Be Anxious for Nothing (3) Passing Through the Valley
‘Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me, Your rod [to protect] and your staff [to guide], they comfort me’. Psalm 23: 4 [Amp]
I was ‘lamenting ‘ to a friend of mine recently about a particular situation in my life that seems not to be changing, and she made a common statement in we make in Nigeria which inspired me to write this piece: She said, Yemi, ‘no condition is permanent’, this too, shall pass’. The statement further reminded me of walking through a dark valley.
A valley is a low place surrounded by high mountains or hills. We all have seasons in life that I will call the ‘valley seasons’. You could say that you are in a valley when you are in a low place surrounded by high mountains. High mountains are things, people, situations that appear to overwhelm you which you have no control over, but it seems to be closing down on you.
High mountains could be bills to be paid, with the valley being no means of paying them, it could be a relationship that has gone wrong with no avenue for reconciliation, and it could be a medical report that is beyond what the doctors say they could do.
Many of us are walking in different valleys in our lives: the valley of financial situations, health conditions, issues at the workplace, families and relationships, undue delays in the area of our health and jobs. I could go on. And for those that cannot relate, believe me, it’s just a matter of time. Valley seasons happen to everyone that will go to the mountain of where God has called them to be that is, achieve their God-given dreams. The Word of God says that yes, or indeed, times like this will come. But even though we walk through these valleys, He is with us, we may not feel His presence, but He is there.
I encourage you to read the following passages as many times to yourself anytime you are feeling overwhelmed: Psalm 23:4; Psalm 91: 15-16; Isaiah 43:2. Peace, to your soul.
I was ‘lamenting ‘ to a friend of mine recently about a particular situation in my life that seems not to be changing, and she made a common statement in we make in Nigeria which inspired me to write this piece: She said, Yemi, ‘no condition is permanent’, this too, shall pass’. The statement further reminded me of walking through a dark valley.
A valley is a low place surrounded by high mountains or hills. We all have seasons in life that I will call the ‘valley seasons’. You could say that you are in a valley when you are in a low place surrounded by high mountains. High mountains are things, people, situations that appear to overwhelm you which you have no control over, but it seems to be closing down on you.
High mountains could be bills to be paid, with the valley being no means of paying them, it could be a relationship that has gone wrong with no avenue for reconciliation, and it could be a medical report that is beyond what the doctors say they could do.
Many of us are walking in different valleys in our lives: the valley of financial situations, health conditions, issues at the workplace, families and relationships, undue delays in the area of our health and jobs. I could go on. And for those that cannot relate, believe me, it’s just a matter of time. Valley seasons happen to everyone that will go to the mountain of where God has called them to be that is, achieve their God-given dreams. The Word of God says that yes, or indeed, times like this will come. But even though we walk through these valleys, He is with us, we may not feel His presence, but He is there.
- Most of us are in situations right now that it seems as if we are stuck, that we seem to be surrounded by problems that are insurmountable or there is no way out. That what a valley typifies. Usually when we are in these situations, the devil tires to make us believe that we are stuck, that this is the way it will always be. But the word of the Lord in Psalm 23 says though I walk through. We will not be in the valley forever, this too, shall pass.
- As we go through our valley experiences, there is always a sense of isolation because the devil tires to make us believe that we are going through it alone. Indeed, the valley is a dark and lonely place, where the way out may not be obvious , and people around you do not seem to understand the depth of your pain. The Psalmist says here that God’s rod will guide us, and his staff will comfort us. This means that no matter how misunderstood you feel in your valley there is Someone that understands, and he knows the way, he will lead you out.
- The valley is only a passageway: Interestingly, valleys are designed in such a way that are not meant for us to dwell there, meaning that we can only pass through. What the devil tries to do is to work on our minds that we are stuck, the situation will never change, and we will be stuck in this valley forever. We must remember that in the situations and valleys of our lives, we are just passing through. Things will change.
- The Lord has promised us, in Isaiah 43:2 that ‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you, and when you walk through the fire you will not be burned or scorched nor will the flame kindle upon you’ To me, this means that when we pass through situations like this, the waters (of depression) will not overwhelm us and the flames of the fire ( the pressure) will not harm us.
- So, even though we are walking through the valley areas in our lives , we must remember that we are only passing through, this too, shall pass. No matter how dismal things may appear, this is not the way it will always be. The Lord has promised us in His word that we are only passing through. He has promised us that He will be with us in times of trouble, He will deliver us and honor us. He will satisfy us with long life and show us His salvation.
I encourage you to read the following passages as many times to yourself anytime you are feeling overwhelmed: Psalm 23:4; Psalm 91: 15-16; Isaiah 43:2. Peace, to your soul.
Be Anxious for Nothing (2): The Afflictions of the Righteous
'Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all' Psalm 34:19
'Many evils confront the consistently righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all' (Amplified Version)
'The consistently righteous woman faces a lot of stress and harassment and fears, but the LORD delivers her out of all of them'. (Yemi’s Version)
Life is full of challenges, and it seems as if each day emerges with new sets of challenges of its own. On some days, it seems as if we have climbed seven mountains and crossed seven seas of stress before 8:00 or 9:00 am in the morning. If you happen to live in some parts of the world, just trying to live a normal everyday life with all the amenities of living poses a set of challenges on its own, not to talk running a business, or living your dream. Constant power cuts, having to look for fuel to power your generator for an alternative power source, and for your car, bad traffic, and increasing prices of commodities and services including cable TV which was supposed to help you relax! In other parts of the world, it may be just plain bad weather.
This is not to mention on the deeper anxieties and fears that we face daily on the bills to be paid, obligations to attend to, conversations to be held, and the uncertainty of the future that we all think about- some thoughts more pressing than others: ‘Where will I be in a few years’ time?’ , ‘What will happen to my job?’ or ‘my marriage?’ or ‘my children?’ or ‘my spouse?’; ‘how will I pay the next bill?’ On and on these issues confront us, and we do not have complete answers to these questions, putting us in a state of anxiety.
Some of us feel so overwhelmed by the challenges we face daily that we tend to wonder if it was something we did, did not do, should have done, or should be doing, to warrant the challenges we are facing. We blame God, the Devil, and ourselves, adding the blame game to the existing pressure.
The Word of God says that many evils confront the consistently righteous, but He (The Lord) delivers the righteous from them all. Words that describe confront are tackle, face up to, meet head on, deal with, brazen out, face. Sometimes the challenges we are facing seems to ‘tackle us head on’ leaving us feeling overwhelmed depressed and frustrated. From the scriptures, this means that:
Jesus further went to say specifically that in this world, we have tribulations and trials and distress and frustration- This is what the world has to offer: but we should not be daunted- we should not feel intimidated or overwhelmed. We should not give up hope, because He has deprived the world of the power to harm us and He has conquered the world for us! The challenges we face will confront us and face us, but that is how far it can go. Jesus has deprived it of the power to harm you. It won’t get the best of you!
