GREAT PEACE AND JOY

“I know what I’m doing.,” says the Lord, “I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed. I’ll turn things around for you. I’ll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you, and bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it” (Jeremiah 29:11-14, MSG).

He knows what He is doing. I don't have to know His plans, but I do need to trust and have faith in His faithfulness. When I seek Him continually with all my heart and desire Him more than anything else, I will discover more faith to believe in His promise of deliverance. As I persevere living each day in His will, I will not be disappointed. I shall receive His promise (Hebrews 10:35-36). He will bring me out of my desert of loneliness and fearfulness where I have suffered and felt abandoned. He has great JOY and PEACE for me. I can count on Him.

My Choice

“Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38a).

He is my choice today. I choose to give Him my mind and my heart. I choose to absolutely surrender myself to Him. That choice is not in just words. It is in action. I choose to give Him my time, my priorities, my thoughts, my fears, my preconceptions, my ideas, my judgments, my life. I choose to believe Him only and not my thoughts. I choose His hope over my despair. I choose His peace of mind over my turmoil. I choose His great promises over my own limitations. I choose to give Him all my brokenness and imperfection. 

 

He is Truth. I am not. He is Life. I am not. He is Peace. I have none. He is Joy. I can't manufacture it. He is All, and I am just me. Each day I will lay myself upon His altar, and make an offering of me. It is in the giving away that I shall receive. I shall receive His All instead of the little that I am. And His ALL shall be His loving sacrifice to me.

A OPEN SPIRIT A HEALED HEART

No one likes to face pain. When I have lived through suffering, my natural instinct is to move on and try to forget it. But God has other plans. What may be my natural instinct is not His. He never wastes my hurt or what I have faced in my life, and He does not want me to just bury it. He wants me to use it for His glory.

How He longs to use the pain I've experienced—the things that I regret—the highs and the lows—the fears and the failures—the very things I want to hide from—to help others! He wants my life open so others might find freedom from their own pain, and I might discover healing for mine.

Being open is a very hard place to be! I want to build a wall to protect myself from my own pain. But building a wall doesn't protect me. It imprisons my heart. It imprisons my spirit. It imprisons healing of not only my own wounds, but those of others. My wall turns my heart into a heart of stone because, in closing myself off, I have shut out the Holy Spirit.

However, when I allow that wall of false protection to tumble down, the Lord turns my pain into victory not only for myself, but for others. “I'll give you a new heart, “the Lord promises, “and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).

           A heart that yields completely to the Holy Spirit is a heart of tender “spiritual flesh”. It is a heart that is malleable, vulnerable, and not afraid of the pain that often accompanies healing. It is heart that is ready to face the hurt of the past or the present head-on, and allow the Holy Spirit to do whatever is necessary. Willing to deal with whatever must be dealt with, this heart trusts that the Lord who has exposed the pain is capable of healing all that has caused it.

            "Now the Lord is the Spirit,” Paul imparts, “and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). The Holy Spirit will liberate me from any pain, or fear, but I must be willing.

Then There Will Be Peace

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” (Hebrews 13:15, NIV).

Praise. It is my sacrifice and my offering to God. It is that very instance, when in my most difficult circumstance, distress is calmed and there is a hope for peace. Praise dispels worry, and confusion changes into clarity. Praise will ultimately dispel fear of the unknown, and bring His peace and joy.

In praise I am changed. No matter how difficult my problems or my circumstance–no matter how fearful the thought–praise changes my outlook. Praise in the midst of hardship breaks down inner walls. Praise in the midst of fear releases faith. When things are hard—when fear persists—when problems overwhelm, I will seek reasons to be thankful. I will seek to realize His blessings that slip by unobserved. The gift of thanksgiving in my heart—no matter what is going on in my life—is my sacrifice of praise.

Giving God a sacrifice of praise is a mental decision that I will praise Him no matter how I feel. I will discipline myself to praise Him. And one day that sacrifice of praise will no longer be a sacrifice. It will come from a heart that believes He is faithful. My heart and mind shall no longer focus on my pain, or on my fear, but on His faithfulness and His blessings. And then there will peace.

