Stand Fast In Your Liberty

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
—Galatians 5:1


“Stand fast” comes from the Greek word “steko,” and means to “stand firm, persevere, to hold one’s ground” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon). It implies steadfastness, resilience, and resistance against opposition. 

Just as a nation must persist in safeguarding its freedom and rights, we too must steadfastly protect our spiritual freedom. Paul admonished the Galatian believers, who were more concerned with performing the Law than placing their faith in Christ, to “stand firm” in their spiritual freedom in Him. This admonition is ours. Paul emphasizes that our freedom doesn’t automatically occur; we have a role to play.

Our adversary, the devil, relentlessly seeks to consume those he can (1 Peter 5:8), and legalism is one of his most potent weapons. We must resolutely resist every attempt he makes to lure us back into a life of self-effort instead of steadfastly standing in our faith in Christ (1 Peter 5:9).
 
The word “therefore” in Galatians 5:1 serves as a bridge between Paul’s statement and the preceding verse. In Galatians 4:31, Paul drew a parallel between being under the Law and being a descendant of the slave woman Hagar, suggesting that we lack the inheritance of God’s promises. Since none of us desire to be excluded from God’s blessings, we must firmly uphold the freedom we have received through our faith in Christ.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines liberty as:
a. The condition of being free from restriction or control. 
b. The right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one’s own choosing. 
c. The condition of being physically and legally free from confinement, servitude, or forced labor.

Paul was referring to a specific kind of liberty—the freedom from the oppression of the Old Testament Law. God had to expose the deception that people had fallen into—that they were inherently good enough to be accepted by Him. He achieved this by giving the Law. The Law brought sin and its desires to life in people. To those who embraced it, it became evident that if this holy perfection of the Law was what God demanded, people couldn’t be saved by their own goodness.

Paul was controlled by his love for the Lord rather than his fear of punishment for breaking the Old Testament Law. In Galatians 5, he made it clear that this liberty is not freedom to sin but freedom from sin and its guilt and condemnation. Those who choose to use this liberty in Christ to indulge their flesh will suffer for it. Their suffering is not God’s retribution; they reap what they have sown (Luke 6:38, Galatians 6:7).

In Galatians 5:1, “entangled” presents the idea of being “ensnared or held in a net” (Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament). The Galatians were ensnared in a bondage that stemmed from the Law’s demands, which they believed would secure God’s acceptance through their actions. However, God paid the ultimate price for our liberation from sin. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross purchased our freedom from self-justification through the Law. We must never allow anything or anyone to re-ensnare us in this bondage.

The context of Galatians 5:1 makes it very clear that this “yoke of bondage” that Paul was speaking of is the Old Testament Law. This is a strong statement and leaves no doubt that the Law was not for the purpose of freedom but bondage.

The Law was given to kill (2 Corinthians 3:7) and condemn (2 Corinthians 3:9). The Law strengthened sin (1 Corinthians 15:56) and made sin come alive (Romans 7:9). The Law gave sin an opportunity to deceive us and work all manner of lust in us (Romans 7:8,11). All of us have sinned and come short of the Law’s perfection (Romans 3:23). In essence, the Law strengthened our enemy and sin, and made it obvious no one could be saved by keeping it. The Law took away every hope of salvation except faith in a Savior.

Paul said in Galatians 3:23: “But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.”

Faith came in Jesus, and the Law was finished.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-31).

Unlike the sometimes-harsh treatment oxen are given to bring them into subjection, Jesus is “meek and lowly in heart” and wins us by love (1 John 4:11, 19). The yoke of the Law is heavy, but  Jesus’s burden is light. Unlike the Law that weighs us down rather than saving us, Jesus’ grace saves us and gives us rest for our souls.

“If you attempt to be justified by the Law, you fall from grace” (Galatians 5:4).