In today’s language that may mean that according to what Jesus said, As we live in this world we will experience delays, our cars may not start on the day we need it to, that contract/job may not fall through, you may be denied a visa, you may suffer a miscarriage, the bills will be popping up like toast with no idea of how to pay them, your boss (or staff, or spouse or kids or parents) may seem to come from another planet and no one seems to understand you, but be of good cheer- cheer up! Be happy, be thankful- I (Jesus) have overcome the world (I have deprived it of the power to harm you and have conquered it for you) Praise God!
Assuming that we will live a trouble free life because we are Christians, or because we are ‘right and good’ is living in denial, but we will rejoice in the truth that no matter the evil that confronts us, God will deliver us from all evil. Every. Single. One.
Scripture Reference: Psalm 34:19; John 16:33 King James and Amplified Versions
I encourage you to read the whole of Psalm 39 on context to get the maximum benefits of the promise, and to also write out John 16:33 in the Amplified version and other versions and paste it where you will constantly see it, and speak it to yourself
'Many evils confront the consistently righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all' (Amplified Version)
'The consistently righteous woman faces a lot of stress and harassment and fears, but the LORD delivers her out of all of them'. (Yemi’s Version)
Life is full of challenges, and it seems as if each day emerges with new sets of challenges of its own. On some days, it seems as if we have climbed seven mountains and crossed seven seas of stress before 8:00 or 9:00 am in the morning. If you happen to live in some parts of the world, just trying to live a normal everyday life with all the amenities of living poses a set of challenges on its own, not to talk running a business, or living your dream. Constant power cuts, having to look for fuel to power your generator for an alternative power source, and for your car, bad traffic, and increasing prices of commodities and services including cable TV which was supposed to help you relax! In other parts of the world, it may be just plain bad weather.
This is not to mention on the deeper anxieties and fears that we face daily on the bills to be paid, obligations to attend to, conversations to be held, and the uncertainty of the future that we all think about- some thoughts more pressing than others: ‘Where will I be in a few years’ time?’ , ‘What will happen to my job?’ or ‘my marriage?’ or ‘my children?’ or ‘my spouse?’; ‘how will I pay the next bill?’ On and on these issues confront us, and we do not have complete answers to these questions, putting us in a state of anxiety.
Some of us feel so overwhelmed by the challenges we face daily that we tend to wonder if it was something we did, did not do, should have done, or should be doing, to warrant the challenges we are facing. We blame God, the Devil, and ourselves, adding the blame game to the existing pressure.
The Word of God says that many evils confront the consistently righteous, but He (The Lord) delivers the righteous from them all. Words that describe confront are tackle, face up to, meet head on, deal with, brazen out, face. Sometimes the challenges we are facing seems to ‘tackle us head on’ leaving us feeling overwhelmed depressed and frustrated. From the scriptures, this means that:
- Challenges will confront the consistently righteous: We will be confronted with different kinds of challenges everyday: That does not sound like good news, but we need to know that as we consistently try to be right, do right and live according to our values, we will be confronted with evil. This is not to discourage or scare you, but the world and its system will not concede to you because you are righteous. In fact, because you are in an unrighteous world with and unrighteous world system, we will be confronted with evil. That is just what the world has to offer to people like you and me.
- The Lord delivers the righteous man from them them all. We are not left alone to face all the evil confrontations of the world, the harassment and the frustrations. No matter how big or small, God will deliver us from them all. That’s a promise.
Jesus further went to say specifically that in this world, we have tribulations and trials and distress and frustration- This is what the world has to offer: but we should not be daunted- we should not feel intimidated or overwhelmed. We should not give up hope, because He has deprived the world of the power to harm us and He has conquered the world for us! The challenges we face will confront us and face us, but that is how far it can go. Jesus has deprived it of the power to harm you. It won’t get the best of you!
In today’s language that may mean that according to what Jesus said, As we live in this world we will experience delays, our cars may not start on the day we need it to, that contract/job may not fall through, you may be denied a visa, you may suffer a miscarriage, the bills will be popping up like toast with no idea of how to pay them, your boss (or staff, or spouse or kids or parents) may seem to come from another planet and no one seems to understand you, but be of good cheer- cheer up! Be happy, be thankful- I (Jesus) have overcome the world (I have deprived it of the power to harm you and have conquered it for you) Praise God!
Assuming that we will live a trouble free life because we are Christians, or because we are ‘right and good’ is living in denial, but we will rejoice in the truth that no matter the evil that confronts us, God will deliver us from all evil. Every. Single. One.
Scripture Reference: Psalm 34:19; John 16:33 King James and Amplified Versions
I encourage you to read the whole of Psalm 39 on context to get the maximum benefits of the promise, and to also write out John 16:33 in the Amplified version and other versions and paste it where you will constantly see it, and speak it to yourself
Be Anxious For Nothing
Lately, life has been having some dealings with me that is putting me on the anxiety mode, and if you are familiar with what I am talking about, this is not a very good state of mind. As my mind began to entertain some of these thoughts, God graciously has been taking me on the journey of dealing with anxiety. I cannot tell you that I am home and dry, but the more I learn, the more peace and wholeness comes to my life, and really, good news is worth sharing. Follow me as I learn and I trust that these lessons will also help and bring peace in the areas where there is worry and anxiety in your heart.
Laying the Foundation: Let me say as a foundation that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. If you allow yourself to think anxious worrisome thoughts, your life will be filled with anxiety, worry, and depression. In many cases, these thoughts also leave the deadly residual health effects.
Is it Normal?: Believe it or not, it is abnormal for a child of God to live in perpetual anxiety and worry. We have been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of God, which is ruled by Jesus, the Prince of Peace. The Kingdom of God is defined by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Living in worry and anxiety is not a normal Christian way of life.
The singular purpose of the Devil is to steal, kill and destroy life from us, but Jesus came categorically so that we can have and enjoy life, and enjoy it to the fullest. This means that Jesus came so that we can have and enjoy our families, businesses, careers, relationships, spouses , children, friends, and everything that constitutes our life. Focusing on Jesus gives us life, and a life that we will enjoy. The Devil does not want us to have life and enjoy it, and his purpose is to keep us distracted enough to ensure that life and good living eludes us. Worry and anxiety are one of the Enemy’s major strategies for doing this.
Worry and Anxiety Defined: For the purpose of clarity, let me define Worry and Anxiety:
Worry: There are scriptures in the Bible that allude to the word worry. Such words include ‘ fret not’ (Ps 37:8), ‘take no thought’ (Matt 6:25), ‘Be careful for nothing (Phil 4:6), ‘Casting your care’ (1 Peter 5:7). All these words allude to the word worry and anxiety.