You Belong to Me

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10a, KJV).

Be still. Calm your anxious mind. I speak peace. The enemy speaks turmoil. Listen to my voice only. Never allow the voice of the world to deter you or the enemy to destroy. Listen for my voice, and you will never be disappointed. Listen, and anxious thoughts and tired nerves will become rested. I speak rest in tenderness to your turmoil and strife.

My tenderness and the restfulness will heal your scars and make you strong, but it is you who must allow me be your strength and your power. I cannot be your strength if you give me your load, and then take it back. You are the greatest concern of my heart, but so many times you don't allow me to carry what you can't. 

Allow me to love you and carry you. I know your pain, and I am the answer. You do not have the answer. Only I have the answer. But until you let it go, and surrender it, there is nothing I can do. Give it again to me today. Seek me again and again and again until you discover my peace. Allow me to flow through your heart and mind, and heal all that which would tell you that you are unworthy. Never feel at the mercy of the world or the enemy. You are not. You belong to me.

Praying Down Your Stronghold

God desires your heart and mind to understand that Biblical truth can change your life. He yearns for you to seek His indwelling presence and the spiritual fruit which empower personal growth. The Word flows from the life-giving heart of God, and accomplishes the very purpose for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11). Paul writes, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (II Corinthians 10:4, NIV). If you have ever suffered from fear, you know that it binds your mind in an ironclad grip. The spiritual weapons God provides for its destruction are found in the Bible. “God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey” (Hebrews 4:12, The Message).

God means what He says in His Word. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV). The power to demolish the stronghold of fear in your mind can be discovered in these verses. Pray this Scripture each time fear comes against you, and realize that there is an ultimate promise in verse 7. It is the peace of God, and it is real.

Lord Jesus, today I give you my fear again. I can't handle it. It tears me into pieces. It is real in my mind and heart. But you tell me that if I give this fear to you I will know your peace in my heart. That peace is your promise, but I just can't seem to get there. I have given this to you over and over again, and still I'm terrorized with worry and doubt. Lord, my fear has become my conviction and it is my stronghold. I want it destroyed, and I need you to help me destroy it. I believe your Word and I want to experience this promise of peace, so I will not give up. You tell me to give you my fear with thanksgiving. If I give it to you with praise then it tells you that I have faith in you. I give you my fear with my mustard seed of faith, Lord God. When the fear hits, I will praise you for taking care of my it. I will praise you for handling what I can't handle. I will give you a sacrifice of praise again and again until one day I will know that my praise is real, and your joy becomes my strength. I shall discover greater faith to trust your faithfulness no matter what I face. I can and will have your supernatural peace, and I will persevere against the enemy until my fear is defeated, and your peace is secured. In Jesus' name.

Living Water

“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14, NIV).

If I drink of the water that He provides, I will never be thirsty. His living water not only soothes my shattered spirit, but it heals my broken heart because it is living water. It is a spring of water that wells us in my spirit and constantly flows to bring abundant life now and eternal life later.

"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness," He whispers, "they shall be filled." 

"Oh Lord," I cry, "just as a deer pants for streams of water, my soul pants for you. My soul thirsts only for you." 

If I continually drink of His living water‒the Word of God‒His truth‒His Spirit, I will be filled. This is a thirst that shall always be satisfied. No weapon of the enemy that comes against me will succeed. No lie will find soil in which to take root. I believe in His promise, and I know that in Him lies are conquered and truth prevails.

Because of Mama

Today would have been my mother's 88^th birthday. My heart aches so much for her sometimes, but then I remember that she is no longer struggling to breathe or in pain. Her life was hard at times, but there was always one true constant. It was her faith in Jesus Christ. She is free in every way now. Jesus is with her in heaven, and she is at peace.

He is also here with me on earth. I do not need to always feel His presence. I know He is with me. To ask for the sensory experience of His presence all the time is, in a way, to ask for proof or for a sign. I do not need a sign. I know His peace that passes understanding even when all around feels so dark. I know in whom I believe, and know He is able to keep me safe no matter what happens.

