Today started out a little slow because my children didn't sleep well last night. I hardly wanted to get out of bed but my responsibilities called to me. So up I went. After I got going (pardon the horrible grammar), my day was turning out to be pretty good. Then it happened. I got a text from my husband giving me an update on a job opportunity that we've been praying about. It wasn't necessarily bad but the news does require us to wait (wait and wait some more) to complete the process.
My heart started to race as I felt myself getting anxious about what the results could be. And at that moment, it seemed like I lost confidence in my God. I know this isn't popular to admit. But I have my up and down moments when I feel unsure. Thankfully, I know my feelings are temporary. My feelings can toss me around, tilting me one way or the other, stealing my focus. But God's Word tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that God's plans towards us are good. He doesn't want me to worry about anything, especially those things I have no control over. Nevertheless, I was in that moment letting my feelings get the best of me.
The truth is that we all have those moments. And when we do, we shouldn't get deeper in "doo doo" by allowing our thoughts to carry us away far off the beaten path. In my own weakness, I feel the need to write about this subject probably to encourage myself more than I'm thinking this might encourage someone else. I need to focus my thoughts on the promises of God. I either believe Him or I don't. I either know His word is true or I'm living a lie.
Either way, thankfully God's promises work when we don't have any pressure and they also work when we are severely under pressure, waiting for the Lord to move mountains on our behalf. God knows these things. He knew before we awoke today that we would receive that specific news. He didn't shudder or think to Himself, "what am I going to do now??" Yes, we fall into this trap from time to time when fear tries to take over.
Either way, thankfully God's promises work when we don't have any pressure and they also work when we are severely under pressure, waiting for the Lord to move mountains on our behalf. God knows these things. He knew before we awoke today that we would receive that specific news. He didn't shudder or think to Himself, "what am I going to do now??" Yes, we fall into this trap from time to time when fear tries to take over.
But hang on for a moment. We have to do something practical here. Last week I asked you to focus on Deuteronomy 28. This week I humbly challenge each of us to speak the word of God out loud over our home, our children, over our spouse, over our circumstance or situation and to remind the devil that he's been defeated already. He has no place in our life. He has no authority or dominion over us. We can say these things with confidence because our words have a powerful effect in the supernatural realm.
Let's focus on this scripture:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6, NIV).
Every time you feel anxious, recite this scripture verse out loud. Then, take five minutes to take your requests before the Lord, with thanksgiving in your heart, and then leave those anxious thoughts and your requests right there at your altar. Pour out your soul (feelings) to God. Let the peace of God overtake you. Be confident that He is a good God. That every good and perfect gift comes from above. That He doesn't withhold any good thing from us. That He desires to bless us. That His grace and mercy chases after us. That His grace abounds where we once faltered and sin occurred. He is a faithful God. A true God. He is on our side. If He is for us, who can be against us? The doors God opens, no man can shut (Revelation 3:7, NIV).
Remember, faith is an important component here too. When you speak these truths out loud, you energize your faith. Your words are like fatal blows to the enemy! The Word tells us that if we possess the faith of a mustard seed, we can tell the mountain to throw itself into the sea, and that if we believe what we say, it will happen (Mark 11:23, NIV). I don't know about you, but that in and of itself thrills me!
Trouble, go throw yourself into the sea. Be removed from my life. Obstacles, go throw yourself into the sea! Devil, you are under my feet. I curse every assignment you've placed against me and my family. I come in the name of Jesus Christ, who defeated you at the cross, I command you to let go of my dreams. Let go of my destiny. Let go of my husband's dreams, and his destiny. I bind you and cast you away from our family. You cannot shut the door that God has opened. You cannot have my mind or trick me into believing your lies. You have been found out.
I seal off every entryway to our home and into our lives, in the mighty matchless name of Jesus Christ. I plead the blood of Jesus Christ over those areas, that His grace would abound over those places! Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. I declare this day that every good and perfect gift comes from above. That God's thoughts toward us are good. That His love is never ending. That he desires to bless me. That we are the head and not the tail. That we are above and not beneath. We are blessed going in and blessed coming out. We are joint heirs with Christ in heaven. My daddy-Papa God-owns a cattle on a thousand hills. I plead the blood wall of Jesus Christ around our family. No weapon formed against us shall prosper! Take that, devil. take it. and be gone. Take all your minions and evil spirits and return from where you came. Do not return to this place ever again! In Jesus' Name, Amen! Amen! Amen!
Wow! I feel better already. Just allowing my mind and my heart to rest on God's Word has taken its affect on me. I hope and pray that my prayer of faith has also inspired you to fight the good fight of faith. To stay the course that God has you on. To believe with all of your heart that God is truly working everything together for our good.
Grace & Peace,
Dori
