Sub-consciencely that is. Over the last month I have been having countless nightmares. Some that wake me to crying and some that just stir me enough to where I feel like I haven't rested. These nightmares are all over the place but have a common theme. Death and destruction. The main idea of them is that I find myself dealing with the fact that I am not healed of sickness and disease. I have these dreams that my body is not recovering and then when I wake up the next day the enemy tries to bring symptoms that back up the dreams he has sent my way. Obviously a complete lie.
I haven't felt the release to blog about this until now because I have truly been able to overcome this current attack. And I am still overcoming, but it's starting to make me righteously mad! It's funny, in the day, I have the Word and can use every ounce of authority that God has given me and fight off the devil and his schemes and he knows it. But in the night when I am not awake he is trying to find new ground to conquer. So each morning I wake, I take up my sword and my shield of faith and keep on going! Some of these dreams have been about people I don't even know, which is a dead give away that it's the enemy torturing me. Totally random and really quite ridiculous.
We had a guest pastor in last weekend and since then I can't seem to settle my spirit, in a good way. His challenge was based on Nehemiah. The summary, Nehemiah got a report about a certain city and it moved him so much that it stopped him in his tracks and he fell to his knees and wept and prayed and within the next 52 days of his life he went in and completely changed this city and made a huge difference in the Kingdom of God and the lives of the people. He found the thing that moved him and he went after it with all of his heart.
I have had God speak to me different bits and pieces of what it is that moves me. Of what it is that drops me to my knees and makes me want to cry and make a difference in the Kingdom and in the lives of others. But I can't seem to put it all together and get to that place where it makes sense to be able to move and go with it.
The main thing that keeps surfacing is the fact that I all of sudden have this overwhelming compassion for the sick. I know, your saying, duh, because of what you've been through, why wouldn't you. Well that's part of it, but 99% of it is because I have died to myself and my agenda and my way of thinking therefore God has given me a heart of mercy and compassion that I never had before. This is gonna sound really bad but I have never, ever been known for my gift of mercy and compassion.
Yesterday, I was moved by the Holy Spirit to go and visit a friend in the hospital. It was quite awesome because I went there for the first time in a long time by choice not because I had to! I went in with great courage and strength and then I couldn't get out of there fast enough before I completely lost it. I called Chad to process what I was feeling. I was angry, sad, frustrated, feeling hopeless and confused. I couldn't handle seeing all of those people sick and not walking in everything that God has for them. I know that this was God's heart and burden being expressed in and through me.
Romans 8:26, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what
we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with
groans that words cannot express."
We cannot believe that God, Himself doesn't grieve over the things that He has paid the price for, that He has laid down His life for and doesn't see coming to pass in our lives and the lives of others. He is interceding for us with GROANS that words cannot express. That is a deep, deep expression.
I don't like to feel what I felt yesterday, but you know what, it is causing me to move towards that which God has called me to do. Just like Nehemiah, that was God in him causing him to be moved with compassion. It was painful for Nehemiah to feel that, but it made him move forward and make a difference, a huge difference. I want to do that, no matter how bad it hurts.
Just one more thing, last night was our Engage the Spirit worship night. I had made a deal with God that if I drew near to Him, that He would do His part and draw near to me by way of the symptoms I deal with when I am singing etc. I know, bold. However, I was holding God to His Word and He most certainly came through. My desire was to lead with boldness and authority. Well during the 3rd song of the night all the power went out and the next song on the list was one that I was to lead, "No Sweeter Name". So we all gathered, in the dark, around the stairs, guitars, singers and congregation and we began to sing as one voice. Really the congregation led me! It was so amazing, not what I pictured, but I led with authority and the Name of Jesus was exalted. On top of that, I had no symptoms last night! I felt so free physically, emotionally and mentally. Thank You Jesus.
