Today’s New Covenant nugget is from 2 Timothy 3:1 (AMPC)
Understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].
WE LIVE IN A WORLD FILLED WITH STRESS, FEAR, ANXIETY AND WORRY, THE LORD HAS MADE A WAY FOR US AS HIS CHILDREN TO LIVE STRESS FREE IN A STRESS FILLED WORLD!
1 Peter 5:7 (TPT) says, “Pour out all your worries and stress upon Him and leave them there, for He always tenderly cares for you.”
As we get into this devotion, let’s make this clear, everything in the New Covenant is ‘by grace through faith’. When our faith is in the Lord and we are empowered by grace, we will enter the land of rest, peace, joy and stress-free living!
LIVING STRESS FREE IS ALL ABOUT POSITIONING YOURSELF.
We have to position ourselves to receive the grace and ability to overcome stress… for example, if you put a cup that is turned upside-down under water, no matter how much water is poured, the cup will remain empty… just like the cup, we need to position ourselves according to the Word, not the world if we are going to overcome stress and live stress-free in a stress-filled world.
TURN YOUR CUP RIGHT-SIDE UP AND JESUS WILL FILL IT!
THERE ARE FOUR THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO POSITION OURSELVES TO OVERCOME STRESS, FEAR, WORRY AND ANXIETY.
1. PRIORITIZE
Making God’s priorities, our priorities in our thoughts, words, actions and prayers is key. When you make it a priority to be submerged into the Lord, the anointing on Jesus will impart freedom from stress.
Matthew 6:33 - Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
THE CONTEXT OF THIS SCRIPTURE IS ‘OVERCOMING WORRY’. WORRY IS IN THE AREA OF YOUR THINKING… (Matthew 6:23-33)
WHEN YOUR THINKING IS ON THE WORD, YOUR FAITH WILL BE IN THE LORD AND THEN THE THINGS YOU NEED WILL BE SUPERNATURALLY PROVIDED.
JESUS STARTS BY TALKING ABOUT OUR EYES…
Matthew 6:22-23 - “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
IF YOU LOOK TO THE WORD, LIGHT WILL FLOOD YOUR LIFE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE WORLD AND CIRCUMSTANCES, DARKNESS WILL FLOOD YOUR LIFE!
Look at the Word, not your circumstances! Take your thoughts captive, and prioritize the Word in your thinking… if your thoughts are about Jesus and His Word to you, He will deliver you from stress, anxiety and worry, and He will add everything that you ever need to your life!
2. PRAY
In Mark 11:23-24, Jesus said, “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
DON’T STRESS, PRAY THE PRAYER OF FAITH!
COMMAND YOUR MOUNTAIN (DEBT, SICKNESS, MOUNTAIN OF FEAR, WORRY AND STRESS) TO BE REMOVED AND CAST INTO THE SEA, IN JESUS NAME!
CALL THE THINGS THAT BE NOT AS THOUGH THEY WERE ACCORDING TO THE WORD
3. POSITION YOURSELF
2 Chronicles 20:17 – “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”
POSITION YOURSELF IN FAITH
DECLARE, “I WILL NOT NEED TO FIGHT THIS BATTLE, I WILL STAND STILL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD! I WILL NOT FEAR OR BE DISMAYED! THE LORD IS WITH ME!”
4. PRAISE
2 Chronicles 20:21-22 - After Jehoshaphat had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.” Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
DON’T STRESS, PRAISE!
PRAISE THE LORD FOR MERCY AND GRACE! PRAISE THE LORD FOR THE VICTORY! PRAISE THE LORD FOR FIGHTING YOUR BATTLE!
WHEN YOU LOOK UP, YOU WILL SEE VICTORY!
CONFESSION
“I speak to all fear, anxiety, stress and worry, be plucked up from my mind, and be cast into the sea, in Jesus Name!
I prioritize the Word, I pray prayers of faith, I position myself in faith and I praise You Lord for the victory, in Jesus Name!
In His amazing love, Nick
