Speak Your Name: Devotions and Declarations on the Reality of JesusSample

Jesus, My Keeper

So often, we put so much pressure on ourselves to “keep” ourselves. We strive to keep ourselves pure, holy, innocent and protected. This pressure we put on ourselves is not what God intended for us. 

Everything in the Bible points to Jesus; we must remem­ber that our faith, our belief, our trust, and our focus should never be on us. 

You will never have enough willpower or determination to “keep” yourself. Willpower and determination are not what set you free. Jesus sets you free; and because of this, HE is the only One who can “keep” you free. 

Notice Isaiah 26:3 does not say, “the person will keep himself in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on himself because he trusts in himself.” No, it says, “YOU” will keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on “YOU,” because he trusts in “YOU.” Everything in His Word is pointing us to Jesus. 

Look at Peter in Matthew 14:22–33. When Peter saw Jesus walking on the water, he called out to Him, “Lord if it’s You, tell me to come to You on the water.” After Peter said this, Jesus said to Him, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus, but when Peter saw the wind, he became afraid and began to sink. Notice, Peter didn’t start sinking until he looked at the wind. The moment Peter took his eyes off Jesus was the moment he became afraid and started to sink.

This is the moment a lot of us have in common with Peter. We step out of the boat, we're walking on water, and then we take our eyes off Jesus. We see the wind of fear and the waves of our own weaknesses, and it is there we lose sight of our Keeper. 

Friend, you have a Keeper, one who watches over your life and protects you from all harm. He promises to watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore. You can trust Him; and the more you look to Him, the more you will see this to be true. 

Declaration Prayer: 

Jesus, You are my Keeper.  I thank You that all the pressure to “keep” myself has been placed on You.  I realize that I could never have enough willpower or determination to “keep” myself pure, holy, righteous, or protected.  Thank You for Your promise to keep me and watch over my life now and forever.  I look to You, and I trust You.  Thank You, Jesus!