Encouragement

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Philippians 4:11-13
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, to be content.
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

I have this plaque in my room with this scripture on it. It has a little mouse with a helmet on; flat on his little belly with his nose barely reaches over the finish line. It spoke to me then as it still does today, some days I feel like I just barely slide to the finish line myself, bet some of you out there have had days like this.

The stress of this life at times can be very pressing; there are numerous choices in the way we can choose to react to situations that we faced, be they financial in nature or work related and dealing with others, even our own families. Our enemy never plays fair, he always hits below the belt it seems. We have a tendency when things are going well to take it for granted and run full speed ahead at our own spiritual peril at times. The enemy loves to offer us every occasion to fail, every chance he has.

Over the years I have found the above scripture, when applied correctly helps us endure any attack the enemy may send our way. I have also observed that some form of fear is always present in our thoughts first over any concern we face, it doesn’t matter what the situation may be, there is always a definite fear involved. We may fear that we can’t withstand a loss, or just apprehensive about the situation we are confronted with, but fear is always involved in some fashion. But we need to remember that fear doesn’t come from God.

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.

When we acknowledge that God didn’t send the attack we are facing, but will walk us through any we may encounter here on earth, we can overcome all the attacks the adversary sends our way.

In Psalms 57:6-7 it is stated that the way to our deliverance from the enemy is by fixing our hearts on God and giving Him praise, this will always sends the devil packing. I have discovered over the years that in whatever situation I face, when I consciously recognize that some form of fear is trying to enter my spirit, usually in the form of stress or anxiety over some matter; if I listen to praise and worship music, whatever the problem happens to be, it will always depart. Worshiping God is definitely not what the adversary desires us to do.
Many times I have prayed about certain situations; yet the attacks seemed to return over and over, until I finally woke up and realized that my actions indicated I actually wanted the Lord to handle the problem Himself. Unfortunately we would never learn endurance that way; it is like us trying to teach a child something without allowing them to actually perform the task needed. Patience, Faith and Endurance are learned by the experiences we encounter in life. God desires for us to develop faith in the promises given to us in His word. That is what endurance is all about. Whatever the situation we face, we can rest assured, God can make spiritual growth come from it for us, if we give it to Him

Naturally we desire that a situation will just disappear and everything will be as before, but scripture doesn’t support that view, life evolves and changes all the time. Our desire is to find a comfortable place in our life and to reside in it for ever, but spiritual growth is produced by walking in various situations we are faced with. As the above scripture in Philippians states, we need to acknowledge and praise God in every situation we encounter in this life, whether we are abounding or being abased. We can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. Amen!

Psalms23:4-5
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou prepared a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.



©sue shields 2004
www.sueshields

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