God
puts a guard over a Believer's mind and heart (Philippians 4:7). Our thoughts
and emotions govern our actions. Weariness in body and soul leads to unsound
decisions, as well as discouragement and depression, which drain our energy.
This
negative state of being gives Satan the advantage over us, because our guard is
down and our faith is low. In these jaded and uninspired times, we more easily
give in to temptation, which causes us to make poor choices.
God
teaches us to capture our thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5) and to fashion them
according to His precepts (Romans 12:2). This enables us to step out of the
role of the victim into a place of victory, regardless of how bad our current
circumstances are.
Journaling
helps us to discover the root of our negative thoughts, emotions, energy and
drive. It also avails us of a place to record the advice God gives us during
these negative periods in our life. As we courageously wait on the Lord, He
strengthens our heart (Psalm 27:14).
We
overcome life's issues by the blood of the Lamb (Rev 12:11), not by any human
wisdom, religious belief, or self-help formula. God's Spirit changes us from
one stage of glory to the next during His sanctifying process of our soul (2
Corinthians 3:18; 1 Corinthians 6:11).
God
cares about every aspect of our life, even about what we eat and drink (1 Corinthians
10:31). Our diet affects our health in body, soul and spirit. Our spiritual
diet of God's Word is also important to strengthen us to face Satan's fiery
darts as overcomers (Ephesians 6:16).
With
salvation, our spirit is regenerated and redeemed; with sanctification, our
soul is made holy; and we look forward to the glorification of our body, when
Christ returns to the earth to claim His Bride.
Prayer:
Father
God, teach us the difference between truth that sets us free (John 8:32), and
Satanic lies that hold us in bondage throughout our lifetime. Remind us to take
frequent inventories of our thoughts and emotions, and to use the principles in
the Serenity Prayer to keep our mind focused on You.
Help
us to forgive those who impose their issues on us - they are human, and are
doing their best to survive in this world as we are. Help us also to increase
our intimacy with Christ in us, so that we trust only and always in You. We accept
Your will for each moment of our life.
Thought
for the Day:
We
walk in the Spirit, not because we are afraid of God's wrath if we make
mistakes, but because we find our peace in the shelter of His wings, and we
walk with confidence as we hear His still, small voice within us telling us
which way to go each moment of the day.
-
Philippians 4:7; 1 Kings 19:12, Isaiah 30:21
