Bible study – Page 9 – Hope for Complete Healing

Unanswered Prayer? Asking For God’s Will or Your Will?

I asked God to give me favor with my boss so that she wouldn’t lay me off. It was my will not to get laid off, but God didn’t answer my prayer. Instead of getting depressed, I trust God to direct my steps according to His will. In the last post, I discussed the difference between faith and doubt. Sometimes we may have faith to move mountains, but God will mercifully not grant our request if it is not His will. Jesus taught His disciples to pray for His Father’s will to be done. Jesus prayed for His Father’s will in the Garden of Gethsemane. Matthew 26:39 states, “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’”

1John 5:14-16 states, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15) And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

Reason six: Are you praying for God’s will or your own will?

What is God’s will?

Obeying God’s instructions in the Bible is His will. The list below describes several activities He wants us to do.

1. Eliminate sin and perfect our character as we suffering the common temptations and troubles in the world. See James 1:2-4 and Romans 5:3-5. The Apostle Peter teaches us the following in 1Peter 4:1-2 & 6, “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 6) For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.”

2. Live in the Spirit as He does—the evidence we are living in the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (trustworthy), gentleness (meekness-humility), and self-control. See Galatians 5:16, 22-25.

3. Be of sound judgment (wise) and sober in spirit (temperate; not self-indulgent but self-restrained). 1Peter 5:8 states, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

4. Remain fervent (showing a great warmth of feeling) in your love for others. See Proverbs 10:12; 1Peter 1:22; 1Peter 4:8.

5. Be hospitable (friendly; entertaining of guests). See Hebrews 13:2; Romans 12:13; and 1Peter 4:9.

6. Serve one another using the special gifts given to you. See Luke 16:1-2; 1Peter 4:10; and Romans 12:6.

7. Rejoice always. See 1Thessalonians 5:16 and Philippians 4:4.

8. Pray without ceasing. See 1Thessalonians 5:17 and Romans 12:12.

9. Give thanks in everything. See 1Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20; Ephesians 4:6 and 5:4; and Colossians 4:2.

10. Serve those you work for as though serving God. See Ephesians 6:5-8 and 1Peter 2:18.

11. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution. See 1Peter 2:13-15 and Hebrews 13:17.

12. Do what is right and good for the benefit of others. Look up 1Peter 2:15; James 4:17; Revelations 22:11; Galatians 6:9-10; Hebrews 13:16; and 3 John 1:11.

13. Abstain from sexual immorality. See 1Corinthians 6:15-20 and 1Thessalonians 4: 3-5, 7.

How do we know God’s will?

The only way to know God’s will is to meditate on His Words day and night. Joshua 1:8 states, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Also, read Psalm 1. Be careful of the wrong thinking that being prosperous and successful does not include temptations, trials, and suffering for Christ. Your number one goal or ambition for your life is to love and please God, love others, and to do His will to bring Him glory. We should not seek to be prosperous or successful by the world’s definition.

Know God’s perfect will by transforming unhealthy beliefs with the truths of God’s Word. Romans 12:2 states, “… but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” When you do the will of God, you are not giving in to your sinful desires. Since sin begins in your mind, so you must transform your thinking to know the will of God. My book on my website explains how to do this.

When we pray for other people, we need to pray for God’s will, not our desires. God gave us free will, and He will not change our choices. We must be willing to change, and the other person we are praying for must be willing to change. If you don’t know how or what to pray, rely on the Holy Spirit to intercede for them. Romans 8:26-28, states, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27) And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” The Holy Spirit is in those who believe in Jesus Christ and received Him as their savior from eternal death and the wrath of God against sin. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness and will intercede for us according to the will of God. And know that whatever happens, when we love God, He will use it for our good to accomplish His purpose.

Conclusion:

Understand what the Apostle John tells us in 1John 2:17, “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” If you want to live in eternity with God when you die, you will need to do His will. I pray for each person who reads this post, that you will seek to please God and to do His will. Know that each of us must stand before the judgement seat of God and give an account for what we have done while in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 5:10).

RELATED POSTS:

Unanswered Prayer? Doubt or Faith.

Unanswered Prayer? Are You Presentable?

Unanswered Prayer? Are You Connected?

Unanswered Prayer? Why?

HOW TO PRAY USING THE LORD’S PRAYER AS A MODEL

All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, then please share the links with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. Please leave your name so I know you are a real person making the request. P.S.: Experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

Unanswered Prayer? Are You Presentable?

If you were to appear before a King or Ruler of a Nation and given the chance to ask him or her to do something, how would you dress and act? Take a moment and visualize it. Would you be humbled, cleaned up, neat, polite, be conscious of customs as not to offend, etc.? Now, how is that different than coming before the King of the Universe in prayer? Do you think you can go before Him in pride and with an unrepentant, filthy heart and demand Him to give you what you want?

To continue the simple illustration of electricity. Suppose prayer is the power cord, and faith is the action of plugging into the power source. In that case, hope is the expectation the power source will deliver results. If a lamp is plugged in but does not turn on, you need to look for the reason. Prayer connects you to God through the Holy Spirit that dwells in you when we believe in Jesus Christ and receives forgiveness for our sins. Unrepentant sin short-circuits the power of your prayers.