Worry can be defined according to the Webster’s dictionary as; ‘To feel uneasy or troubled; to cause to feel anxious, distressed, troubled, a source of nagging concern’ (Webster's). Joyce Meyer, one of my favorite authors defines worry as ‘To torment oneself with disturbing thoughts’ and ‘To seize by the throat with teeth and shake or mangle, as one animal does another, or to harass by repeated biting and snapping’ (Random House Unabridged, as quoted by Joyce Meyer)
How do you feel after you have worried about something? I find the definition of to seize by the throat particularly interesting, because in a lot of cases, that is what worry does to you. Worry distracts, and paralyzes you and at the end of the day it does not bring a solution to whatever it is that seems to be the problem. Once you are distracted you cannot focus and lose out on all God has intended for you to have.
Some people say that worry is a natural reaction to situation or circumstances. There is a natural fear or flight reaction to external stimulus, which the flesh has been conditioned to, but to be in a perpetual state of unease is abnormal and we have to choose not to dwell on the thoughts that bring worry and anxiety to our lives.
How do we not have anxious thoughts? I want you to read the following scriptures to yourself aloud. Call your name first before reading it (eg. ‘Yemi, be anxious for nothing…’)
Philippians 4: 6-7: ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (NASB).
Philippians 4:6-7: ‘Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer, and petition (definite requests) with thanksgiving continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace shall be yours ( that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot, of whatever sort that is) that peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus’ (Amplified).
Philippians 4:6: ‘Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life’ (Message Bible).
Decide not to fret or have anxiety about anything: Man’s soul consists of the mind (intellect), the emotions and the will. Your emotions and intellect shape your will. You can choose to listen to the voice of your emotions (fear) or choose to still it and submit it to the Spirit of God. We can decide not yield to the voice of fear (no matter how legitimate it appears), and submit our fear to the peace of God. We have to decide not to worry. Having and enjoying the peace of God is not dependent to the circumstances around us, it is what happens in your mind in spite of the circumstances. The circumstances will not change for the better by worry and anxiety, and we are losing out on God’s best. God will honor our decisions and give us His peace that passes our own comprehension.
Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers: When a worrisome thought comes, turn it into a specific prayer request, thanking God in anticipation of what He has done. The thanksgiving part is very important because it demonstrates our faith in God. So, if a worrisome thought comes 20 times a day, you make it a specific prayer point 20 times a day and you thank God 20 times a day for hearing your petition. That is where the work is. The Devil will not relent, so we will also not relent in continually lifting up your definite requests with thanksgiving to God. Some of you may have to fill your space with tapes, music, anything that speaks the Word of God, and for some, it means sitting with your Bible all day, reading and meditating on it. Your mind dies not function in a vacuum. Fill it with God’s thoughts about you, and not the Devil’s thoughts.
Receiving God's Peace: Doing the things above, regardless how we feel positions us for God’s peace. This a peaceful and calm state such that even we don’t understand. We cannot work this peace- He has to give it to us, following His instructions above. I want to say again that we can live in peace as a normal state of mind, in spite of the circumstance around us. God has bequeathed His peace to us as part of our inheritance. He willed it to us. It is ours.
As I continue to learn, I will continue to share. I pray that as we do these things, God’s peace that passes all human comprehension will garrison our hearts and minds, no matter the circumstance. That, my dear friends, is living!
Here are some scripture references for you to read and think about. Use as many translations as you can lay your hands on so that you can better grasp the scriptures: John 16:23 (Amplified Bible), John 14:27, John 10:10
More to come, watch this space!
Laying the Foundation: Let me say as a foundation that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. If you allow yourself to think anxious worrisome thoughts, your life will be filled with anxiety, worry, and depression. In many cases, these thoughts also leave the deadly residual health effects.
Is it Normal?: Believe it or not, it is abnormal for a child of God to live in perpetual anxiety and worry. We have been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of God, which is ruled by Jesus, the Prince of Peace. The Kingdom of God is defined by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Living in worry and anxiety is not a normal Christian way of life.
The singular purpose of the Devil is to steal, kill and destroy life from us, but Jesus came categorically so that we can have and enjoy life, and enjoy it to the fullest. This means that Jesus came so that we can have and enjoy our families, businesses, careers, relationships, spouses , children, friends, and everything that constitutes our life. Focusing on Jesus gives us life, and a life that we will enjoy. The Devil does not want us to have life and enjoy it, and his purpose is to keep us distracted enough to ensure that life and good living eludes us. Worry and anxiety are one of the Enemy’s major strategies for doing this.
Worry and Anxiety Defined: For the purpose of clarity, let me define Worry and Anxiety:
Worry: There are scriptures in the Bible that allude to the word worry. Such words include ‘ fret not’ (Ps 37:8), ‘take no thought’ (Matt 6:25), ‘Be careful for nothing (Phil 4:6), ‘Casting your care’ (1 Peter 5:7). All these words allude to the word worry and anxiety.
Worry can be defined according to the Webster’s dictionary as; ‘To feel uneasy or troubled; to cause to feel anxious, distressed, troubled, a source of nagging concern’ (Webster's). Joyce Meyer, one of my favorite authors defines worry as ‘To torment oneself with disturbing thoughts’ and ‘To seize by the throat with teeth and shake or mangle, as one animal does another, or to harass by repeated biting and snapping’ (Random House Unabridged, as quoted by Joyce Meyer)
- Anxiety and or worry is a perpetual state of unease
- To agitate perpetually over things you have no control over
- Attacks on the mind that are meant to distract you from your relationship and fellowship with God, and ultimately, your inheritance
How do you feel after you have worried about something? I find the definition of to seize by the throat particularly interesting, because in a lot of cases, that is what worry does to you. Worry distracts, and paralyzes you and at the end of the day it does not bring a solution to whatever it is that seems to be the problem. Once you are distracted you cannot focus and lose out on all God has intended for you to have.
Some people say that worry is a natural reaction to situation or circumstances. There is a natural fear or flight reaction to external stimulus, which the flesh has been conditioned to, but to be in a perpetual state of unease is abnormal and we have to choose not to dwell on the thoughts that bring worry and anxiety to our lives.
How do we not have anxious thoughts? I want you to read the following scriptures to yourself aloud. Call your name first before reading it (eg. ‘Yemi, be anxious for nothing…’)
Philippians 4: 6-7: ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (NASB).
Philippians 4:6-7: ‘Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer, and petition (definite requests) with thanksgiving continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace shall be yours ( that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot, of whatever sort that is) that peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus’ (Amplified).
Philippians 4:6: ‘Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life’ (Message Bible).
Decide not to fret or have anxiety about anything: Man’s soul consists of the mind (intellect), the emotions and the will. Your emotions and intellect shape your will. You can choose to listen to the voice of your emotions (fear) or choose to still it and submit it to the Spirit of God. We can decide not yield to the voice of fear (no matter how legitimate it appears), and submit our fear to the peace of God. We have to decide not to worry. Having and enjoying the peace of God is not dependent to the circumstances around us, it is what happens in your mind in spite of the circumstances. The circumstances will not change for the better by worry and anxiety, and we are losing out on God’s best. God will honor our decisions and give us His peace that passes our own comprehension.
Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers: When a worrisome thought comes, turn it into a specific prayer request, thanking God in anticipation of what He has done. The thanksgiving part is very important because it demonstrates our faith in God. So, if a worrisome thought comes 20 times a day, you make it a specific prayer point 20 times a day and you thank God 20 times a day for hearing your petition. That is where the work is. The Devil will not relent, so we will also not relent in continually lifting up your definite requests with thanksgiving to God. Some of you may have to fill your space with tapes, music, anything that speaks the Word of God, and for some, it means sitting with your Bible all day, reading and meditating on it. Your mind dies not function in a vacuum. Fill it with God’s thoughts about you, and not the Devil’s thoughts.
Receiving God's Peace: Doing the things above, regardless how we feel positions us for God’s peace. This a peaceful and calm state such that even we don’t understand. We cannot work this peace- He has to give it to us, following His instructions above. I want to say again that we can live in peace as a normal state of mind, in spite of the circumstance around us. God has bequeathed His peace to us as part of our inheritance. He willed it to us. It is ours.
As I continue to learn, I will continue to share. I pray that as we do these things, God’s peace that passes all human comprehension will garrison our hearts and minds, no matter the circumstance. That, my dear friends, is living!
Here are some scripture references for you to read and think about. Use as many translations as you can lay your hands on so that you can better grasp the scriptures: John 16:23 (Amplified Bible), John 14:27, John 10:10
More to come, watch this space!
Freedom...
I had a very vivid but weird dream two nights ago about myself that has prompted me to a series of revelations and understanding of a few things, and thus this write up. I believe that it will empower you as it did me.
I dreamt that I was on my way on a journey, after I had said my goodbyes I went out to get something before finally picking up my bags to leave. As I was packing my bags to leave, a young man and lady came out of nowhere and said I could not leave. They asked me (like private investigators) if I could follow them to an office and sit, probably for questioning. I wanted to resist violently at first, but something on the inside told me to just relax and not be confrontational. So I followed them to the office and I sat down, and before I knew it, they tied my hands with a twine rope, telling I could not leave for my journey that I had to be detained. It seemed as if these people knew some information I was not privy to which they were acting on. Then I woke up.
I was very disturbed, to say the least, as I have spent the last few days waiting on the Lord over a certain situation. I specifically told Him to speak to me in my wake and in my dreams.
Now please note, I am not one that lives her life on ‘dreams and visions’. While I believe that God can and does speak to us through visions and dreams, I adhere to the Logos, the written Word, which confirms and alludes to whatever dreams and revelations we get. I am also not one that run my life on dreams and revelations, as I have had previous experiences with people who did and ran off tangent with it. So I am a stickler for balance.
I also believe that I have gotten to a stage in my life where I know I have ‘trivial dreams’ and when I know that something is happening in the realm of the spirit which the Holy Spirit wants me to be aware of. This was one of those times.
As I woke up and began my prayer walk, I began to question God that ‘what was this all about?’ ‘What is going on?’ Then the Lord told me that I needed to stand firm and reinforce the freedom for which His blood has purchased me. My freedom was being contended at a higher level, and I needed to reinforce the freedom I had. I needed an understanding of this, so that I can stand in the Truth, because it is the truth that you know that will make you free.
I have come to realize that even though Jesus has paid for our redemption with no small price, the Enemy will always come in to steal, kill and destroy what we know, thus robbing us of what we have. He does not relent, and resisting him with the Truth of the Word it is not a one off incident. We need to consistently stand firm and fight for the freedom that is ours in every area of our lives.
The Bible says that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (i.e. they are not of flesh and blood), but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’ In this situation, standing firm on the Word of God, with an understanding of exactly what Christ did for me at the cross, and what He set me free from, is the weapon of my warfare
The Lord led me to do a quick and intense study on some words, because I needed to address this issue strategically and intelligently.
As I was studying, the Lord helped to understand that this situation in the dream I had was not peculiar to me, but to thousands of men and women whom He had redeemed, and I was to PROCLAIM His liberty to His children. He purchased our freedom with His precious blood, what the blood of bulls and goats could not do, not even the blood of righteous Abel, a man whose blood cried for vengeance day and night. It was not a small price He paid for our redemption. The Enemy is trying to rob us of our freedom!
In my dream, my hands were tied, signifying bondage and captivity, and it seemed as if I was being taken away by law enforcement agents; This may mean to me, that the captivity was a lawful one; i.e they seemed to be working within their jurisdiction, they appeared to have a right to do what they were doing; Which brings me to the issue of the lawful captive.
A captive is someone taken over and held as a prisoner, especially in an enemy war. Captives were usually treated with the greatest indignity and cruelty and were usually kept for slaves and often sold. Captives were often blinded, maimed, tortured, enslaved and maimed. A lawful captive is one that has been justly captured, that is someone who by law, or agreement or covenant should be in captivity. The life of a captive is one that is characterized by bondage and misery.
But listen to what the Lord said to me, and He is saying the same to you:
Isa 49:24-26: Can plunder be taken from warriors, or captives rescued from the fierce? 25 But this is what the LORD says:"Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. 26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine.(NIV)
Glory to God! According to Bible scholars, it is unusual for captives to be rescued, but GOD says here in His word that He will redeem us from even the captors that took us lawfully; He will deliver us from the enemy that is too strong for us. Captives will be taken from warriors and plunder, everything that the captor has taken; our jobs, our health, our well being, will also be taken from the Enemy.
Has He done it? Yes He has! When Jesus died He went to hell, warred against and defeated the Captor, the Enemy of our souls, Bible says ‘When Jesus ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and gave gifts unto men. ( Eph 4: 8) Jesus not only purchased our redemption with His blood, but He led captivity everything that is holding me and you captive, and gave gifts unto us. Gifts He plundered from the Enemy on our behalf.
I will discuss more on the bondage and freedom Christ purchased for us in another post, in the meantime I encourage you to mediate on the two scriptures above. Walk in your freedom. Halleluyah!
I dreamt that I was on my way on a journey, after I had said my goodbyes I went out to get something before finally picking up my bags to leave. As I was packing my bags to leave, a young man and lady came out of nowhere and said I could not leave. They asked me (like private investigators) if I could follow them to an office and sit, probably for questioning. I wanted to resist violently at first, but something on the inside told me to just relax and not be confrontational. So I followed them to the office and I sat down, and before I knew it, they tied my hands with a twine rope, telling I could not leave for my journey that I had to be detained. It seemed as if these people knew some information I was not privy to which they were acting on. Then I woke up.
I was very disturbed, to say the least, as I have spent the last few days waiting on the Lord over a certain situation. I specifically told Him to speak to me in my wake and in my dreams.
Now please note, I am not one that lives her life on ‘dreams and visions’. While I believe that God can and does speak to us through visions and dreams, I adhere to the Logos, the written Word, which confirms and alludes to whatever dreams and revelations we get. I am also not one that run my life on dreams and revelations, as I have had previous experiences with people who did and ran off tangent with it. So I am a stickler for balance.
