Category: Coping with Difficulties

Dwelling in God’s Presence!

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

– Psalm 16:11

Oh, the everlasting joy, the unspeakable everlasting joy obtained when dwelling in God’s presence, having neither to be anxious nor depressed but to confidently cast them all on Jesus, knowing that His gentle breath blows them away like a chaff in the wind never to return again.

Dwelling in God’s presence is the best place to be where you can pour all your love on your Heavenly Father with your reasonable act of worship and sacrifice of praise, as He reciprocates His love for you, abides with you, inhabits your praises, shines His glory upon you and shows you the path of life.

Genuine and eternal inexpressible love, joy and peace can only be experienced in the presence of the Lord that never vanishes from you for you are a carrier of His presence – what a delight?

To seek the pleasures of the world that are only temporal often leads to anxiety and depression when they no longer satisfy but to seek to dwell in the presence of the Lord is to gain pleasures for evermore at His right hand.     

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship and offer to You my sacrifice of praise. Thank You for Your eternal presence and Your Holy Spirit living on the inside of me. I declare that because I dwell in God’s presence always His everlasting love, joy and peace flood my soul and satisfy me with pleasures for evermore. Therefore, I follow the path of life that He shows me when I am in His presence. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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You Are Not Forgotten!

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; Thy walls are continually before me.

– Isaiah 49:15-16

There are times when it seems like God has forgotten you and not heard your prayers because you have been praying for a breakthrough in a situation for a very long time but the situation persists. Anxiety and depression have a way of misleading your mind so that your perception of things are not the truth.

Know today that you are not forgotten. God will not forget you. As a matter of fact, because of His great love for you He has graven (inscribed, engraved, written) you in the palm of His hand, just like someone in love tattoos his or her lover on his or her body. Therefore, you are continually (constantly, always, perpetually) before Him. That is, every time He opens the hallow of His hands you are there as an everlasting reminder to Him. How cool is that?

As your Heavenly Father holds you in the palm of His hands, for you He has compassion (love, mercy, kindness, forgiveness). God’s compassion reveals a deep kindly sympathy and sorrow that He feels for you when you are hit with affliction or calamity and His desire to relieve your suffering. He is the Great High Priest who knows all your needs and is touched with the feelings of your infirmities (see Hebrews 4:15). He also desires for you to prosper, not only spiritually but also physically and emotionally (see 3 John 1:3). You can call on Him today.     

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship and adore You. Thank You for not forgetting me, for engraving me in the palm of Your hands, holding me close to You and for Your compassion towards me. I declare that I am not forgotten, that God knows everything about me and He is relieving me from my suffering. Therefore, I prosper in my spirit, soul and body. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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Don’t Fret Because of Evildoers!

…fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

– Psalms 37:7b

Do you feel like your life is not prospering even though you live uprightly and in obedience to the Word of God but the ungodly are prospering in everything they do? Do you also sometimes feel like you are living a godly life in vain because of the sufferings you experience? Do you ask God why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer so many things? If you do, know that you are not alone, I have too. The Psalmists David and Asaph also felt the same way (see Psalms 37; 73:9-15). Furthermore, Job also questioned, why do the wicked prosper? (see Job 21) and Jeremiah poses this same question to God (see Jeremiah 12:1; 5:26-28). It is a legitimate question to ask but if you continue to ponder on this, you would only experience anxiety and depression.

Nevertheless, even though it seems like the wicked are prospering and the righteous are suffering, know that it isn’t because God doesn’t want to prosper you, for no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly (see Psalm 84:11) and every good and perfect gift comes from Him (see James 1:17).

Therefore, don’t fret (be distraught or angry) because of evildoers. Instead, let go and let God, trustfully rest in the Lord and tarry unwearyingly for Him, meditate on His Words, let His commandments and the testimonies of His faithfulness and good deeds be your meditation day and night. You will see that God has been there with you and for you all along, perfecting that which concerns you (see Psalm 138:8) and working all things together for your good according to His purpose because you love Him (see Romans 8:28).    

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship and praise You for You are good. Thank You for being there with and for me in times of suffering, perfecting all that concerns me and working all things together for my good. Thank You for the purpose you have for my live. I love You with my whole heart. I declare that I will not fret because of the prosperity of the wicked but I will always let go and let God. Therefore, I trustfully rest in Him, tarry unwearyingly for Him and meditate on His Words day and night. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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Trustfully Rest in the Lord!

