A Peace Filled Mind

Worry has no place in our mind God tells us.  So let us allow our mind and hearts to be filled with His peace, knowing the truth of His Word that:

God has not given me a spirit of fear but of love peace and a sound mind 2Tim 1:7, and
We are to be anxious for nothing, go to Him in thanksgiving and prayer so the peace of God will surpass all my understanding and guard our hearts and mind Phil 4:6-7

Peace

As we get older fear comes to us in different ways than as a child. Over the last two years there have been many “suddenlies” and fear is amplified by fear of the future, fear of being alone.  We can have a real attack come upon us! 

We must pray - Jesus we don’t know what the future holds but you are the answer, and say it with real faith and authority.

Social media can sometime encourage us, but if viewed without discernment more often will really discourage us.  Be careful of posts that speak on fear, bad news, negativity. Close it down, ensure you have your guard up, and protect your mind and heart.

One thing we all can agree we want from life is peace. God’s Word however tells us “in this world you will have trouble” John 16: 33  It is how we navigate through challenges and issues that is important.

To me God’s peace can feel like a settling in my heart, a feeling that I can breathe again. 

Even if God asks us to step into something new it can bring on fear or anxiety.  We hear people tell us to follow peace. For me that can mean having a sense, a knowing God is with me, even if in my flesh my emotions can be still scared.  

I remember back in late 2017 when I felt I needed to get out of Nelson for a time, once my marriage had ended and having had a year of refueling myself I desired a fresh start. Though daunting the thought was as I had lived in Nelson my entire life minus one year when I was young. I had that knowing also that God would be with me, to trust Him, daunting when I thought about it but a peace also.  So I was able to step out and go. Not to mention back in 2015 when I was diagnosed with Cancer, when I prayed and throughout the days ahead, I had a Peace a Knowing that it would be OK as I took the steps I felt led to follow for my own personal healing journey with cancer.

May we not forget that there is no fear in heaven, there is peace.   Scripture tells us "To take every thought captive…” 2 Cor 10:5  So take back your authority and as scripture says we are bind on earth what is bound in Heaven and loose what is loosed in heaven Mat 18:18-20  There is definitely no fear in heaven, however there is peace.  So release peace and bind fear.   Again say it with conviction and authority as His Word tells us. 

This is a benefit of following Jesus and having His spirit in us and knowing that God controls our life. We do not live by this worlds system:

Do not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind Romans 12: 2 & We are in the world not of the world  John 15: 9 & Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Matthew 6:10

Jesus definitely lived this way, take a look at Matthew 8: 23-34 where He and His disciples were out at sea in a boat and came upon them a terrifying storm and they were shocked that He was asleep. The storm around Him did not bother Him at all, He carried the Peace of the Kingdom in Him. Our aim is to model this what’s going on around us will not affect us even though it appears illogical that it would not as it did for the disciples that day.

Knowing this then even in turmoil where by the media shoots out so much fear, we live by faith in scripture, we stand on His Word as our foundation/rock we turn to Our Lord.  May we trust Him Our Lord and Saviour and lean not on our own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths Proverbs 3:5-6.

Our God longs to fill us with His love, peace and nature.  Worldly peace is often around having temporal needs met.  Gods idea is having peace when we don’t have our needs met, keeping our mind on Him.

The Bible tells us about peace (and rest) we therefore are to labor to enter into that peace Heb 4:11 This implies to me it doesn’t just happen, we need to practice, practice, practice.

Be anxious for nothing...  & Fear not for I am with you. 

God has given us the ability to overcome everything.  We must walk the word out every single day to overcome, we are to go to Jesus, knowing He is our shelter and protector  Psalm 91 in this often-chaotic world.  We are to fan the flame of our faith, We are told Set our mind on things above and have a heart of thanksgiving  and to fight the good fight of faith.

There are so many scriptures guiding us on how to live and be in this world, it’s incredible.  Our God does not tell us these things and to have faith if it was not possible. The Word of God is a seed to plant to have it go from our head as knowledge to our heart as faith.  We can then trust in what is said to us.

It is up to us to make a decision to listen to what He tells us and know His Word and do what it says, and to have faith in - the goodness of God and who He is.

The Practical

A few tips:

• Its important we have good friends around us we can call on to speak into our lives, pray for us
• Paint scriptures you like, write them up so you can see them
• Thanksgiving is a key.  Enter His gates with thanks enter His courts with praise.
• Spend time with Lord daily
• Read the word of God to build you up and carry you throughout the day
• Think on times you have gone through in the past and remember your testimonies where things worked out well say "Do it again Lord"   then you can enter his courts with "thanksgiving" as you hand it over to Him.

Having a Kingdom mindset helps us to overcome our struggles, our worry, fear and anxiety.  The Kingdom shows us there is an eternal perspective to override all the temporal struggles we have right now.  They truly will not last forever.

Jesus taught on the Kingdom,  to remind us there is something to look forward to, something bigger than who we are or what we are walking through right now. “He will work out all things for our good...” Romans 8: 28 Focus on this when we struggle or are fearful.

My question to us all - how badly do we want peace in our life?  If you want peace, then go after it!