So I guess, what I am saying or trying to say today is that I am feeling the urgency to move and to walk out and to put into action that thing in me that has caused me to stop and weep and pray like Nehemiah did. I am praying that God will allow me to put it all together to where He can be glorified and the next leg of this journey I am on can began.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
Potty Training
We have officially started the potty training journey with our 3 1/2 year old, Sam! Yeah, don't judge me, he just hasn't been ready and neither have I after spending 2 years fighting with my now 5 year old, Parker, who is finally completely trained. Now that our busy Summer is calming down, I felt the peace of God to start and felt the timing was right, so here we go. God's grace is sufficient right??? LOL!Anyway, I was contemplating this process of potty training and the Holy Spirit was reminding me that this process is much like our process with Him. With Sam, and with Parker, I had to train and remind them every step of the way, if you need to go potty, remember, don't pee pee or poo poo on the floor, remember here is your potty etc. It's constant until the habit forms and they've got it on their own. Success!
This is so how God is with us. First, just like with potty training, we have to say goodbye to the diapers and put on our big boy/girl underwear. Then we have to have our parent remind us of the change and keep reminding us until we get it.
If we want to be big boys and girls in the Kingdom of God we have to say goodbye to the diapers and put on our big boy/girl underwear! The way we do that is to totally submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. We have to allow Him to remind us and keep reminding us so we can mature. Sam has to submit to me as his authority in order for this process to work, right? Otherwise, it's gonna be a long road. Example, Parker, two years, with breaks in between because of submission issues (he really is the best kid ;).
This morning as I was praying before my workout, I realized over the last couple of weeks, while I have stayed in the Word, I haven't intentionally submitted myself to the Holy Spirit and His agenda which is super easy to do when you are constantly on the go, but still, no excuse. So I re-committed to that and I felt the weight I have been feeling with potty training starting, getting ready for homeschooling to start and just getting back into the routine of life itself lift off my shoulders. Peace and grace.
Proverbs 3:5-8, " Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones."
If Sam were to lean on his understanding regarding potty training, he would never get trained because he doesn't know how to on his own. Same with us and God, we cannot lean on our own understanding when it comes to God and His ways, we have have trust in Him and let Him direct us, then the maturing begins!
Sunday, August 11, 2013
The Summer of Perspective
Cue a big sigh from me right now! We are finally back after two weeks of conferencing and vacationing. While it's been a lot of fun, I am really glad to be home, especially in my own bed! It has been an incredible Summer and although it's not quite over yet, it is getting close. We are starting to get ready for school to start and the Fall routine to set in. It's exciting. And it has caused me to take a close look at what God has accomplished this Summer compared to last Summer in my life.
Perspective: the proper or accurate point of view or the ability to see it. God has given me perspective, the proper and accurate point of view and the ability to see what He has done this year and just within these last 3 months.
Last Summer, this time, I had just gotten off of the ms medications and I was also weaning off of the benzo drug that I am still currently on. To say the least, I was going through physical hell. I wrote many blogs during that time, but the one that stands out to me is " Having done all to stand...Stand". It's the one about Lot's wife looking back on Sodom and Gomorrah and turning into a pillar of salt. She disobeyed God and therefore suffered the consequences. We believe that on August 1st God healed me of ms. And since then, we have been tempted to look back but instead we have stayed obedient to God's Word and we have not looked back.
Now here we are a year from that moment and I am happy to say that we have not turned into pillars of salt! Does that mean my body is completely cooperating or that we still don't have some major mountains that need to be removed? NO! But perspective is a great thing. What makes us as God's kids stand out in the storms is the fact that we keep the proper or accurate point of view of the situation. The only way we can do that is by seeing things the way God sees them and the only way we can do that is to know Him and the only way we can do that is to stay in the Word, constantly!!!
This Summer, not only have I been out of bed, but I have been working out almost every single day, I have spent the entire Summer in the pool with my boys, helped my best friend move back to California, driven where ever I have needed to go, planned a beach getaway for my sister's birthday, been to a week long conference and a week long vacation afterward. I did all the going, the packing, the shopping, you name it! I have been able to be a person, a wife, a mom, a sister, a daughter and a friend. Last Summer, I was a limp noodle in a bed, just trying to survive.
A few living and active promises that I confess everyday that really stand out are the following:
Isaiah 40:31, " Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
Jeremiah 33:6, " Behold, I will bring health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth."
Isaiah 41:10, " Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Proverbs 9:10-11, " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you."