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him…

– Psalms 37:7a

Sometimes it is difficult to be still and know that God is God or to let go and let God when the challenges of life are overwhelming. Often in times like these instinctively you shift into survival mode in which your thoughts run wild as you grapple with anxiety and depression. In your survival mode you have the tendency to help God fix your problems because it seems He is not working fast enough and you are tired being in the same situation.

It cannot be emphasized enough how important it is to be still and know that He is God. To let go and let God is to trustfully rest in the Lord – trustfully rest in His love for you, trustfully rest in His faithfulness towards you, trustfully rest in His presence, trustfully rest in His comfort from His Holy Spirit. While you trustfully rest in the Lord, also tarry unwearyingly for Him. Not for Him to come to you or His presence because His Holy Spirit lives inside of you which means that He is always with you but tarry unwearyingly for Him to work all things together for your good (see romans 8:28). He will come to your rescue.  

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship You for You alone deserve all the glory. Thank You for being my ever present help. I declare that I will no longer try to help you fix my situations, instead I trustfully rest in you and tarry unwearyingly for You, knowing that you are working all thing together for my good. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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Be Still and Know that God Is God!

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

– Psalms 46:10

Everything seems to be falling apart as the world continues to experience perils so you are caught up in the hustle and bustle trying to make ends meet. Furthermore, there is so much noise all round that you can barely hear yourself think. Loud music, the traffic, people quarrelling, dogs barking, children playing, political protests, power struggles, people grieving, et cetera. The noise rises louder and louder as the days go by, your thoughts are racing in your mind as you try to figure out what’s next, anxiety and depression escalate, and you find it difficult to rest.

However, in the midst of all the noise, if you would listen keenly, you will hear Jesus’ still small voice whispering to you “be still (relax, become slack, let drop, discourage, leave alone, let go, forsake, abandon, cease, desist), and know (recognize, discern, identify) that I am God…”

It is incumbent on believers in Christ Jesus to cease and desist from all the fears, worries, cares, anxieties, distresses, downcast souls, frustrations, anger, disappointments, hurts, et cetera, and know that God is God, the only One who is exalted above all in the earth.

Simply put, to be still is literally to let go and let God. Make an intentional decision to stop trying to fix everything and everyone. I believe that God expects you to be His witness to the world, not to save the world. Jesus already paid the price to save the world. Therefore, it is important for you to have the right perspective in the midst of difficult people and situations.

When you learn to let go and let God, you liberate your mind from the strongholds that mentally enslaved you, and position your mind to master the art of meditation. Hence, being still is a requirement for meditation. When in stillness of your soul you know without a shadow of a doubt that your Heavenly Father is God, it puts everything else into perspective so that there is no place for anxiety and depression. It also increases your faith to believe God for whatsoever in your time of meditation and to see the manifestation of the supernatural power of God in your life.

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Daddy, I worship, honour and glorify You for You alone are God, the exalted One. Thank You for being my resting place. I declare today that I will be still and know that You are God. I relinquish all anxiety and depression and free my mind to meditate on Your Word day and night. Therefore, I will experience the manifestation of the supernatural power of God in my life. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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Master the Art of Meditation!

I will meditate in thy precepts…O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day…I have more understanding…for thy testimonies are my meditation.

– Psalm 119:15, 97,99

It is very easy to become prayerless when struggling with anxiety and depression. Prayerlessness is a spirt that supresses your desire and ability to pray. This maybe so because it is often difficult to pray being in an anxious and a depressed state, and the less time you spend in prayer the harder it is to pray. However, prayer is essential for your deliverance from anxiety and depression.

The Psalmist David struggled with depression and his psalms are filled with remedies for depression and anxiety, one of which is prayer, specifically, meditation. I believe David mastered the art of meditation and so can you.

Even in the darkest of times you can conquer prayerlessness and experience God’s peace and joy in your soul by purposing in your heart to meditate (ponder, utter, pray, speak) in the precepts (instructions) of the Lord. When you truly love (have affection for) God’s law (commandments) and know that His testimonies reveal His faithfulness towards you, this ought to be your meditation (reflection, devotion, prayer, concern of your thoughts, musing) day and night.

