep in his feelings, buying into every enemy lie: "God can't hear me. I'm just drifting. Evil is winning." Sound familiar? That's the triple threat of emotional warfare.
But watch this shift. In Habakkuk 3:18, he declares: "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior."
This wasn't a random mood swing. It came after God essentially told him: "Hold on. The promise has your name on it."
Now, before God spoke, Habakkuk was filing complaints to Heaven's customer service. After? He’s calling God his Savior. Did God change? No. He was always Savior, even in silence. The only makeover happened in Habakkuk's perspective.
So, what's your perspective looking like? Are you stuck in the "nothing-ever-changes" loop? Are you letting your temporary situation write your permanent story?
When Devastation Hits
When life goes up in flames, finding hope feels impossible. Trust me, I know. And so did David. But his story in 1 Samuel 30 shows us exactly what to do when devastation hits.
Picture this: David's seeking refuge in Philistine territory with 600 men and their families. He strikes a deal with Achish, king of Gath, who gives him Ziklag. For a year and four months, David finally finds a place of safety and normalcy after years of running from Saul.
Then disaster strikes.
While David and his men are away at war, the Amalekites raid Ziklag. They burn down the settlement, kidnap all the families—wives, children, everything—and vanish without a trace. David returns to smoking ruins, facing the crushing reality that his entire community has been taken. His own men are so devastated they’re ready to stone him, blaming him for the catastrophic loss.
Talk about rock bottom.
Ziklag means "winding" in Hebrew. Fitting, isn’t it? Life's path often twists and turns, taking sharp corners that can flip your world upside down. One minute you're cruising, the next you're knocked flat.
But here's where it gets good. What did David do when his world was literally smoking?
First, David had himself a good, ugly cry. Let’s be authentic—even mighty warriors need a moment to fall apart. Then 1 Samuel 30:6 drops this gem: "David encouraged himself in the LORD his God."
In Hebrew here, "encouraged" means "strengthened himself." David wasn’t pulling strength from his own empty well. He was tapping into something bigger, plugging directly into God’s power source. He encouraged himself by leaning into the One whose strength never runs dry.
“When your strength runs out, God’s never does. Lean on Him. Not only will He get you through it, He’ll restore you, renew you, and reward you for not giving up!”
Take Courage
During that nail-biter against the Chiefs (thank you for indulging me as I go through the stages of football grief), I was doing what reactionary Bills fans like me do best—questioning the coaching decisions, yelling at the TV, and watching through my fingers. My nerves were absolutely shot, and I was one bad play away from not being able to finish watching the game.
Then my 21-year-old son Kedar, who plays football, dropped some wisdom that changed my whole perspective. He said, "In the game, nobody is going to hand you a win. You have to take it."
He explained that at this level, playing against the best, nobody’s going to dial it back or make it easy. You want a championship? You’ve got to rise up and take it. Something clicked when he said that. My racing thoughts settled, and suddenly I could see the situation clearly: victory belongs to those who seize it.
Even though some referees’ calls seemed unfair and had me ready to throw my remote through the TV, the bottom line was simple: when the game was on the line, our team had the ball, and we needed to drive down the field and score. If we wanted victory, we had to take it.
But we didn’t.
This got me thinking about what Jesus tells Peter in Matthew 14:27, as his petrified disciple prepares to step out of his boat to walk on water during a violent storm. As waves crash and Peter trembles, Jesus tells him, "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid."
Somebody say, "Take it!"
In 2019, fresh out of the ICU and moved to general admission, I found myself facing my own impossible moment. I had been left paralyzed on my left side, unable to move, much less walk. Doctors and nurses had to roll me over and reposition me in bed. I had no strength. No mobility. And yet, in that tiny hospital bathroom, I prepared to do something radical—going against all medical advice and expectations.
Earlier, I had asked my family to bring me my silver walker, a request that made them hesitate. After all, I wasn’t supposed to be up. I couldn’t be up. But I told them to close the door. Because sometimes, when you’re believing God for a breakthrough, you have to silence the voices of convention, boldly face the negative odds, and defy them.