No explanation needed. These scriptures speak for themselves. They have been living and active promises and weapons in my life this Summer. I have not lost sight of God's perspective vs mine. If I do I will surely become a pillar of salt.
As we keep moving forward, I know that God's promises WILL NOT FAIL ME. The mountains that need to be removed, will be. The symptoms that need to go away, will go away. Perspective...it's a powerful thing when you take on God's and not your own.
Perspective: the proper or accurate point of view or the ability to see it. God has given me perspective, the proper and accurate point of view and the ability to see what He has done this year and just within these last 3 months.
Last Summer, this time, I had just gotten off of the ms medications and I was also weaning off of the benzo drug that I am still currently on. To say the least, I was going through physical hell. I wrote many blogs during that time, but the one that stands out to me is " Having done all to stand...Stand". It's the one about Lot's wife looking back on Sodom and Gomorrah and turning into a pillar of salt. She disobeyed God and therefore suffered the consequences. We believe that on August 1st God healed me of ms. And since then, we have been tempted to look back but instead we have stayed obedient to God's Word and we have not looked back.
Now here we are a year from that moment and I am happy to say that we have not turned into pillars of salt! Does that mean my body is completely cooperating or that we still don't have some major mountains that need to be removed? NO! But perspective is a great thing. What makes us as God's kids stand out in the storms is the fact that we keep the proper or accurate point of view of the situation. The only way we can do that is by seeing things the way God sees them and the only way we can do that is to know Him and the only way we can do that is to stay in the Word, constantly!!!
This Summer, not only have I been out of bed, but I have been working out almost every single day, I have spent the entire Summer in the pool with my boys, helped my best friend move back to California, driven where ever I have needed to go, planned a beach getaway for my sister's birthday, been to a week long conference and a week long vacation afterward. I did all the going, the packing, the shopping, you name it! I have been able to be a person, a wife, a mom, a sister, a daughter and a friend. Last Summer, I was a limp noodle in a bed, just trying to survive.
A few living and active promises that I confess everyday that really stand out are the following:
Isaiah 40:31, " Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
Jeremiah 33:6, " Behold, I will bring health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth."
Isaiah 41:10, " Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Proverbs 9:10-11, " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you."
No explanation needed. These scriptures speak for themselves. They have been living and active promises and weapons in my life this Summer. I have not lost sight of God's perspective vs mine. If I do I will surely become a pillar of salt.
As we keep moving forward, I know that God's promises WILL NOT FAIL ME. The mountains that need to be removed, will be. The symptoms that need to go away, will go away. Perspective...it's a powerful thing when you take on God's and not your own.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Happy 1 Year Anniversary-A Day To Remember
I just walked up to our hotel room here at our Every Nation GO Conference from attending our Ladies's Luncheon. It was amazing. Our pastor's wife, Mrs. Debbie Austin, spoke and she always brings such an amazing word. She is a woman who has overcome many obstacles to be in the place where God has set her. Just really an amazing testimony.
It's been an incredible week and we still have a couple of days left of the conference but I had to stop long enough to celebrate this day, a day to truly remember. Today, one year ago, is when Chad and I believe that God completely healed me of MS. Today, one year ago, was the day my doctors called and told me to get off of the ms drugs because they were hurting me and not helping me. Today, one year ago, I no longer had to stick myself with needles and be in bondage to a disease. Today, one year ago, I no longer doubted that God is truly who He says He is. Today, one year ago, my miracle happened and restoration in my body began.
As I continue on this incredible journey of restoration, I continue to see God move in powerful ways. My journey isn't finished yet when it comes to fighting for the battle for my mind and my body to function the way it's supposed to. But one of the many powerful promises of God that I continue to stand on is found in John 8:36 which says, " If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed."
It's been an incredible week and we still have a couple of days left of the conference but I had to stop long enough to celebrate this day, a day to truly remember. Today, one year ago, is when Chad and I believe that God completely healed me of MS. Today, one year ago, was the day my doctors called and told me to get off of the ms drugs because they were hurting me and not helping me. Today, one year ago, I no longer had to stick myself with needles and be in bondage to a disease. Today, one year ago, I no longer doubted that God is truly who He says He is. Today, one year ago, my miracle happened and restoration in my body began.
