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HOW TO LIVE IN VICTORY DURING HARD TIMES
Part Eleven - Go for the Grace!
Volume XII Number 13 September 18, 2009

In this issue

Links to FREE Articles

Instructed to Resist Anxiety

How to Overcome Worry

Some Final Thoughts

Sinners' Prayer


 

Links to FREE Articles


Links to Special Financial Services















"Owe no man anything..."
-Romans 13:8














"...the borrower becomes the lender's slave."
-Proverbs 22:7















"...the righteous man shall live by faith."
-Romans 1:17















"...without faith it is impossible to please Him."
-Hebrews 11:6















"No one can serve two masters..."
-Matthew 6:24















"The Lord will make you abound in prosperity..."
-Deuteronomy 25:11















"...God loves a cheerful giver."
-2 Corinthians 9:7















"...the Lord... is giving you power to make wealth..."
-Deuteronomy 8:18

















Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus!

Thanks be to God who ALWAYS gives us the OVERWHELMING victory!.

Does it seem to you that many Believers (maybe even most) are just as worried and concerned these days as non-believers about the HARD TIMES? Every Sunday our churches see lots of folks who're anxious about their finances, afraid they might lose their jobs, fearfully in pursuit of additional work and income, worried they might be downsized, concerned about whether or not they're going to make ends meet tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. Their FAITH is being challenged by the HARD TIMES and so far it hasn't been strong enough to stand up to all the related trials and tribulations. Christians are supposed to live by FAITH (Romans 1:17) but when we don't, we live by FEAR instead, worried, anxious and stressed.

Why is this important? Because there's a biblical principle involved that we need to pay attention to during HARD TIMES expressed most notably in the verses of Job 3:25-26: "For what I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me, I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, and I am not at rest, but turmoil comes."

In sum, the biblical principal is that FEAR actually ATTRACTS the negative consequences we're so concerned about. Therefore, those who're currently having to live through some negative situations need to examine whether or not at some point their own worry and anxiety over something that hadn't happened yet actually caused those negative things to come to pass. Many of us are searching for explanations these days and even blaming God for the HARD TIMES we're having to deal with; but God didn't cause our problems and the Truth could very well be that we have ourselves caused at least some of our problems to manifest, maybe lots of them. Job was a righteous man who worried about his children and what he feared eventually happened.

The Bible says God has plans for your success and prosperity (Jeremiah 29:11) but those wonderful plans won't be able to manifest in your life if you're walking in FEAR. The fact is Jesus was chastened so you could have peace instead of turmoil (Isaiah 53:5); but peace is something that has to be actively pursued (Psalm 34:14) by FAITH. Either you'll live by FEAR or by FAITH; there're only two choices and they're opposites. FEAR always attracts the things we're worried about: decrease, defeat and insufficiency; FAITH in Christ always attracts the things of God: increase, victory and abundance.


  • Instructed to Resist Anxiety
  • That's why we're repeatedly instructed in Scripture to RESIST FEAR by casting our cares on God. But instead of doing that a lot of Believers have come to the point of accepting worry and anxiety as just a natural part of life, something we all have to learn to deal with. So, like the World does, they just allow anxiety to happen and then struggle to deal with it. The result is an epidemic of folks, Believers included,

    Friend, God does NOT want His people to live like this. He has a much better way. Indeed, the Bible says that a person who trusts in the LORD, who RESISTS the pressure when it comes and REFUSES to be anxious in a time of drought (a time of trouble) WILL BE BLESSED (Jeremiah 17:7-8). But the converse of this is also true: a person who does NOT trust in the Lord, who GIVES IN to the pressure when it comes

    The bottom line is that God wants Believers to live a life of blessing and victory even in HARD TIMES. That's what Jesus went to the Cross to purchase for you to enjoy. Jesus said "I came that they (Believers) may have life, and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). But worry and anxiety bring to non-effect almost ALL the things Jesus won for us because those things ONLY come by FAITH. Worry and anxiety

    It should be apparent then that God wants us to learn to RESIST anxiety instead of just accepting and tolerating it like the World does. We should not tolerate FEAR in any respect. Following are just a few of the scriptures that instruct us not to worry:

