Overwhelmed or an Overcomer?

This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 

 Who is it that overcomes the world? 

Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

(1 John 5:4-5 NIV)

When we feel overwhelmed, we need to remember we are an overcomer.  When we made Jesus the Lord of our life, we became new creations in Christ, the Holy Spirit now resides in us and by faith we became children of God. This same spirit that rose Jesus from the dead now resides in us, is there any battle that we can fight that we wouldn't be victorious in?  If God would give His only Son as a perfect and blameless sacrifice, is there really any situation we could not endure? Jesus said it best himself... 

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.

But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

(John 16:33 NLT)

There are times when I look at my children and my heart feels like it could burst from the amount of love I have for them, and yet it's nothing compared to God's love for His children.  There's this amazing love that God has for us, that I can't even begin to imagine. I'm in so much awe of His love for me, one of a few billion people on this earth and yet the Creator of the Universe knows my name, He knows everything about me, He knows my thoughts, and He still loves me.  What I think of love cannot even be compared to God's love for us - I mean God IS love, He created it, He knows it and He doesn't withhold it.  

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son

into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.

This is real love - not that we loved God,

but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

(1 John 4:9-10 NLT)

So this amazing, loving God - that sent His Son to take away my sins - He didn't do all this for me to be overwhelmed by life's challenges, to live in despair, or live fearfully.  No this awesome God, full of compassion, mercy and grace gave me everything I need to live as an overcomer: a life where battles may be fought, but the victory will always be mine, because I'm an overcomer!

 Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; 

do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. 

I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; 

yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.

                                         (Isaiah 41:10 Amplified) 

Live Fearless

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.  

(2 Timothy 1:7 AMP)

Fear and anxiety are from the enemy, they have no place in a spirit filled Christian’s life. When the feeling of dread and despair come upon us, we have to shut it down immediately before it spreads. 

Using the Amplified Bible, I searched the keyword ‘fear’ and there were 485 instances throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament.  God knew fear would be a problem for us, so He wanted to make sure we were prepared to fight it.   

Fear is a flesh response to a situation or even a possible issue.  When we are rooted in God’s Word, we are already prepared to fight, we can rebuke what the enemy has sent and claim scriptures that God has for us.  As we call out fear and tell ‘it’ (‘it’ being used in place of whatever ‘fear’ we are dealing with - sickness, financial problems, relationship issues, etc.) that we refuse to accept it in our lives.  We are not sticking our head in the sand and denying our circumstances; we are claiming God’s protection over what the enemy is throwing at us.  

When we are tempted to be fearful, cling to the rest of the verse and remember we already have this within us:

spirit of power

   But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.  (1 John 4:4), 

spirit of love

  Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.  (1 John 4:18) 

and of self-control

  But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

(Galatians 5:22-23)

Remember to cling to God’s promises not the problems from the enemy.

Be strong and courageous. 

Be not afraid or dismayed before {your FEAR}, 

for there is Another with us greater than [all those] with {your FEAR}.

With {your FEAR} is an arm of flesh, 

but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.

(2 Chronicles 32:7-8, {substituted})

Don't Drift Away

I know the Lord is always with me.
    I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
    My body rests in safety. (Psalm 16:8-9 NLT)

It seems my walk with God can be described as the ocean waves rolling onto the shore, there are ebbs and there are wanes but no matter the storms or calmness of the ocean, the waves always return to the shore - our rock and our God.  Sometimes we drift away from the shoreline, forgetting who we are and whose we are; then sometimes we crash upon the shore grasping, searching, thirsting for more of God.

We need to remember that no matter how we feel ~ God isn’t limited by our feelings. When we are distant and feel alone; God is in our presence. When we feel fearful and afraid; God is our fortress.  When we feel sad and brokenhearted; God is our peace. We live in these human bodies that are imperfect with their fleshly and emotional desires, but the Holy Spirit living within us is perfect and a reflection of God. With this in mind we need to yield to the spirit and reject the flesh.  Jesus warned his disciples while he was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Now maybe you’re learning: the spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Watch and pray and take care that you are not pulled down during a time of testing.” (Matthew 26:41 Voice)

As we go through the ups and downs of this life, we must learn to accept our weakness by acknowledging that we can’t do this life on our own, we need God, we need Jesus.  Once we’ve made Jesus the Lord of our life, He becomes our oxygen, there is no life without Him; the further away we drift, the weaker we become. But the closer we draw near to Him, there is nothing we can not overcome or accomplish.

