Day 6....The Journey to #bebrave

(Two of my favorite things, right here - My Bible and the Beach! The Lord seems to whisper more loudly anytime I'm near the ocean!)

At the end of Day 5, I mentioned I would give you the list of verses that ended the stand-off between the giant of FEAR and myself, oh so many years ago.

These are tools for you in times of soul-disturbance.

A picture of the front and backside of my "worksheet" of verses is seen below.

This is the original, faded, highlighted, handled, carried-about, for these oh-so-man-years.

What I didn't mention was that about 6 weeks after that earth-shaking-event occurred in my world, we experienced another robbery at a home on our lower station (down near the hospital and the Bible college).

The thieves wrecked havoc in this home.

When we got the call asking Bay to go with our next door neighbor to help, the bile of fear rose up in me once again.

The home was a mess.

The owners had been severely beaten, a child was thought missing (but later found hiding under a bed), and I heard FEAR come knocking at my door...wanting to steal my joy, kill my faith, and destroy any witness I might have as a "worker" in the Lord's service.

He was after me again...in a HuGe WaY!

Immediately, I headed straight for my Bible where this sheet found its resting place for "such a time as this.."

(And, believe me, there have been other times I've used it, as well.)

These Scriptures, and the one quote, became my go-to for prayer, as I prayed each Scripture into residence within my soul.

As I read them OUT LOUD!

I prayed them back to the Lord, OUT LOUD!

Something about hearing the words, makes them transfer more quickly from my head to my heart.

Something about praying them verbally, gives more of what I call "Resurrection-Power-and-Peace" into my spirit.

(a cantor singing his Torah verses aloud during our time in Israel a year ago...just moved my heart to literal tears)

Using these Scriptures wraps words around what I need, what I feel, what I'm thinking, and where I want to ultimately be...at REST in FAITH in my Lord.

There are questions I ask myself as I read through the Scriptures, and make notations in my journal:

What do these passages tell me about MY GOD?

What do I hear the Lord saying to me?

What promises is He making to me that I can embrace?

Are there conditions to those promises?

Are there key words that might give me indication of something I need to be aware of and what do these words mean?

What is repeated, listed (does the sequence have significance), compared, or contrasted to give me spiritual direction?

After asking and interpreting the answers prayerfully, I write out a statement of faith (generally in prayer format) based on what I just learned.

I go from reading the verses, to reading my statement of faith back to the Lord as a heart-felt prayer.

Believe me, every time I've employed this little plan, it has brought the peace of God that passes all understanding to my heart and mind.

With that, here are the verses that helped me then, and help me now (they are not in any particular order)...  May they be a blessing to you. Copy and paste them. Print them out. Use them in your own times of uncertainty and unrest. And, my prayer is that they be for you the source of VICTORY they were for me - THEN and NOW!

Genesis 26:24 (God says to Abraham as He gives Abe his "calling")... "Do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you."

Joshua 1:9. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God goes with you wherever you go.

2 Timothy 1:7. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mine.

Deuteronomy 31:6 & 8.  Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of ______________, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. And, the Lord your God, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you;  do not fear or be dismayed...

Psalm 118:6.  The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid.

Proverbs 3:24.  When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down your sleep will be sweet...

Isaiah 41:10 & 13.  Fear not, for I am with you - be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  For I the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, "Fear not, I will help you."

Romans 8:15.  For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father.

1 John 4:18.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love...   God is love!

Proverbs 3:15, 26.  Be not afraid of sudden fear...when it comes. For the Lord shall be your confidence, and shall keep your feet from stumbling.

Isaiah 54:14, 17.  In righteousness shall you be established;  you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror; for it shall not come near you. No weapon formed against you shall succeed.

John 14:27.  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

1 Peter 5:7.  Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Hebrews 13:6.  So that we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

Psalm 31:24.  Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart...

Phil. 4: 5-6.  The Lord is near; do not be anxious about anything...but in everything with Thanksgiving, lift your requests to the Lord...

Isaiah 26:3.  You, O Lord, will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you; because he trusts in You.

AND THIS - a declaration of faith:

There is nothing...no circumstance, no trouble, no testing that can ever touch me until, first of all it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. But as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to Him, and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own. heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret. For I shall rest in the joy of who my God is!!! That is the REST OF VICTORY!

(a stone picked up in the creek bed at the Valley of Elah - pictures of the Valley shown below)

At the end of this season...I wrote out a prayer, which is too long to add to this post. But, if interested, a .pdf of it is found in this link: Brave Prayer