I also believe that I have gotten to a stage in my life where I know I have ‘trivial dreams’ and when I know that something is happening in the realm of the spirit which the Holy Spirit wants me to be aware of. This was one of those times.
As I woke up and began my prayer walk, I began to question God that ‘what was this all about?’ ‘What is going on?’ Then the Lord told me that I needed to stand firm and reinforce the freedom for which His blood has purchased me. My freedom was being contended at a higher level, and I needed to reinforce the freedom I had. I needed an understanding of this, so that I can stand in the Truth, because it is the truth that you know that will make you free.
I have come to realize that even though Jesus has paid for our redemption with no small price, the Enemy will always come in to steal, kill and destroy what we know, thus robbing us of what we have. He does not relent, and resisting him with the Truth of the Word it is not a one off incident. We need to consistently stand firm and fight for the freedom that is ours in every area of our lives.
The Bible says that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (i.e. they are not of flesh and blood), but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’ In this situation, standing firm on the Word of God, with an understanding of exactly what Christ did for me at the cross, and what He set me free from, is the weapon of my warfare
The Lord led me to do a quick and intense study on some words, because I needed to address this issue strategically and intelligently.
As I was studying, the Lord helped to understand that this situation in the dream I had was not peculiar to me, but to thousands of men and women whom He had redeemed, and I was to PROCLAIM His liberty to His children. He purchased our freedom with His precious blood, what the blood of bulls and goats could not do, not even the blood of righteous Abel, a man whose blood cried for vengeance day and night. It was not a small price He paid for our redemption. The Enemy is trying to rob us of our freedom!
In my dream, my hands were tied, signifying bondage and captivity, and it seemed as if I was being taken away by law enforcement agents; This may mean to me, that the captivity was a lawful one; i.e they seemed to be working within their jurisdiction, they appeared to have a right to do what they were doing; Which brings me to the issue of the lawful captive.
A captive is someone taken over and held as a prisoner, especially in an enemy war. Captives were usually treated with the greatest indignity and cruelty and were usually kept for slaves and often sold. Captives were often blinded, maimed, tortured, enslaved and maimed. A lawful captive is one that has been justly captured, that is someone who by law, or agreement or covenant should be in captivity. The life of a captive is one that is characterized by bondage and misery.
But listen to what the Lord said to me, and He is saying the same to you:
Isa 49:24-26: Can plunder be taken from warriors, or captives rescued from the fierce? 25 But this is what the LORD says:"Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. 26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine.(NIV)
Glory to God! According to Bible scholars, it is unusual for captives to be rescued, but GOD says here in His word that He will redeem us from even the captors that took us lawfully; He will deliver us from the enemy that is too strong for us. Captives will be taken from warriors and plunder, everything that the captor has taken; our jobs, our health, our well being, will also be taken from the Enemy.
Has He done it? Yes He has! When Jesus died He went to hell, warred against and defeated the Captor, the Enemy of our souls, Bible says ‘When Jesus ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and gave gifts unto men. ( Eph 4: 8) Jesus not only purchased our redemption with His blood, but He led captivity everything that is holding me and you captive, and gave gifts unto us. Gifts He plundered from the Enemy on our behalf.
I will discuss more on the bondage and freedom Christ purchased for us in another post, in the meantime I encourage you to mediate on the two scriptures above. Walk in your freedom. Halleluyah!
The Road Between Egypt and the Promised Land
Exodus 13:17 (KJV): ‘’And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:’’
A lot of us are going through some kind of wilderness experience at this stage in our lives, We are not where we used to be (Egypt) but we are not where we are meant to be (the Promised land) and it seems to be taking a while to get there.
God deliberately took the children of Israel on a longer route to the Promised Land, although there was a shorter one. He did not do it because He was mean or wanted to keep them in the wilderness, but for their own good. He knew that if they saw the Philistines and faced war on their way out, their hearts will faint and they will return to Egypt, thereby defeating their purpose.
God led the children of Israel along the longer route to build strength and character and prepare them to possess their Promised Land. He knew that if He led them along the easy way they will not cope when they get there. Sometimes, God leads us the hard way instead of the easy way because He is setting our lives in order for us to enjoy the promises of the blessings He has made available to us.
God led them through the longer route because they were not ready for the battles involved in possessing the Promised Land. If they had seen the Philistines on the way out of Egypt, they would have gone back to Egypt because of fear. However, when the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, they claimed it by dispossessing the Amalekites, the Perrizites, the Jebusites and all the –ites. It seemed as if they were fighting one battle after another, but they won all the battles they fought in God’s strength and under His direction.
Just because a land is promised does not mean it will not have its own battles. There will be Jebusites, Amalekites, and Perizites, to contend with. When you face these enemies unprepared, you may likely run back to Egypt and not lay hold of the promises that God has laid in store for you.
Sometimes, God will take you through longer and harder routes because He knows that you are not ready for the kind of battles we will face in your Promised Land. You will need understanding, wisdom, discernment, and another level of spiritual maturity to be able to possess your promised land. Because the land is promised does not mean you will not face challenges there. You will also need to possess it. However, if you fight according to God’s instructions and in His strength, you will always win.
When you know that God has promised you something and things are hard, don’t give in to discouragement. God says don’t be weary in doing good, you will reap if you faint not. That’s a promise. When discouragement comes, spend more time in God’s presence, receiving grace and strength from Him. He never told us we will go through the wilderness alone. He is building you up to posses your Promised Land and to thrive in it.
A song by a popular Gospel musician says ‘If you catch hell don’t hold it, if you’re going through hell don’t stop: you’re going through.
Between your Egypt and your Promised Land, there will always be a wilderness. It may seem as if others are getting blessed before you. But only God knows the Amalekites that you will have to deal with, and He is building your strength and character to face them. Remember, you’re going through.
A lot of us are going through some kind of wilderness experience at this stage in our lives, We are not where we used to be (Egypt) but we are not where we are meant to be (the Promised land) and it seems to be taking a while to get there.
God deliberately took the children of Israel on a longer route to the Promised Land, although there was a shorter one. He did not do it because He was mean or wanted to keep them in the wilderness, but for their own good. He knew that if they saw the Philistines and faced war on their way out, their hearts will faint and they will return to Egypt, thereby defeating their purpose.
God led the children of Israel along the longer route to build strength and character and prepare them to possess their Promised Land. He knew that if He led them along the easy way they will not cope when they get there. Sometimes, God leads us the hard way instead of the easy way because He is setting our lives in order for us to enjoy the promises of the blessings He has made available to us.
God led them through the longer route because they were not ready for the battles involved in possessing the Promised Land. If they had seen the Philistines on the way out of Egypt, they would have gone back to Egypt because of fear. However, when the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, they claimed it by dispossessing the Amalekites, the Perrizites, the Jebusites and all the –ites. It seemed as if they were fighting one battle after another, but they won all the battles they fought in God’s strength and under His direction.
