Faith Over Fear

Scriptures: John 3:31, Matthew 7:28-29, Psalms 148:1, John 8:23

Weak Faith, Strong Christ

Time and again in the New Testament, Jesus calls out the fact that we as believers have doubt, with little faith to overcome it. And each mention is a precursor to an example of His power and ability. Does He do this to make us feel inferior or discouraged? No! He does it out of truth and compassion, knowing just how helpless humankind is without a Savior. He wants to provide an accurate contrast between our weakness and His might. Looking to His strength from our lowly perspective puts us, and Him, in our rightful places – not to create a picture of Him lording over us, but to help us understand that He is the one true source of power and strength for us all. Even when our faith is at its greatest, it is still weak compared to the strength He provides. Our weak faith applied to a strong Christ equals victory in all circumstances.

Prayer:

Lord, I am so needy for Your strength – I cannot do life with any measure of success without You. I look to You now and draw from the power that is mine to abolish any doubt or fear that I carry in my heart. I claim the victory that is mine today as I depend on You.

Scriptures: Luke 15:16-24, Romans 8:1, Romans 5:8

Faith in Our Falls

When we are walking closely with God, it seems only natural to have a calm assurance in our faith – the two go hand in hand. But what about the times we stray? What about the times temptation wins and we get so far away from Him, we believe in our heart of hearts we’ve gone too far… so far, God would never want us back? Where does the faith we used to have go? Does it just disappear into nothing? Does it dissipate along with God, never to return? The answer is, it’s still there. God doesn’t leave us – we do the leaving. He’s still there, unchanged, holding onto our faith on our behalf while waiting and longing for our return. God so loves us, even in our sin, He will never leave. He yearns to embrace, to forgive, to celebrate, and to return the faith we left for an even stronger bond of love and devotion. When we are at our lowest, He is at His strongest to woo us back home into His arms.

Prayer:

Father, I am so grateful for Your mercy and forgiveness in the times I’ve strayed. Thank You for the assurance of Your love and for wiping my slate clean over and over. You are gracious, and You are good. I am so glad I belong to You now and for always.

Scriptures: John 4:48-51, Mark 9:22-23, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Mark 5:34

Believing is Seeing

You’ve probably heard, and even said, the phrase “Seeing is believing.” We often wait to believe what others tell us until after we’ve seen it for ourselves. That’s because humans often lie and exaggerate in order to get their way, and we don’t want to be taken for fools. This was a frustration Jesus dealt with when He walked the earth – and even still to this day. This is because He says, “Believing is seeing.” He wants us to first believe that He will fulfill His promises to us. Our faith – our actions on our belief – is what ignites His power in our lives. His death on a cross and resurrected body is the greatest evidence that He does what He says He’ll do. He is the One who can be trusted in all things, even to the point of death on our behalf.

Prayer:

Jesus, thank You for being the light of truth in a world that offers lies and deceit at every turn. Thank You for the peace I have in knowing You will do exactly what You say You will do and that You can be trusted at all times. I hold onto that today.

Scriptures: Numbers 11:1-2, Psalms 107:28-29, Matthew 8:25-26, Philippians 4:6

Stop, Kneel, and Pray 

If you’re like all other human beings, you’ve experienced some very troublesome and devastating days in your life, maybe even seasons. You might even be living in one right now. It’s hard not to give in to panic and then make decisions out of fear – poor decisions, that is. It’s these times when faith is what everything boils down to. In a split second, you can either get swept up by the swift current before you and hope not to drown, or you can stop and kneel in firm belief that God is with you and will help. He truly is an ever-present help in trouble, and He has the answers and provision you need – all of them. Call to Him. Seek Him with all your heart. He is faithful to those who love Him and believe.

Prayer:

Lord, I bow to You with a humble heart and fall into Your strong arms. Keep my feet firm and my heart strong no matter the turmoil around me. Seal me with Your loving touch and protect me from this storm. In You I place my faith.

Scriptures: Psalms 18:32-33, Hebrews 12:2, Psalms 31:7-8, Jeremiah 33:6-7

Power in Progress 

Life on this earth can bring some pretty difficult circumstances. Sometimes our own poor decisions bring hardship, but oftentimes hurt and pain are caused by someone else’s actions. Having faith in God doesn’t make any of us immune to attack, theft, loss, or abandonment. But having faith does make us immune to succumbing to a victim mentality. That’s because a victim mentality is not a Jesus mentality. When certain death seemed to be the case for Him, certain life was the actual result. Jesus had the power to resurrect from the grave, and we have that same power in us. Through faith, we have the power to rise up out of the ash heap and keep moving forward. We may not move as quickly for a while, but we can move, one step at a time and one prayer at a time.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your healing grace and love so dear. You help me to rise from the depths and fill me with peace that passes understanding. You bring new life to my spirit and clothe me with Your power. With You, I claim the victory that is mine each and every day.

