Philippians 4:13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

This is a great verse. It is very empowering and encouraging for believers. It is a widely used verse and a popular one at that. I know of a few people who have it tattooed on their body and others who quote it any time someone has troubles.

But don’t take this verse as a declaration that you can do anything you want. This verse is not a free for all guarantee. It is referring to how we respond to hardship, or in our case this month, anxiety. It is our ability to overcome those struggles and life challenges.

Take note of the wording. In this devotion the translation is NIV, but nearly every version is similar in word choice. Stop and take a look at who the verse is about. It isn’t about us. We are able to overcome, but only because God gives us strength. We can do all things through Him, because of Him, and with Him. He is the central theme and ultimate focus.

Trust me. I have tried on my own and it doesn’t work. I end up more frustrated in the long run because it is taking too long, it is too hard, it just isn’t working out as planned or how I think it should go… Take the “I” out of the equation. Give it to God and let HIM do it. If it is His will, He will make a way. We are not able to do it ourselves and shouldn’t need to. Yes, we have our share of responsibility, but that responsibility begins and ends with Him leading us. We need to turn to God and trust that He has a plan (Jeremiah 29:11) and we need to listen and follow Him (John 10:27; Proverbs 8:32).

Are you listening? You can do all things, including letting go of the worries and stress that is causing anxiety, if you seek Him and listen to His guidance. Let Him work in you and through you today.

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Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

There is nothing more comforting in times of high anxiety than knowing God is with me. Knowing He cares and is there to bring me through the times of uncertainty is encouraging. Though I still tend to worry, I know that He is there and has a plan for my life (Jeremiah 29:11).

The Israelites had been wandering in the desert for forty years. The entire generation that had been brought out of Egypt had passed and were not entering the Promised Land. Those who would be crossing into this new land had all been born in the wilderness and had never known anything but a life of desert living and wandering. And finally they were being instructed to move forward with the plan God had for them. It had to be frightening for them, especially knowing they were going to have to take the land from established people who inhabited it already. And that meant war. It is no wonder they needed encouragement like that of verse 1:9.

Though this verse was a promise from God to Joshua and the Israelites that was meant to encourage them, this promise can also encourage us today. God has a message for us that is as timely today as it was in those early days of conquest. He wants us to be strong and courageous in our walks and He doesn’t want us to be fearful or anxious. The Apostle Paul makes that clear to us in his words to Timothy. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid…” (2 Timothy 1:7). We can take comfort in knowing that both Joshua 1:9 and 2 Timothy 1:7, both Old and New Testament passages, encourage us to be strong and courageous, free from fear and anxiety.

In addition, we have the same promise in both the Old and New Testament that God is with us always. We do not walk alone. He walks with us, sustaining us and encouraging us, and sometimes carrying us when we can’t do it ourselves. Matthew 28:20 echoes what Joshua 1:9 says - God is with us always. He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Let go of the anxiety that is holding you back. Reach out your hand and let God lead you forward to the destiny prepared in advance for you.

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John 14:27 Peace I leave you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Jesus knew that once He was gone it was not going to be easy going for His followers. He even warned them numerous times that it was going to be rough (John 16:33). But was His statement on peace in John 14:27 one of a farewell sayings common in greetings and partings in Eastern cultures or was it more?

If you take only the first half of the verse at face value you would conclude it was a farewell message for His followers. But we have more to the verse than just a statement on peace. He continues and says, “I do not give to you as the world gives.“ The world can only give a routine rendering of words. It may or may not actually give the recipient peace. And even if it does, that peace is temporary.

Not so the peace we are given by Jesus. His peace is spiritual and it is permanent. The New Living Translation says it this way: “I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” This translation shows us that His peace is more than a greeting. It is a gift.

The peace we get from God is one that reflects who he is - the Great Comforter, the Prince of Peace… Knowing this, we should not be as affected by fear and anxiety. Of course, as we have learned in previous days, we are not immune to anxiety once we become believers and followers of Christ, but we can address it with His help.

Let your hearts not be troubled, friends. Be filled with His gift of peace.

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Romans 8:39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Yesterday this verse was referenced when we were looking at the fact that we belong to Him and nothing can separate us. He loves us and redeemed us, called us by name. And nothing,can separate us from that love, absolutely nothing.

Today’s verse is only half of the list. It begins with “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers…” (Romans 8:38) before verse 39 picks up the remainder of the list. The very last item on the list is “nor anything else in all creation.” Nothing in ALL creation leaves room for no doubt in your life. NOTHING can separate us from the love of God.

These verses should give you great peace knowing that you are loved and always will be. The items on the list are all things people tend to fear, things that cause anxiety. They are things that we would assume could drive a wedge between us and God, but not a single one does or can. We belong to Him and His love will never allow that to happen.

