Category: Coping with Difficulties

Finish Strong

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

– Philippians 1:6

Do you have dreams that you will like to accomplish in your life? Do you often daydream and imagine the completion of your dreams? You know that your dreams are God’s purposes for you in the earth, nevertheless they seem impossible for you to attain. You have tried many times and failed. Your struggle with anxiety and depression hinders you from functioning to the best of your ability so you give up. It’s not too late, you can still have the desires of your heart.

You must be convinced or persuaded with confidence of the truth that God has started a work in you that is profitable, useful, excellent, distinguished, and of quality which He is determined to fulfil entirely or bring through to an end. It therefore means that God is still doing this good work in you whether you are aware of it or not. Just because you struggle with anxiety and depression and often feel like you are incapable of accomplishing your God given dreams doesn’t mean that God has stopped working in you. His work in you is evident even though your perception is distorted by the influence of anxiety and depression making it difficult for you to see. As a matter of fact, you don’t even need evidence of Him working in you for you to be convinced or persuaded with confidence of it, only believe that He is. In time your mind will be decluttered from all the debris of anxiety and depression and you will be able to think wisely and see clearly.

God accomplishing this good work in you empowers and equips you to accomplish your dreams and God given purpose in the earth. Therefore, you must be determined to finish strong because the finishers anointing is upon my life. You will finish strong even though you may be weak. You will finish healed even though you may be broken. You will finish prosperous even thou you may lack. You will finish triumphant even thou you may lose the battle. Why? Because the Sovereign God who created the heavens and the earth is your Beginning and your End. It is in Him that you live and move and have your being (see Acts 17:28). Therefore, you shall not die but live to declare the works of the Lord (see Psalm 118:17) and finish strong. AMEN!

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship and give You glory. Thank You for the good work that you have started in my life. I declare that I am convinced with confidence that you will finish it completely. Therefore, I am determined to accomplish all that You purposed for me in the earth and finish strong. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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A Heart of Laughter Heals Like Medicine!

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

– Proverbs 17:22

Happiness is usually sought by the acquisition of material things. Nevertheless, true happiness is not found in external things or circumstances. True happiness is the second segment of the fruit of the Spirit joy (see Galatians 5:22) and comes from within you. It is engendered from having a personal relationship with God in which you are connected to His Spirit or wind or breath or life. This connection to the Spirit of God in Whom you believe enables you to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (see 1 Peter 1:8) even in the midst of difficult times as a heart of laughter heals like medicine. It literally makes you good, well, sound, pleased, and beautiful because your strength is found in the joy of the Lord (see Nehemiah 8:10).

However, anxiety and depression often impair your relationship with God by causing you to be so despondent and drained physically, mentally or emotionally and spiritually. Consequently, you are unable to give attention to and cultivate unbroken fellowship with God as the enemy steals your joy out of your heart.   

When your heart is separated or disconnected from God’s Spirit or wind or breath or life your bones dry up and wither away like plants without water. Hence, it is important to keep your heart consistently connected to the source of happiness and laugh a lot.

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Daddy, I worship and honour You always. Thank You for Your sweet Holy Spirit from whom comes Your joy that makes my heart happy. I declare that I am consistently connected to Your Spirit and Your joy flows from my heart. Therefore, my heart is filled with laughter that makes me good, well, sound, pleased and beautiful. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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A Sorrowful Heart

Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

– Proverbs 14:13

Heart troubles is said to be the major cause of death in the world. While many of the symptoms experienced by persons are physical and treated with medications, they really derive from a sorrowful heart, a heart in hopeless emotional pain and grief. A sorrowful heart knows no peace and is in turbulence regularly caused by stress. This heart of sadness is even unable to laugh as it is weighted down by humour.

Often times a sorrowful heart manifests in different ways including anxiety and depression. For which pharmaceutical remedies are unable to cure. Medicine is incapable of relieving the deep emotional distress of a sorrowful heart for the masses who are in pursuit of inner peace. Such relieve can be had from a friend who tunes into your pain as a counsellor with keen senses to discern the root cause of your sorrow and intercede in prayer on your behalf for your deliverance.

