Tag Archives: worry

Dec2

Believe ~ a humble servant

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“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” Luke 1:45

Ruby & the Romantics blared from the speakers overhead, “Our day will come”, the words pierced my very soul and a smile spread slowly across my face until I was grinning from ear to ear. The words may as well have been spoken by God himself for the impact they had on me.

Four o’clock that morning I had awoke to a screaming migraine that was the result of stress and worry. Stress about what the coming day would hold for me, and worry that I would make a complete fool of myself in front of the very ones that I felt, held power over my future. This was the day that I was to place my manuscript and proposal in the hands of an editor for consideration. 

Stress

I tried many things to alleviate the pain that radiated through my skull; medication, a cool shower, scripture meditation; nothing worked. After an hour, the thought of riding the elliptical trainer downstairs for my morning workout, seemed an impossibility. But dwelling on the pain wasn’t helpful either, so off I went.

Music played in the gym, but I was alone.  I chose a bike in the corner and began to pedal my way through the routine.

Eyes closed, breathing deep, I tried to release the tension that had found its way across my shoulders. But it wasn’t until Ruby and God began to serenade me that the tense muscles began to relax and the pain in my brain began to drain! With the first four words of that song, I realized that no one held power over me but God, and that I am never alone; He is always with me. That no matter what transpired later on that day, my only job was to be obedient; to say yes to the invitation, and then to be faithful with the task. To believe that God would accomplish what He promised. I believed and for that I was rewarded.

There was a time long ago that a very young girl was given a task that had to have been daunting. Frightening even. Let’s face it, if an Angel appeared out of the blue and told you that your life was going to change dramatically, maybe to the point of endangering your life, but that you had a choice in the matter; what would you say?

My first reaction would most likely be unbelief, like Zechariah. {John 1}  Do you recall what happened to him? Mute….for like 9 months!!  Couldn’t say a word! Next, I would probably be weighing the pros and cons and thinking about how this was going to impact my plans, my life. As I contemplated this madness, I imagine the Angel standing in front of me, arms crossed, tapping his toe on the floor and looking at his watch. {do angels wear watches?}

By the time I would have made what I considered a rational decision, I’m sure that the offer would have been rescinded and He’d be off to another unsuspecting girl, maybe one a little less neurotic, to offer the blessing that I had missed out on.

For that is what it would be, a blessing. Right? Would it be difficult? Probably. Life altering? Most likely. A blessing? Definitely! I wonder how many times the Lord has asked me to join Him, to respond to a blessing, and I have shrugged my shoulders with indifference?

But Mary simply said yes.

It isn’t likely that an Angel is going to appear at your door bringing good tidings from the Lord (although you never know!), but has He appeared in other ways asking for your commitment? It could be a plea for help from a member of your congregation, a friend or a co-worker. Maybe a struggle that you are witness to that could have used your assistance. Or possibly someone just needing acceptance; a friend. These are offers to join Him in His work and receive a blessing.

Looking back, you can usually tell when you have missed it, for there is that nagging feeling tugging at your heartstrings that you should have helped, or offered a shoulder. Or maybe you spent an inordinate amount of time rationalizing why you didn’t, or couldn’t. It is in the recognition of God at work that the invitation takes place.

But let’s be honest – sometimes God’s work can be downright inconvenient in our lives. It most likely will not fit in with the plans that you have made for your day. There are times where it may even be exhausting; but it will ALWAYS be a blessing.

This week, let’s commit to:

  • opening our eyes and our hearts this season to the people that Jesus places in our paths

  • recognizing the needs of those around us

  • hearing His call and answering with a resounding yes without hesitation

  • believing that He has a plan for us, a plan to prosper us and not to harm, and respond.

Once you begin to recognize the masters call and respond, it will become second nature. But first we need to believe that God has a plan.

Believe like Mary believed.

Without thought for herself or her future – only for the honor of saying YES to the Masters call.

Believe

Soli Deo Gloria!

