Who said being a Christian would be easy? Toughen up!

 We are in the middle of a war. There is an enemy planning to attack you from the moment you step foot out of your bed to the moment you lay your head down at night. But let's not get anything twisted here. You are being attacked, but there isn't a mark on you. Satan is making plans to destroy you, but God told you ahead of time no weapon formed against you shall prosper.

So why are you scared?

Some of you are allowing yourselves to be sitting ducks in the spirit, downright target practice for Satan. In reality, you have the ability through Jesus Christ to make Satan and every demon flee.
   
Whenever I panic about something, my mom always says, "Tiffany, put your big girl panties on!" She tells me this not to be insensitive, but to get me to toughen up because she knows that I can handle it. That's the message God is delivering today. He wants us to stand forth in the authority He has given us and carry out His will.

Nobody said being a Christian would be easy! We have to endure many storms. Jesus told us in Matthew 10:16,

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."

Matthew 10:22 "You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."

Let's not forget who you serve!

Remember who you are! You are a child of God, you belong to the body of Christ! There's no need to fear anything. God is very overprotective of His children. He told us in Psalm 91,

"I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him

and show him my salvation.”

When the disciples were on the boat with Jesus, they began to panic after a huge storm hit. For that moment the disciples forgot every wonder Jesus performed prior to the storm. They forgot how mighty God is. This happens to the best of us, especially when we are overwhelmed by the appearance of a storm. It may appear to be hopeless because you have two days to pay a bill and only a dollar to your name. It may appear hopeless because you don't meet all the qualifications for the job you're applying for. God does mighty things in small ways. He created this world with His words! After the disciples cried to Jesus for help. He calmed the storm with His words. After He did so, He said to the disciples,

 “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:40

Let's take a moment to reflect on all the things God has brought us through. Why do we worry, fear things and panic? God is saying, "Haven't I proven myself by now?"

Yes we have been through some hard times and close calls. Some people let their past belittle their faith by questioning God. Common question: "If God is supposed to protect me, why did He let me go through _____________?" 

Everything we go through builds our testimony and strengthens us by means of our faith. Your hard times didn't break you or kill you. I went through a season where I lost everything. I constantly asked God to lift the load off of me because I couldn't take it. I prayed and prayed, and the situation became worse than before. Finally I said to God, I'm telling you I can't handle this and you keep making it worse! Why are you allowing your daughter to suffer in this way? God replied, "You said you couldn't handle it, but you did. You are stronger than you think. But how could you realize that any other way?"

Peter 1:6-7 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Magnify God instead of your problems. This is the only way to avoid dealing with anxiety. Praise God during the storm and tell Him, "You are worthy, you are my protector, and my provider. Thanks to you, I don't have to deal with this situation."

That's all you have to do!
Believe that the same God who did it before will do it again!

Matthew 21:21-22 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

No matter how impossible the situation seems, you have nothing to worry about. I honestly cannot count how many times in the Bible God has assured us He is with us and we shouldn't worry. But here's just a snapshot to give you an idea:

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid of them! The LORD your God will go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you."

 
Matthew 6:25-27 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?


Isaiah 43:1-3But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;  I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;  and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Philippians 4:6-7 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

 

1 Chronicles 28:20 Then David continued, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged by the size of the task, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you."

 

So what are you worried for? Satan can't punk you or overcome you. Put your big girl panties on, and get back in the ring.

Ephesians 6:10-18 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

 

 

 

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