Jesus is the Faithful Friend who sticks closer that a brother (see Proverbs 18:24). However, frequently in times like these you don’t have the head space to reach out to Jesus, He sends human friends to be His hands extended to you, His ears to listen to you, His eyes to see your body language that your words are not saying. His feet to walk with you through this journey to the end. His nose to be sensitive to or perceive or discern the source of the sorrow in order to effectively address it. Above all, His heart to show you He cares and loves you. May you know such a friend today.

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship and give You glory for sending Your only Son Jesus who is my Forever Faithful Friend. Thank You for the human friends whom You have given to me as precious gifts to help me be healed and delivered from a sorrowful heart. I declare that I am blessed by their demonstration of Your love and care for me. Therefore, my heart is glad. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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An Unguarded Heart

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

– Proverbs 4:23

People usually reach out to one another when there is a crisis and persons are in distress. This is pertinent to the survival of human beings as everyone needs someone. The need for others is especially encouraged when suffering with anxiety and depression as being alone you are vulnerable to the devices of the enemy. Healing and deliverance manifest when you are able to talk about the things that are troubling to you and dear to your heart with others. Hence the reason persons are usually encouraged to seek professional counselling services when laypeople are unable to help them. It is important to be mindful that not everyone who reaches out to you in times of difficulties genuinely wants to help you. There are some people who would take advantage of your vulnerability and pretend to care just so that they can get you to share your heart then make mischief with it via gossip.

During challenging times, as you yearn for release from the distress you experience it is so easy to have an unguarded heart, that is, to exist without inner restraint, lacking concern for safety from the adversary and being insensitive to the subtle guidance of God. Thus, succumb to the temptation to talk about everything. However, it is wise not to express all your heart to everyone. Exposing your whole inner being, which encompasses your will, emotions and mind, with its secret contents on exhibition opens your heart to the assault of the enemy in the form of hurt, discouragement, disappointment, et cetera.  

Therefore, above everything else it is imperative for you to guard your heart, as some object in a place that is confined, in order to preserve its sensitivity to God as by His Word He reveals His will and divine guidance for your life, which then come from within your whole inner being. When you feel the need to talk to someone, let the Holy Spirit direct you to the right people and guide your words as you pay attention to His delicate leading so that you may guard your heart diligently.

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship and give You glory. Thank You for reminding me in Your word today how important it is for me to guard my heart. I declare that I will be sensitive to your gentle leading and wise in my sharing the secrets of my heart. Therefore, I am protected from the onslaughts of the enemy. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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God Will Miraculously Do a New Thing!

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

– Isaiah 43:18-19

In the past you have encountered situations in life that you didn’t always treat with rationally. Consequently, you behaved in ways that you are displeased with and even felt ashamed. You have also been judged by your experiences and labelled negatively by others. Your struggle with anxiety and depression has made it difficult for you to forget those unpleasant encounters and move on. You are trapped in your reminiscences of the former things dreaming of a brighter future but would not step out lest you fail. Meanwhile, God is working in your life, perfecting all that concerns you (see Psalm 138:8) and bringing you into perfection in preparation for purpose yet you are oblivious of what He is doing.

God’s incredible work in your life is evident in your interaction with others so much so that they are being blessed by you. However, you are unable to perceive it because you are blinded by the memories of your past experiences. Nevertheless, God will miraculously do a new thing for you that shall suddenly appear like the morning when the sun rises, visible for all to see – new dreams, new vision, new strategies, new opportunities, new strength, new ways of thinking, new hope, new love, new discipline, new beginning, new ministry. However, for you to know it He is saying to you today do not recall, mention, mark to be recognized, recount, record, think on, think about, acknowledge, make known, whether silently, verbally, or means of a memorial sign or symbol, neither be discreet, separate or distinguish mentally, discern, perceive, observe, pay attention to the past struggles, mistakes, et cetera that you have experienced and were defined by.

To stay focused on your past is to remain powerless and dejected thus forfeiting your deliverance. You can’t see the way forward if your eyes are fixed behind on the former things. It therefore behoves you to look to God’s great power rather than your limitations to recognize the new thing that shall spring forth. 