Oct17

dear vanessa ~ the why’s in life

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Image of VanessaDear Vanessa,

My mom has breast cancer.  I remember one day I was driving down one of our main streets, we as a family were going through a lot of health issues at the time.   I looked up and there was a big poster of a beautiful woman and the poster encouraging breast cancer awareness.  I remember at the time, thinking, thank goodness my mom does not have that.  Things could be so much worse.  A few days later I found out her diagnosis.  Sometimes I just want to know “why”….   Many times in my life I have asked myself “why”.    And sometimes, I just wish I could take the pain away…

Sincerely, Vanessa

 

Yes readers this post is for me…  Each of us have experienced pain, and some have learned how to cope and to move forward with one foot in front of the other.   Others, feel so much, and feel the darkness surrounding them to the extent they cannot see the light.    I am here to tell you there is always light.   We feel the pain for the ones we love that are going through it and that is not a bad thing.    We have been brought together in each circumstance for a reason, and may not know the “why”, but I truly believe that all circumstances lead to good.

When your life throws you a curve ball, what is your tendency?  Do you take a step forward?

Our minds can take over and drive us into a pit of despair.  Believe me; I have been there many times.  But the question is, how long do you believe the lies? 

Sometimes we just want things to be fixed now.   I am one of those people that want resolution now.

At times my patience has been tested… But the “when” is not in our control.     We are not in control of the timing of life’s curve balls.   Many of us may be fooled to believe we are in control, but I am here to tell you we are not.

The one and only thing we can control is the “how”, how we respond to the painful experiences we observe or those that have a direct impact on us.

Part of me is in disbelief about all of the health issues that have arisen in my family these past three years.  It seems like a dream at times.  As I look in the mirror every day, and see that the face staring back at me has changed.

                Sadness and worry has been replaced with faith.

                I approach the day living in the now.

                I lift up my day to Him to lead.

                I can control my response.

               

I have realized that with God everything is possible.

He has shown me miracles,

He has shown me how to be faithful,

He has shown me the sunshine in the rain,

and He has shown me patience.

He only asks one thing, trust in Me…..

He tells us to not be afraid, and that we are to bring our worries to Him.

So today I ask you my friend, instead of allowing fear to erode your mind, ask yourself:

What if good will come out of this situation?

What if the sunshine is going to shine through the rain?

What if a miracle is about to happen?

What if I support the situation and let Him lead?

What if I lift it all up to Him?

Cause me to hear Your loving kindness in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For I lift up my soul to You. (Psalm 143:8 (NKJV))

Dear Lord God,

Thank-you for always being there for me.  Thank-you for your constant reassurance.   Thank-you for showing me the sunshine through the rain, and carrying me when there is much pain.   I pray that we will start our days with you, and lift it all up to you.  I pray for this in Jesus’ Name Amen.

May you be blessed my friend,

Vanessa

If you have a question for Vanessa please email her at [email protected]

You can also read Vanessa’s personal blog and journey at www.nesschesters.wordpress.com

 

Sep17

BEAUTIFUL

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Eccl 3 11

Remember today in your worries and in your failures, in your messes and in your disappointments, that God has your back! Regardless of what tragic circumstances you may be experiencing right now at this moment in your life, you can trust in His promise that He will make it all BEAUTIFUL in its time! Draw closer…closer than you have ever dared before, and accept His comfort, His provision, His love and His promises. You won’t be sorry!

Has God made lemonade out of a lemon in your life?  Please share and encourage others to hang on to the promises.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Lisa

It’s celebration time for me!  I have been accepted to contribute to a devotional book called “Penned from the heart”. This year is its 20th edition, and I am honored to be a part of the team. Books will be available for advance purchase on Friday at my personal blog - http://www.lisaevola.com  they are at the publishers as we speak and should be delivered in October.  We will have a special price for those who order an advanced copy. This special price will be available till the end of september only. Leave a comment if you think that you will be interested in purchasing this book!  Blessings to you all! L

Sep9

The Soul Whisperer

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Welcome!

This is the third post in a series on the “rooms” of our “house” and the treasure that we fill it with. If you would like to read the previous two posts you can find them here: http://abeautifullifeministry.org/2013/09/02/room-for-the-spirit/, http://abeautifullifeministry.org/2013/08/26/the-rooms-of-our-house/

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­The car veers off the roadway, closer and closer to the edge of the shoulder. But after the edge….nothing, water…..the lake runs beside the road and my emotions run high.  What would happen if I went over? With a flick of the wrist and a twist of the wheel I would be sailing through the air…through the guardrail and into the water. A shiver runs through me and I shake it off.