Meditation is your response (of true affection) to God’s commandments and testimonies, and the result of meditation is understanding. In other words, when you love the commandments of God and choose to meditate on them as well as the testimonies of the Lord you receive understanding of God’s love for you and his plans and purpose for your life, who you are in Christ, your authority as a child of God, who is your real enemy, spiritual warfare and your weapons of warfare, how to live a victorious live, and so much more. Such understanding obtained from meditation empowers you to overcome anxiety and depression. It also ignites your desire for perpetual prayer and helps you master the art of meditation. So that like David you can say, “My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD” (Psalm 104:34).

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I worship and adore You for You are a Faithful God. Thank You for Your Word in which are Your instructions and commandments. Thank You for Your testimonies that reveal your faithfulness not only to me but throughout the ages. I declare that day and night I will meditate in Your instructions and Your commandments and testimonies will always be my meditation because I love Your commandments. Therefore, I have more understanding of Your love for me and I master the art meditation. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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Be Filled with the Holy Spirit!

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

– Ephesians 5:19

There are times when the daily grind of life evokes anxiety and depression and the mind becomes overcrowded with negative thoughts like a bomb waiting to be exploded, to the point of crippling voices. Sometimes, we are confined to places where there isn’t freedom to speak or sing out loud. Nevertheless, when we are under the inspiration of the infilling with the Holy Spirit there is a positive impact on our lives that stimulates our inner voices.

The Holy Spirit indwelling the believer empowers us and enables us to speak to ourselves in chant, celebration, and praise, as well as sing and make melody in our hearts (minds or thoughts and feelings) to the Lord; that defuses the bomb, quiets the noise in our minds and lifts our spirits even in the midst of difficulties. There is a joyous worship that springs forth out of our souls, and praises inhabit by the Holy Spirit which drown all our cares.

The indwelling of the Spirit of God in our lives is such a treasured and precious gift. Often, we don’t recognize and realize Him as such so we quench and greave the Holy Spirit by the things we do and say (our actions, behaviours and uttered words). However, He remains with us through the thick and thin. He is faithful through the ages. Sing a new love song unto Him today!

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Daddy, I worship and praise You today with everything that is within me. Thank You for the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit. I declare that I will always speak to myself in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as well as sing and make melody in my heart unto the Lord. Therefore, there is no place in my thoughts and feelings for the influence of anxiety and depression. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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One Thing is Needful!

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

– Luke 10:40-42

The world today is being plagued by many diseases, catastrophes, wars, et cetera that are having grave impact on the lives of humanity. Some nations are in a state of emergency and thousands of people are displaced. Therefore, many people, believers and unbelievers alike, all over the world are engaging in various humanitarian efforts in order to help those most in need. It’s a wonderful thing to behold!      

While all the humanitarian efforts, the serving and hospitality are necessary, many believers have taken these activities to another level because for them it is the right and godlike thing to do. Like Martha, they are cumbered [distracted with care] about servicing [providing aid and relief, supplying needs, ministering to the wants, and being hospitable to] those affected. So much so that they are careful and troubled [anxious, worried, afraid, distressed] about many things such as, those who are not doing as much as they or pulling their weight, the demands on them by their superiors, the pressure to perform or compete with others, looking good on social media, impressing others, just to name a few. As a result, many are tired and overwhelmed, depression in on the increase, and the enemy continues to deceive them into believing that it is alright.

Meanwhile, Jesus is cautioning, in the midst of all that is happening in your life, your family, your church, your career, your country, one thing is needful – it is the part in all the actions that is good [profitable, useful, beneficial, excellent, distinguished, best] for your authentic, genuine and effective service. Like Mary did, you must choose that good part which is to sit at Jesus’ feet and hear [learn by hearing, be informed, understand or know, hear with attention, listen to] His word [intelligent speech, thought, reasoning, saying, declaration, conversation, uttered sentiment] (see Luke 10:39) regarding the plight at hand and His instructions and guidance for your service and ministry to those in need whom He will allow to cross you path. Not for a show to the world how much you are doing but only for His glory.

For some, the position you are given by your superiors as leaders or managers for which you usurp power over those you lead and mange is a temporary position that will soon be taken away by the ones who gave it to you. This will lead to more anxiety and depression. However, the position you choose at the feet of Jesus is a permanent position that shall not be taken away from you. It is a position that you are always welcome to with pleasure where there is fulness of joy.