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]. (Philippians 4:13 AMP)

The Sweetest Fragrance

I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume. In fact, God thinks of us as a perfume that brings Christ to everyone. For people who are being saved, this perfume has a sweet smell and leads them to a better life. (CEV) 2 Corinthians 2:14-16  

When we put our trust in God, when we have no where else to turn, when we have nothing left but faith - that is when we truly have everything we need. That 'nothing left but Faith' is a beautiful fragrant offering to God and that my friends, is when God can deliver His miracles.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT)

I want to share with you that I am so far from being an ideal Christian and how far from deserving of forgiveness I am. If you've read my past posts, you've seen that I've been suffering from depression and from some heavy burdens. I've dealt with those attacks from the enemy with the best weapon, God's Word and I knew God's Mercy and Grace were the only way out. 

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV)

My prayers never ceased during this tribulation, but my fear was taking over my faith - yet once I grabbed hold of God's Promises, the fear began to break off with only my faith remaining. This has been by far, the most difficult trial/challenge I have ever dealt with and would never want anyone else to go through this without God.  Now, looking back I can see how much stronger mine and my family's faith have become simply because we walked through the fire and survived -  I imagine we will need that strength for the next attack the enemy sends our way. 

God gave us a miracle, we knew that Jehovah Jireh (Genesis 22:13-14) would supernaturally provide for us - because that was the only way to get out of the pit we were in. We didn't know how, but we knew He would. I want to encourage you to not give up, to keep moving forward, no matter your circumstances, no matter what the world and your flesh tell you - hold on to your faith, hold on to God's Promises and don't let go.

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV

Trusting God and Building Your Faith

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

When life is good, trusting God is easy. When life is in turmoil, trusting in God is a battle of faith. I believe without a doubt that God wants to bless us and that the bad things that happen aren’t God’s desire for us at all. I also believe that God can deliver us from the trials that we endure, but sometimes during the difficult times we can learn something more valuable: Faith by Trusting in God. 

When you’re at the end of your rope, that’s when God can work miracles. Last year, I went through what I thought was the most difficult time of my life; my faith grew despite not receiving the miracle we prayed for. I didn’t give up on God, I didn’t blame God, and sometime after, I was able to see how God could still use that event for His good.

As Christians, we understand that life isn’t easy - we are constantly under attack by the enemy. So when my current trial came up on me, it was no suprise. The enemy knows when we’re weak and he knows exactly how to attack us. We have to remain strong, we can’t give him any slack, that means staying in God’s Word, Praying and Serving God. We know about the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and it’s importance, so if we want to defeat the devil, we have to stay vigilant and prepared. 

This time, I let my guard down, I let the enemy gain a foothold on me when I allowed my feelings of anxiety, fear and depression to take over instead of turning to God's Word. To quote C.S. Lewis, “Faith is the art of holding on to things in spite of your changing moods and circumstances.” It’s so much harder to fight when the tide is already against you, don’t allow the enemy to gain any ground. We must recognize the attack and pick up our armor and continue to fight. Don’t give in, instead dive in - dive into the Word of God. 

The word of God, you see, is alive and moving; sharper than a double-edged sword; piercing the divide between soul and spirit, joints and marrow; able to judge the thoughts and will of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 VOICE)

When the enemy whispers your worst fears, you have to be able to fight back with God’s promises for you. The Apostle Paul knew this all to well, that’s why he taught us that in the Armor of God, to pick up God’s Word - the sword of the Spirit, to fight against the enemy.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV)

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NLT)

My favorite passage to turn to lately has been Psalm 23, I can read it in any version and feel God’s peace and presence. When you feel overwhelmed or don’t think you can overcome your current situation pick up the sword of the Spirit and fight off the enemy, memorize a scripture that soothes your soul and pray for God’s peace, strength and comfort. I have to remind myself often of this verse and today I discovered this wonderful note in The Voice translation that I wanted to share:

You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit. 
*God’s gift of faith is like a flame, and when the embers of the fire have cooled you must fan them again and keep them ablaze. (2 Timothy 1:7 VOICE)

Fighting Depression and Anxiety

We all were created by God for a specific purpose. As I’ve drawn closer to God and prayed over various areas and circumstances in my life, He has always been faithful to reveal specific answers to my prayers, but always in His perfect timing. I learned how I was to quit working and be a stay at home mom to our sons specifically so I could raise them to be the men of God that they were intended to be. When we struggled with financing our new home, I was promised that our home would be a blessing to others, where we would share God with others. When we were deciding upon the question of homeschooling, the two previous promises came together again - reminding me, God’s timing is indeed perfect and only with those promises fulfilled could we make that faithful step of homeschooling.

So now, I am once again at God’s mercy with yet another trial and staring fear in the face, questioning every move I make, afraid to be out of the will of God - not sure if I’m doing the right thing; is our home and my health at risk by allowing anxiety and depression to overpower me. It can be a lonely place, when a Believer struggles with such doubts - afraid to share them with others, because you don’t want to discourage others - especially when you’ve always been the strong encourager and prayer warrior for everyone else. Not wanting to answer when asked how you are, because you don’t want to lie and you don’t want to tell the truth ~ that you cry yourself to sleep most nights and while awake are consumed with fear and anxiety during the day.

I know I tend to share a lot and this has made me fearful of writing. I’m either sharing too much or I’m sharing enough to let others know they aren’t alone.  So I’ve held back writing about this time I’m going through - afraid of sharing too much, yet needing to get off my chest what has paralyzed me for far too long.

Like all good parents, my parents worry about me, even as a wife/mom at age 39, that hasn’t stopped their worry - so much that I don’t dare tell them what all I’m dealing with. My husband is in Afghanistan and definitely has too much to be concerned about, let alone worry about all that his wife is struggling with back home. I wish I could say I have friends to confide in, but honestly, they are too busy with their own lives to get involved with me and most of them assume I’m this Super Woman who can do it all, so when I mention what’s going on, it’s easily brushed aside as not that big of a deal. That’s why it’s so wonderful to have a Heavenly Father that I can lay my burdens down to, a God that I can cry out to; I know that I can boldly go to His throne of grace and receive His never ending love and mercy, peace, strength and comfort. 

I know the enemy wants nothing more than to keep me gripped in this fear and panic, but that’s the key - I know that’s where he wants me, so I’m not going to stay there - I choose Life. 

“Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. 16 For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy. (Deuteronomy 30:15-16 NLT)

Jesus already broke those chains of bondage for me when I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, we’ve been given complete authority over the devil, so when he begins whispering his lies and doubts we have to lean on the Word of God more than ever, because it's by His strength and His might we are more than conquerors!

So I’m taking hold of the promises that God has given me, and I’m claiming even more.  God’s promises haven’t changed, He’s given me my own and He’s given all His children the same inheritance, ‘For I know the plans I have for you, plans for a GOOD and NOT for disaster, plans to give you HOPE and a FUTURE’. My purpose hasn’t changed, I might have run into some road blocks and made some mistakes along the way, but God’s mercy is freely given to the repentant heart.  

God knows the trials I’m going through and I know that only the work of a supernatural miracle will resolve my problems - I have to trust in God, He made those promises to me and I can’t stop believing in them just because of what I’m going through - that’s what faith is all about. I’ve learned a lot through this and I’m still learning, but I believe the key that God wanted to show me was; no matter what happens, this world is temporary, we are but vapors in the wind and only one thing remains - God’s love; so there’s nothing I can ever fear in this life when the Creator of the Universe knows me, loves me, and has great plans for me!

