One Sunday morning, I was disappointed and started to cry. Though my heart and mind was willing to go to church, my body was weak. My husband encouraged me to stay home and I was able to ‑‑‑ (1) Relax (2) Recover and (3) Rejoice.
You may ask the question, Why would someone rejoice in what seems to be a bad situation (health failing, financial troubles, relationship/martial issues etc.)? Because God instructs us to in 1 Peter 4:13 “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”
In order for us to rejoice we have to make sure our faith matches God’s word to counteract fear. Below are a few ways to strengthen our faith:
1) Know that all things are working for your good.
We don’t know the mind of God because His ways are not our ways neither His thoughts our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8) but one thing we can rest assured in is knowing that everything is working for our good as stated in Romans 8:28.
God loves His children just as any natural father would love His children. He cares about everything you are going through and even knows the number of hairs on your head … What you are going through doesn’t catch God by surprise. Don’t worry because you already have the victory and there is a beautiful hedge of protection around you.
2) Cast all your cares to God.
“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7.
It’s hard to give away something if your hand has a tight grip on it, but the moment you open your hand and release the grip, then it’s free. In order for you to cast your cares to God you must first LET IT GO. It works two ways when you let something go it also releases you to so that you are free. Walk in your freedom. Walk in your peace knowing that God has taken what you have cast to Him away from you. Faith is what will give you the sense of peace once it is released.
3) Realize that God will not withhold anything good from you.
As aforementioned, God loves you and thinks you are extra special and treats you as such. He lives in you as you surrender yourself to Him and His will. God promised in His word that He “…will give grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Psalms 84:11. The key here is that we have to walk uprightly before Him. Take some time to evaluate your life and see if there’s anything that maybe holding you back from receiving all that God has for you. God is a God of second chances so never feel or allow anyone to make you feel as if you are too far gone to change. The Bible is full of great examples of people who (by society standards) were “not a good fit” for the position; however, those were the ones who truly appreciated and personally knew and witnessed God’s redemptive grace.
4) Make sure your faith outweighs the facts.
My husband gave an illustration before he left for church to encourage me and to make sure I didn’t allow the fact (that I’m sick) to outweigh my faith. I am healed by His stripes, (Isaiah 53:5). One thing, you have to make sure you’re basing your faith statements off the word of God. For example, I may not have the money I need now, BUT “my God shall supply all my need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:19). Make sure your faith always counteracts the facts which will make a way for the supernatural to manifest in your life.
5) Rejoice!
To rejoice means is to take joy again. You may have lost your joy because of something that happened in your life (death of a loved one, broken marriage, addiction, etc). These things have the ability to steal your joy. We have to be mindful of the tactics of the devil which is to kill, steal and destroy. Thanks be to God that He has given us the power over the devil and his evil tactics and weapons. The word of God insures us that, “No weapon that is formed against us shall prosper. When you know you have the victory through Jesus Christ, there’s nothing left to do but to Praise God and Rejoice!
Now that you have ways to strengthen your faith, always know that joy will follow “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