Christ has set you free from the condemnation of the Law. Don’t let your performance-driven bondage cause you to fall from grace. Stay steadfast in your liberty and faith. Be courageous and strong (1 Corinthians 16:3). Be intentional, disciplined, and determined to walk in the liberty that Jesus has given you (Galatians 5:1). The Law holds no authority over Christ; He fulfilled it (Galatians 5:6). Faith operates through the love of Jesus, who declared the Law to be completed and finished. We can never fully pay the price. Only He could pay it in full, and, to His glory, He did.

If you don't stand firm in your faith in Christ, you will not stand at all (Isaiah 7:9).

Embrace the “It is Finished” of the Cross

In several different translations of the New Testament, the phrase “it is finished” appears twice. The first instance occurs in John 19:30:

“When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (MEV).

Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law that we couldn’t keep. He wiped out the ordinances that were against us and nailed them to His cross (Colossians 2:14). This marked the end of the Law for righteousness (Romans 10:4). It (the Law) was finished. 

Jesus voluntarily gave up His spirit, and no one took His life from Him. He offered it in love as a sacrifice for our sins. When Jesus uttered, “It is finished,” He didn’t mean that the entire plan of salvation had been completed. He still had to descend into the lower regions of the earth to lead the captives out (Ephesians 4:8-9), rise from the dead, and ascend to the Father to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).

Paul made it abundantly clear in 1 Corinthians 15:14 and 17 that if Jesus hadn’t been resurrected from the dead, our faith would be futile, and we would still be trapped in our sins. When Jesus uttered, “It is finished,” he must have been referring to His ministry on earth and the Old Covenant Law that had now been fulfilled in Him (Matthew 5:17). 

Those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior are no longer seeking to be free from sin; they are truly free from the power of sin (Romans 8:2). They are no longer seeking healing; they have been healed by Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). All who believe this Good News have been forgiven, delivered from the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13-14), and blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). We no longer need to beg God to accomplish what Jesus has done. We need to praise Him! Faith is simply receiving what Jesus has already accomplished. It is finished! 

There’s another usage of the phrase “it is finished” that you might not have noticed.

“But each man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. Then, when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and when sin is finished, it brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15, MEV)

Did you know that even though we’re free from the power of sin and have authority over the lusts of the flesh, if that authority isn’t exercised, sin can still be unleashed in us? And when sin is finished, it will bring forth death. Dishonesty, waste, fear, indecisiveness, guilt, ailments, and all the works of darkness will wreck havoc in our lives.

James 1:14-15 illustrates how sin progresses. It doesn’t just happen to us; we have to conceive it. Most Christians fail to recognize that sin requires conception. Consequently, they do little or nothing to prevent its conception and only focus on preventing its birth. This is akin to a woman who desires no children but consistently engages in physical relations with a man. Unless there’s an underlying issue, she will conceive.

James 1:15 verse makes it very clear that it is lust that conceives sin. The New International Version refers to lust as “desire.” Desire is rooted in our emotions. To avoid sinning, we must control our feelings. Sin is inherently emotional. Someone who indulges in negative emotions but doesn’t want to commit sin is like a woman who engages in physical relations with a man but doesn’t desire pregnancy. To prevent sin, we must prevent its conception by refraining from engaging with negative emotions.

To avoid the “it is finished” of sin, it is crucial that we embrace the “it is finished” of the cross. We must exercise authority over our emotions, access God’s grace in every situation, and firmly believe that the power of His resurrection surpasses the power of sin in this world.

John says that when Lazarus came forth from the grave he was “bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go’” (John 11:44 NKJV). John uses exactly the same Greek word when he says of Jesus, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy (loose) the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8, NKJV).

In other words, he whom Jesus makes free is loosed from the works of the devil just as Lazarus was loosed from his grave clothes. He is free indeed (John 8:32), redeemed from his guilty past. He is no longer subject to the penalty of the finished law.

