Christian Living

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How do we find peace in the midst of the storm? Or joy in the center of adversity? Or faith in time of fear? It all comes down to one antidote. His word.

You probably heard that one before. And you probably tried it many times, but found yourself failing when it came to going through the storm.

For years I couldn't figure out how to really use God's word as a help in time of need. Oh sure, there have been many times when the Lord had helped me get through by the skin of my teeth. But I'd go through a lot before I reached that place of really trusting in Him enough to allow Him to take me through it. After it was all said and done, and I reached the end of the tunnel, I couldn't help but wonder, why did I have to go through the desert before receiving that major revelation to calm the storms. Usually I'd have panicked, sweated, made wrong decisions before making the right one, before getting to where I needed to be. Then the answer finally came when I grew up. Or shall I say matured?

Recently, I was struggling with a common case of premenopause. However, this what I felt, disease was seriously interfering with my life. My focus was off, I was tired a lot, and not to get into too much detail, I experienced a hundred symptoms of the 35 symptoms that were mentioned in a check list.

I cried before the Lord, asking Him to please help me. As usual He came to my rescue with a sweet, soft gentle answer. He instructed me to focus on Him and on His word.

Years ago I attempted to memorize the scriptures, only to feel defeated, because I kept forgetting. But now that I was struggling with so many symptoms, I decided I had to do this. This time, I was determined.

I wrote the scripture on my mirror, visible to see throughout the day. I would not change the scripture until it was memorized in my mind, and fastened into my heart.

The scripture that developed more meaning to me in this new quest was, "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee." God was revealing to me the importance of hiding his word in my heart. If I hid His word in my heart, there's a less chance of me sinning. It was evident to me of how powerful His word really was when I memorized Matthew 21:22. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

As I was faced with turmoil, this scripture came to me. The more I repeated this verse, the more peaceful I became. Day in and day out I continued to repeat the same verse until it was no longer just a memory verse. It penetrated into my heart, took form and became life. This experience disclosed to me a whole new manifestation.

So often we look to the Lord during those times of trouble. At that point, we really don't think very clearly. We panic and begin to drown in our fear. As a result, it makes it very difficult for us to really rely on the Lord. Then after the storm has passed, we forget what we went through and think that we can lay back and relax, forgetting that there's another storm on the way.

When the Lord gives us those moments of peace, that's when we need to prepare ourselves for the battle. It's like when a person goes off to boot camp to prepare for the military. The boot camp equips him and prepares him. So when the day of combat comes he's fully armed and prepared to fight.

In Ephesians 6:13-18 it instructs us to prepare for battle. If we attempt to fight without being prepared, chances are we will lose the warfare.

Don't wait for the time of conflict to prepare yourself. Chances are you'll put your armor on backwards, because you didn't learn to put it on right to begin with. Begin to find scriptures to equip you for that moment when it comes.

When a successful business person begins his quest for starting a business, he usually surrounds himself with words of success. Use the scripture as your words of success. Surround yourself with His promises. Find scriptures that will give you hope, peace, and spiritual prosperity in order to equip you for the battles you will face tomorrow.

We are instructed to pray without ceasing. The enemy doesn't rest. He devises plans of attack. We too should not stop preparing ourselves.

John 1:1 tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God." From the foundations of the earth, the Word was God. What better way to fight the enemy than with the Word? Because the Word is God. Use His word to set you free, making it a light unto your path to prepare you for combat.

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