Reason Four: Unrepentant Sin short-circuits our prayers.

We cannot approach a Holy God in prayer if we are not presentable by having unrepentant sin in our lives. What is sin? Sin is disobedience to God’s instructions to love Him by keeping His commands and loving one another. Sin is knowing the right thing to do and not doing it (James 4:17). The following verses explain why unrepentant sin prevents your prayers from being answered.

Psalms 66:18 states, “If I regard wickedness (sin) in my heart, the Lord will not hear;”

Isaiah 59:1,2 states, “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. 2) But your iniquities (sin) have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear.”

1Peter 3:12 also says, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Psalms 34:14-18 explains, “Turn away from evil (to harm) and do good; seek peace and pursue it. 15) The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. 16) The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17) When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18) The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Unrepentant sin includes not forgiving those who sinned against you because God instructs us to forgive. Matthew 5:23, 24, states, “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” If you struggle forgiving those who did evil against you, please read my post on why we should forgive.

Wayne Jackson writes in “6 Reasons Why Some Prayers Are Never Answered” on ChristianCourier.com. “If you know that someone has a legitimate grievance against you, how can you sincerely approach God in prayer? Uncorrected problems with brethren are extremely detrimental. Peter certainly stressed that discordant home relationships could hinder prayers (1 Pet. 3:7). Where domestic wrangling and bitterness prevail, prayer can never be effective.” What do you think? Would you agree?

Solve the problem of sin through repentance and the work of Christ on the cross.

1John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Pastor Darryl Baker writes in “Abiding in the Word” blog, “Because of what Christ did in bearing our sin and the punishment of our sin, we no longer need to live fearful of approaching our heavenly Father. The sin that separated us is gone and we can now approach God with complete confidence. So as a believer we should daily draw near to Him and He will draw near to us. Don’t ever run from God, run to Him. If you have sinned repent, and run back to the Father for He awaits with arms open wide to help you get back on your feet again.” And he writes, “It is the devil who tries to keep us from approaching God by making us afraid to do so through wrong thoughts. Scripture teaches us to come boldly to the throne of grace, to find grace and help in our time of need. God is waiting to help us overcome whatever we may be dealing with in life, but we must draw near to Him to get that help. The door is open so don’t ever run from Him. He is your answer, He is your deliverer, He wants to help you; and most importantly He wants you to know Him.” I agree, but we need to come before Him with a repentant and humble spirit.

Hebrews 4:14-16 states, “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

15) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

16) Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

James 4:6-8 says, “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.‘ 7) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8) Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

These verses are the theme verses for my county jail Bible study. I have the women memorize them. One inmate return because her roommate had alcohol in the apartment which meant she broke her probation. When she came to the Bible Study, she was excited to still be able to quote the verses above from memory. I encourage you to memorize Hebrews 4:14-16 and James 4:6-8.

Conclusion:

God is loving, merciful, gracious, and slow to anger. Psalm 103:8 states, “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” He is also Holy and Just; Isaiah 5:16 says, “But the LORD of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows Himself holy in righteousness.” So, we need to approach Him with humility and with repentance if we want him to hear our petitions.

Reasons One and Two Why Prayer Is Not Answered

Unanswered Prayer—Reason Three

How to Recognize and Eliminate Emotional Cancer

P.S., experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

Unanswered Prayer? Are You Connected?

Nothing is more discouraging to our faith than not getting what we pray or hope for. The first two reasons why God may not give what you ask for are: 1) God may not be your Father and 2) what you are asking for may not be good. Read Reasons One and Two Why Prayer Is Not Answered.

Now, if you know for certain that God is your Father, and you believe what you are asking for is according to His will, then do you only pray when you are desperate or need something? God created us to be in relationships with others and especially with Himself. A healthy relationship requires spending time and talking with those we love. So, the third reason why you feel your prayers are hitting the ceiling is not being in the right relationship with God.

For example, if a lamp is not plugged into a power source, the lamp will not produce light. By faith, you expect the lamp to light when you plug it into an electric outlet, and as long as it stays plugged in, it will light. The power to the outlet comes from outside the building, just like our power source is from God. And as long as we remain connected to God, we will have power. Are you always plugged into God and the Bible?

John 15:7 states, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

Are you abiding in God and are His words abiding in you?

Abide means to remain in something. We abide in God in the same way we rest in a place of shelter. When we abide in God, we trust He will protect us and provide for us. We remain in the shelter of God by faith through continual prayer with thanksgiving, praise, and pondering Scriptural truths.

Psalm 91:1 states, “He who dwells in the shelter (secret place) of the Most High will abide (rest) in the shadow of the Almighty.” Read my post called Psalm 91:1–How to Dwell in Heaven Now to learn more about how to abide in heaven with God.

When we pray with thanksgiving, praising God, and ponder Scripture, then our spirit draws near to Him, and He promises to draw near to us (see James 4:8). Do you only pray to Him and read your Bible in church on Sunday morning and maybe Wednesday night service? Do you say a nightly prayer after spending the day worrying or doing and thinking about worldly things? If your answer is yes, then you are not abiding in God.

