When fear comes knocking…

Posted by Christy

….for you are with me… Psalm 23:4

Your peace is a weapon. There are many opportunities created in this world to rob us of our peace. Your confidence in the God of peace declares that you are not falling for the lies of the devil. The first step in authority is to have peace in spite of our circumstances. When Jesus confronted the enemy, He didn’t confront him with His emotions. Knowing he was a liar, He simply refused to be influenced by any other voice than God’s. His peace overwhelmed the enemy; His authority shattered the lie and sent the enemy fleeing.

This week, that trickster tried to stake a claim. The peace of God overwhelmed and he fled. Praise You Jesus! God is always so very close. mmmm……yes, He is.

There is a place of walking with God where you simply fear no evil. David faced a lion, a bear, and a giant. In this Psalm he stood in the shadow of death itself, yet he feared no evil. Our trust in the Lord is what brings peace, not trusting in our abilities. Because God is with you, every adversity you face will unfold in victory and become a meal for you, an experience that will nourish and build you up spiritually:

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…” Psalm 23:5a

The source of God’s peace is God Himself. If fear has been knocking at your door, begin to face that fear with God’s peace. It’s God’s secret weapon to destroy fear:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Sometimes We Forget To Remember….

Posted by Christy

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Matthew 14:32

We forget when we’re in the middle of the chaos, the calamity, the danger, the darkness, that the same God that just brought us this far, is the same God that’s in the boat with us as He’s coming to us as well.

Many of you have incredible storms, adversity in your life and you may be thinking, God, I did everything right, how did I end up in this storm? Every now and then He sends us into a storm to test us and to show us that there’s more in us than we even know or realize. It’s often in a storm that Jesus will come to us in a form that we don’t even recognize. They thought He was a ghost but it was the same Jesus that had just been on the mountain with them all day dividing fish.

The same God that has brought you this far is the same God that’s going to take you to the other side—the same God that has done those miracles in your life before is the same God that’s with you in that storm right now. He will give you the grace and protection to get you through—just don’t take your eyes off Him. The disciples picked up the remnants of the miracle of feeding the 5,000 men (estimated around 15,000 including women and children). Take the remnants of the miracles before the storm into the storms of the future and into your life every single day. God has brought you through some stuff. Just take a few minutes to stop and think of what He’s done before….brought you through….a sickness healed….relationship restored….some open doors that He made happen for you.

Remember that the same God that brought you through that is the same God that will bring you through this. Praise is your weapon.

First Things First: Peace

Posted by Christy

Rejoice in the Lord always. will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but 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 4:4-7)

It seems strange that a man in prison would be telling a church to rejoice. We can learn a lot about attitudes from Paul.

Our inner attitudes do not have to reflect our outward circumstances

Ultimate joy and peace comes from Christ dwelling within us. No matter what happens, Jesus Christ is within us.

In all situations–everything–I need to run and talk to my Father about it. That should be my first thought and my first action. And, because I have done first things first, I have joy in the midst of tragedy. Because my confidence is in Him, I am calm, gentle and at peace instead of freaking out at that crisis, and anxious about a doomsday coming…..rather real or perceived.

Even if things do go differently, remember…….

……..sometimes, when things seem to be falling apart, they are actually falling into place

He guards our hearts and our minds with His supernatural peace.

It’s His supernatural peace that enables us rest peacefully and to know in the middle of all the chaos, that we are “covered and under his wings in refuge”

……in the middle of all those unplanned crazy times, “his faithfulness is our shield and rampart”

……when we just don’t know how things will turn out, we can rest peacefully, because in Him, we “will not fear the terror of the night (unknown), nor the arrow that flies by day” (known possible attacks/crisis/tragedy)

……because we “dwell in the shelter of the Most High and rest in the shadow of the Almighty!”

……In the midst of everything we will say, “the Lord is my refuge, and my fortress and in whom I trust!” (Psalm 91)

……and we will say THANK YOU! Thank You Jesus, for you are near! I feel You! I see You! Thank You!

How do I know? Because I’ve been here. I was just here four days ago, and He was faithful. He will be again.