Anyway, does it matter what I feel? What matters is who He is, and that He shall ever be with me. He is my strength when I feel weak. He is my peace when I feel shaken. Feelings depend upon moods, circumstances, and outward pressures. His peace comes from within my heart. and never from outward temporary relief. I may be influenced by circumstances, but He never is. His promise is always kept. He is with me, and He never forsakes me.

Thank you, Mama, for always sharing your faith and your love. You fought for me. You believed in me. You passed on your fighting heart to me, and your belief in other people's potential. On February 3^rd of this year you peacefully passed from this life's fears and struggles to heaven. You passed from this earth strong in spirit just as you always were. You left behind your legacy of faith that always speaks peace no matter what I face. It is because of you that I believe today.

Today I rest in His presence. Today I feel it. Tomorrow I might not. But whatever I feel, I know, that my Redeemer is constant and unchanging. And that is all I need.

The Weapon of Self-Control

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Self-control is really not self-control. It is Holy Spirit control, and it is another weapon to defeat fear. God is faithful to empower you to win the hardest battle in your mind, but you must allow Him to “own” your mind completely. Your greatest surrender comes in your heart and mind. The battle to control any thought or fear is easier if you know what to do to give God control. What relief to let Him fight the battle!

Recognize the fearful thought for what it is‒a.threat to destroy your peace and joy. KNOW GOD'S WORD AND HIS PROMISE that comes against that thought. This is what makes study and knowledge of the Word critical. PRAY GOD'S PROMISE FROM HIS WORD, and tell Him your fear. GIVE YOUR FEAR TO HIM WITH PRAISE because you know He is faithful to take care of it. Now REFUSE TO WORRY about it anymore. When your fear rises to hit you again, keep refusing it. Tell the enemy you have given it to God. Do it over and over again. When you keep bringing your thoughts under God's control, you will eventually defeat Satan's attacks. Those attacks will become just weak attempts. The control of your thoughts will be in God's control. You will completely depend upon Him.

In The Prayer of Jabez, Bruce Wilkinson writes, “God’s power, under us, in us, surging through us, is exactly what turns dependence into unforgettable experiences of completeness.” What makes complete dependence upon the Lord an unforgettable experience? It is when you receive His power that brings completeness, healing, and renewal in the spirit of your mind (Ephesians 4:23).

PUT ON THE WEAPON OF GOD'S POWER

“God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out” (Ephesians 6:10-18, The Message).

Fighting the lies of the enemy takes every weapon that God has at your disposal. You put all these weapons together, and you have His power active and strong in your life. You discover these weapons in God's Word which is your “indispensable weapon”. Without these weapons you will fail. Learn them and apply them to your life.

God's truth is the foundation of your belief in Jesus Christ. Without it you have no structure to your life. Without God's truth, you live a life based on emotional response to situations. The Word reveals how to live a righteous life with His response to whatever you face. Without a life of righteousness and holiness you cannot experience the peace that comes through the knowledge of the Word. Living God's truth brings a righteous life, and that righteousness brings the peace of the Holy Spirit. His peace is the anchor which holds you secure when Satan attacks. His peace is alive because of the faith you exhibit in giving your problems to the Lord and trusting Him to handle them. That faith is your shield against the enemy. All these weapons of truth, righteousness, peace, and faith exist because of the salvation you have received. Your salvation is your greatest threat to the enemy. You have been won by God, and Satan has lost you. Hold on to that ultimate weapon, and allow God's truth to grow in your life. Stand firm, and apply God's weapons. Always remember that He is your power, and whatever you face has ALREADY been defeated.

PRAY. Prayer is essential in the ongoing warfare. Prayer is your communication with the Lord who saved you. It is the link that should never be broken. It is your open door to receive all He has for you to stand strong and fight. His power is yours in prayer. He is yours in prayer.

So take all the weapons God has given, and stand firm and strong. NO weapon of the enemy will overcome who you are in Christ.