Do you abide in God’s Word by reading it every day and memorizing it? If not, resolve to begin today. The mornings are the best time to read the Bible so you can meditate on what you read throughout the day. Writing out a key verse and reviewing it throughout the day will help you stay connected to God. 2 John 1:9 states, “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God (in their hearts). Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”

How do I know if I am abiding in God?

1John 3:18-24 explains how you know if you are staying connected to God.

18) Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

19) By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him;

20) for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

21) Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;

22) and whatever we ask we receive from him because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

23) And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

24) Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this, we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you want to know if you have resentment towards anyone, then read How to Recognize and Eliminate Emotional Cancer.

If you have a hard time loving people, then read Love From a Pure Heart to become free to love others well. 1Corinthians 13:13 states, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1John 3:17 explains, “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees a brother (Christian brother or sister) in need, yet closes his heart against them, how does God’s love abide in him?”

Conclusion

Prayer is our connection to the living, almighty God, and is the channel through which we receive power, wisdom, direction, and healing. Prayer is not only asking for things. You must remain in connection with God through continual prayer with thanksgiving by faith, reading His Word, and loving your brothers and sisters in Christ. If your heart does not condemn you, then you have the confidence to be connected to God. Ephesians 3:11and 12 states, “This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.”

RELATED POSTS:

How We Know God Will Never Forsake Us?

HOW TO PRAY USING THE LORD’S PRAYER AS A MODEL

If you find my posts and website helpful, then please share the links with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom.

P.S.: Experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

Unanswered Prayer? Why?

We all have experienced times when we ask, plead, and beg God for something and do not get what we asked for. I have requests that I am still waiting for God to give me. I struggle spiritually in the area of prayer and why my prayers sometimes do not get answered. Are you sometimes not sure how you should pray? Do you wonder why God does not answer your prayers? I studied what the Bible says about prayer and why God sometimes does not answer our prayers the way we want. Over the next several posts, I will explain from God’s Word the seven reasons why He sometimes does not answer our prayers.

The Bible says, He will give us what we ask for, so why doesn’t He? Matthew 7:7, 8 states, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8) For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Jesus spoke these words during His sermon on the mount. Verses 7 and 8 are clarified in verse 11, where Jesus explains, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” This verse identifies two reasons why God does not give what we ask for in prayer.

Reason One: Is God your Father?

Some people say that everyone is a child of God because He created us in His image. Being made in God’s image does not make us children of God. The next three verses explain who the children of God really are:

John 1:12 states, “But to all who did receive him (Jesus), who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Did you receive the forgiveness of your sins and the Spirit of God to be your Lord and Savior and believe in Jesus’s name?

Romans 8:14,16 explains, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 16) The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Are you led by the Spirit of God and do what is pleasing to Him?

1 John 3:10 states, “By this, it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” Do you practice right thinking and behavior and do you love your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus?

If you know that God is your father, do you believe He would give you something that is not good for you? Did your earthly parents give you the things you asked, and did you become offended when you didn’t get what you asked? I did. It is natural to be upset when you don’t get what you want.

Reason 2: Is your request something good?

James 1:17 tells us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” You may want something you think is good, but you don’t know the potential problems. Because God knows all things, including the future, you can trust Him to give you good things, not always what you want. Isaiah 46:10 states, “declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times to things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’” God has a good purpose for you and your future. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” What you are asking for may not be part of the perfect plan God has for you. So, you need to do what Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Do you trust the LORD with all your heart and are willing to accept the better plan He has for you, though you do not understand? For instance, I prayed for God’s favor with my boss, so she does not lay me off. I may not know why God did not answer my prayer, but I trust He has a good purpose for my layoff and directs my steps.

You may say, but Psalm 37:4 and 5 says “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5) Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” Are you delighting in the Lord? What does it mean to delight in the Lord? Have you committed your way to the LORD and yielded every part of your life to Him? Do you desire to please God by being thankful even when you don’t understand his plan for your life?

God’s timetable is not the same as ours. He knows better than we do when the best time is for our prayers to be answered. Hebrews 6:13-15 explain how we may have to be patient and wait. In the story of Abraham, God promised a son to Abraham. But Abraham became impatient when Sarah didn‘t bear him a son, so she gave him her servant to be his wife. Abraham and Sarah tried to fulfill the promise of God themselves, and the result was disastrous. We are still seeing the devastating impact of their not waiting for God. Fifteen years after God promised them a son, He fulfilled the promise when He saw it was best. Will you trust God today with the desires of your heart and wait for Him, even if it takes fifteen years or more?

From billygraham.org:

Q: Why doesn’t God seem to answer my prayers?

A: So often we are inclined to think that the only answer God can give our prayers is “yes.” We need to remember that “no” is an answer also. “No” is certainly an answer of love on the part of our Heavenly Father when we ask Him for things which are not really for our good or for His glory. God does not always give us what we want; He gives us what we need. Just as a good parent does not grant all the requests of his child, God does not answer every request in the way we desire.

