In reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 4:22-24.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
If you would do what I tell you, you would NEVER get in any trouble. And of what am I speaking? These three, which I am very clear on, and if you are willing and obey you will have the best of the land.
- Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give constant thanks, then you will never get in any trouble with your tongue. And I tell you that this is My Will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
- If you would meditate on My Word day and night and speak nothing else and never turn to the right or the left, you would never get in trouble. Joshua 1:8.
- If you would not look at others so hard in judgment, gossip, and comparison or in fear but make it your business to follow Me, you would not get in trouble. John 21:21-23.
If you do these three things your life will change and I will make all things new in you and around you. I give you the grace but you must be willing to diligently apply these and watch yourself. Deny yourself, that is, deny giving free reign to the flesh (your emotions). I know you would not think about blocking the entrance of and casting out the spirits of fear and depression as denying yourself, but it is. Taking every thought captive in obedience to Christ gives you great peace but requires great diligence. It is being constantly aware of the tactics and schemes of the devil and holding up your shield of faith and wielding the Sword of the Spirit, which is My Word and nothing else.
It is not so much about your failings and faults, it is about who you are and can be in Christ, that you may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of your own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from Me, My own righteousness imputed to you not based on your works but on the basis of faith, that you may know Jesus and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, in order that you may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:9-11. When Paul prayed to be conformed to Jesus’ death, he did not mean being crucified. Jesus died to sin that He might be alive (raised up) to Me. If you are conformed to His death, you are dead to sin and alive to Me. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to Me. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to Me in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:10-11.
Don’t let the things you have done that you regret in hindsight keep you from going forward. Paul told you, “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14.
Don’t push yourself down, pull yourself up. Prophesy. Be like David, he encouraged himself, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.” Psalm 42:5.
Don’t tell Me what you should have done, tell Me what you are going to do. Like Paul, pressing forward forgetting the mistakes of the past. Like David who told Me that despite his sin, he trusted in My forgiveness and told Me that he would go on to teach sinners My ways and bring them to return to Me and be converted. Psalm 51:10-13.
Cast your cares upon Me because I care for you. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to Me. And then My peace, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7. Keep your minds off the fears and negative things, and fix them on beautiful things, things above where I have seated you with Christ at My right hand. Philippians 4:8; Colossians 3:1-3.
Now, many of you pray about others and conditions outside you, or for physical ailments or pains you have, but why don’t you ask Me to help change things within you? I mean if you are down on what you see as your faults and failures, why don’t you let Me transform you into the new creation you are in Christ? Your spirit is My lamp by which I search all your inward parts. As David put it, “You alone give light to my lamp, You alone brighten the darkness around me.”
Instead of promising Me you are going to be better, as if to make Me love you more, each time you feel you fail in some area, why not instead pray for Me to make you into the wonderful person you want to be? I am present as your helper. You are all the work of My hands. Let Me form you anew into the real you—a champion of love.
For My eternal purpose of making every person complete in Christ, I want you to also work, striving according to My power, which mightily works within you. Colossians 1:29. My power mightily works within you, but you must cooperate to work it out. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is I who am at work in you, both to will and to work for pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13. Remember? The righteous shall live by faith, but if he draws back, I take no pleasure in him. Why? I cannot reward him with My promise if he quits before I can give it to him. Do not throw away your confidence, it has great reward. Walk before Me and be blameless. You can by My power and illumination.
I am the God of peace, shalom. Jesus gave you His peace (shalom). And I made peace with you through the blood of the cross. And I brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus your Lord, and I equip you in Him for every good thing in order to do My Will, working in you that which is pleasing in My sight, through Jesus Christ, whom I have exalted in glory, and you with Him. Hebrews 13:20-21.
If you will let Me, if you will invite Me to do so, I can work in you that which is pleasing in My sight through Jesus Christ. And I am pleased in the prosperity of My children, I am pleased to give you the Kingdom, and I delight in showering you with blessings. I was pleased to send My Son to die for your sins and He was delighted to do it. Psalm 40:8. Why? So you could be reconciled to Me and receive the BLESSING. I really only want to bless you and dwell with you as your God to take care of you so you can reign with Me forever in perfect unity of love filled with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. That was the way it all began and that is the way it will all end.
Right now you are merely passing through the valley of the shadow of death. But a shadow cannot hurt anyone. But as you know from the book of Acts, it can bring healing. In the shadow of My hand.
My Word will also perform its work in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13. Your work of faith and labor of love, and steadfastness of hope in your Lord Jesus Christs in My presence brings great reward and peace that passes all understanding. Philippians 1:3. Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted My kindness. 1 Peter 2:1-3. Taste and see My goodness, happy the one who takes refuge in Me. Delight in Me as I do in you and I will give you the desires of your heart. Isn’t this what you want? That I direct your heart’s desires to what is good, acceptable, pleasing and perfect. Such is My Will for your life. A good life. A fruitful life. A beautiful life. Let Me take your life and do something wonderful with it. I can if you are willing and obey, then you will have the best of the land.
Let Me work with you, in you, and through you, so you can enjoy every spiritual blessing that I already gave you in Christ, you have only to walk them out. You have them all already in your heavenly account, just waiting for you to make use of them. Don’t try to do it in your own strength, draw out of your account. Firmly rooted and grounded in Christ, draw all you need out of Him, for He is your heavenly account. I see to all your needs according to My riches in glory IN CHRIST JESUS. Do you still not understand? Get out of you and into HIM.
I love you. I am on your side. Stop trying to appease Me, this does not please Me. Get bold and take hold of all I have given you and who I want to be for you. Let Me go to work in you. It will be the greatest story ever told.
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established by your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7