Have you embraced the “it is finished” of the cross?  Do you exert authority over your feelings and exercise your faith in the finished work of Jesus?  You are loosed from the power of sin and death just as Lazarus from his grave clothes. Sin is no longer your master. You’re under grace. Stop sin’s conception, and avoid its birth altogether. Think on things that are lovely, pure, and of good report, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9).

 

The Only True Freedom

—Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” (John 8:31)

In this verse, Jesus spoke to Jews who believed in Him, yet He emphasized that they wouldn’t be His disciples unless they abided in His Word. He made a clear distinction between those who believed and those who were disciples. There’s a difference. Later in the same conversation, He stated that those who merely believed in Him but refused to continue in His Word were of their father, the devil (John 8:44). Simply believing the Word isn’t enough. We should persist in studying the Word until we know we are more than forgiven. We must become disciples to discover the freedom of an intimate and unhindered relationship with the Father. 

In John 8:48 and 53, these Jews revealed their true nature. They didn’t consider Jesus any higher than Abraham or any of the prophets. In John 8:58-59, when Jesus declared Himself to be the great I AM, they attempted to stone Him to death. They also accused Him of being demon-possessed (John 8:48 and 52). Therefore, Jesus’ estimation of these people was entirely accurate. They acknowledged Him to some extent, but not to the extent that they truly accepted Him as the true Christ. Jesus didn’t declare those who had only accepted Him as being favored by God (Mark 10:20). To become their Savior, Jesus must be accepted as God and honored as Lord in each heart.

True disciples of Jesus are marked by the fact that they persist in having an understanding of God’s Word. Abiding in God’s Word is a lifestyle, not just something that occasionally occurs. The just live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38)—not just occasionally visit the Word.

—“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

Only those who persist in God’s Word and become disciples truly comprehend the truth. In John 8:32, Jesus wasn’t referring to mere intellectual knowledge setting them free. The word “know”in this verse embraces several meanings, ranging from a superficial knowledge to a profound and experiential understanding. In the Bible, the word “know” is used to describe an intimate physical relationship (Genesis 4:1, 17; 19:8, 24:16; Matthew 1:25). Jesus emphasized that when we thoroughly familiarize ourselves with His Word in an intimate and experiential way, we will be liberated from all our bondage. This is because “all things that pertain to life and godliness” are bestowed upon us “through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). Freedom is impossible without revelation knowledge of God’s Word. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

—They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free?’” (John 8:33).

These Jews were willing to believe that Jesus was the Christ (John 8:30), yet they refused to acknowledge and accept their need for Him. They failed to recognize that they required freedom from bondage. Consequently, it can be said that true salvation not only declares that Jesus is the Son of God, but it also involves acknowledging our dependence on Him.

The same reasoning Jesus used in John 8:33 can be applied to anyone who claims to be a disciple today. Is the one claiming to be a disciple experiencing the manifestation of God’s truth in their lives? Are they free of fear, anger, offense, anything that is not of faith? If they aren't, they haven’t persisted in God’s Word until they are truly free (John 8:31-32). Consequently, they aren’t genuine disciples seeking to know the truth.

These Jews said that they were never in bondage to any man. This is strange since the whole nation of Israel was in bondage to the Romans. Therefore, they were slaves but refused to acknowledge it (1Corinthians 2:14). Are we like these Jews—in bondage and not even knowing it?

—Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” (John 8:34)

These “believers” (John 8:31) were offended when Jesus told them they needed to be liberated. He clarified that He wasn’t referring to physical slavery but rather spiritual bondage. He explained that anyone who sins is a slave to sin. He then revealed how belief in Him could indeed free them. If they came to know the truth, they would be liberated from sin.

Jesus spoke these words to help these Jews, not to harm them. However, their pride clouded their judgment, preventing them from recognizing His love.They vehemently resisted any instruction that made them feel inferior in any way. In reality, these people were not only in physical bondage to the Romans but also spiritually bound.