Conclusion:

The first two reasons why our prayers may go unanswered are that God may not be your Father and what you are asking is not good to God, who gives the best. First, make sure God is your Father by believing in His Son and receive the forgiveness of your sins that was purchased by Jesus on the cross. Invite Jesus into your heart and to be Lord of your life. Second, accept that no answer is also an answer, and God sometimes does not give us what we ask because it was not good in His sight.

HOW TO PRAY USING THE LORD’S PRAYER AS A MODEL

Do you struggle with how or what to pray? You are not alone, even the disciples struggled. Jesus prayed to His Father in heaven all the time and explained how to pray to the Father in Matthew chapter 6. This prayer model, I think, came from a conference called “Praying for One Hour With Jesus” by Larry Lea. I have modified it to help me in my prayer time and I hope you find it helpful. Prayer is essential for staying close to God and not drifting away into dangerous waters where all kinds of evil lurk to destroy you. If you would like the PDF of this prayer format, then send me a request through my contact page. In my next post, I will address some of the reasons why our prayers do not get answered.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”

Begin your prayer time with worship and praise (Ps. 100:1-5) and remember that He is your Father through the blood of Jesus and believing in His name. (Gal. 4:4-6; Rom. 8:14-17). Hallow (regard as holy) the names of God…

1. Yahweh Tsidkenu – The Lord who is our Righteousness (Jer. 23:6)
2. Yahweh M’Kaddesh – The Lord who is our Sanctifier (Ex. 31:13)
3. Yahweh Shalom – The Lord who is our Peace (Judges 6:24)
4. Yahweh Shammah – The Lord who is present with us (Ez. 48:35)
5. Yahweh Jireh – The Lord who is our Provider (Gen. 22:13,14)
6. Yahweh Nissi – The Lord who is our Banner or Victory (Ex. 17:8-15)
7. Yahweh Rohi – The Lord who is our Shepherd (Psa. 23:1)
8. Yahweh Rophe – The Lord who is our Healer (Ex. 15:26)

“Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Now set your priorities for the day, determining that God’s perfect will be accomplished in the following areas. (1 John 5:14-15)

MON. Your nation (political and judicial leaders) (1 Tim. 2:1-2)
TUES. Your family (mate, children, other family members)
WED. Your Church (Pastor Eph. 6:20, Col. 4:4; leadership, fellow saints)
THUR. Missionaries
FRI. Your personal requests (Rom. 12:1-2)
SAT. Your Neighbors and Friends

“Give us today our daily bread.”

Present your needs to God. (Notice that Jesus took for granted that we would pray daily!) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God (Phil. 4:6). Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving (Col. 4:2). Matthew 6:34 says “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

“Forgive us our sins as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.”

Make sure nothing is impairing your relationship with the Father. Sin blocks your prayers. (Ps. 66:18; Is 59:1, 2) Pray something like the following:

I ask that you search my heart and mind and show me any unloving thoughts, attitudes, or actions. (Jer. 17:10; Rev. 2:23; Ps 139:23-24)
Forgive me for ___ and cleanse me from all sin. (Ps. 103:2-3; Matt. 18:23-35; 1 John 1:9)
I forgive ___, who was unloving and offended me. (Matt. 6:14-15)
Help me to be thankful and bless those who may offend or insult me today.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Seek to be “led by the Spirit” throughout the day.

I expect that You will lead me and ___ by the Spirit and Your Word. (Rom. 8:14)
I pray that forces beyond my control won’t lead me and ___ into trials and temptations (2 Peter 2:9)
Thank you for delivering me and ___ from evil. (Luke 22:31-32)
I put on the armor of God so that I can stand against the wiles of the evil one. (Eph. 6:11-18)

“For Yours is the kingdom and the power, and the glory forever.”

Affirm the absolute Lordship of Christ in all things.

1. Confess the victory you have as a member of God’s kingdom. (Luke 12:32)
2. Declare by faith that the power of God will be manifested that day. (Ps. 21:13)
3. Proclaim God’s glory to cover the earth. (Ps. 72:19)
4. Affirm the absolute Lordship of Christ in all things

Another prayer model I use almost every day is Who God is — Daily A-C-T-S Prayers

RELATED POSTS:

Four Reasons for Authority in Prayer

How to Experience a Heavenly Life on Earth.

Psalm 91:1–How to Dwell in Heaven Now

Four Realities of the Spirit World

All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share the links with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected, and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom.

I have completed the much-awaited book called Breaking Mental Strongholds. You can order Breaking Mental Strongholds on Amazon.

Also, check out my first book on Amazon called Fighting Unseen Battles.

If you read my book and find it helpful, please leave a review. Also, if you want to do a Bible study with it, email me and ask for a free PDF of the leader’s guide. The PDF will have suggested discussion questions after each section. Quick links to all the scriptures in the endnotes for you to review or to copy and paste into your notes. Website links to review supporting material. Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

How the Devil Causes Trouble

Can the devil and demons cause us trouble? The quick answer, yes. The long answer, yes, but God sets limits and promises to be with you, and restore you. God also promises to rescue those who fear and love Him from all their troubles. Psalms 91:14 tells us, “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name.” For more details, see my blog post called Psalm 91:14-16 — RESCUED FROM TROUBLES. Psalm 34:7 states, “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.”