    • Matthew 6:25 = "Do not be worried about your life."
    • Matthew 6:27 = "Who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?"
    • Matthew 6:28, 30 = "Why are you worried - you of little faith?"
    • Matthew 6:31 = "Do not worry."
    • Matthew 6:34 = "Do not worry about tomorrow."
    • Luke 12:32 = "Do not be afraid - for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom."
    • John 14:1 = "Do not your heart be troubled."
    • John 14:27 = "Don't let your heart be troubled or fearful."
    • John 16:33 = "Take courage because Jesus has overcome the World."
    • Philippians 4:6 = "Be anxious for nothing."
    • 1 Peter 5:7 = "Cast all your cares on (Jesus) because He cares for you."

    If we're instructed in scripture after scripture to not worry and to not be anxious, then it means that we have the ability within us to do it. Jesus wouldn't tell us to do something we aren't able to accomplish. Some folks think everything in life has to be perfect and wonderful to be able to overcome worry? But that's not the case; there will always be trouble to deal with and we're supposed to overcome FEAR in the very face of

  • How to Overcome Worry
  • When we're facing HARD TIMES, what we most desperately need in order to overcome concern for our immediate circumstances is a special ability, a divine empowerment, something supernatural that only the LORD can provide. Another way to say this is that we need the FAVOR of God in order to be victorious over worry. There's nothing we can do or say to deserve His FAVOR but the good news is we don't have to

    Now in the New Testament the word that's most often used to mean God's favor is GRACE and the most popular definition of GRACE is that it's "the undeserved or unmerited FAVOR of God." We don't deserve to receive GRACE but because of God's love for us we can receive and possess it by just believing (Romans 5:15). You need God's GRACE to receive salvation and you need it on an ongoing basis to

    The next thing we need to know is HOW to obtain God's GRACE in a particular time of need and fortunately the Word tells us clearly what we have to do. Hebrews 4:16 says the following:

    "Draw near with confidence to the throne of GRACE, so that we may receive mercy and find GRACE to help in time of need."

    So to obtain the GRACE of God for a particular need, we have to go to Him in CONFIDENCE and receive it. Most people withdraw to their own devices when they have a problem, particularly if it involves their finances, instead of approaching the Throne of GRACE. In essence, because of our fallen nature the Flesh thinks it can do a better job of taking care of a particular problem than God so we tend to try to solve

    But there's something else that needs to be done when we approach the Throne of GRACE and this is why it's so important that Believers become students of the Word. In 1 Peter 5:5-9 it's clear that we have to also HUMBLE ourselves so that God won't RESIST giving us the GRACE we're seeking. What does it mean to be HUMBLE? It does NOT mean what tradition has tried to convince us it is and what most

    But once we've humbled ourselves and made the EXCHANGE, the Scripture goes on to say that we have to RESIST the devil because he'll come around trying to convince us to take back the trial so we can worry about it again. Worrying though only demonstrates our pride and a lack of FAITH that God is willing and able to solve our problem; therefore, we have to insist on casting our worry on Him so we can keep the GRACE.

  • Some Final Thoughts
  • It's vitally important that we consistently RESIST FEAR when it tries to attack because if we're passive and allow it to prevail, FEAR will ALWAYS impede the purposes of God in our lives. Friend, God is offering to EXCHANGE your trial for His GRACE so you won't have to be anxious about anything. Jesus died for you to have it so receive it, possess it and live in VICTORY!

    Thanks for reading PLN today and we'll be looking for you again in three weeks on Friday, October 9. In the meantime, may God overwhelm you with the fullness of His love and spiritual blessing! Enjoy your victory over HARD TIMES!

  • Sinners' Prayer
  • If you've never invited Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you can do so today just by saying the following simple prayer:

    Jesus I believe in you and I believe that God raised you from the dead. I receive forgiveness for my sins and I ask you to come into my life today. I receive you as my Lord and Savior.

    If you were sincere as you prayed this prayer, God has already come into your life and you are a new creation, a totally new species recreated in His image. Now ask the Lord to lead you to a good faith-based, bible-teaching church where you can be equipped to fulfill your potential in the Kingdom of God.

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