Wow – where did that come from? These visions; or thoughts really, appear occasionally in my brain. And they always leave me wondering; “what is wrong with you?” I’m not suicidal, nor do I often entertain such thoughts, but they must come from somewhere…where?

It is the emotional response, I determine over time, which is the biggest problem; the fear that sets itself up inside, telling me that there must be something wrong with me that these thoughts would even occur.  For years I entertained these fantasies, concluding in my mind, that I am evil and a danger at times to myself and my family.

The lie

Where do these thoughts come from?  Certainly not from God. I can’t imagine that they come from an internal desire to do bodily harm to myself or my family…or anyone else for that matter. There is , although, another possibility: the enemy.

The enemy of our soul seeks to cripple, damage, destroy; and sometimes simply to misdirect us. Misdirection is the most subtle of lies that he has in his arsenal. It can materialize as something as simple as a comparison. Your friend just bought a shiny new car and you are still driving the one that you bought used, 10 years ago. The green seed of envy.

Maybe it is an unnatural fear that you or your spouse will lose their job. You won’t be able to feed your family, and your house will end up in foreclosure. Are these real concerns of real people? Of course, it could happen…life is uncertain. But it is the preoccupation with those thoughts that is the real problem. The enemy seeks to keep you in fear, for it is fear that misdirects us from the thoughts that we should have; God thoughts.

Fear; especially constant fear, can also cause vast problems in our lives.

  • worry

  • Depression

  • Uncertainty

  • Inadequacies

….it is the foundation of sickness in our lives.  Sickness in the spirit, the soul and the body…and it all begins in our minds.

The soul has been described as the seat of our emotions, -or the control center of who we are. Our emotions have real power over us as they control how we think and respond to everything that occurs in our lives.

Encarta dictionary says this: “the soul is a person’s emotional and moral nature, where the most private thoughts and feelings are hidden.”

These hidden places directly effects who we are, and as such should be closely guarded as to what we allow to influence them; for it is this influence that can determine much of what we experience in this life.

Scientific studies have proven that when we exhibit the tendencies listed above, a chemical change takes place within our bodies. This is sometimes what we refer to as the fight or flight response. This response is our body’s way of protecting itself from danger. It allows us to make quick decisions, run if necessary and possess incredible strength in dire situations.  Good? Yes. God put this reaction in us to help us to react in danger situations and therefore preserve life. But our bodies are meant to return to a state of homeostasis.

But when the fear is constant; when we aren’t really in a dire situation at all, but our minds are telling our bodies to react as if we are, our bodies are unable to return to a normal physiological state? The medical world goes into all sorts of body responses to these chemical reactions, but we aren’t going to go into those here.  Suffice to know that it causes changes on a cellular level that can be the basis for very real illnesses, such as cancer and other things that plague our society today.

God’s desire is for us to live in health. Satan has other plans.

Last week we talked about the spirit room and the treasures that we wanted to reside there. This room is directly responsible for the treasure that we want for our soul – Health. If we listen to the enemies lies, or allow the evil forces of this world to influence us with negativity, we will fill up the room of our soul with garbage instead of filling it with treasure.

How do we stop that from happening? By remembering God’s promises.

“That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” Ephesians 5:26

Memorizing scripture has never been my strong suit. In fact I have gone out of my way to not memorize it. I would write it down and even carry it along with me during the day….before long I would get tired of carrying it or it would end up in the wash :-)  I always figured if I knew the general gist of what it was saying, I was doing great. And I suppose it’s better than nothing…

But God

God wants something better for us. He wants us to be able to combat the enemy with everything in our arsenal, with everything in His arsenal. So picture this:

A fearful thought starts to creep into your mind. You know it’s irrational, but you can’t seem to ignore the lie. What do you do? Do you say, “I know God said something like ‘I’m perfect, and no one can change that’” Honestly it’s not very specific, or very accurate. Instead, if we said,

“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14,

 

…we would be filling those spaces with truth and life and the inspired words of God himself. Memorizing scripture can be effective armor when we feel weak; it can fill us when we don’t have the strength to search for truth; when our situations are overwhelming or over powering. The power of recall transcends. The words that you need to combat the enemy with will fill your mind, at exactly the right time. But the memory of them must first be implanted for recall to avail.