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that. 12 At that time, you will call out for Me, and I will hear. You will pray, and I will listen. 13 You will look for Me intently, and you will find Me. 14 Yes, I will be found by you,” says the Eternal, “and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations where you’ve been scattered—all the places where I have driven you. I will bring you back to the land that is your rightful home.” (Jeremiah 29:11-14 VOICE)

Day 4 of 21-Day Challenge: Do Not Be Afraid

When writing these devotions, I usually just wait for a scripture or a verse to ‘speak to me’. Today while I was reading my Bible and devotions, I wasn’t sure which direction to go for the devotion and then the word ‘Peace’ came to mind and while I was asking GOD if HE wanted me to write on peace, the horrific thunderstorm we’ve been having for the past 8 hours quieted down and all was peaceful…which made me think of the scripture John 6:20 in today’s reading, I think this is where GOD wants us to go today!

But Yeshua said to them, “I AM THE LIVING GOD, do not be afraid.” (Aramaic Bible in Plain English 2010)

Jesus is the peace in every storm, in every trial, in every situation; HE alone can bring us the peace we need. When we are going through these difficult storms of life, when it seems as if life is beating us down (and winning) we can not only survive during these times, we can thrive when we have GOD’s peace.

Some storms can come at you fast; out of nowhere you’re being hit by some trials you didn’t even know were possible. Other storms slowly set in, brewing off in the distance, you know they are coming, you even have time to prepare and hunker down while you ride out the storm. In order to have GOD’s peace, you need to have faith that HE can get you through your trials and tribulations.  GOD never brings you to your knees, but while you’re down there is when you realize just how much you do need HIM.

If you were going to go through a Hurricane or a Tornado, you would want to be in a very strong structure. You would want to be fortified in a home that was built with the best materials and by the best builders. Most people like to be prepared before a storm is even a possibility, that’s why they have building codes, so you can withstand the big storms when they do come. Like a builder, you want to have a strong structure to protect you from the storms of LIFE, and you can strengthen yourself by building up your faith. Our faith can either be well fed and strong or it can be weak and withered.

Our faith is fed by the Word of GOD, time spent with GOD in prayer or meditation. AThe storms we endure build onto our faith, like a wall that is re-enforced, the more storms we endure with GOD, we walk out on the other side, strengthened and encouraged. The more time we spend in GOD’s word, the more our Spirit is fed.

Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:35 NLT) 

A person that wants to build muscle, they don’t just exercise they follow a sensible diet for building muscle as well. The foods they eat are not junk food and sweets, but good nourishing foods for their body to grow and be healthier – so instead of feeding your faith with ‘junk’, feed your faith with the Word of GOD; remember the ‘garbage in, garbage out’ philosophy! A muscle builder is not able to build muscle if he's only eating lettuce and tomatoes either. He can't eat one small meal a week, we're trying to build muscle here. You can't sit down and read a scripture a day and say, I'm full now; get into the Word, feast on it, the more you read, the more you'll want to read GOD's Word - it ALWAYS satisfies!

The definition of exercise is a set of movements, questions, tasks, etc., designed to train, improve, or test one's ability in a particular field. Thus why we need to learn to ‘exercise’ our faith for it to grow stronger. We can’t be a couch potato and build strong muscles – when circumstances are pounding you down, you exercise your faith, by pulling yourself up off the ground, walking forward through the storm and say, “GOD I don’t know why I’m going through this, but I know it’s not from you and I know you are here with me and you’ve never left my side. I know that if GOD is for me, than who can be against me, I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and I know that although a thousand may fall at my side and ten thousand at your right hand, they shall not come near me!!” Your faith will grow more than it was before, so that the next storm, you are not only stronger in your faith, you can encourage others and comfort them when they are taking on a storm in their life!

“I am leaving you with a gift- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27 NLT)

Our faith in GOD is what allows us to have peace during the storms of life. Our peace and joy is not based on our external circumstances, but by the relationship we have with our Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus said it HIMSELF that HE is the only one who can give us the peace that surpasses all peace. This peace Jesus gives can only be received by those who have accepted Jesus by faith, faith that HE is the Son of GOD, that HE died on the cross for our sins and the HE rose again on the third day and is now seated in Heaven at GOD’s right hand! So accept GOD’s peace and stand strong Child of GOD, you are will overcome!

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith.” (1 John 5:4 NKJV)

My, Standing in Faith Scriptures, are from these scriptures: John 14:16, Romans 8:31, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 91:7