June 29, 2021
Finding Peace in a Stressed-Out World
Precious child be strong in the Lord in the power of His might. (Ephesians 6:10) You were not created to carry weighty, heavy burdens. Camels are the only animal that can carry heavy, weighty, burdensome loads without food and water in the desert for an extended time. They’re known for transporting goods and called ‘ships of the desert.’ Burdens weigh you down! A camel gets on his knees, lays down, and rolls over the load he is carrying. When you ‘commit your cares to the Lord literally, it means ‘let them roll off you.’ Give Your burdens to God and let them go! You were created to cast all anxiety or burdens on the Lord and let Him have them because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7) Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. (Proverbs 12:25) How do you become strong in the Lord? By lifting up your hands to worship God, kneeling on your knees in prayer, and speaking the Word in your Heart – Christ will strengthen you. Hide the Word of God in your Heart. (Psalms 119:11) Three ways God will strengthen you are through your hands, knees, and Heart.
1.Hands –
Lifting up your hands in prayer and worship before God means you are presenting yourself as a dedicated, consecrated, holy life.
a. I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. (Psalms 63:4)
b. Lift your hands toward the sanctuary and praise the Lord. (Psalms 134:2)
c. Paul said, in every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy. (1 Timothy 2:8)
2. Knees
When you bow down on your knees to pray, God sees a humble heart.
a. I have sworn by my own name; I have spoken the truth, and I will never go back on my Word: Every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.” (Isaiah 45:23)
b. When Solomon finished making these prayers and petitions to the Lord, he stood up in front of the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands raised toward heaven. (1 Kings 8:54)
c. Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord, our maker, for he is our God. (Psalms 95:6)
3. Heart
Your Heart represents your mind. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7)
a. Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.” (Isaiah 35:4)
b. So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid, and do not panic before them. For the Lord, your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! (Deuteronomy 31:6-7)
c. “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:6-9, 17)
It’s not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord. (Zechariah 4:6) Be strong is not a suggestion; it’s a command. When you are awakened in the night, don’t lay in bed thinking about your problems. Lay in your bed and be still (Psalms 41:10), meditate on the scripture you have hidden in your Heart – it will strengthen and give you peace. Lift up your hands in worship and pray, speaking the Word of God on your knees, and God will provide you with strength. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ, Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Pray with me:
Father God, I come boldly before Your throne to offer myself as a vessel to do your will. I understand now that lifting my hands to You symbolizes; I am yielding my life to You. When I kneel to pray, I am humbling myself in your presence, and I ask you to create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Give me peace that passes all understanding that only comes from You in Jesus’ righteous, holy name. Amen.