Example of a demon afflicting the Apostle Paul.

The Apostle Paul describes how a demon afflicted him in 2Corinthians 12:7-9,

“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8) Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9) But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

God’s grace is enough for us when we suffer hardships. God’s grace is His power in your life. No one knows what the thorn in the flesh was, but Paul did not like it and pleaded with God to remove it. In 2Corinthians 12:10 Paul stated, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Also, in Philippians 4:11 Paul said, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”

An example in the Apostle Peter’s life.

In Luke 22:31-32 Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you (demanded permission), that he might sift you like wheat, 32) but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Your faith will be tested, so expect it. During the test, turn your eyes on God in prayer and receive His comfort.

Paul states in 2Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” God knows hardships are inevitable, so comfort others with the same comfort you received from Him. Jesus comforted Peter after Satan tested his faith (see John 21:15-17), so Peter could have compassion for those whose faith is being tested and can comfort them.

Example in the Christian church.

Jesus says in Revelation 2:10, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Know that God is with you no matter what the hardship is, and you can trust Him to keep His promises to deliver you from all your troubles. Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” And the reason why we have tribulations is explained in 1John 5:19b, which states, “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

Only as you stay in prayer, trusting God to strengthen your faith as you endure the hardship, will you be victorious. 1John 4:4 tells us, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Jesus is greater than Satan, so you can endure in Christ’s strength as Paul tells us in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

To clear up any confusion you may have, I am not saying all hardships come from the devil. Many hardships come through our self-centered, sinful, choices. This concept will be fleshed out in the next blog post.

The example of Job.

We can’t forget about Job (sounds like robe) and the hardships Satan caused. He was very wealthy and devoted to God. But with God’s permission, Satan caused Job’s children to die, lose his wealth, and tormented him with boils over his entire body. Job 1:8-12, states,

“And the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?’ 9) Then Satan answered the LORD and said, ‘Does Job fear God for no reason? 10) Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11) But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.’ 12) And the LORD said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.’ So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”

Many truths can be found in the book of Job. Job never curses God, and at the end of the story, God gives Job twice as much as he had before (see Job 42:10-17). Could Job’s fear have opened him up to his hardships? Job 3:25 states, “For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.” The Hebrew literal interpretation is “I feared a fear, and it came upon me.”

Fear comes when you stop trusting in God’s protection and focus on the what-ifs that may never happen. Job’s fears opened the door to allow Satan to bring destruction into his life. Many people have unrealistic fears that cause them to become “preppers” (people who stockpile food and goods) for something that may never happen. Some people have a debilitating fear of germs or disease, which entraps them in restrictive behavior. God says in Isaiah 41:10, “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Put off the wrong thoughts that lead to fear and pride and bind in the truth, God is your protection and your provider. Read my post on how fear controls you and that God will not forsake you.

There is hope when you look to Jesus to strengthen you and to deliver you from your hardships. I am praying for you. Please leave a comment, I like to hear what your thoughts are.

If you find my posts and website helpful, then please share the link to my post and website with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom.

P.S.: Experiencing lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

OTHER RELATED POSTS:

Psalm 91 Posts

How We Know God Will Never Forsake Us?

You can know God will never forsake you, though you may sometimes feel God has forsaken you because of unanswered prayers and sinful behavior. Psalm 9:9-10 states,

“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

Those who know Your name trust in You,

for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek You.”

We know because this promise is for those who seek Him. How do you seek God? You seek Him through continual prayer. This isn’t just on your knees praying, it is a conversation with God throughout the day wherever you may be. When you seek Him, you want to be close to Him and when you are close to Him, you won’t be afraid.

Why should we trust God?

We live in uncertain times and we have a lot to be afraid of. If we do not trust God then we will give in to fear and anxiety. Deuteronomy 31:6&8 states, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them (enemy or the unknown), for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Verse 8 states, “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” This promise comes with the command to be strong and courageous and to not fear or be dismayed. I will be honest, not being afraid or dismayed is hard to do during times of uncertainty. I know I am not afraid when my focus is on God’s words of truth and not on my circumstances. When you seek God in prayer, you turn your focus on Him for help and comfort. Therefore, God’s Word says to pray without ceasing in 1Theselonians 5:17. Read through the Psalms and mark all the verses that encourage you to trust God’s promises for protection and help and turn them into a prayer.

To be honest, I did not trust God because of the painful memories of being forsaken by my parents. I had to heal those painful memories before I could trust God. You may have similar painful experiences, so I encourage you to read my short book on my website. 1–Healing Begins by Transforming Painful Memories

But I feel God forsook me when He did not answer my prayers.

When God does not give us what we pray for, we feel forsaken. Understand, God’s ways are higher than our ways and He knows the future. God did not answer my prayer to heal my first marriage. I felt forsaken, afraid, and despaired as I faced divorce. I don’t know why He did not answer my prayers, but I know that my first husband would not humbly submit to God, so how could God change our situation.

