“I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose–I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]” Philippians 4:13 AMP
As we embark on this 30 day journey, some of you might be feeling a bit apprehensive about your ability to actually believe God and to stand on His Word. It isn’t unreasonable since we in and of ourselves cannot do it on our own. The biggest deterrent to success in anything we do is the emotion of fear! Fear is simply a belief that something negative is going to happen accompanied by a physical response of feelings. How we respond to a situation causes our bodies to either release stress hormones, negative feeling we call “Fright or flight response” or endorphins, a positive feeling of euphoria and peace. So what triggers these two responses? The brain of course. What we think directly influences what we feel in a physiological way. Think about the following verse,
“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].” Isaiah 26:3 AMP
You see it is all about the thoughts that you focus upon! That is why it is so important to take every thought we have captive before the throne of grace. Now fear in and of itself isn’t a bad thing. Possessing the knowledge that a death-causing shock will result from grabbing an open electric line will cause a release of the fear emotion helping us to remember the warning. The problem comes when we attach unreasonable things to the fear trigger that the problems start. So, we can say that the source of fear is something that we believe to be true. Hmmm…sound a lot like faith? If faith is the essence of things not seen, then so is fear! You see, what you believe will be how you respond.
This 30 day activity is designed to help us reorder out though processes and connect the right knowledge with the right emotions! Jesus told us that,
“Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]” John 14:27 AMP
The choice is yours! We are choosing to connect our positive response system to the reality of God Word. If we say we believe then that should be the place that we are living from! I am not saying that fear will never enter our life. We are human and full of failures and frailties. I am saying though that we cannot let fear rule us and must take those fearful thought before the throne of grace and seek God’s view of the situation! It in those moments that we exercise courage and overcome our fear be the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony!
Our Power Prayer for Promise today – Courage
Father, today I choose to be strong and courageous, and I will not be afraid or tremble in fear for it is You LORD my God who goes with me. Thank you that you will not fail me or abandon me to my fear.(Deut 31:6) I proclaim today that I am strong and of good courage and will not be dismayed for You oh Lord are with me where ever I go. (Josh 1:9) I will wait upon you Jesus and be of good cheer and allow the Holy Spirt to strengthen my heart. (Psalms 27:14) Thank you that you have created me in Your image and redeemed me and called me by name so I will fear nothing formed against me. (Isaiah 43:1) I will be of good cheer as You strengthen my heart as I place my hope in You. (Psalms 31:24) In Jesus name…Amen!