THREAD THOUGHTS

Psalm 6:8-10 8 “Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. 9 The LORD has heard my supplication, The LORD receives my prayer. 10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly dismayed; They shall turn back, they shall suddenly be ashamed.”

Who, whom, or what are your enemies today?  Your enemies may not be in the form of a person.  Your enemies may be thoughts, emotions, or feelings from the evil one who wishes that those thoughts, emotions or feelings from him would take up permanent residence in your mind and/or heart in direct contradiction to the truths in God’s Word.  What are some examples of thoughts, emotions or feelings from the evil one?  How about the enemies of doubt, fear, guilt, which leads to condemnation rather than conviction, worry, anxious thoughts or feelings?

If any of the aforementioned enemies are present in your life today and wish to take up permanent residence in your mind and/or heart, what is a believer to do?

As an act of our own free will, we have the power of God through His Word to fight each and every enemy of the mind.  For example, if I am feeling anxious, I can look to Philippians 4:4-8.  Most believers know Philippians 4:6:  6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” This verse alone gives me direction in my free will to 1) not be anxious; 2) pray about everything; 3) be thankful; and 4) tell God.  You might have a conversation like this:  “Lord, this ____________ is making me anxious.  Your Word says that I am not to be anxious.  You tell me in that same verse to come to You in prayer, and not only to come to You in prayer but come to You grateful for all things.  Plus, when I come to You in faith, I can tell you anything.  In this instance, anything is this ___________, which is making me anxious.

It is not my intent, however, to point only to Philippians 4:6 as it is so very important when looking at a particular verse that you read verses above it and below it.  If you choose to rely on this verse when bringing your anxiety to the Lord, start reading at verse 4.  4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.” Do not miss this important part of the Scripture.  Rejoice in the Lord always.  No matter what the circumstances, a child of God can always rejoice in who God is.  A child of God can always rejoice that the Lord is near.

Then continue with verse 6  6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” 7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.”

Changing your mental focus to verse 8 rather than the anxious thought assists you in being patient while God is working His perfect work.

An Old Testament example of exercising free will when anxious is Jehoshaphat.  II Chronicles 20.  Verse 12 is key but we can learn from the entire chapter.

Living Christian in a World of Turmoil
John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you;. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Traditional statement before departing ones company in the early days of the Jewish friend often sounded like the statement above. It was customary to say Shalom which means ‘peace.’ When Jesus our Lord was making his final farewell he did so by saying, “My Peace.” It is in the Greek an emphatic My. It was not a run of the mill wish by a casual friend; it was Jesus and it was a personal and very special and certain blessing of peace. It was a peace that Jesus Christ can only give that banishes all fear and oppression from the heart. The reason was because Jesus was then and is now in control of all circumstances. Not that he promised to change the circumstances, but that he is in control of them.
As I grow older I often find myself not trusting in the promise made to all humankind for all time. The promise is that He did send “His Peace” no matter what my circumstances. I am reminded that worry cannot change circumstances, but Jesus can bring me victoriously through them. In my wondering and fear of what will become of me comes also in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” So not only will Christ give us His peace He will give us His strength. Again paraphrasing from the Greek it means that we become literally “self sufficient.” Based upon verse 11, when it is written that “…for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content…”
If I find myself wondering where I am headed in my ministry I am brought to rational thought that I have proclaimed when it seemed apparent where I was headed, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.”So peace, courage, strength and hope as witnessed in Hebrews 11:1; “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Shalom,
Uncle John