One of the debated beliefs is over the loss of salvation. The debate is over what has been referred to as “once saved, always saved.” This verse is usually used by the always saved crowd because it reassures us that NOTHING separates us from His love. He will always love you and nothing will ever change that. Nothing in our world can separate us from that love. Even if death comes to claim you, God still loves you and you are still His child. (While I am not inviting open debate, you can always message or email me to discuss whether salvation can be lost or not. I am of the belief it cannot, as outlined in all of Romans 8, which is a great read.)

As believers we shouldn’t fear the things in Paul’s list nor anything else in all creation. We can rest in the promise that we are safe in His love. Embrace that freedom today. Thank God for always and eternally loving and holding you. Anxiety has no place in your story.

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Isaiah 43:1 But now, this is what the Lord says - he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

There is nothing more comforting than knowing you belong. Knowing you are loved, secure, cherished, wanted… All of this brings great peace and security. And when we have peace, we don’t fall victim to the anxieties of life.

This verse gives us one of the most amazing promises, directly from God. He has redeemed us and we are His. How amazing is that? We are His. His creations. His beloved. His chosen. His.

Why, then, do we let anxiety in? What can separate us from His love? Philippians tells us nothing can (Romans 8:39). Not height nor depth nor ANYTHING else. Not even those fears, worries, and nagging doubts and anxieties. We were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Corinthians 7:23) and have been adopted into the family of God (Galatians 4:5-6). We belong. And we are wanted. Take those thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and cast your anxieties upon Him (1 Peter 5:7).

Think on that a few minutes. God, the creator of everything, the holy God, He who is worthy to be praised… He chose YOU. He called you by name. He redeemed you. He died for your sins so that you would forever be with Him. Forever.

If He does all of that, cares that much, don’t you think He can handle your anxieties? We are not promised a life free from trouble. We ARE promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He loves us too much to do that, so much that He died for us to prove His love for us.

Give Him your fear, your worry, your anxiety, and be free. He already ransomed you and redeemed you. Walk in that freedom today.

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2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. 

This verse comes from the second letter Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica during a time when it was having trouble thanks to  some disorderly members. It was also written during a period of trials and persecution from outside forces. Needless to say, peace was not necessarily the order of the day. Yet peace was something Paul wanted them to have and experience.

When I first read this verse, it felt a bit redundant. The Lord of peace Himself giving peace to the church… It seems every time I read it before, I missed that. I never noticed the redundancy until the verse was isolated from the book.

The first thought I had was who is the Lord of peace?To me it seemed pretty obvious that Jesus is the Lord of peace. All commentaries I read agreed with this. 

Next I wondered about the redundant feel the verse had. So I began reading it in different versions. This verse in the CEV reads: “I pray that the Lord, who gives peace, will always bless you with peace.” In the Good News Translation it is: “May the Lord himself, who is our source of peace, give you peace at all times in every way.” All other versions and translations are basically the same as our original.

What does all of that mean for us today? Just like the early church who had its share of troubles both internally and externally, we live in a world where peace may not come naturally. And just like those early church members, our true peace comes directly from the Lord of peace Himself, Jesus. 

Do you have peace at all times and in every way? Paul wanted it for the church of Thessalonica and we can want it for one another today. It doesn’t mean we will have peace every single second of every day, but we can still desire it and wish it for others just as Paul did.

 Let’s make this part of our daily prayer for others - peace beyond understanding (Philippians 4:7) in all circumstances.

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2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.

Anxiety and stress can be quite the challenge to overcome. As a person with anxiety I can testify to the fact that telling an anxious person to stop worrying does no good. That’s like telling a skinny person to just gain weight or an overweight person to just lose weight. For some people it might be that easy but for most telling them what to do (or not to do) is pointless.

Lucky for us we have a God who understands our needs and meets them in His perfect way. In this passage Paul tells Timothy we have a Spirit that gives us power. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. It is that Spirit to which Paul refers. And it is the power of the Holy Spirit that allows us to overcome.

This does not mean that once we receive the Spirit we become immune to anxiety or fear. We are human and have human responses to things. What it does mean is that the Spirit within us will guide us and work in and through us, which helps us to endure and overcome. This should be liberating to anyone struggling with anxiety because it is a promise we can cling to and trust in. It is more than just encouraging. It is life changing. We have the power within us to set aside anxiety and feel hope, joy, and peace.