Just because a land is promised does not mean it will not have its own battles. There will be Jebusites, Amalekites, and Perizites, to contend with. When you face these enemies unprepared, you may likely run back to Egypt and not lay hold of the promises that God has laid in store for you.
Sometimes, God will take you through longer and harder routes because He knows that you are not ready for the kind of battles we will face in your Promised Land. You will need understanding, wisdom, discernment, and another level of spiritual maturity to be able to possess your promised land. Because the land is promised does not mean you will not face challenges there. You will also need to possess it. However, if you fight according to God’s instructions and in His strength, you will always win.
When you know that God has promised you something and things are hard, don’t give in to discouragement. God says don’t be weary in doing good, you will reap if you faint not. That’s a promise. When discouragement comes, spend more time in God’s presence, receiving grace and strength from Him. He never told us we will go through the wilderness alone. He is building you up to posses your Promised Land and to thrive in it.
A song by a popular Gospel musician says ‘If you catch hell don’t hold it, if you’re going through hell don’t stop: you’re going through.
Between your Egypt and your Promised Land, there will always be a wilderness. It may seem as if others are getting blessed before you. But only God knows the Amalekites that you will have to deal with, and He is building your strength and character to face them. Remember, you’re going through.
We all need Soul Food- God's word to nourish our souls- Matters of the heart and God's way of dealing with them. Issues of the mind, the will and the emotions. Things that make life work- and work life- relationships, community, balance, perspective, friends, friendships... and much more. This page is for your soul- strengthening the that place that that connects you- the real you to the world around you.
When a Loved One Dies
In recent times, I have had quite a number of people lose loved ones: fathers, mothers, children, brothers, sisters and friends. Some have lost unborn children due to miscarriage, and others, a few days after the child was born. For some, the death of a marriage through separation or divorce, and others, the loss of a business or job opportunity.
The pain of losing another human being, is by far, the most intense. It brings to it feelings of grief and emptiness that words cannot describe. It can only be felt.
A close family recently lost a baby a few days after birth. Several months into the pregnancy, they were informed after routine checkup that only one part of the child’s heart was developed, and she had very little chance of survival. It was such devastating news. They were given the option of terminating the pregnancy on medical grounds, but decided to keep her, believing that no matter what, she was a gift from God.
The death of the baby, though not surprising, was still a source of sorrow to the parents. In the mother’s words ‘’my baby was so beautiful. Although she did not live long, I had the opportunity of holding her in my arms for the few days she was here.’’
Do I say more of the Mother who lost her husband and in a year also lost her only son? What pain.
Losing a loved one is like losing part of your body: Just as there is pain and bleeding when the body is wounded or broken, so the soul bleeds when we a loved one dies. Grieving the loss is essential for the soul, as healing is essential for the body. Medically the body goes through different stages to finally heal; the mind, the will and the emotions also goes through the different stages of the grieving process towards healing.
Permit me to share with you the identified stages of grief that we go through when we have suffered a loss. These principles apply to any type of loss, but in this context, death
1. Shock and Denial: No matter how much we know that the person will die, we still go through a phase of shock: A ‘this can’t be happening mode’. Shock is usually a built in protection that jars the mind or emotions with a violent, unexpected blow. This may last from a few minutes to a few weeks, and it is most intense when the death of the loved one is unexpected. Shock is our inbuilt mechanism to protect us from the effect of sudden news. While shock and denial may go on from a few days to a few weeks, anything beyond that is going to dangerous ground. Facing the truth about a permanent loss is extremely hard, but running away from the reality is even harder and more harmful. We have to come to terms with the realization that the person is never coming back. That is the new reality.
2. Anger: After the shock and denial has worn off and the reality of the loss sets in, the second stage is marked by anger: at God, the Devil, ourselves, the person who caused the pain, the person who died. The devil may also use the opportunity of your grief to question God’s goodness and faithfulness. Sometimes we internalize the anger, or unconsciously take it out at the people close to us. It is important that we are able to identify our anger, acknowledge it a part of the grieving process, and talk about it.
3. Uncontrolled Emotions: This is the stage where you think that things will be ok one minute, and the next minute you are crying and weeping, or angry all over again. Or it may just be a song, or someone’s voice that triggers off an emotional experience. You may wonder sometimes what is wrong and ‘I thought I had gotten this.’ This is part of the grieving process. It will pass.
4. Depression: When sadness floods the soul, the feeling of depression accompanies it. To be depressed refers to a state of being under, or an area sunk below normal levels; feelings of overwhelming sadness. Denying that fact that we can get depressed as a result of grief is denying the existence of the grief. Depression cripples you and makes you not to want to do much of anything. Understanding this stage and moving out of it is essential, as it has the potential of keeping us stagnant and unable to move on with lives if we stay there. This is also the stage where the Devil can take advantage of our minds. We must remember that God is our glory and the lifter our head, and actively trust Him to do so. This is also when we have to actively rely on the Holy Spirit to minister to us as our Comforter, trusting God for healing, and making active steps to come out of the state of depression. David said in Psalm 42 said: ‘why are you so downcast, o my soul. Put your hope in God, for He will yet save you, the help of your countenance’.
5. Acceptance and moving on with life: Though still painful, acknowledging the loss and moving forward is necessary for healing. It does not happen overnight, and repeat episodes of the previous elements will happen for a while, but you will get to the stage that when you remember the loss, the pain will not be as intense. This is living life on a new normal: Like an amputee learning to function again. Scars from a wound always makes us remember that something bad happened to us, but a scar also shows that the wound has healed and it no longer brings pain. Just like one learns to walk again with the help of family, friends and even professionals, reaching out and accepting the help of others is also very important. It is not a sign of weakness.
While the grieving process is normal, there are some traps that we fall into that affect us for the rest of our lives, if not handled properly:
Not expressing our grief and bottling up our feelings: Some, for the sake of not showing ourselves as being spiritually or emotionally weak, we bottle it up our grief and carry on as normal. I remember vividly when I lost my step Dad, and a few relatives came to see my Mom and the family. As I was seeing them off, I broke down and began to cry. One of the relatives at the time told me to ‘stop crying. Am I not a Christian? Christians are not supposed to be sorrowful’. Such is the mindset of many of us. Denying yourself to grieve the loss of a loved one is like covering up a wound and hoping it will go away, feeling that you can live with the pain. Covering up a wound and not giving it the right treatment only makes it worse and it takes longer to heal. So, embrace your grieving process. It’s ok to grieve. Pent up emotions are powerful and needs to be released. If you do not release your emotions in times of deep stress such as grief, it will eat you up on the inside and cause physical, mental and emotional damage. Find someone to talk to and pray with. I assure you, it helps
Staying Stuck in Grief: There is a vast difference between the grieving process and the spirit of grief. While the process is inevitable, we have to actively trust God to help us out of the different stages of grief. Staying stuck in grief, or one of the stages; Denial, Anger, Depression will limit us and not help us to heal, and limit God’s work in our lives. It will also attract more complications and cause us more pain. We must strive, with the help of the Holy Spirit to recognize when we are staying stuck in grief (keeping the person’s clothes and shoes intact after years, for instance). Bring it in the open by admitting it, and seek help to move out of it. One of the reasons why we stay stuck in grief is the guilt of erasing the person’s memory from our minds, and therefore we open the door to the Devil in bringing the spirit of grief. We also wallow in self pity and use our grief as a ‘crutch’ to inhibit our growth.