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I worship You. Thank You for the miraculous new thing that You will do in my like. I declare that I will remember no more the things of my past that prevent me from moving forward in victory. Therefore, I fix my eyes on the great power of God to behold His wonderous work in and through me. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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Be Gentle with Yourself!

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

– Ephesians 4:2

At first glance it may appear as though this is a relatively isolated cause for concern. One may ask, what is being gentle with yourself compared to loving your enemies and forgiving those who hurt you? How could you struggle that much to be gentle with yourself? You would be amazed to know that persons who experience anxiety and depression often beat up on themselves for the things that they thought they didn’t do right. Blame themselves for the things that they thought they did wrong and for the wrong things that others did to them. They believe that they should have had control of their lives but they didn’t because they relinquished their control to the enemy of their soul, not consciously and willingly but in ignorance.

If you are one of those persons, know that thought all the things you have experienced are not good because you love God, He works them all together for your good according to His purpose (see Romans 8:28) so that like Joseph you can say, what the enemy meant for evil God intended for your good (see Genesis 50:20).

Be gentle with yourself because God is gently affectionate towards you. Humbly be first to yourself mild-mannered, kind, temperate, calm as a nurse cares for little children, with patience endurance regarding your errors or weaknesses, holding yourself up from falling against all odds or bearing with yourself in affection or benevolence, in like manner as you are expected to do for one another. To be gentle as well as longsuffering, forbearing and loving with yourself is to demonstrate to yourself these very precious segments of the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23) with which you are already equipped. Therefore, it is incumbent for you to be gentle with yourself, in other words, as my adopted mother often says to me, “whatever you do take care of yourself”.     

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I worship You with my whole heart. Thank You for Your gentle love for me and equipping me with the fruit of the Spirit. I declare that with humility I am gentle, patient and benevolent with myself. Therefore, by the grace of God I will uphold myself from falling during adversity. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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You are Never Alone!

…for he hath said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. …lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

– Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20

Think it not strange that persons suffering with anxiety and depression often feel like they are travelling alone on a very lonely journey even when in the presence of others. Can you imagine how this feeling of aloneness magnifies especially in times of difficulties? They assume that others are consumed with the busyness of life and their own share of challenges so they wouldn’t have the time to spare. Then when others reach out to them, they believe that they are a burden and feel guilty for the time spent comforting them. Thus, they presume it is best to go it alone. However, going it alone the road is much more rugged, long and unbearable.

Sometimes it also feels as though God is nowhere in the picture to be found. Nevertheless, you are never alone for Jesus promises that He will be with you always until the end of the world. He will not desert, fail nor give you up; nor leave you without support; nor leave you helpless; nor abandon you; nor cease to sustain and uphold you. Furthermore, He will not leave you comfortless and will come to you (see John 14:18). You also have the presence of the Holy Spirit as another Comforter with you always (see John 14:16) dwelling on the inside of you. Therefore, having the presence of the All-powerful One with you always means that He is more than able to carry you through every storm, difficulty, crisis, et cetera that you encounter on your journey of life. So let it be Lord!

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship You and glorify Your name. Thank You for Your promise to be with me always, comforting me in times when I’m alone. Thank You for the presence of Your Holy Spirit Whom You have sent to be another Comforter to me when I feel overwhelmed on life’s journey. I declare that even when I feel lonely my soul knows very well that God is with me always, sustaining and upholding me. Therefore, I will the road is easier to travel. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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Remember the Former things!

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

– Isaiah 46:9

It is so easy to forget previous goodness and faithfulness of God when faced with adversities. The intensity of both physical and emotional pain can impair one’s mental functioning and consequently one’s faith as fear, doubt and unbelief take precedence over the true knowledge of God. Thus, hindering the fulfilment of purpose. Struggling with anxiety and depression makes it even harder to remember the former things that God has done. In the past you have experienced God’s healing, deliverance, provision and protection in situations that were humanly impossible. Yet even perceived threat or imminent danger tends to provoke the response of amnesia of the power of God in your life in earlier times. This was the plight of the prophet Elijah who fled for his life having heard the news that Jezebel sought to kill him and requested of God to take his life (see 1 Kings 19:1-4), after previously demonstrating the power of God by fire rained down from heaven that consumed the wet burnt sacrifice and had slain all the prophets of Baal (see 1 Kings 18:17-40).