Concentrating on these truths always will keep our bodies in a state of homeostasis. If we only believe the promises of God and not the lies of the enemy, there will be no fear within us and will lead our bodies to that calm that is so necessary for health.

So if health is our treasure and scripture is the knowledge to acquire it, commit to memorizing 1 promise each month. After a year you will have 12 in your arsenal.

Here are some promises to get you started:

  • “I will heal my people and let them enjoy abundant peace and security.”  Jeremiah 33:6

  • “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

    • “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Next Monday: a heart for the eternal

 

Solei Deo Gloria

Lisa

Filed under Spiritual, spiritual growth and tagged emotions, envy, evil, fear, greed, hate, , power, seat of the emotions, seeks to destroy, soul, soul response, the enemies lies, the lie, | Leave a comment
Aug22

dear vanessa ~ the voice within

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aug22 picDear Vanessa,

I have this voice inside of me that continually tells me that I am not good enough, that I don’t measure up, and sometimes that I am the problem.  I am a worrier.   Do you have any tools or advice that could help a constant worrier?

Yours,

Lynette

Dearest Lynette,

Worry, anxiety, and the “what if’s”.  They can consume our thought process if we allow them to.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matthew 6:25-26 NIV)

Great advice, why don’t we listen?

I have been a worrier too, and sometimes so much it has disabled me.  But this is what I know – God wants us to come to Him, and see our life through His eyes.  Through Him and with Him, we can navigate through the road bumps in this life.   He can show us a different way.

We have the power to allow His voice to be our voice within.   A voice that loves unconditionally, that reassures and guides us in the direction we need to be.   Remember, the enemy tries to convince us of the LIES, and will prey upon a weak mind.

It is easy to fall into the trap and believe the lies, as Satan is very convincing.  He whispers words such as:

You messed up again.
You can’t do this, you should give up.
They don’t like you; you should conform to what they want.
This hill is too big to climb, I can’t do it.
 

But God does not want this, He wants us to live His word and hear His voice.  His words are TRUTH, REAL, TANGIBLE:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:14 NIV)

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32 NIV)

      The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:5 NIV)

You are beautiful, you are uniquely made.

There is only one of you in this world, and you are here to fulfill a purpose.   You can get  through the road bumps by relinquishing control and letting God guide you through.

See life through your Father’s eyes.

Don’t believe the lies and remember the TRUTH.  Let the voice within speak the truth.  How are you going to spend the time you have in this life? In the light, or in darkness? We have the power to choose the Light my friend.  This is in the realm of our control.
Take a moment to watch this video it gives a unique demonstration of how much time we have here (what do you chose to concentrate on?):

http://blueprintforlife.com/blog/your-entire-life-in-jelly-beans-how-will-you-spend-it/

Dear Lord God,

Help Lynette and all of those people that are consumed by worry to feel light again.   Guide them through difficult and lay out the road map that leads to You.  I pray for you to protect their minds, spirits and souls from the enemies’ lies.  I pray for this in Jesus’ Name Amen.

Blessings to you beautiful lady,

Vanessa

If you have a question for Vanessa please email her at [email protected]

You can also read Vanessa’s personal blog and journey at www.nesschesters.wordpress.com

Filed under Devotional, Spiritual and tagged anxiety, fearfully and wonderfully made, God's vision for you, soul whisperers, truth, | 2 Comments
Jun6

Dear Vanessa ~ Knee Deep In the Trenches Of Life

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Dear Vanessa,

I was just recently married, and both my husband and I are working and going to school.   We budget every penny.  I feel so exhausted and cannot see the light in this.  I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel but it is overwhelming at times.  Sometimes I can’t even scrape up enough money for the extras – like having a coffee.   Do you have any helpful hints on how to get through this time?

In deep,

Chelsea

Dearest Chelsea,

Sometimes it feels like we are working so hard and cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel.   Life can feel overwhelming and difficult.    But God promises us that we will have abundance in this life.  However, He never said  it wouldn’t take work.

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 (NIV)

He gave us so much to enjoy, but we have to use our hands to enjoy the rewards.

I remember a time when my husband and I began our life journey, and we lived in a basement suite.  At the time I was a hairdresser and he worked in a grocery store.   Looking back, I do think we got too serious about life too quickly and did not enjoy it to the fullest.  Although we didn’t have a lot of discretionary money, we seemed to muddle through things.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself “Enjoy the now”.