Not giving ourselves enough time to heal before making life changing decisions. Some, of us think that quickly replacing the person that died will help overcome the grief (getting married again after a spouse dies, for instance). If we do not heal properly by giving ourselves time to grieve and mourn, we will complicate our lives through our decisions.
I pray the Lord will comfort you in your tears, help you to understand some of the things you are passing through, and equip you by the power of the Holy Spirit to move on. Peace.
Bibliography
Journeying through the Loss; Grief: Kyria resource www.kyria.com
Straight Talk on Loneliness Straight Talk Series: Joyce Meyer
Jim Davis: Coping with a Job Loss: www.joblossguide.com
The pain of losing another human being, is by far, the most intense. It brings to it feelings of grief and emptiness that words cannot describe. It can only be felt.
A close family recently lost a baby a few days after birth. Several months into the pregnancy, they were informed after routine checkup that only one part of the child’s heart was developed, and she had very little chance of survival. It was such devastating news. They were given the option of terminating the pregnancy on medical grounds, but decided to keep her, believing that no matter what, she was a gift from God.
The death of the baby, though not surprising, was still a source of sorrow to the parents. In the mother’s words ‘’my baby was so beautiful. Although she did not live long, I had the opportunity of holding her in my arms for the few days she was here.’’
Do I say more of the Mother who lost her husband and in a year also lost her only son? What pain.
Losing a loved one is like losing part of your body: Just as there is pain and bleeding when the body is wounded or broken, so the soul bleeds when we a loved one dies. Grieving the loss is essential for the soul, as healing is essential for the body. Medically the body goes through different stages to finally heal; the mind, the will and the emotions also goes through the different stages of the grieving process towards healing.
Permit me to share with you the identified stages of grief that we go through when we have suffered a loss. These principles apply to any type of loss, but in this context, death
1. Shock and Denial: No matter how much we know that the person will die, we still go through a phase of shock: A ‘this can’t be happening mode’. Shock is usually a built in protection that jars the mind or emotions with a violent, unexpected blow. This may last from a few minutes to a few weeks, and it is most intense when the death of the loved one is unexpected. Shock is our inbuilt mechanism to protect us from the effect of sudden news. While shock and denial may go on from a few days to a few weeks, anything beyond that is going to dangerous ground. Facing the truth about a permanent loss is extremely hard, but running away from the reality is even harder and more harmful. We have to come to terms with the realization that the person is never coming back. That is the new reality.
2. Anger: After the shock and denial has worn off and the reality of the loss sets in, the second stage is marked by anger: at God, the Devil, ourselves, the person who caused the pain, the person who died. The devil may also use the opportunity of your grief to question God’s goodness and faithfulness. Sometimes we internalize the anger, or unconsciously take it out at the people close to us. It is important that we are able to identify our anger, acknowledge it a part of the grieving process, and talk about it.
3. Uncontrolled Emotions: This is the stage where you think that things will be ok one minute, and the next minute you are crying and weeping, or angry all over again. Or it may just be a song, or someone’s voice that triggers off an emotional experience. You may wonder sometimes what is wrong and ‘I thought I had gotten this.’ This is part of the grieving process. It will pass.
4. Depression: When sadness floods the soul, the feeling of depression accompanies it. To be depressed refers to a state of being under, or an area sunk below normal levels; feelings of overwhelming sadness. Denying that fact that we can get depressed as a result of grief is denying the existence of the grief. Depression cripples you and makes you not to want to do much of anything. Understanding this stage and moving out of it is essential, as it has the potential of keeping us stagnant and unable to move on with lives if we stay there. This is also the stage where the Devil can take advantage of our minds. We must remember that God is our glory and the lifter our head, and actively trust Him to do so. This is also when we have to actively rely on the Holy Spirit to minister to us as our Comforter, trusting God for healing, and making active steps to come out of the state of depression. David said in Psalm 42 said: ‘why are you so downcast, o my soul. Put your hope in God, for He will yet save you, the help of your countenance’.
5. Acceptance and moving on with life: Though still painful, acknowledging the loss and moving forward is necessary for healing. It does not happen overnight, and repeat episodes of the previous elements will happen for a while, but you will get to the stage that when you remember the loss, the pain will not be as intense. This is living life on a new normal: Like an amputee learning to function again. Scars from a wound always makes us remember that something bad happened to us, but a scar also shows that the wound has healed and it no longer brings pain. Just like one learns to walk again with the help of family, friends and even professionals, reaching out and accepting the help of others is also very important. It is not a sign of weakness.
While the grieving process is normal, there are some traps that we fall into that affect us for the rest of our lives, if not handled properly:
Not expressing our grief and bottling up our feelings: Some, for the sake of not showing ourselves as being spiritually or emotionally weak, we bottle it up our grief and carry on as normal. I remember vividly when I lost my step Dad, and a few relatives came to see my Mom and the family. As I was seeing them off, I broke down and began to cry. One of the relatives at the time told me to ‘stop crying. Am I not a Christian? Christians are not supposed to be sorrowful’. Such is the mindset of many of us. Denying yourself to grieve the loss of a loved one is like covering up a wound and hoping it will go away, feeling that you can live with the pain. Covering up a wound and not giving it the right treatment only makes it worse and it takes longer to heal. So, embrace your grieving process. It’s ok to grieve. Pent up emotions are powerful and needs to be released. If you do not release your emotions in times of deep stress such as grief, it will eat you up on the inside and cause physical, mental and emotional damage. Find someone to talk to and pray with. I assure you, it helps
Staying Stuck in Grief: There is a vast difference between the grieving process and the spirit of grief. While the process is inevitable, we have to actively trust God to help us out of the different stages of grief. Staying stuck in grief, or one of the stages; Denial, Anger, Depression will limit us and not help us to heal, and limit God’s work in our lives. It will also attract more complications and cause us more pain. We must strive, with the help of the Holy Spirit to recognize when we are staying stuck in grief (keeping the person’s clothes and shoes intact after years, for instance). Bring it in the open by admitting it, and seek help to move out of it. One of the reasons why we stay stuck in grief is the guilt of erasing the person’s memory from our minds, and therefore we open the door to the Devil in bringing the spirit of grief. We also wallow in self pity and use our grief as a ‘crutch’ to inhibit our growth.