I was angry with God for many years and did not believe He loved me. When I felt abandoned by God, I poured my heart out to Him and told Him I wanted to walk away from my faith in Him. And God answered, “What is the alternative?” I thought about it and knew that Satan would love to destroy me. So, I stayed tight with God through prayer, praise, and pondering scripture, and I experienced many miracles, which I share in the post called, Trust God to Keep His Promises. I continued to seek God, and He was with me.

How can we not be afraid?

When you are close to God in prayer, then you are confident He is with you and will help you. Isaiah 41:10 states,

“fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you,

I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Memorize this verse, so when something bad happens, you can remind yourself of these promises, and not be afraid. Also, memorize Psalm 23, 103, and 139. Hebrews 13:6 states, “So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Why do we sometimes feel God has forsaken us?

The Bible says our unconfessed sins block God from hearing our prayers. Isaiah 59:2 states, “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” You may feel forsaken by God when you sin because sin separates you from Him. Psalm 107:9-17 states,

9) For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

10) Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

12) So, he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.

13) Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

14) He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.

15) Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!

16) For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

17) Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;

What did you learn from this scripture passage? I learned that God is merciful, but He requires obedience. God wants to help you, but first, you must confess your sins and seek the Lord for forgiveness. 1John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Conclusion:

We know God promises to not forsake those who seek and trust Him. We know we don’t have to be afraid or dismayed during an uncertain future because God promises to go with us and help us. We know God may not answer our prayers the way we want, but we know He loves us and will be with us and be our refuge and stronghold in times of trouble. We know that sin separates us from God, but when we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us and to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). Seek God and trust Him to keep His promises.

P.S.: Experiencing lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

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HOW FEAR CONTROLS YOU!

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Pt. 2: Why You Can and Cannot Trust God?

County Jail Study on Psalms 103

Psalm 91 Posts

HOW FEAR CONTROLS YOU!

What should you fear? What is fear? Fear is a thought that controls your beliefs and decisions. We mostly fear the unknown. If you are afraid of germs or the virus, then you will protect yourself. If you are afraid of snakes, spiders, or mice, then you will scream and run away or try to kill them. There are many fears a person can have, and some are irrational fears. Have you seen the movie “What About Bob?” starring Bill Murry and Richard Dreyfus? This movie depicts how irrational fear controls the life of Bob, played by Bill Murry.

Irrational Fears.

Many fears are irrational thoughts that can be overwhelming but can be overcome. Most fears usually originate from a bad experience, your imagination, or from what you watch on TV (i.e. news) or in the movies, and what you read. For the life of me, I do not understand how people can watch horror shows. Fearful images remain in your memory and cause stress in your body, which leads to illnesses. Traumatic memories that trigger fears can be healed so the fear no longer controls you. To heal traumatic memories read my short book.

For example, irrational fear controls people who are preparing for the worst disasters that may never happen. Of all things, we are experiencing a pandemic and are told to stay in isolation, so everyone is buying up all the toilet paper, cleaners, hand sanitizers, etc. You should have at least 1-3 months of necessities on hand to help you get through most difficult times. I am glad I have three months of toilet paper in my what-if storage shelf because we can’t find it anywhere.

You can transform fear into peace, by replacing the fearful thoughts with reassuring thoughts of protection. Read through all the Psalms and note every passage related to protection, deliverance from troubles, and God as your refuge. Write key verses out that help you feel peaceful and review them. This exercise will greatly encourage you and strengthen your faith. Read my blog series on Psalm 91 – Psalm 91 Posts

What should you fear?

You should fear God. Not in an irrational way but because you want to stay in a right relationship with Him by not sinning. The fear of God is a combination of being in awe of His mighty power and love and His judgment, which causes you to turn away from doing evil. When you sin you do evil because evil is disobeying God and doing and saying things to harm or cause trouble for other people (Webster dictionary also see Romans 6). Proverbs 3:7 states, “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.” And Proverbs 8:13 states, “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” Believe and know, God strongly supports you when your heart is completely His and you are submitted to Him. 2Chronicals 16:9 states, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.”

Pride keeps you in fear of the wrong things, like the fear of man instead of God. Fear of rejection causes you to do anything to not be rejected, even if it is sin. Pride keeps you from being in awe of God and submitting to His authority and turning from your sin. Proverbs 22:4 states, “The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.” Is this something you would like? Read “How Pride Destroys”

What are the benefits of fearing God?

God’s angel protects you, and you will be blessed, and you will lack nothing. Psalms 34:7-9 states, “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8) Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9) Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!”
God will help you and shield you from all harm. Psalm 115:11 states, “You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.” Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”
You will have confidence and you will feel safe. Proverb 14:26 states, “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge.”
You will have wisdom and know what to do. Psalms 111:10 states, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.”
You will have a long life. Proverbs 10:27 “The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.”

Conclusion:

Being fearful is our natural inclination. But it is better to fear God and be under His protection and provision than to fear the things going on around you or to fear people and what they may do or think. To keep your peace and not be afraid, claim the promises in your Bible, especially the Psalms, and stay away from the things that put fear into your mind. If you have an irrational fear that is controlling your life, please seek help or read my short book on my website.