Enjoying the now means

  • Being present
  • Loving each other and not putting too much pressure in achieving what “society sets as a standard”
  • Giving of ourselves – helping others that are in need (this can be in small or big ways)
  • Having more doesn’t make life more full
  • Loving our family and friends and spending our time with them as much as possible

It is easy to get caught up in everything around us.   Everywhere you look people are looking to physically attain wealth or the material “things” in this world.  But ultimately when it comes down to it, wealth comes from love.

Love of ones self,

Love of family,

Love of friends,

And Love for others (our neighbours).

Seems simple right?   But it can be so difficult, we have to pull ourselves back.   We have to learn how to refocus, reprioritize and not worry too much about getting to the finish line on time.

Paul told Timothy, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” (1 Timothy 6:17)

Rest your mind my friend, and trust in the Lord in all things.    Present your worries to Him and He will answer.  Sometimes it is not in our time, but in his time.  So remember, be patient.

Lastly, I came across this wonderful poem the other day that really sums up how we should focus in this life:

Recipe of Life

“Begin with a case of Joy,

Add a heaping spoonful of gratitude,

Fold in a large dollop of kindness,

Stir in a handful of Forgiveness,

Sprinkle liberally with Love and cover with Peace,

Always serve with a large scale of Faith.” (author Unknown)

What a wonderful way to navigate through life.  May you be blessed beautiful lady.

Dear Lord God,

You know our worries, fears and anxieties.  I lift up the worries of Chelsea and any other individuals that are finding it difficult to make a go of it.  Help them, pour your wisdom, faith and discernment into their lives.   Guide them in their day-to-day activities.  Teach them to realize that through You, we can rest.  I pray for this in Jesus’ Name Amen.

Blessings to you beautiful lady,

Vanessa

If you have a question for Vanessa please email her at [email protected]

You can also read Vanessa’s personal blog and journey at www.nesschesters.wordpress.com

Mar14

dear vanessa ~ death and fear

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Fear is a very destructive force in our world and can reek havoc on our lives, our relationships and our very beings. Vanessa addresses an important aspect of conquering this; by filling the darkness with light.

Dear Vanessa,

My son has been stricken with fear and panic attacks since Christmas. He’s terrified he’s going to die or someone will kill him. It all started after the school massacre/shooting in Newton, Connecticut, right before Christmas. We shielded him the best we could from the news, but of course they talked about it in school and his friends were also talking about it. My husband and I have hit a brick wall. How do you tell a 9 year old that “yes, there are bad people out there, who do bad things, but you can’t let fear take over and keep you from living and doing what you enjoy doing everyday”?  I have had extreme anxiety in my life as well, and I feel for him, I don’t want this to paralyze him.  Do you have any advice here?

Sincerely concerned parent,

Charlene

Dearest Charlene,

Have you spoken with your child about heaven?   I remember as a child I was so scared of dying, I would pray every night for our house not to start on fire.   I don’t think my parents knew…  I cannot even remember where the fear and anxiety came from.  But you know, maybe you can give him a picture of heaven for him to understand.   It is often difficult to bring the images of heaven down to a childlike level.  

This place of heaven is designed for us; I imagine that it is full of light, love and warmth.   Because I had this fear of death, I wanted my children to understand death is not the end, but the beginning.  It has taken me a good portion of my adult life to understand the concept of death, and to let go of the fear.    Something to keep in mind Charlene, is that God smiles on us when we let go of the fear.  

When I hug my baby boys (yes I still call them babies now 5 and 8) I have an overwhelming feeling of peace and love.   My children feel the same too; a parent’s hug warms the heart and soul from the inside out.   One night I said to my boys that heaven is like the same feeling of a hug multiplied by a million.  They were in awe, and said “really mom? Is it that good?”  I replied by saying, “It is better than that, beyond our understanding. It is a place where all we feel is love.”  I then went onto explain that Lions are our friends, that there are rainbows and colors beyond our comprehension, and heaven is a place where faith, hope and love are one.  

In bridging my understanding I have read a couple of books (which have calmed my soul):

  • Heaven is for real http://heavenisforreal.net/  - a book about a young boy visits heaven and comes back.  This website has some interesting resources, and if you look online – there is an interview with the boy.  This might be a good starting point as well.