Since the time Satan deceived Eve into believing that through sin, she could become like God (Genesis 3:4-5), the devil has been deceiving the world about sin. However, time has proven this deception. Sin brings death, not life (Romans 6:23). Jesus made it clear that sin only enslaves us. We become slaves not only to the sin itself but also to the author of sin, the devil (John 8:44). We either serve God through obedience or the devil through sin (Romans 6:16). 

“And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.” (John 8:35).
 

Jesus offered these people bound by sin deliverance and true freedom through the Spirit. He compared the bondage of sin to slavery and the freedom that comes through serving God to being a beloved Son. No one would ever question a son being superior to a slave. Likewise, obeying God is superior to yielding to sin.

—“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Christ has freed all who believe on Him. This freedom is total and complete. But not everyone who has been freed is free. 
After the Emancipation Proclamation that “freed” the American slaves, many slaves continued to serve as slaves because the truth was hidden from them or in some cases, the slaves were afraid they couldn’t make it on their own. Similarly, Christians have been “freed” from sin, but that doesn’t automatically mean all Christians experience that freedom. Through ignorance and deception, Satan continues to deceive those who have not yet realized they had died to sin and been resurrected with Christ. 

We have to receive and walk in our freedom from sin. It doesn’t happen automatically. Being free and not knowing it is like unlocking prison cells and telling the prisoners they are free to go. They would be free, but they wouldn’t experience that freedom until they got up and acted like they believed it. They would continue to sit in their cells and be freed, but not free.

Whatever is not of faith in your life is sin (Romans 14:23), and it is bondage. Do you serve God as a slave to sin or to Jesus? Do you live in bondage, deceived by the enemy and not knowing Jesus has freed you? Are you yearning to live the freedom of His abundant life and not be enslaved to a sin-conscience existence? The only true freedom is found in Jesus Christ. Jesus has a spirit-led, delivering, healing, and overcoming life for you to be discovered in an intimate, unbound, and unhindered relationship with your Father.

How badly do you desire it?



 

Unbound

Will you forgive me again, Lord? I have caused you pain, yet you still love me. You seem just beyond my reach, but I keep walking toward you. Doubt stirs, but I fight it. I want to shed all the barriers keeping me from you, all those times of defiance, fear, and uncertainty. 

With trembling hands, I remove all the trappings of this world. I shed all the clothing of guilt and shame and all the lies holding me from you. I peel away the layers of pride, one by one until my own nakedness humbles me. I’m unclothed and unbound, free of all pretense in your presence. You see me as you made me. 

 

Oh, Father, I see you. You have already forgiven me. Why did I ever doubt what you have done?

Thank you Lord, for saving my soul
Thank you Lord, for making me whole;
Thank you Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.

Thank you, Jesus, for redeeming me! Thank you for such a rich inheritance. I’m forgiven! My sins are no more. I don’t have to live enslaved to the lies that keep me from you, Father. Without shame, I come freely to you. I’m not free to sin, but free from sin. I stand naked before you washed clean by your Son’s precious blood.

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Jesus, you are the way back to Eden—the way back to life. Thank you for restoring me with the gift of your precious blood. I will never make light of it. I’m unbound by your grace, blood of your blood forever. I’m free to be my Father’s own.

The Beginning of Wisdom

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
 and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
—Proverbs 9:10 (NKJV)
 
The fear of man and the opinions of others can hinder our ability to receive wisdom from God. The choice we make to follow the Lord or succumb to the influence of others determines the extent of wisdom we acquire. When we prioritize our human desire for acceptance and recognition, we forfeit God’s wisdom. Any opinion or thing that nurtures our selfishness and pride prevents us from receiving the wisdom that comes from an intimate relationship with God. 
 
If we seek God’s wisdom in our lives, Proverbs 9:10 emphasizes that the foundation is the fear of the Lord. This fear of the Lord is not about being afraid of God; rather, it involves placing a higher value on God and His Word than on the judgments, requirements, and opinions of others. To receive wisdom from God, we must humble ourselves. He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). Until our respect for the Lord surpasses what others believe is best for us, we cannot walk in the wisdom of God. 
 