As I continue on this incredible journey of restoration, I continue to see God move in powerful ways. My journey isn't finished yet when it comes to fighting for the battle for my mind and my body to function the way it's supposed to. But one of the many powerful promises of God that I continue to stand on is found in John 8:36 which says, " If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed."
Nicely put! There you have it! No ifs, ands or buts...if Jesus has set me free, which He has, then I am free. He doesn't go back on His Word. Isaiah 55:11, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but is shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
Chad and I cannot enter into a place ever again of doubt that God healed my body. The reason, because we walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. The Word of God is living and active and therefore is the driving force behind every thought and action. So it doesn't matter what I feel or see. It only matters what God says. I am recovering and will continue to.
I think it no coincidence that I am attending a conference this week with the theme of GO. Over the last 8 years it's been nothing but STOP. Over this last year, God has let me GO and keep going and going and going. He is so faithful, He is so good, He is so powerful and I continue to cling to Him so that nothing can shake me.
So, Happy 1 Year Anniversary to me and many more to come! Thank you for praying and continuing to build us up and encourage us through our journey. Each of you are a vital part of this process and we thank God for all of you.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
"Still My Soul" PRE-RELEASE FINALLY AVAILABLE!!!
I was running for the first time in about 6 days this morning. Just needed it despite what my body is telling me. It's been a little, I wouldn't say stressful but just busy with us gearing up for our world conference and getting the 4 song Pre-release for my CD ready to be distributed at the conference. We have been waiting all week for our stuff to go live and ready for purchase and this morning while I was running away on my elliptical, Chad walks in with the laptop and shows me that it's live and ready!!!!!!!! I literally started to cry, while running!!!! Hahahahahahaha...I felt such a release. I also felt like I needed to get it together so I wouldn't pass out while running LOL! I felt everything lift and I felt like in that moment I could run faster than ever! The fullness of time. I felt God's pleasure and excitement.
So before I give you info to access the music, I have to explain why the title "Still My Soul". It's two fold for me.
1. Given what we've been through, the title means:
So before I give you info to access the music, I have to explain why the title "Still My Soul". It's two fold for me.
1. Given what we've been through, the title means:
Psalm 34:1-10, "I will bless the Lord at all times;His praise shall continually be in my mouth.2 MY SOUL shall make its boast in the Lord;The humble shall hear of it and be glad.3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me,And delivered me from all my fears.5 They looked to Him and were radiant,And their faces were not ashamed.6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,And delivers them.8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!9 Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger;But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing."
7 The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,And delivers them.8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!9 Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger;But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing."
So despite what I have been through, still, my soul, will bless the Lord, no matter what.
2. My soul in these last years has had to learn to be still and wait on the Lord to a whole new level. I have had to learn long suffering, perseverance and patience like never before. I am still learning and will probably be learning until the end of my days! My soul has genuinely been stilled and this music represents that.
So to conclude, here's how all of you can access the music: You can go to www.mandyswartz.com or Mandy Swartz Music on Facebook. You can also "Like" me on Faceback at Mandy Swartz Music if you haven't already.
Chad and I are so excited to see everything that we have been walking through be used for the glory of God and we are so excited to be able to FINALLY share it with all of you! We are praying that God's favor will saturate this whole thing as He has done up to this point. Thanks for praying and standing with us!
Monday, July 22, 2013
M.I.R.A.C.L.E.
God is so amazing! This morning, I awake feeling one step closer to recovering from whatever this stuff is that has been trying to attack my body. The reason? Two fold I believe, 1. Jesus is a healing God and 2. I took my rightful place and authority that God has given me through my relationship with Him and through His amazing living and active Word. Take a look at this acronym that God gave me for the word Miracle:
My
Initiative
Recalls
Authority
Causing
Life to
Exist
I guess I didn't really put together the fact that my initiative to confess the Word of God every day is what recalls the authority that Jesus has given me to cause life and not death in my body and in every area of my life! What an amazing revelation!
Luke 9:1-2, "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick."