If you feel yourself drowning in fear and anxiety you need to embrace the power of the Holy Spirit and give those thoughts to God. Cast them upon Him (1 Peter 5:7), turn to Him in times of anxiety or fear (Psalms 34:4; Psalms 46:1-3), and trust Him to guide you ( Proverbs 3:5-6). You have the tools you need to overcome. You have the power within you. You just need to believe it and use it.

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Psalms 94:19 When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.

What do you do when anxiety becomes great within you? If you are anything like me you probably drown in the emotions and stress of what feels unbearable. I admit I do not handle anxiety very well. I know how I SHOULD respond, but most of the time I don’t do those things.

Hopefully this is not you. Take a look at the second half of the verse: “your consolation brought me joy.” Your consolation. Consolation is something provided to a person who has suffered, that makes them feel better. In this case, God is providing comfort that brings joy to someone suffering through anxiety.

When facing anxiety our response should not be the emotional one. We should turn to Him and meditate on His Word. There is consolation in the promises in the Bible, peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Consolations cheer our souls when our hearts are overwhelmed (Psalms 94:19). We know we are not to be anxious and to give it to God (Philippians 4:6). We should be delighted knowing the peace of Christ rules within us (Colossians 3:15). Peter speaks of grace and peace that are abundantly ours (2 Peter 1:2). Plus there are so many more Scriptures offering hope to the downhearted.

When anxiety creeps in, stop and pray. Do not let negative thoughts lead to anxiety. Stop them as soon as they enter your mind (2 Corinthians 10:5). Pray. Give them to God. Focus instead on the good in your life (Philippians 4:8). Think of all of the blessings He has rained down upon you.

Knowing His Word helps remind you of these promises. Memorizing Scripture can help you quickly replace those negative thoughts with His promises. By doing this we can take comfort and experience joy from His consolations.

You are a conqueror (Romans 8:37). You have the power, Christ’s power, to cast your anxieties far from you. He is always with us (Isaiah 43:2; Psalms 94:14) and always will be. Feel His loving arms wrapped around you. Feel the joy He gives as you are being consoled.

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Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Sometimes it is difficult to make connections between the Old Testament history and our daily life today. And sometimes it’s clear that we are just as fickle and easily distracted as the early Israelites. This verse was a challenge to me at first because I thought it didn’t apply to Christians of this generation. The Israelites were being told not to fear the people in the lands they were about to enter. They were getting ready to enter the Promised Land where there would be fighting as they took possession of already inhabited lands. I simply could not see how this verse applied in my own life.

But after praying and reading commentaries, I came to a realization. The world we live in today is no different than the one Moses, Joshua, and the Israelites lived in. Our world is full of people who live for self, who believe in false gods (money, ambition, career, sex, etc.), who are entrenched in sin.  We need strength and courage to stand firm in our beliefs. We need strength and courage to let our light shine (Matthew 5:16). We need strength and courage to avoid temptation. We are no different than the Israelites because we, too, live in a land full of evil and sin.

In order for us to be strong and courageous we have to learn to surrender our  own ability and receive God’s divine strength and the courage that He provides. We are weak on our own, but we are made strong by Him. The Bible teaches us that His strength is made perfect in our weakness ( 2 Corinthians 12:9). We must abide in Christ rather than thinking we are strong enough on our own. Through Him we will overcome the world (1 John 5:4).

Today, draw comfort from Deuteronomy. The words of Moses ARE applicable in the world we live in. Do not be afraid. God goes with us and He imbues us with His strength and courage. Best of all, we have the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We should find that the most comforting of all.

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Psalms 4:8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Can you imagine being hunted down by a crazy king and constantly running for your life yet still feeling safe enough to lie down and sleep? David was so in tune with God (2 Samuel 15:13-14) that he was able to sleep like a baby each night. He KNEW God would keep him safe so was able to rest peacefully. And this is not the only mention of rest he got. Psalms 23 also shows his trust in God despite being surrounded by enemies. Just like a few days ago when we learned about casting our troubles on Him (1 Peter 5:7), David was able to cast his own anxiety and fear on the Lord, knowing without a doubt He was there.

What about you? How deep is your trust in God? Do you take the advice of Paul when he said not to be anxious about anything (Philippians 4:6)?

The past few nights I have had insomnia. I know I must be feeling the anxiety of something yet unrevealed to me hiding in my subconscious. Otherwise I would be able to sleep in peace like David. While I have yet to figure out what is disrupting my sleep schedule, I HAVE been able to use the time in prayer. It’s amazing how much talking with Jesus you can get done in the wee hours of morning. I don’t know if I am casting my anxieties on Him or am being woken up to spend time in prayer, but I am not getting a peaceful night’s sleep.

How is your sleep going? If you are not able to lie down and trust God to look out for you, it may be time to ask Him why. Talk to Him and know He is listening and will answer.

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