I hope this post has helped you, and I am praying for you.

How to Embrace the Challenge of Change with Grace

Bondage to Unseen Controls

Thoughts That Create Peace Within and Without

What Controls Your Thoughts?

Identify and Replace False Beliefs

TRUST Leads to PEACE

P.S.: Experiencing lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

Pt. 3: Seven Markers of a Trustworthy Person

What makes a person trustworthy? Why do you need to be trustworthy? The Bible says a trustworthy person will be successful and find favor with God and others in their life. Is this something you would like? Do you want to have the favor of God, your boss, or others in authority? Proverbs 3:3&4 states, “Let not steadfast love (mercy, KJV; kindness; NAS) and faithfulness (truth) forsake you; bind (tie) them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4) So, you will find favor and good success (understanding, KJV; good reputation/name; NIV) in the sight of God and man.”

For instance, if you were merciful and faithful to protect the confidence and reputation of those around you, then you won’t gossip or share secrets. Proverbs 11:13 states, “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy (faithful, KJV) in spirit keeps a thing covered.” Do you see how gossiping or slandering not only hurts the person involved but also makes you look bad and ruins your reputation? When you talk bad about another person or lie, the one listening is wondering if you also talk bad about them, so they will not trust you. Also, consider Proverbs 14:22, which states, “Do not those who think (plot, devise) evil go astray? But mercy (kindness, love) and truth shall be to those who think of (devise, plot) good.” (MKJV).

Do you know people who have gone astray because they thought evil thoughts to harm others or themselves? Notice, how you think determines if you do evil or good. If you think truthful and good thoughts, you feel good. If you feel good, then you believe good things. If you believe you are to be faithful and trustworthy, then you will act according to those good beliefs. The same progression applies to evil thoughts, which lead you astray. On the other hand, good thoughts lead to love and truth. I have written many posts on the power of thoughts; I encourage you to read them here.

The end of Proverbs 3:3b says to “bind (tie) them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.” If you put something around your neck, you won’t forget it, and if you write something down and memorize it, you will live by it. The thoughts and beliefs in your mind and heart dictate how you speak and act.

In Pt. 1: Forsaken? Betrayed? How to trust again, I covered how to heal broken trust and offenses from when you felt betrayed and forsaken by someone. In Pt. 2: Why You Can and Cannot Trust God, I explain how you can trust God and why you don’t trust Him. This post exposes areas where someone may not be trustworthy and how to be free from the guilt of not being faithful.

A person who is trustworthy shows the love and faithfulness of God to others. To be faithful is to be reliable, trusted, or believed. Rather than being worked up over other people’s failures, I want to look at how I have failed because I can only change myself. Can others say you can be trusted and do they have confidence you are telling the truth and are dependable? Rate yourself, how you think other people would rate you: 1-10 (1 being the lowest score).

____ Honest: you do not lie (white lies or exaggeration), cheat, or steal.

____ Dependable: you keep your word and people can rely on you.

____ Faithful: people can trust and depend on you.

____ Loyal: you are faithful to a person, church, government, work, cause, duty, etc.

____ Reliable: people can depend on you to keep your word because you have integrity.

____ Fidelity: you are faithful and devoted to your obligations or vows and you are loyal.

____ Submissive: you are able to yield to the actions, control, and power of those in authority.

If you scored 1-7 in one or more areas in the list above. Do the following for each area you scored low in to transform your life in that area.

Ask God to show you the earliest memory of when you failed in that area.
Ask the Holy Spirit to remove the negative stress-energy from that memory and forgive yourself or someone else.
Pray to loose the power of the memory so it does not control your feelings and actions.
Loose all the unhealthy beliefs created by the painful memory (ies) being healed.
Bind in the truth of God’s Word, and the positive actions that you are honest, loyal, reliable, faithful, dependable, and submissive.
If you feel guilt, ask God to remove the guilt related to the time you have lied or were unfaithful.
Do this for all memories associated with the area you scored low in.
Also, ask God to show you the painful memories where others have not been faithful or trustworthy to you. See Pt. 1: Forsaken? Betrayed? How to trust again to heal those memories.

Guilt keeps you in bondage to your failures and sins. God showed me how guilt from my sins, kept me from loving myself, which caused me to not love others. I write about how to be free from guilt in the following posts:

Freedom from Humiliation and Mental Strongholds of Shame and Sadness.

WHY HEAL YOUR HEART AND PURIFY YOUR SOUL?

To find favor with God and those you associate with, be kind, merciful, faithful, and truthful. To be successful and understanding, seek God to heal the painful memories that control your ability to be faithful and truthful. Think good and truthful things to be faithful and trustworthy.

P.S.: Experiencing lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

Pt. 2: Why You Can and Cannot Trust God?

Have you ever felt forsaken by God? Jesus has, I have. So, why does the Bible say, “He will never leave you or forsake you?” We feel forsaken when our expectations are not met. This is true with our human relationships as well. The next time you feel forsaken, asked yourself what expectations were not met. Were they realistic expectations? Remember, God is the only one who can be faithful and loyal to you. My last blog post explains how to recover from broken trust, and I encourage you to read that if you haven’t: Pt. 1: Forsaken? Betrayed? How to trust again.

