Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. – Isaiah 41:10
The nation and the world’s distractions are vast and they come at you from every direction, clamoring with a loud voice for “somebody” to do “something.” Even though you are a follower of Christ, you are not exempt from the trials and tribulations of the day. Much that is unknown is still ahead, and that uncertainty creates anxiety and fear. In fact, it is not humanly irrational to have increased heart rates, more problematic quarrels, and sleeplessness.
So, do you just place mind over matter? The mind affects the body, but the body also affects the mind. Your emotions are actually a gift from God to certify your humanness. But when your thoughts are left to themselves to run amok, your emotions move in a negative direction, to fear. God says to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Taking every thought captive is a battle for control. But the weapons of your warfare are not human, for you have God’s power to bring down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). You have the Word of God and the power of His Holy Spirit. You have prayer for those moments when tension creeps in. Use those to activate a captive mind. With the new attitude and emotions that result, you are more like Christ and become a valuable tool in God’s hands. Pray today that God would soften the hearts of many in government so that they might allow His inner workings to take place in their lives.
Today’s Verse: Isaiah 41:10
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Colossians 3:8-17
8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