The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
—Proverbs 29:25 (NKJV)
 
Trusting in God’s will for your life is a sign of spiritual maturity. By relying on His wisdom over the opinions of others, you can experience life and peace (Romans 8:6). However, when you yield to the opinions of others instead of God’s purpose, you find yourself trapped in emotional bondage and limited in your potential. 
 
The fear of man will cost us God’s wisdom and, eventually, the respect of those we have tried to please. Look at Saul. He told Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I have feared the people and obeyed their voice” (1 Samuel 15:24, NKJV). Saul humbly began as king and ended his reign in pride and destruction.
 
David, however, responded to Nathan the prophet when confronted about his sin with Bathsheba. He knew God’s truth was best for his life. He repented immediately and said of God, “You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part you will make me to know wisdom” (Psalm 51:6, NKJV).  He realized that an open heart to God would bring His wisdom.
 
Jesus only listened to His Father. He disregarded the religious leaders and had no intention of appeasing them or seeking their approval. He chose to honor His Father’s will over the occasional advice of those He had called to follow Him. The emotional pressures of others didn’t sway Jesus. His joy lay in the fear of the Lord. He didn’t respond to what his eyes saw or what he heard from others (Isaiah 11:3). Jesus walked completely in the wisdom of His Father.
 
Do I walk in the fear of the Lord or the fear of man? Do I prioritize the Word, which embodies Jesus—full of grace and truth—as my utmost priority (as stated in John 1:14)? Or do I place more emphasis on what others think of me, striving to gain their approval? Yes, we all yearn for acceptance from others, particularly those we hold dear and highly esteem. However, when our desire is for God’s wisdom above all else, putting Him first is always the first step.
 
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom” Solomon wrote. “And in all your getting, get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7, NKJV).  

God’s wisdom is the most important thing. Therefore, seek God’s wisdom. He generously gives it to you (James 1:5). Seek understanding how to apply and exercise it in your life.
 
“We do not cease to pray for you,” Paul said, “and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Colossians 1:9, (NKJV). 

Fear of the opinions of others will pull you out of the will of God and His plans for your life. God’s wisdom lies in prioritizing His desires over what others perceive. 

“You ask and do not receive,” James imparted, “because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3).

God desires to pour His wisdom into your life, giving you an understanding of His knowledge that transforms you from within. However, if you seek His wisdom and then squander it, prioritizing the approval of others over His will, you will miss out on its benefits.

When God’s wisdom and spiritual understanding are the primary things in your life, the opinions of others take second place to His opinion. You trust God’s truth over the opinions of others, and you walk in the fear of the Lord instead of the fear of man. 


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Know Your Inheritance in Christ

Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. 

—Galatians 4:1

 

 

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have been reborn as a new creation in Him. Jesus has restored us to the untainted innocence that was once ours before Adam ever sinned. We are now heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ, heirs of the kingdom, heirs of salvation, heirs of His promises, and heirs of His grace.

 

Even the newest believer is an heir of God. However, just because you are an heir doesn’t mean you understand what that means. You can be an heir and, as a child of the King, not have a clue about your inheritance. You must grow in the grace of God and learn how to live in the Kingdom.

 

“Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).

 

If you tell a young child he is an heir to a great inheritance, it doesn’t mean much to him.  An infant who will be a king one day is like other infants in the kingdom. His future as a ruler is settled, but his present is common. This newborn prince needs time to grow. He needs to learn how the kingdom operates so that he can rule it one day.

 

It is the same way in the Kingdom of God. While Christ has given us authority over the works of the enemy, many Christians never develop a full understanding of what that means. Some remain babies their entire lives. The potential of their new identity in Christ is never realized or released into the world. They are like slaves who have been emancipated and don’t know it.

 

“This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth” (Ephesians 4:13-14).