First of all we have to understand that Jesus gave us authority. Once we realize this we can walk with our heads high. I found myself yesterday as I do most days, not asking Jesus to heal me, because He already did that. Did you hear me? He already did that. He already did His part. He already died on the cross and gave us His Word and authority. I found myself speaking to the things that were going wrong in my body, telling them to line up with what Jesus already paid the price for. Silly? Not at all. I was telling my nerves and my nervous system and everything else going haywire to line up to the authority and the Word of God. I had to initiate my authority and it started to cause life to exist in my body and not death.
Proverbs 18:21, " The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit."
Here we go again with what we SAY. We have to SAY and CONFESS the Word. That's where our authority lies and miracles happen! We find in Psalm 103:1-5 that we are having to make our souls bless the Lord. We are having to speak to our souls and remind our souls of God's amazing benefits. As we do that we are confessing and reminding our souls, our bodies, our minds and our spirits of all that God has already done. Again, us taking the initiative to recall authority causing life to exist in us!
One more scripture and then I will stop...for now! Psalm 107:19-20, " Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble (that's us, crying out, that would mean making some noise :), and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction."
I believe this is what God does for me everyday that I follow that acronym. He produces miracles in my life and delivers me from the destructive power of this world. And let me make this clear. I don't just have to spend 5 minutes in the morning doing this, most times, I have to keep at it all day. I have to keep confessing and reminding my body and the enemy where my authority lies. So don't give up if you don't see instant results. You can trust Him. Just take up your authority and watch God produce life in you!
My
Initiative
Recalls
Authority
Causing
Life to
Exist
I guess I didn't really put together the fact that my initiative to confess the Word of God every day is what recalls the authority that Jesus has given me to cause life and not death in my body and in every area of my life! What an amazing revelation!
Luke 9:1-2, "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick."
First of all we have to understand that Jesus gave us authority. Once we realize this we can walk with our heads high. I found myself yesterday as I do most days, not asking Jesus to heal me, because He already did that. Did you hear me? He already did that. He already did His part. He already died on the cross and gave us His Word and authority. I found myself speaking to the things that were going wrong in my body, telling them to line up with what Jesus already paid the price for. Silly? Not at all. I was telling my nerves and my nervous system and everything else going haywire to line up to the authority and the Word of God. I had to initiate my authority and it started to cause life to exist in my body and not death.
Proverbs 18:21, " The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit."
Here we go again with what we SAY. We have to SAY and CONFESS the Word. That's where our authority lies and miracles happen! We find in Psalm 103:1-5 that we are having to make our souls bless the Lord. We are having to speak to our souls and remind our souls of God's amazing benefits. As we do that we are confessing and reminding our souls, our bodies, our minds and our spirits of all that God has already done. Again, us taking the initiative to recall authority causing life to exist in us!
One more scripture and then I will stop...for now! Psalm 107:19-20, " Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble (that's us, crying out, that would mean making some noise :), and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction."
I believe this is what God does for me everyday that I follow that acronym. He produces miracles in my life and delivers me from the destructive power of this world. And let me make this clear. I don't just have to spend 5 minutes in the morning doing this, most times, I have to keep at it all day. I have to keep confessing and reminding my body and the enemy where my authority lies. So don't give up if you don't see instant results. You can trust Him. Just take up your authority and watch God produce life in you!
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Guard Your Hearts and Minds
So here I am, sitting in my little corner on the couch, on a Sunday morning when I should be getting ready to go church. At least that would be my agenda and usually I would assume it's God's too. Here we are a week away exactly from our Every Nation World Conference down in Disney where I have been given the incredible opportunity to not only go but go and promote the 4 song pre-release of my album " Still my Soul". We have been working diligently to get everything rolling and ready and it's been so exciting! Oh and one other MAJOR thing...I am less than 2 weeks away from being completely ms medication free for a year!
So why am I telling you all of this? Because, right now in this moment, I am having to stand on the promises of God like never before. I am having to believe what God's Word says despite what my body is telling me. Yes, that's right, it's that whole flesh thing that flares up every time God is about to do something big. As I was reading this morning, here's what revy God brought my way...