Know you not that the God who was with and has shown you His goodness and faithful in the past is the same God who is with and will show you His goodness and faithful in your present situation? God is God and He always will be God. There is no other god besides Him and who can be compared to Him. He has declared that He is the Lord who never changes (see Malachi 3:6).

To this end, in good times it is necessary to mentally record and assert in order to memorialize the goodness and faithfulness of God in your life as a statue, monument or memorial. So that in times of dreadful distress you can have remembrance of them and make certain that the forces of hell are entirely cognizant of all the triumphs God has accomplished in your life. This you do by letting your declarations of God’s goodness and faithfulness be monumental in and fill the kingdom of darkness with statues, images, pictures, and memorials of the power of God in your life. In so doing, you resist the devil and he will flee from you (see James 4:7). I believe like Cornelius your prayers are received by God as a memorial (see Acts 10:3-4) and He ensures that all the forces of darkness are aware of your fervency in serving Him. Hence, even in times of dreadful distress you will be triumphant.

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I love and worship You for You are worthy. Thank You for being the only, never changing, good and faithful God who has done wonderous works in my life by your mighty power. I declare that I will always make a mental record and assert your goodness and faithfulness in my life as monument in the kingdom of darkness just as You do with my prayers. Therefore, even in times of dreadful distress I will be triumphant. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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Be Not Afraid To Sleep

 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

– Proverbs 3:24

Ever since the ancient day persons have been experiencing disruption with sleep. Insomnia is a typical sleep disorder and is strongly correlated to depression. Major sleep disturbances also include anxiety and fear. Insomnia involves an inability to fall and stay asleep as well as causes you to be awaken too early and incapable of falling back to sleep. Sleep deprivation saps your energy and mood besides it has serious health implications, thus affecting your quality of life. Therefore, adequate sleep is vital not only for good mental health but health in general.  

Even in the midst of anxiety and depression be not afraid to sleep. In safety you will sleep in peace (see Psalm 4:8) and enjoy sweet sleep when you obediently live wisely as God enables you to walk in the path of godly wisdom. To this end you must know that God watches over you at nights as He does not slumber or sleep (see Psalm 121:3-4) and He keeps you safe. Hence, when your anxious and fearful mind occupied with tormenting thoughts tries to prevent you from sleeping at nights, rest assured that you are dwelling in the safety of your Faithful Father’s care.  

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship and give You glory. Thank You for helping me to walk in the path of godly wisdom even when anxiety and depression try to torment my mind. Thank You for faithfully keeping watch over me at nights when I lie down to sleep. I declare that I obediently live wisely as God intends me to. Therefore, am not afraid to sleep, therefore I enjoy sweet sleep. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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Not Ashamed

For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

– Isaiah 50:7

In our society persons with mental health issues are usually scorned, stigmatized and marginalized. Therefore, they are treated differently from the general public. For this reason, many persons who suffer with anxiety and depression feel ashamed of their lives. This causes them to isolate and hinders them from functioning at their truest potential.

The experience of shame is both external and subjective. It encompasses feelings of disgrace, guilt, being disappointed or delayed and confounded. Shame also perplexes you mind and causes irrational behaviours. Hence, to be ashamed is to experience awfully grave distress. Nevertheless, the blessing of God signifies that you will at no time be put to shame or experience sorrow, instead God’s blessing makes you rich (see Proverbs 10:22).

You can know assuredly that in times of grave distress caused by opposition and adversity God will help you, there is no question about that, and you will not be ashamed. Hence, “set your face like a flint”, that is, you must steadfastly hold to your conviction in God and regard these difficulties as resources in God’s hands to aid in your accomplishing your God given purpose because you have the resolve to do so. Beloved, your heart is heavy and broken but don’t lose heart, the Lord is your Helper.

God bless you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I worship and exalt Your name. Thank you for being my Helper and helping me in times of distress. I declare that because I know without a shadow of a doubt You are my Helper I set my face like a flint and I will not be ashamed. Therefore, I am rich by the blessing of the Lord. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ precious name with thanksgiving. Amen!

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