 

It is time for us to learn who we are as a new creation. It is time to grow up and assume the authority Jesus has given us. It is time to quit hearing about what is ours in Christ and be doers of it (James 1:22). We need to know what is true so we will not remain immature and influenced by lies that sound like the truth. Babies, even though they are heirs, will never grow to reign in life. 

 

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).

 

You have been reborn as a new creation to rule in life through Jesus Christ. Jesus shed His blood to restore you to a righteous relationship with God. When you know God’s truth in your heart, you don’t have to live as a slave anymore to the lies that keep you from the truths of your inheritance in Him. You can be free of perishing from a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). You can be free to release your faith into the world. You can be free to reign in life with a servant's heart (John 13:1-17).

Don’t remain a child, not knowing what you have inherited. Set your face like a flint (Isaiah 50:7) to learn how God’s Kingdom works. Make up your mind right now to grow up into everything Jesus has purchased with His precious blood. 

Grow in the knowledge of the righteousness that is yours in Christ. In humility, receive more grace to serve in the authority you have been given. Submit to God’s power, resist the devil, and he will flee (James 4:6-7). Always surrender to Jesus, the servant, washing your feet, so you can reign in Jesus, the victor, destroying the works of the enemy. Allow the gentle yet conquering power of Christ to be revealed in your life (Philippians 4:5). Rule in God's kingdom with humility and grace, treading on a defeated enemy and overcoming him in the power of God.

Know your inheritance in Christ.

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Let God’s Peace Rule

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

—Colossians 3:15

 

 

If there is one thing we can learn from hardship or worry, it’s that they can steal our peace. When we endure hardship or experience fear, we often look for encouragement from someone else or in improving circumstances. We attempt to reach a mental place of peace instead of allowing the spiritual peace God has given us to rule in our hearts. His peace isn’t the peace we receive from better circumstances or feelings. His peace comes from the perfect love we received in Jesus. And God’s perfect peace carries us through any hardship without fear if we choose to draw upon it (I John 4:18, Isaiah 26:3).

 

The Amplified Bible Classic Edition reveals Colossians 3:15 in this way: “And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].” 

In sports, an umpire is a person who is familiar with all the rules of the game and resolves disputes. The peace of God is our umpire who knows all the rules and settles all disputes as to what the will of God is in different situations. We have to learn to listen to what the spiritual peace of God is trying to tell us. We need to give it priority in our lives and follow it. We cannot find God’s spiritual peace trying to reason out His game plan with our carnal minds. The only way to life and peace is to be spiritually minded (Romans 8:6).

God’s peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It is something that every born-again believer possesses. His peace continually attempts to “umpire” and guide us, but many times we just don’t listen. We go against the peace of God instead of letting it rule in our hearts, and we act according to our game plan. Later, when tragedy results from a bad decision, we acknowledge the unease we initially felt in our hearts. That unease was the peace of God trying to guide us, but we were too determined to play by our rules instead of His.

There are some things we can do to help the peace of God guide us. 

We should contemplate all our options. Wrong decisions are made when all options aren’t considered in prayer.  And we can’t let doubt rule out what might be God’s possibilities. As we visualize the results of each different option, we should perceive greater peace when considering the option the Lord wishes for us. This doesn't mean there will be total peace with any choice. Since we aren’t always spiritually minded, it’s not unusual for us to have some questioning and unrest. But just as an umpire has to make a call, we need to be courageous enough to follow the decision that gives us the most peace.  

A ship must be moving for its rudder to provide direction. That ship doesn’t have to be at full speed for its rudder to work, but that ship still has to move to receive direction. We must also move and step out in faith before the peace of God gives us direction. Sometimes we will make a mistake. When we make a wrong decision trying to follow the peace of God, the Lord will certainly bless it more than indecisiveness and indecision (Proverbs 16:3).