Philippians 4:6-7, " Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS through Christ Jesus."
As I do almost everyday, I personalize a lot of the scripture that I confess and this one has been one that I can't help but personalize over the last couple of weeks. There has been much in my life to be anxious over, not just my body, I have figured out how to ignore it for the most part. But we have had 2 funerals within the last two weeks, 4 birthdays in our family in the last two weeks, working on a cd release and getting ready now for a major conference. Here's the thing...I'm actually extremely grateful that I have been physically able to keep up. God is so amazing.
Anyway, what stuck out to me is that I have been having to really guard my heart and my mind from the schemes of the enemy but also from just myself, my flesh. Without this skill, I would not have the peace that passes all understanding that I have now. And the only way that I am able to do that is because I have been in the Word, confessing the Word, living the Word. Jesus is the Word right? So those who trust Him, know Him. I trust Him and I know that He is there for me, therefore there is NO REASON TO BE ANXIOUS!!!
Hebrews 11:6, " But without faith is it impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
Come on now, that's a good word. That's me, I have faith, I believe that He is and I have been diligently seeking Him...sooooooo He is rewarding me and will continue to in whatever way He chooses and I trust His ways. These nasty symptoms that want to lie to me are just that, a lie. I am whole, I am healed and there is nothing that can steal that from me.
One more scripture, that I personalize everyday and will personalize now, that I will leave you with today:
Psalm 91:14-16, " Because I have set my love upon You, therefore You will deliver me; You will set me on high, because I know Your name. I will call upon You, and You will possessing Your healing answer me; You will be with me in trouble; You will deliver me and honer me. With long life You will satisfy me and show me Your salvation."
Yes, yes and yes. Thank You Jesus. Man I LOVE the Word of God.
Signing off from my corner of the couch...much love and grace and strength to all of you! Don't just guard your heart, but keep that mind of yours in line with the Word. It will keep you right where you need to be every time.
So why am I telling you all of this? Because, right now in this moment, I am having to stand on the promises of God like never before. I am having to believe what God's Word says despite what my body is telling me. Yes, that's right, it's that whole flesh thing that flares up every time God is about to do something big. As I was reading this morning, here's what revy God brought my way...
Philippians 4:6-7, " Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS through Christ Jesus."
As I do almost everyday, I personalize a lot of the scripture that I confess and this one has been one that I can't help but personalize over the last couple of weeks. There has been much in my life to be anxious over, not just my body, I have figured out how to ignore it for the most part. But we have had 2 funerals within the last two weeks, 4 birthdays in our family in the last two weeks, working on a cd release and getting ready now for a major conference. Here's the thing...I'm actually extremely grateful that I have been physically able to keep up. God is so amazing.
Anyway, what stuck out to me is that I have been having to really guard my heart and my mind from the schemes of the enemy but also from just myself, my flesh. Without this skill, I would not have the peace that passes all understanding that I have now. And the only way that I am able to do that is because I have been in the Word, confessing the Word, living the Word. Jesus is the Word right? So those who trust Him, know Him. I trust Him and I know that He is there for me, therefore there is NO REASON TO BE ANXIOUS!!!
Hebrews 11:6, " But without faith is it impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
Come on now, that's a good word. That's me, I have faith, I believe that He is and I have been diligently seeking Him...sooooooo He is rewarding me and will continue to in whatever way He chooses and I trust His ways. These nasty symptoms that want to lie to me are just that, a lie. I am whole, I am healed and there is nothing that can steal that from me.
One more scripture, that I personalize everyday and will personalize now, that I will leave you with today:
Psalm 91:14-16, " Because I have set my love upon You, therefore You will deliver me; You will set me on high, because I know Your name. I will call upon You, and You will possessing Your healing answer me; You will be with me in trouble; You will deliver me and honer me. With long life You will satisfy me and show me Your salvation."
Yes, yes and yes. Thank You Jesus. Man I LOVE the Word of God.
Signing off from my corner of the couch...much love and grace and strength to all of you! Don't just guard your heart, but keep that mind of yours in line with the Word. It will keep you right where you need to be every time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)