June 12, 2024
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This world seems to grow more insane and chaotic every day. Amid all of the turmoil, it’s challenging to remain peaceful, and joy seems to have become almost unobtainable. Yet, when I read my Bible, I find Jesus saying, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you,” and “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
I think about my prayer requests and asking God to give me peace and joy. And I realize that according to the Scriptures, He’s already given these gifts to me! Maybe I haven’t fully received them?
The gifts we receive from God are antidotes that can cure the negative emotions, feelings, thoughts, moods and attitudes that arise from our toxic worldly experiences – what I call our “stuff.” The peace God offers counters the anxiety I feel. His wisdom overcomes my foolishness. My hope in Him overwhelms my despair. His joy dispels my sorrow.
I’ve made a list of my stuff and corresponding scriptural cures. These are just some of the things I struggle with. There’s more. Perhaps you struggle with some of these, too?
There’s a transactional aspect to this. As I receive from God, I release my stuff.
Our stuff can distract us from the peace and joy God desires for us. It can be overwhelming at times. Sometimes we can feel defeated. Sometimes we just want to shut down, turn off the phone, turn off the TV, turn off the emails, turn off the news – and hide.
We need to remember God's presence, His promises and the gifts He has given us or is willing to give to us if we ask. Our responsibility as Christian believers is to pray, receive and believe His Word!
I’ve put together the following prayer. It includes each gift received from God and the opposing stuff released. I pray this prayer every morning and evening. When I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep, it calms me. It works for me. I pray it works for you. Give it a try:
PRAYER
“Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, I belong to You. You are my Lord and my God.
“I receive Your Life in exchange for my life. ['I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.' Galatians 2:20, NIV. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16, NIV]
“I receive Your Holy Spirit Who lives in me. [“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16, NRSV]
“I receive Your love and release my hate. [“… God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5, ESV]
“I receive Your light and release my darkness. [“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12, NIV]
“I receive Your good and release my evil. [“Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” Romans 12:9b, NIV]
“I receive Your courage and release my fear. [“Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27c, NIV]
“I receive Your righteousness and release my sinfulness. [“… that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” Philippians 3:8-9, ESV]
“I receive Your wisdom and release my foolishness. [“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5, NIV]
“I receive Your healing and release my sickness. [“When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?’” John 5:6, ESV]
“I receive Your hope and release my despair. [“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19a, NIV]
“I receive Your peace and release my anxiety. [“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” John 14:27a, NIV]
“I receive Your truth and release my ignorance, Satan’s lies and the lies of this world. [“I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:6, NIV]
“I receive Your joy and release my sorrow. [“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11, NIV]
“I receive Your encouragement and release my murmuring. “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13, NIV]
“I receive Your rest and release my restlessness. [“Come to me, all you who are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28, NIV]
“I receive Your help and release my need. [“I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1, NIV]
“I receive Your forgiveness and release my guilt. [“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9, ESV]
“I receive Your mercy and surrender my rebellion. [“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:3-4, NIV]
“Thank You, Lord.
“Amen”
We aren’t made to shut down, hide or cower from the challenges of this world. We are called to be intricately and explicitly engaged and involved in the world. We are bearers of light and speakers of truth.
Through the Scriptures, we learn that the Lord has given us all of the spiritual weapons we need not just to survive, but to wield against the forces of evil that constantly oppose us on our journey through life here on earth and on to eternity in heaven with Him.
REMEMBER & BELIEVE
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
In the meantime, receive from the Lord and release your stuff!
QUESTIONS
What struggles do you deal with? What keeps you up at night? Perhaps some are included in this prayer? There may be others for which the Bible has answers. Think about them. Name them. Pray about them.
PRAYER
Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil and the evil one. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Amen
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 (NRSV)
God bless you!
Richard
Christ Worshipper | Disciple Maker | Hope Giver
Welcome to In the Meantime. I'm glad you're here! We are living in the time between Christ's ascension into heaven and His promised return to earth. In the Meantime is a collection of stories about God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and His presence, love, mercy and grace in my life. In the Meantime, Jesus is Lord! Hallelujah!
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