  • To heaven and back by Mary C. Neal   - interesting account from a physician’s perspective

Charlene, you have a lot going for you, the fact that you suffered from anxiety reveals that you have experienced this but have grown beyond.   Deep down I can tell that your fear is that your child will not be able to cope with this, but who is better than you to enable your son in dealing with this anxiety or fear?  How have you coped?  What strategies have you put in place to deal with your anxiety or fear?  

What you need to concentrate on is that God loves you and your child.  He is here to protect you.  Sometimes bad things happen, but good always comes out of it.   In this case, it is a learning opportunity for both of you, which will bring you closer.   The root of dealing with this is bringing a new level of understanding for your young child.  Speak his language… Get him to write down his fears – give him a few magazines and show him how to put together a collage of it all.  That way you will be able to see exactly as he is seeing the fear, and this exercise will also help you navigate through the discussion.

Fear is something that the devil feeds upon, so bring your anxiety to God, and he will help you through it.  

A few things I want to leave you with:

  • God is good, He is here for us to present our worries to Him, He will help us through, He is infinite. 

Cast all of your anxiety on him because he cares about you.  (1 Peter 5:7)

 

  • You love your son, just as God loves you.  In all things where love is present; evil cannot exist.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

  • Finally, remember the evil one is always lurking, waiting to prey upon our minds, souls and bodies.   I have practiced prayer in the morning, and throughout my day, to help ward off his attempts to control me.

                Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

You are a mother that loves her son, and you can help him through this little bump.   Prayers for you beautiful lady.

Dear Lord God, I ask that you bless all of the parents and families dealing with uncertainty in this world.  Bring them peace, understanding and discernment in the uncertainty, so that we can enable our children to walk in your ways.  I ask this in Jesus’ Name.  Amen

-Vanessa

Mar11

A Father’s Love (part 3) ~ Worry and Fear

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“Do not be afraid, for I am with you” Gen.26:24

Fear is the #1 evil spirit that affects our lives. The specific command to not be afraid appears in the bible 9 times, and “do not fear”, another 5. Jesus tells us in Luke 12:5 that the only fear that we should have is of “him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”

Do you know why we have been commanded not to fear? It is because fear is an extremely destructive spirit, which seeks to destroy us and make us into its image instead of God’s image.

Science has proven that when an extremely tense situation happens in our lives and we need to react quickly, there are certain metabolic responses that happen within our brains and glands(chemicals that are released), that allows our bodies to deal with the immediate danger and do what is needed to survive or deal with that situation. This is a fear response and is normal and expected. But when we have constant fear in our lives, there is a perpetual drip, drip, drip of these chemicals keeping our bodies in a continual state of action and reaction. The long term effects of this constant state of non-peace causes blood cells, and consequently all cells, to form rigid membranes around them (like a callous), in response to this constant affront. This in turn can cause all sort of problems such as nutrients not being able to be absorbed, or the toxins that our blood is responsible for filtering out the body are not released as they should be. This is when sickness and disease is allowed to take over.

You may think that you are not afraid because you don’t have any distinguishable fears that come to mind, but the enemy is very sneaky. Do you experience any of these things in your life?

  • ·        Chronic headaches
  • ·        Worry about your job; like if you will have one tomorrow or some other aspect of the job and your responsibilities within it.
  • ·        Concern about your children’s future, where will they go to college, will they be able to get a job, they haven’t called – are they okay?
  • ·        Stress about how you will pay the mortgage. Stress comes from how we accept fear as just a part of living ~ The American Way!
  • ·        Dread about visiting a family member who pushes your buttons.
  • ·        Lack of confidence about something that you need to do, or that God has asked you to do. God wouldn’t ask if He didn’t know that you could do it!
  • ·        Fear of the food you eat, that it contains harmful things. Read Mark 16:18
  • ·        Concern that your kids look perfect for church; basing your self-worth on them and not where it belongs – in who you are in God.

These things in our lives are so common that we don’t recognize them for what they are…sin. The enemy disguises itself as something that we perceive as common and normal, but God did not make us to be in perpetual fear. 1 Peter 5:7 says this: “cast all your care upon him; for he cares for you.”  Fear keeps us thinking inward instead of looking to God for our care. Remember: perfect love casts out fear. And God is the only one capable of perfect love.