Maybe you feel God has abandoned you when He did not answer a prayer. Unanswered prayer is an unmet expectation that causes an offense to form in your heart. God did not answer my prayer to heal my abusive first marriage and keep my family together. I felt forsaken and despaired as I faced divorce. I felt abandoned by God. I poured my heart out to Him and told Him I was going to walk away from my faith. And God answered, “What is the alternative?” I thought about it and knew that Satan would love to destroy me and my children. So, I stayed tight with God by submitting my many troubles to Him while going through the divorce. I do not encourage divorce but sometimes we don’t have a choice. I experienced many miracles because God was faithful to me, which I share in the post, Trust God to Keep His Promises.

The Bible says, He will never leave you nor forsake you when you seek Him (read Deuteronomy 31:6&8 and Hebrews 13:5). This promise is for those who are followers of Jesus Christ who believe and confess Him as their Lord and Savior. When you believe, you are promised forgiveness of your sins and are promised eternal life (see John 3:16). Read my post on the 15 Promises We Can Trust God to Keep

―Are you afraid?

What are you afraid of? Deuteronomy 31:6,8 says you must “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you.” Again, in verse 8 God says, “Do not fear or be dismayed.” These two verses are part of Moses’s last message to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land (Israel). When I think about being courageous, I think of David and Goliath. David knew he could take Goliath because he compared the size of Goliath to the size of God. By faith, David conquered his foe with God’s help. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Also, read James 4:8.

Are you afraid you don’t have enough money? Hebrews 13:5 says to, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” You can trust God to provide for you, so you don’t need to be anxious about how much money you have or don’t have. Philippians 4:19 explains, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” When I was a single mother with two toddlers and no job. I began a sewing business and God provided for my every need when I trusted Him. I was never in need of anything. Because there was a 90% chance I would marry another abusive husband, I did not date. After a time of healing, God provided an awesome husband, who is totally submitted to Him and compatible with me. God is truly good.

My favorite promise is in Isaiah 41:10, which says, “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Really think about this promise and claim it when you are facing a tough situation. Fear and worry are indicators you are not trusting God. You will have peace when you keep your mind on the Lord God through prayer, praise, and pondering scripture. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.” I wrote in a previous post, how you know you are trusting God when you attain righteousness, peace, and joy.

―How do you make God your refuge in times of trouble?

Psalm 9:9-10 states, “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek You.”

What do the following phrases mean?

“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed”? Refuge means a place of shelter and protection from danger. The word oppressed means to feel burdened or heavy by troubles in your body, spirit, and mind. We make the LORD (God) our refuge through prayer by giving Him all the things that burden our hearts and are heavy on our minds.
“A stronghold in times of trouble.” A stronghold is a strong fortress that we can run into and be safe. Psalm 37:39, also states, “The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.”
Those who know Your name trust in You for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek You. Are you seeking God? Jeremiah 29:13 tells us, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Also, read Matthew 7:7-11.

God can be trusted, though He may not answer all your prayers the way you want Him too. His knowledge and ways are greater than ours, and He has a good purpose and plan for you (Jeremiah 29:11-13 and Isaiah 55:9). You will never know His good purpose for your life until you have submitted to Him. Submitting to God means accepting His sovereign plan for you and give Him the authority to take over. I wrote a post on how to submit to God. When I finally submitted, I became free from an anxiety disorder. Read: Why, What, and How to Submit to God and be FREE

Pray the following truth statements if you find it hard to trust God. Found in TRUST AND FAITHFULNESS Issues.

It is safe to trust God and do what is good, and He will direct me. Ps. 37:3-5.

I can trust God’s faithfulness to be a shield around me as I put my trust in Him, and I will not be afraid. Ps. 91:4; 56:4,11.

Trust believes the good thing God is doing, and my heart need not be troubled, for He is my salvation. John 14:1, Isa. 25:9.

I can be trusted, and I am faithful with what God has given me. Lk. 16:10.

I can trust and believe my life has a purpose, and God has a plan for my life, which gives me hope… Jer. 29:11-14.

As I trust in God, He is my refuge, and His unfailing love and favor surround me. Ps. 32:10; 7:1; 5:12.

When I trust and believe in Jesus, I will not be disappointed. Rom. 9:33; I Peter 2:6b.

I will not put my hope in the uncertainty of riches but in God who richly supplies me with all things to enjoy. I Tim. 6:17; Phil 4:19.

I am blessed when I trust and hope in the Lord, and I make him my confidence. Jer. 17:7.

There is hope for complete healing when you seek God with all your heart and trust Him. The short book on my website is the result of God healing my heart when I trusted him to show me my wounds and sin so I could repent and be healed. 1–Healing Begins by Transforming Painful Memories

I am praying for you. If you have a prayer request, I would love to pray with you, send me an email, or if you comment with a request, I will not publish your request, unless you give me permission.

RELATED POSTS

Read my posts on Psalm 91 found in Psalm 91 Posts

P.S.: Experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).