Scriptures: Psalms 56:9, Luke 12:7, Proverbs 3:32, Psalms 139:23-24, Psalms 46:10-11

Know God 

There’s a famous quote that says, “If you know your enemy and know yourself, you will never be in peril. If you are ignorant of your enemy and of yourself, you are certain to lose every battle”* (paraphrase). There is a lot of wisdom in this, even though it doesn’t include God. For any of us to truly know ourselves, we must know God. He created us. He knows us best. He knows our likes and dislikes, our strengths and our weaknesses, even the number of hairs on our heads. Likewise, to know our enemy, we must know God. Throughout His Word He describes Satan’s origin, tactics, track record, and approach – mainly through fear. This means that, in order to truly overcome any fear that the enemy haunts us with, we must know God. He is the answer for preparing for and winning every battle, every time.

Prayer:

Father, I know the only way to know You more is to spend time in Your Word and in prayer. Just being with You, soaking in Your presence, is a good start for learning more about You, about me, and about the dark forces that daily try to steal my joy and peace. Help me to make more time to spend with You.

Scriptures: Matthew 7:15-16, Psalms 3:3-4, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, Acts 20:28

Be On Guard 

If you take any kind of self-defense class, one of the most important things you learn is awareness of your surroundings. Always be aware of where you’re going and who’s around you. Why? To prevent yourself from walking into a dangerous situation and to identify the quickest escape route. These safety measures hold true to your spiritual safety as well. Are you walking closely with Christ, staying by His side? Are you abiding in His presence? Are your eyes on Him? The greatest defense we have against an enemy that prowls is being aware of his presence and knowing where our true safety lies. Jesus is the One who guards our hearts and keeps us in perfect peace. His shield of faith around us is indestructible.

Prayer:

Jesus, thank You for being my protector, for being a constant Source of all that is safe and sound, assuring and calm. Help me to be on guard today, both physically and mentally. Help me to take my thoughts captive to Your presence and keep the enemy out. Help me to remain aware of Your presence in my life and to live in the peace that is mine when I abide in You.

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 5:16-18, Acts 2:42, Hebrews 10:24-25

Faith Means Family 

It is said there is power in numbers, and it’s true. Multiple columns holding up a heavy structure are far more effective than one. Four legs on a chair are more stable than three. The same is true for people – we were meant to thrive in community, whether with blood relatives or kindred spirits. When we have fellowship with God, we are strengthened in the spirit – His Spirit – and we are never alone. Fellowship with Him and other believers means the gift of encouragement that feeds our faith and strengthens the bonds of God’s truth in our lives. We are better able to withstand the trials and remain steadfast in the heat of our battles. Faith doesn’t spotlight lone rangers – it welcomes and provides a safe and secure home for every seeking soul. Faith means the comfort of family to do life – together.

Prayer: 

Lord, when I feel weak, I often want to stay home and isolate myself from others. Help me to speak up and reach out – help me to seek encouragement from others and know it’s okay. Help me to not be ashamed of needing prayer and support from friends. And help me do the same for others who are feeling downcast.

Scriptures: Psalms 40:1, Psalms 103:8, Exodus 33:19, Psalms 143:1

He Listens, and He Cares 

When people meet in a group for the first time, they can often feel awkward about sharing anything too personal. No one knows what topics are safe or how they will be received. Sometimes it helps for the host or leader to have an icebreaker: something to say or do that puts everyone at ease. It is much the same with God – He is a loving icebreaker for us. When we approach Him with a shell around our hearts and struggle to speak honestly about a hurt, pain, or fear, the Host of heaven listens with empathy and instills the warmth of His love. In His presence, we are safe to speak freely – or not. He knows the deep thoughts of our hearts. No amount of toughness can withstand the force of His compassion and the healing it brings. We have a gracious and wonderful God.

Prayer:

Lord, I am grateful I can come to You and lay bare all that is on my heart. Sometimes it’s hard to pray – the words don’t always flow. But Your warm and patient love remains with a longing to hear and a readiness to comfort. Thank You for being a safe place to be me, just the way I am.

Scriptures: John 1:16-17, 2 Timothy 1:9, Ephesians 2:8-9

One Thing That is Free 

Nothing on this earth is free. Some ads might claim that you’ll get something for free, but sooner or later, down in the fine print, you end up paying for whatever product or promise has been given. This is why it’s hard to grasp that the most important thing a person can ever have in life – God’s grace – is free. It’s free to anyone who believes in Him. What’s the catch? Jesus is the catch. He took the eternal consequences for our sins in full measure on Himself. He covered the charge; He bought us with His life. Are we to think He will lose His purchase? No! All who believe and have faith in Him receive grace without measure. There are no returns because of malfunction or brokenness. His grace covers, mends, heals, and rebuilds so that we can be whole in His presence. His grace is the means by which we take one step of faith after another until we see Him face to face.

May you not miss it. May you receive His gift of grace for your life without hesitation!

Prayer:

Father, I hear the word free and sometimes find it hard to grasp the reality of Your grace. It’s hard to accept that there’s nothing I must do to earn it. Thank You for such a gift. Help me to fully receive it and walk in the freedom grace provides.