Equipped to StandSample

There is hurt in the body of Christ like no one has ever seen before. We are a church lacking peace. Many feel like they cannot go on another day. There is so much fear that people feel paralyzed. Many are sick and in need of a miracle.

It’s difficult for a wounded army to have victory. We need the church to be well. Where do we start? It’s in our thoughts. Romans 12:2 tells us to “Be transformed by the renewing of our mind.” If we allow sickness and fear to conquer our minds, they will eventually bleed into our bodies. Our greatest weapon is the Lord and his word. We as a church need to stand firm in our thought life. We must identify thoughts that do not agree with God’s word, take them captive, and shut them down. But only shutting them down allows them to come back. Therefore, we have to replace those thoughts with the truth.

Why do we do this? Because we trust in God. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.” You lock in on God, and he will guard your peace. When you’re captivated by the face of Jesus, not by your hardships or fear, God will keep you in perfect peace.

Ask yourself these questions: If I am not in perfect peace, is my mind focused on the Lord, or is it focused on my circumstance? Do you trust him if your mind does not stay on the Lord? We must wrestle with this question. Sometimes we sweep it under the rug and say, “Sure, we trust God,” but we’re already working out plan B. As long as you are unsure if God is for you or against you, you will never be able to stand firm. You will always doubt and waver.

You must know God intimately. Crave his presence and know him as if your life depends on it. The more intimately you know him, the more you know who you are, and your identity begins to rise. Recognize that you are part of the family of the living God. That is how we learn how we stand firm in unity together.