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, today as I worship You I also surrender my life to You. Thank You for Your Word that is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. I declare that above all else I choose that good part which shall not be taken away from me, to sit at Your feet and hear You Word so that I can be the servant You have called me to be in this world. Therefore, I will always be mindful that this one thing is needful. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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Encourage Yourself in the Lord!

And David was greatly distressed…but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

– 1 Samuel 30:6

What do you do when life’s challenges overwhelm you to the point of despondency, it seems like everything you have done failed and no one understands? Everything around you is falling apart. The enemy seems to have the upper hand and winning against you. You begin to lose hope and sight of the power of God. Anxiety and depression are getting the better of you so that it’s difficult to rise. Even though there are people around you who you can talk to, it is in times like these that you must encourage yourself in the Lord and draw strength from His Word.

To encourage yourself in the Lord is to be established, fastened, made firm or solid, fortify or strengthen, strong, courageous, sure, and overpower or conquer in the Lord. To hold fast to the Lord. To lean on the Lord. To be helped and maintained by the Lord.

This is accomplished when you speak to your soul “Words of Life”. Your soul will come alive and be lifted out of the state of distress and despair. In doing so, even if the situations don’t change for the better immediately, the peace of God will continually flood your soul like a river as it keeps your heart and mind stayed on Christ Jesus instead of your problems.

When you have moved from the place of distress and despair to the place of being encouraged in the Lord, there your Heavenly Father will give you the answers, show you the solutions and empower you to overcome the challenges of life so that you can live abundantly and victoriously.

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship and give You glory. Thank You for allowing me to see this new day. Today, I choose to encourage myself in the Lord by speaking “Words of Life” to my soul. I declare that in the Lord I am established, strengthened, secure and more than a conquer as I hold fast to and lean on Him, He holds my hand and preserves me in His presence, Therefore, I experience the abundant and victorious life that He desires for me to live. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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What is the Confession of Your Faith?

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

– Hebrews 10:23

The world is being plagued by diseases and natural disasters that are threats to the lives of people and the world’s economies. Many persons have died and are dying daily. Many persons are mourning the death of their loved ones. Unemployment has increased as many persons have lost their jobs and are now struggling to make ends meet. Some people resort to violence and crime out of frustration because they don’t know what else to do. The trauma caused by these plagues has caused many people to suffer with anxiety and depression. Consequently, the quality of life for many persons has eroded as they try to weather the storms of these pandemic and catastrophes.

These are times of uncertainties and many persons are fearful, anxious and depressed because they are uncertain about what the future holds. Sadly, many Christians fall in this group of people who are being crippled by fear and anxiety. This is because the spirit of religion that is so prevalent in the world today has deceived persons into focusing on traditions that make the Word of God void (see Mark 7:13). Therefore, they have a form of godliness and deny the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5).

Nevertheless, Almighty God is the only solution for all the world’s problems. He is in control, rules the world with the palm of His hand and everything obeys Him (see Ecclesiasticus 18:3). His Word is filled with precious promises for your protection, provision, healing, deliverance, guidance and successful living. Everything you need that pertains to life and godliness God has already provided for you (see 2 Peter 1:3). All God’s promises are yes and amen (see 2 Corinthians 1:20). They are sure and you can be confident in them.

What is the confession of your faith? Are you confessing what the daily news say about the condition of the world? Or, is the confession of your faith God’s promises for you in His Word? Then do not compromise the confession of your faith in God by substituting it for the solutions offered by the systems of the world if they are not in synchronization with God’s Words. Maintain your integrity in adversity like Job (Job 27:5). In order to see the consistent manifestation of the promises of God in your life you must possess an attitude in which you get the Word of God concerning each promise in your heart, agree and align with what God says until they become yours and your heart becomes one with God’s heart. Let your heart tightly embrace, hold down, take control of, and dominate God’s promises. No matter what is happening in the world, do not bend the confession of your faith but keep it fixed, unmoving, stable and enduring because He Who promised is faithful.

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship and adore You for You alone are worthy. Thank You for Your precious promises in Your Word to meet my every need. I declare that I will hide God’s promises in my heart, agree and align my heart with them until they become mine and my heart becomes one with God’s. As my heart tightly embraces God’s promises I will not bend the confession of my faith but keep it stable and enduring because God Who promised is faithful. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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