We must remember who we were created to be and focus on the one who can sustain us instead of the world that threatens to tear us down.

Focus

Here are a few things that we can do to combat the evil one when fear rears its ugly head:

  1. 1.     Recognize – first we need to recognize it for what it is….sin, and then also where it comes from…the evil one. “…for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Romans 14:23

  2. 2.     Responsibility – Once you see an area that you are wrong, take responsibility for the problem and then repent. Let God know that you are sorry for participating in something that you now recognize as sin. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. `1John 1:9

  3. 3.     Renounce and remove – the thing that you now recognize as sin must now be viewed as your enemy and removed. This is the action that must take place…we must actively get rid of our enemy. “…and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.” 1 Corinthians 10:20b

  4. 4.      Resist and rejoice – Once you have removed your fear, resist the desire to entertain it again. God will help you if you ask….then rejoice and give thanks that you have been set free. Even if you have not seen the change yet, rejoice in the faith that it will come to pass. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 

The effects of fear in our lives can be very real, and cause real problems. I say flee….flee from the desires of the enemy and only entertain things of God. Then we will live in righteousness and splendor! Peace is the goal…let us aim for the winning side!

Next Monday: An Unloving Spirit

My Prayer: Lord I pray that I may recognize that spirit of fear in my life and take steps to banish it. Give me the strength I need to be who you desire me to be and not who the enemy would like me to become. I wish to not live in fear any longer but only in love.  In Jesus’ great name.

Reflect His Light!

Lisa

Oct2

The Worry Wart

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     Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World - Chapter 3 - The Diagnosis    

 ”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

          Chapter 3 – The Diagnosis talks mainly about worry…worry that can be debilitating and cause stress, sleeplessness and sickness.  Most of what we worry about are things that we can’t do anything about, things that will never happen, things from the past that we can’t change anyway, criticism from others which may or may not be true and our health which gets worse with stress. Only 8% of what we worry about, on average, are real problems that can be solved.  Jesus warned us about chronic anxiety when he said, “Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy about your life” Matthew 6:25 (AMP).   This is not to say that there aren’t REAL concerns in our lives that we need to be concerned about.  If you have determined that there is a real threat in your life, you definitely need to address it.  There is the difference…there is something that you can do about it.

          The author gives us a few tips on managing worry, taken from Philippians 4:6-7:

  • Be anxious about nothing
  • Be prayerful about everything
  • Be thankful for all things  -  even the trials of life.

            I believe that a large part of why we are told to do this last one is because when you keep your eyes on the face of God, giving him everything, it takes your focus off of your worries and creates peace within you.  This is something that is not always easy to do, especially in the face of adversity and pain.  But if we continually work at it and are diligent in our giving it up to God, over time this peace becomes apparent in our lives; we feel it, it changes us, and definitely for the better. 

          I had some college courses that had to do with Psychology (that was actually my degree) and I remember this one exercise that we did in class that was a test of a sort, a test of events in our lives; getting married, having a baby, moving, losing a parent, etc.  Each event was assigned a number value and we were to add up the numbers that we accumulated from this list of events that occurred in our lives in the last 2 year span. If our numbers reached certain thresholds, the likeliness of being diagnosed with a crippling disease increased exponentially. It was a very enlightening exercise in my opinion, the point being that every time something stressful happened in our lives, the stress and worry that we experienced lowered our immune systems and allowed sickness to take hold.  Our immune systems are like Gods’ doctor, it was put in our bodies to take care of invading illness.  But when we abuse our bodies with things that lower this systems ability to work properly (ie; stress, worry, sleep deprivation….alcohol, smoking, food filled with preservatives, pills to wake up, pills to go to sleep-this is simply my thoughts!!) we take away it’s ability to take care of us.   We need to take care of the temples that are our bodies, our minds and our spirits, to live in harmony the way that God had always intended. So give it up to Him today, change the patterns of destruction and live in Gods’ peace!  (by the way, “Building the Temple” is the title of the book that I am working on and has to do with this very subject and many other aspects of taking care of our lives and living the way that God intended. ~Coming soon!)  Give Him your cares and He will care for you!

 Be at Peace today with the knowledge that you are loved!

Lisa