The world is a scary place.
Every time you listen to the news there are more attacks, more shootings, more darkness, more uncertainty. It is enough to make you want to stay at home and hide. In times like this it is easy to get fixated on the darkness. When we do we lose sight of our True Foundation. It is like looking at a large map trying to find your way without those very helpful words "You Are Here."
Knowing who God is and who you are in Him is the "You Are Here" for all our circumstances. Regardless of how dark or uncertain it may feel, God is ever constant and your identity is secure in Him.
Philippians 4:7 promises if we bring everything to God, His peace which passes all understanding will guard our heart and mind through Christ Jesus. That word guard is a very strong word, much stronger than our English language expresses. In the Greek it means "to protect by a military guard, either to prevent hostile invasion, or to keep the inhabitants of a besieged city from flight."
God's peace not only keeps invaders out, but keeps us from running away in fear. So how do we live in that peace? In The Message translation the same verse ends with this phrase "It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."
It is time to choose to guard our hearts and minds with the truth of who God is and who we are in Him, allowing who He is to displace all worry and guard us from attack and from our fear.
He is able.
2 Cor. 9:8 God is able to make all grace abound to you...
I am standing.
Rom. 14:4 [I] will stand, for the Lord is able to make [me] stand.
He is above all.
Ps. 135:5 The Lord is great, and our Lord is above all gods.
I am a citizen of heaven.
Phi. 3:20 Our citizenship is in heaven.
He is the Amen, the faithful and true witness, ruler of God's creation.
Rev. 3:14 ... the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.
I am steadfast in Him.
1 Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace ... will himself ... make you strong, firm and steadfast.
He is the banner to the people.
Isaiah 11:10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples.
I am under His banner of love.
Song of Solomon 2:4 He brings me to his banqueting table, and his banner over me is love.
God is the creator of the ends of the earth, who cares for His creation.
Is. 40:28 The Lord is ... the Creator of the ends of the earth.
I am cared for with compassion.
Is. 46:3-4 I have cared for you since you were conceived and have carried since your birth.
He is God of love and peace.
2 Cor. 13:11 The God of love and peace will be with you.
I am lavished with love.
1 John 3:1-3 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us...
He is God who hears.
Ex. 22:27 When he cries out to me, I will hear...
I am heard.
Is. 65:24 Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.
He is the quieter of the storm.
Mat. 8:26 Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
I am quieted with his love.
Zep. 3:17 The Lord ... will quiet you with his love...
He is my shelter.
Is. 25:4 You have been ... a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.
I am safe.
Pro. 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