God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). God’s peace is the spiritual state of mind in which we are always called to live. When we allow His peace to rule our hearts, it settles the questions that arise in our minds. When we step out in faith following God's peace, He will guard our thoughts. Praising God for His spiritual peace, regardless of our circumstances, will guard our hearts and acknowledge His spiritual priority in our lives.

Hardship? Worry? Fear? God calls us to allow His peace to rule in our hearts. He calls us to be one with Him. The natural mind must yield to the spiritual. He calls us to have a thankful attitude. 

Let the peace of God direct your thoughts, deciding and settling all your questions with finality. A naturally minded man will only know fear, and fear is death to his faith. A spiritually minded man will know life and peace (Romans 8:6). We have God’s power to be spiritually minded. We have received the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), but it is our choice to exercise the peace that is ours in Christ.

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Don’t Lose Heart. Believe

Thank you, Jesus, for your Word. It’s life to me. May I be ready in season and out of season. Please, help me, Holy Spirit, to present the Word with grace and patience. May the meditation of my heart and these words be pleasing in your sight, O Lord My Redeemer.

*******

What is God’s will for my health?

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2).

Why is it God’s will for me to be in health?

“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

Is it God’s will to heal everyone?

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).

Why do some question if it is God’s will to heal them? 

“And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;

For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them’” (Matthew 13:14-15).

Jesus told Thomas after he had felt the scars in His hands and side: “Because you have seen Me, you have believed” (John 20:29). 

Do we have to see or feel our healing to believe we are healed? 

Jesus also told Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

What shall a man’s need to see and feel gain him? Is what he senses greater than the Lord’s wisdom? 

“Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 26:12). 

“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight” (Isaiah 5:21).

“Your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:5). 

Where do I place my faith? In men’s wisdom or in God’s wisdom and power? 

Jesus asked the blind men who sought healing from Him: “‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then He touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith let it be to you.’” (Matthew 9:28-29).

When Jesus turned around and saw the woman who had touched His garment, He said: “‘Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And the woman was made well from that hour” (Matthew 9:22).

God is unchanging, and every perfect gift is from Him.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

God is not the variable, and neither is His Word. We are the ones who fluctuate in our belief and faith. We often let go of the truth that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). We often question if the Lord “who forgives all our iniquities” also “heals all our diseases” (Psalm 103:3).

Do I hear God’s Word in my heart? 

“My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.

Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;

For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20-22). 

“Give attention, incline your ear, do not let them depart from your eyes, keep them in the midst of your heart…for they are life and health.”  His Word is life to me. When I keep paying attention to His Word, putting it and safely guarding it within my heart, health is within my reach. Just as medicine doesn’t produce instant results but can bring healing over time, so it can be with the Word. The cares of this world can choke the Word from bearing fruit in my life, and that seems to be true for many believers. The attention we give to the Word for healing is often brief and hurried. 

The better attention we can give to the Word is described by Jeremiah: “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).

Studying the Gospels and meditating on the miracles and healings of Jesus can bring a new perspective and deepen your faith. The more of your heart you give to God’s Word, the more His life and healing power are at work within you. Healing is being changed from the inside out. We may not “see” or “feel” anything most of the time, but can trust that the Word is at work. Let fellowship with Jesus—with the Word—be the center of your life.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). 

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

God’s Words within me are spirit and life. He sent His word and healed me, and delivered me from my destructions (Psalm 107:20). 

Why would I ever ask God if it is His will to heal me when the Word declares that by His wounds I am healed? Just because I don’t see or feel His healing doesn’t mean it isn’t His will for my life.

“Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding” (Proverbs 3:13).

Seek God’s understanding. Trust Him. Keep renewing your mind and sowing His Word in your heart. Don’t allow doubt. The devil brings frustration and keeps the Word from producing God’s truth within us when we doubt and question His will. God would never have promised healing if He hadn’t intended for it to bear fruit in our lives—thirty-fold, sixty-fold, and a hundred-fold (Matthew 13:23).

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13).

Don’t lose heart. Believe.