So, there we were, packed into that little space. My body was weak. My left leg dragged behind me as I leaned on the walker for support—barely managing to move. And then, just before stepping out of the bathroom and back into my hospital room, I looked down at my walker, turned to my mother, and spoke three words that made her eyes widen in fear:
“Take it!”
I wasn’t walking in my own power. I had no power. But like David, I encouraged myself—strengthened myself— in the Lord my God by drawing from His strength when I had none of my own. I tapped into the unshakable belief that He is who He says He is—the One who makes the lame walk and the mute speak.
And when I chose courage over fear, when I seized victory instead of accepting defeat, God showed up.
Doctors still can’t explain what happened next. Movement returned to my left side. My tongue, once locked up, was suddenly freed.
Instantaneous. Miraculous. Undeniable.
Oh, glory to His name!
Listen—you’ve got to snatch courage from the clutches of fear, drawing strength to do the impossible from the One for Whom nothing is impossible. Don’t let stormy seas push you around. Don’t let limitations limit you. Don’t let delays and disappointments write your story. When winds and waves come—and they will—you’ve got to stand your ground.
Here’s a word: When winds come to buffet you, your courage comes to buffer you. Take courage. Take it.
You may be feeling knocked down for the count, but take courage.
Loneliness may be eating at your soul, but take courage.
Fear may be whispering lies in your ear, but take courage.
You may be bone-tired from fighting this battle, but take courage.
You may be sick and tired of being sick and tired, but take courage.
That’s exactly what David did. He didn’t wait for a pep talk or a prophetic word. He grabbed hold of courage like it was his last lifeline.
And let me tell you what happened next.
According to 1 Samuel 30:18-19, David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken. Nothing was missing. Because David was willing to take courage, he was then able to take back everything the enemy had stolen. Listen, your recovery season is upon you, but there’s some stuff you’ve got to take back by the authority God has given you.
“God is going to restore what you’ve lost and give you what you’ve never had before. Simply trust Him and refuse to cower in fear!”
The Third Day
After David recovered everything the enemy stole, 2 Samuel 1:1-2 reveals something remarkable. After two days in Ziklag, on the third day, a man arrived from Saul’s camp with a message. David’s number one enemy—King Saul, who had been hunting him—was dead.
And when did David get this news again? On the third day.
Ah, there’s something about the third day. That’s when Jesus Christ took the keys of death, broke out of that tomb, and rose with all power.
The third day was when death—humanity’s greatest enemy—lost its championship. 1 Corinthians 15:55 breaks out in Heaven’s favorite victory song: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
We all know where the victory is—in Jesus Christ alone.
Your Third Day is Coming
Listen, my friend—the same One who rose triumphant from the grave has already declared you victorious. Even if you’re still waiting for that victory to show up in greater, better, and more blessed ways, know this: it’s already yours in the spirit.
In the meantime, as you wait to see it materialize in the natural, declare by faith: My next season—my third day—is on the way. Blessings are about to chase you down and overtake you. Good news will find you. Favor will pursue you. The heavens will open up and pour out blessings you won’t have room to contain.
One day soon, you’ll look back on this moment and wonder how you got over. You’ll see how close you were to your breakthrough at your lowest point, and you’ll praise God that you held on. You’ll rejoice in the decision not to throw in the towel but to take courage and receive everything God has for you.
To help you stand firm as you await the fulfillment of every promise, I’m stirring the same two-word directive Jesus gave Peter, serving it up as the sweetener in your cup of inspiration: "Take courage!"
As you drink down the contents of your cup, I declare that the strength of God's promise is fortifying your spirit. He's calling you to rise up, shake off that slump, and banish every whisper of negativity, discouragement, and pessimism. Take courage, because your third day, your new season, your undeniable victory, is on the horizon.
Trust God through the process. His timing is perfect, and His plans for you are bigger and better than anything you could ever imagine.
Now, let's pray:
God, even when darkness comes and storms rage, thank You for reminding me that Your Word stands unshakable. Thank You for being the God who always—always—keeps Your promises. When doubt whispers lies, when fear tries to paralyze me, when failure threatens to define me, teach me to find strength in You alone and take courage. Today, I stand on Your truth and declare that no matter what I'm facing, I am more than a conqueror through Christ and victory already belongs to me! In Jesus' matchless name, I pray, Amen.
If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
