If I could only know one thing, I would choose to know that I can trust (believe) in God.
Without trust –we are paralyzed.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me (John 14:1).”
Once I was driving on a dark night. I began speaking prayers down the driveway, and continued until I said my last amen thanking God for his loving devotion and protection at each mark of this trip. Moments later, after that last amen, we saw a large object laying in the road. At first glance this slightly glowing object looked like a box. However, the closer we got to this object, strangely, it began to look like a large animal; until we were upon it and in passing by, when we realized that it was a person wearing reflective gear! A person was lying in the road; and, that in that terrifying dark moment we didn’t know if he was dead or alive; or what had happened. In the end, of this horrifying event, this man was only sleeping in the middle of the road. However, in those moments, I couldn’t process all the fear that ran through my mind like a tornado; –And, I immediately became paralyzed by fear!
In the darkness of the Unknowns, fear and frustration will come AT us! But Satan will not call our attention to us like I just did in all Caps or Bold.
And, frustration, is a friend of fear.
Just like Satan attempted to toss some “ever so slightly building” frustration at me the morning of my surgery two years ago to get my mind in a place of misplaced trust, just hours before I needed to trust God the most!
You see, Frustration and Fear are Satan’s tools that he uses to stop our faith and redirect our mind from simply believing and trusting in God. Frustration, like fear will come at us sometimes, but we have a choice not to let these daggers come IN us. It matters how quickly we can recognize that attack, to extinguish those fiery darts, because it is a benefit to us to remember what we believe –and trust in God and also in Jesus.
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).”
The helmet is to prevent doubts and discouragements and the Word of God is our power tool to remind ourselves who God is and who we are to God. The Word of God is the “sword of the Spirit”!
We need to remember God’s Word and use God’s Word to Pray.
Renewing our mind in these vital moments is powerful, because in the Spirit of God there in nothing to fear but fear itself! If we remember to reject the “Fear in the Unknowns” we can remember our Faith through the Unknowns. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1)!
We have a choice who controls our situation through the unknowns –God with Peace, Joy and Power to overcome; or Satan with frustration, fear and torment to kill, steal and destroy.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).”
“…that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.… (Ephesians 4:22-24).”
This 2nd Scripture refers to complete surrender to trusting God to obey and come into HIS will –which is more powerful place to be –than the temptations could ever provide. ***This is another entire topic, but worth tossing a word in, because we can be tempted “by fear” in financial decisions / situations and tempted to lie (do the wrong thing) to get insurance –but we have to remember that misplaced trust will only get what we see (and will only go so far)! God is the GREAT Provider of everything and the WONDERFUL Healer of All –I believe this makes my point that nothing is worth throwing our trust in God away for. Place your HOPE in Jesus and follow God’s Truth, God’s Way and by all means, choose to walk in God’s LIFE, because you have been blessed by Grace to do so.
So, what does that mean? “I was paralyzed by fear,” –It means just what it says, All I could do was scream from a place I didn’t know horror could rest –from the depths of my soul! I couldn’t drive, or think and here’s the point –I couldn’t pray! All I could do was react in fear. I experienced what it means to become paralyzed in fear!
Ordinarily, in a different frame of mind, this wouldn’t have been such an event filled with fright, but this time was special, because I was being taught where my strength lies by God. God allowed me to experience the power of fear that Satan can have over us if we were to allow evil to control our mind with fear and frustration. However, God only allowed this to come to me in order to teach me. God taught me something about Satan’s tactics of fear to control us; and I learned something very powerful against fear, is Trust! Trust in God and also in Jesus.
I have learned:
- We can be paralyzed by fear?
- Or, our enemies will become paralyzed as we pass by!
We can be powerful in faith, hope and love that is with God and by walking our steps within The Christ! This means that we are saturated in the Lord Jesus the Christ, and, when we pass by our enemies trusting God, our enemies become paralyzed instead of us!
When I returned home, this is the Scripture that God delivered to me; and I thank God for this message that I understood clearly. The words in the parentheses is exactly how God showed me.
I believe that Paul’s Prayer … is also for you and me in The Church (notice the word “Together”):
…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints (may have power together with all the saints) what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.…(Ephesians 3:17-19).”
A church that is filled with LIFE and POWER is a church operating in the power of Holy Spirit though those who are together in Christ.
So I it may seem that failed this time at the edge of the unknowns that dark night, but it was not a surprise to God –It was my lesson to learn at the edge of the cliff that Satan is allowed to take us, but God uses these attempts to teach us! God allowed this to teach me how to react to fear –and the purpose of fear is to capture our faith and stop our prayers –to paralysis us!
To “Believe” To “Trust God” To “Follow Jesus” is a powerful statement! But, do you know how to believe?
How does one believe? The answer is not by your own doing, but rather we believe by the power of the Holy Spirit convincing us in our very being that was created to believe! And, God has given us this Helper! God is with us. Our job is to pray and ask God to help us to believe.
“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative–that is, the Holy Spirit–he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you (John 14:26 NLT).”
Advocate, Helper, Comforter, Counselor are all words from different translations that we can be assured that if we ask God to help us believe –God is faithful to help us trust Him to do the right thing always.
Remember God is glad to help us overcome the enemy’s attacks of fear and frustration. Will you pray and ask God for help?
We receive the Holy Spirit when we believe on Jesus as our Truth, our Way and our Life –and this is just the beginning of all God will do to help us!
There is a Peace from Jesus that cannot be imitated –and this is a certain assurance of our faith in God.
Everything begins with Prayer –Jesus has prayed for you. And, you can pray for God to help you believe.
Then, Believing enables Trust; and Prayer activates what we believe in that we are equipped with all we need to overcome and accomplish all things –for God’s glory! Trust is all we need –and, if we believe, we trust; and if we trust, we pray, and if we pray, we know that God is faithful.
I have learned the power of Believing, which is “trusting” in God. Trust in God is greater than anything that comes at me; and believing faith overpowers fear!
Click Link Below to read Believing Faith, by Karen Rowe, Feb 20, 2015:
Related Articles:
Concerning them that Seduce you & your compassion in Christ: 1 John Chapters 1-3
In the World we Live in … Know the Word of God to you Galatians Chapters 3 & 4 Revealed
I believe Paul’s Prayer is also for us:
…and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:19-21
I hope this is a blessing to you.
Love in Christ,
Karen Rowe
Hope in Today Ministries, Inc.