Not giving ourselves enough time to heal before making life changing decisions. Some, of us think that quickly replacing the person that died will help overcome the grief (getting married again after a spouse dies, for instance). If we do not heal properly by giving ourselves time to grieve and mourn, we will complicate our lives through our decisions.
I pray the Lord will comfort you in your tears, help you to understand some of the things you are passing through, and equip you by the power of the Holy Spirit to move on. Peace.
Bibliography
Journeying through the Loss; Grief: Kyria resource www.kyria.com
Straight Talk on Loneliness Straight Talk Series: Joyce Meyer
Jim Davis: Coping with a Job Loss: www.joblossguide.com
The Original Soul Food
A lot of people like what is called 'soul food' food that
just 'blesses yo' soul', and when nothing else would do,
you get the recipe out and you make some,or get some
as the case may be. Click on the image to find out
more on the 'Original Soul Food' from Yemi Falayajo.
Be inspired as you read. Peace!
just 'blesses yo' soul', and when nothing else would do,
you get the recipe out and you make some,or get some
as the case may be. Click on the image to find out
more on the 'Original Soul Food' from Yemi Falayajo.
Be inspired as you read. Peace!
Confronting Fear: The New Epidemic
We are living in perilous times, where it seems as if something new emerges day by day for us to be fearful about. We hear news on television, radio and in newspapers and magazines of kidnappings, bomb blasts, war, terrorist invasion, and more recently, outbreak of the Ebola virus. A few days ago, I got a message on my phone that I am not to buy fruit because there may be explosives or plagues injected in them. Such is the reality of the times we are in.
Some of us are facing situations where, it seems as if one calamity is coming right after the last one. To add to it, people are being confronted with all manner of health challenges: cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and emerging challenges that we find difficult to explain. This makes the situation quite overwhelming for many of us passing through, and makes us to begin to walk in fear.
Fear is the weapon of the Enemy to steal, kill or destroy our freedom. It has always been there, but it seems as if there is a new launch of the attack of our minds. We cannot stand by and let the Devil take away our right to live and enjoy life.
The Word of God says that the righteous man is not afraid of evil tidings. His heart I fixed, trusting the Lord. This means that we have to set our minds and keep it set in trusting the goodness and faithfulness of God, and everything else that He is. This may be a hard thing to do, but it is necessary in order for us not to develop a wilderness mentality and stay stuck in fear.
‘Wilderness mentalities’ are certain ways of thinking that keeps us stuck in a certain situation. As a man (or woman) thinks in his heart, so he is. We are what we constantly keep our minds on, that is what we eventually become. If we dwell on fearful thoughts, we will become fearful people, and once we are fearful people, we will live a fearful life. And the things we fear will automatically limit our potential, lives and destinies. Never underestimate the power of the mind.
Now more than ever, we have to fix our minds on the promises of God and believe in our hearts that they will come to pass. The power to fix your mind comes from what you feed your mind on, and in these perilous times where the international news channel is only a dial away, with updates of bad news, you need to purposefully look into the Word of God to be full of these truths in your mind. That is the process of setting your mind and keeping it set.
Scripture also says that be careful for nothing, but in everything by payer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made unto the Lord, and the peace of God that passes all understanding will rest and abide with us.
Will you feel like doing these all the time? No, you will not. In fact most times, you may not feel like, but like going to the office when we don’t feel like to get paid, this is what sticking with God’s Word is. We will get the results if we stick to a discipline. Nothing fancy, just sticking to a few scriptures and making it yours. Remember we are in the process of fixing our minds.
Below are some scriptures you may want to start with:
Peace
Some of us are facing situations where, it seems as if one calamity is coming right after the last one. To add to it, people are being confronted with all manner of health challenges: cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and emerging challenges that we find difficult to explain. This makes the situation quite overwhelming for many of us passing through, and makes us to begin to walk in fear.
Fear is the weapon of the Enemy to steal, kill or destroy our freedom. It has always been there, but it seems as if there is a new launch of the attack of our minds. We cannot stand by and let the Devil take away our right to live and enjoy life.
The Word of God says that the righteous man is not afraid of evil tidings. His heart I fixed, trusting the Lord. This means that we have to set our minds and keep it set in trusting the goodness and faithfulness of God, and everything else that He is. This may be a hard thing to do, but it is necessary in order for us not to develop a wilderness mentality and stay stuck in fear.
‘Wilderness mentalities’ are certain ways of thinking that keeps us stuck in a certain situation. As a man (or woman) thinks in his heart, so he is. We are what we constantly keep our minds on, that is what we eventually become. If we dwell on fearful thoughts, we will become fearful people, and once we are fearful people, we will live a fearful life. And the things we fear will automatically limit our potential, lives and destinies. Never underestimate the power of the mind.
Now more than ever, we have to fix our minds on the promises of God and believe in our hearts that they will come to pass. The power to fix your mind comes from what you feed your mind on, and in these perilous times where the international news channel is only a dial away, with updates of bad news, you need to purposefully look into the Word of God to be full of these truths in your mind. That is the process of setting your mind and keeping it set.
Scripture also says that be careful for nothing, but in everything by payer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made unto the Lord, and the peace of God that passes all understanding will rest and abide with us.
- God has given us an open check of submitting all our requests to Him. Nothing is too trivial or small. Take advantage of it. Let Him know all your frustrations and fears. He can handle it. He will help you.
- Keep a thanksgiving journal: This is a very powerful, but underutilized tool in breaking the power of depression. I recall that I did this at a point in my life when the Devil attacked my mind. I felt that there was absolutely nothing in my life to be happy about, until I started keeping a journal of thanksgiving. I realized that only the living can praise.
- Surround yourself with God’s Word: Music, tapes, Bible on CD, whatever! This will affect the atmosphere that you are in and lift the darkness there. You may also want to put the Bible on CD on in your house. Even if you are sleeping
- Use sticky notes and write down Bible promises of protection, peace, prosperity. Stick them in front of your bathroom sink, or wardrobe, so that when you are brushing you see the Promise.
- Spend time daily in prayer and meditation of the Word of God, before you switch on the television, or radio, or social media. Starting your day with the right mindset is essential
Will you feel like doing these all the time? No, you will not. In fact most times, you may not feel like, but like going to the office when we don’t feel like to get paid, this is what sticking with God’s Word is. We will get the results if we stick to a discipline. Nothing fancy, just sticking to a few scriptures and making it yours. Remember we are in the process of fixing our minds.
Below are some scriptures you may want to start with:
- ‘’There shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling’’
- ‘’He (The Lord) give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways’’
- ‘’The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear, the Lord is the strength of my life, of whim shall I be afraid.’’
- ‘’The sun shall not smite you by day nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve your from all evil; He shall preserve your soul; He shall preserve your going out and your coming in, from this time forth and even forever’
- ‘’The Lord shall preserve you from all evil, He shall preserve your soul, He shall preserve your going out and your coming in, from this time forth and even forever more’’
- ‘’You have overcome them, for greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.’’
Peace