Over the past year I have found amazing breakthroughs and will try to break it down for you.
I think the first realization I had was that the pain, anxiety, fear, and depression was not my normal. That there was more for me available, and I can have it.
John 10:10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
Rich and satisfying doesn't sound quite the same as pain and anguish.
So maybe those things aren't from God at all.
Then I had a thought...
Maybe the devil is trying to keep me so busy with me and my problems that I don't have time or emotional energy for anyone else.
It was working too.
In my awful depressed state, I had nothing to give anyone!
So...
Step 1- realize you don't have to live like this anymore.
Step 2- find the truth.
God wants me to have a rich full life.
That's a good start.
Matthew 7:7-11 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him."
More truth...
Philippians 4:6-9 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Seems clear, don't you think?
So stop worrying, pray and be thankful. Then think about all the good in your life, and the God of peace will be with you.
Here is another great truth...
Romans 8:38-39 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And you can forget this one...
Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for well-being and not for trouble, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will look for Me and find Me, when you look for Me with all your heart.
There are so many amazing promises in the bible!
Which leads me to,
Step 3- find God's promises and bind them to your heart!
Memorize them. Write them down. Reference them often.
Every time you start to falter go back to your promises.
Step 4- command your thoughts!
2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
So basically, if a fearful thought comes to my head I can command it to leave!
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Power, love, and sound mind sound way better than what I was walking with!
Step 5- pray for help!
King David said...
Psalm 66:19 But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer.
He will hear your too!
I love how David poured out his heart to God all through Psalms. He told God his woes, he rejoiced, he praised, he asked God to smite his enemies.
There was nothing he couldn't say to God, and that is how it should be.
God even gave us a model to pray.
Matthew 6:9-13 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts,As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Step 6- worship through the battle.
Something in incredible happens when you take your eyes off the problem and fix your eyes on God and worship before Him.
Anxiety starts to melt away, fears start to vanish. Then strength, hope, and joy arise in their place.
The bible says... The joy of The Lord is my strength.
So when I have no strength left to call upon, I call upon The Lord! He gives me peace, hope, love, and Joy!
In that joy that comes from above I find the strength to keep moving.
In His presence is where are problems are solved.
In His presence is where ideas are sparked, where dreams of better things are dreamed, where hope is ignited, where love burns and never goes out.
Step 7- be filled with the Holy Spirit!
So this is pretty simple concept by sometimes hard to grasp.
The more of God that you put into yourself, the less room you have left for "self".
The more of God you put into you the more you become like. God.
The more you learn about God, the more you learn about yourself and your new nature.
We are made in His image and likeness, right?
Being filled with the Spirit is not a one time thing.
People sometimes ask why it didn't work or why it didn't stick.
The answer is because, being filled with the Spirit is kinda like filling a cup with holes in it.
As you pour out into life and its problems or emotions, you start to feel empty again.
What you have to do is to be constantly being filled, till Jesus runs out all over the place!
So how do you get filled/stay filled with the Holy Spirit?
You ask.
The Bible says God loves to give good gifts to His kids.
Then pursue.
Pursue a relationship with the Holy Spirit like you would with a friend.
Spend time together, listen to each other, enjoy each other.
Tune your eyes and ears to the Spirit.
You can't just listen, you must also obey.
Take a step of faith, He does have your best interest at heart!
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