Fear not....
Fear.
The most horrific four letter word that I know.
Fear has haunted me for most of my life.
It comes without warning and stays until I decide to remember how to fight it.
Recently, I was plagued with fear. It kept me awake at night. It robbed me of joy.
I lived there in the fear for about a week. Then, I decided to do something about it.
I knew what to do. I knew very well the weapon to destroy it.
But, somehow, my flesh was hanging onto the fear and the lies of the enemy about this particular fear.
I found my note cards that I used to NEVER be without. Scriptures, so many scriptures. Tear stained and coffee stained scriptures that had been my weapon of destruction for years.
For some reason, I had put them away. I guess I thought I didn't need them anymore.
I was wrong. So wrong.
"Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."-Ephesians 6:17.
How quickly we can forget.
We forget the Source of our strength when things are going well and life is peachy.
We forget to pray when life is doing okay and struggles are at bay.
We forget to give Him praise when our cups are overflowing.
Often, it is when our cups are empty, when struggles strangle us, and when life takes a sudden turn that we suddenly remember Who we need.
Honestly, I think the biggest test of our faith is how we do in the everyday ride of life. The days when things are going pretty good. It can be easy for us to get lazy with our time and devotion to the Lord. Our prayers get stale. Our words are memorized. We check off our God time and go on with our day.
We forget...
how we clung to Him when our child was sick and the doctors weren't hopeful.
how we clung to His every Word when we were faced with a scary diagnosis or possibility of a diagnosis for us or of a loved one.
how we clung to Him in prayer when our kids were on a path that was dark and ominous and it scared the living daylights out of us.
how we clung to Him and His Promises when our finances crumbled and we weren't sure what our future would hold.
I am reminded of Peter. Peter swore to Jesus that He would stick by His side no matter what. Peter pledged his allegiance to Jesus with loyalty and assurance.
Then, very soon after that pledge, Peter denied Jesus three times. Three.
Why did Peter deny Jesus?
Fear.
Peter was fearful for his life. He had forgotten about His love and devotion to Jesus in an instant.
Fear can make us cling to something that is not there.
Fear can make us hold on for dear life with our own weak hands instead of letting it go and placing it in the Hands of the One Who holds it all.....our Heavenly Father.
Fear makes us cowards instead Conquerors in Christ.
Friend, have you lost your way? Have you forgotten the very thing that led you so close to Jesus in the first place?
Do you still have the Sword that you used to slay the enemy?
If not, pick it back up.
Continue to slay the enemy daily. Not just when trial comes.
Listen, the enemy is always scheming. Just because you don't see him doesn't mean he's not up to something.
He is lurking. Be on guard.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Put on the helmet of salvation, the breast plate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the sword of the spirit, the shield of faith and the shoes of the gospel of peace!
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword cf the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-17
We must pray this prayer everyday! Our children must be armored with God before their little feet walk out the door each morning.
We must be intentional even in the days where it seems all is well.
Paul tells us for this very reason in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to "pray without ceasing!"
Don't let the enemy have any ground in any part of your day. As you drive, as you work, as you fold laundry, as you cook dinner...pray, pray, pray.
The enemy is waiting for a place to enter into our homes and our families. We must not give him an inch!
Tape scriptures up in your house. Play God's word in your home all day long. Pray in your kids rooms. Pray in every room of your house!
Fill your house with prayer and with God's Word.
Let it be known to all who enter as Joshua so confidently stated, "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15
I will end with the words of David, my favorite man ever besides Jesus....
The most horrific four letter word that I know.
Fear has haunted me for most of my life.
It comes without warning and stays until I decide to remember how to fight it.
Recently, I was plagued with fear. It kept me awake at night. It robbed me of joy.
I lived there in the fear for about a week. Then, I decided to do something about it.
I knew what to do. I knew very well the weapon to destroy it.
But, somehow, my flesh was hanging onto the fear and the lies of the enemy about this particular fear.
I found my note cards that I used to NEVER be without. Scriptures, so many scriptures. Tear stained and coffee stained scriptures that had been my weapon of destruction for years.
For some reason, I had put them away. I guess I thought I didn't need them anymore.
I was wrong. So wrong.
"Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."-Ephesians 6:17.
How quickly we can forget.
We forget the Source of our strength when things are going well and life is peachy.
We forget to pray when life is doing okay and struggles are at bay.
We forget to give Him praise when our cups are overflowing.
Often, it is when our cups are empty, when struggles strangle us, and when life takes a sudden turn that we suddenly remember Who we need.
Honestly, I think the biggest test of our faith is how we do in the everyday ride of life. The days when things are going pretty good. It can be easy for us to get lazy with our time and devotion to the Lord. Our prayers get stale. Our words are memorized. We check off our God time and go on with our day.
We forget...
how we clung to Him when our child was sick and the doctors weren't hopeful.
how we clung to His every Word when we were faced with a scary diagnosis or possibility of a diagnosis for us or of a loved one.
how we clung to Him in prayer when our kids were on a path that was dark and ominous and it scared the living daylights out of us.
how we clung to Him and His Promises when our finances crumbled and we weren't sure what our future would hold.
I am reminded of Peter. Peter swore to Jesus that He would stick by His side no matter what. Peter pledged his allegiance to Jesus with loyalty and assurance.
Then, very soon after that pledge, Peter denied Jesus three times. Three.
Why did Peter deny Jesus?
Fear.
Peter was fearful for his life. He had forgotten about His love and devotion to Jesus in an instant.
Fear can make us cling to something that is not there.
Fear can make us hold on for dear life with our own weak hands instead of letting it go and placing it in the Hands of the One Who holds it all.....our Heavenly Father.
Fear makes us cowards instead Conquerors in Christ.
Friend, have you lost your way? Have you forgotten the very thing that led you so close to Jesus in the first place?
Do you still have the Sword that you used to slay the enemy?
If not, pick it back up.
Continue to slay the enemy daily. Not just when trial comes.
Listen, the enemy is always scheming. Just because you don't see him doesn't mean he's not up to something.
He is lurking. Be on guard.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Put on the helmet of salvation, the breast plate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the sword of the spirit, the shield of faith and the shoes of the gospel of peace!
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword cf the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-17
We must pray this prayer everyday! Our children must be armored with God before their little feet walk out the door each morning.
We must be intentional even in the days where it seems all is well.
Paul tells us for this very reason in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to "pray without ceasing!"
Don't let the enemy have any ground in any part of your day. As you drive, as you work, as you fold laundry, as you cook dinner...pray, pray, pray.
The enemy is waiting for a place to enter into our homes and our families. We must not give him an inch!
Tape scriptures up in your house. Play God's word in your home all day long. Pray in your kids rooms. Pray in every room of your house!
Fill your house with prayer and with God's Word.
Let it be known to all who enter as Joshua so confidently stated, "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15
I will end with the words of David, my favorite man ever besides Jesus....
As for me, I call to God,
and the Lord saves me.
17
Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
18
He rescues me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.
Psalm 55:16-18
armoring up,
jill
