'For thus said the Lord God , the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling, and you said, “No! We will flee upon horses”; therefore you shall flee away; and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”; therefore your pursuers shall be swift. A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill (Crossway Bibles, 2008).'
Do you ever feel the urge to act on temptation? You may feel the Holy Spirit say go left, but you think to ignore in rebellion and go right? Well this is how I see Israel acting in Isaiah 30:1-17. Like us, in some moments of temptation, they are making a decision to disobey.
The entire book of Isaiah speaks to the rebellion of Israel from the Lord’s covenant instructions brought through the law of Moses and their reliance on false gods and ungodly political alliances. Isaiah warns how Israel will face judgement through their exile, the admonishment of their political alliances with other nations, and those nation’s falling (The Daily Grace Co., 2017, p. 132-134).
Isaiah also speaks to hope. Hope will be found in the Lord after the exile is over. He accounts that Israel will receive their homeland back. They will also receive the promise of the coming of the Redeemer, the Messiah(The Daily Grace Co., 2017, p. 132-134).
When we don’t have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, the wrong path is easy to go down with Satan. We may actually do things that we never really believed we would. In addition we may also fall into a pattern of rebellion against God like Israel. As a result we may have to face consequences that won’t be so pleasant. They will hurt and can sometimes break us.
In verses 15-17, the Lord speaks a warning through Isaiah. He explains that “in returning to Him and rest they shall be saved” and that “in quietness and in trust they will obtain their strength.” But God knows His people very well and explains that Israel will ignore this by believing in their own strength. They will be unwilling to return to Him. They won’t find rest and strength (Crossway Bibles, 2008).
Isaiah continues on to state God’s words about what comes next. He says, “you shall flee away” and “your pursuers shall be swift.” He says, “A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill (Crossway Bibles, 2008).”
So military action will occur.The Lord will frustrate the battle. Let’s refer to verse 3 of Isaiah 30 when God says, the “protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame” and “the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation. Essentially this is a return to Egypt, who once oppressed them before they became free (Crossway Bibles, 2008).
Don’t reattach yourself to your oppressor as Israel did. Your oppressor is Satan, and His plan is eternal death for all people. But God the Father has said otherwise. He has sent a Savior for the world, named Jesus. Jesus ensures we have an eternal life.
So today, examine if you’ve received salvation or do you have a break in your relationship with the Holy Spirit. If you have gone astray, there is still time to return to God and build or rebuild that relationship with Him.
You will never regret choosing God. And He has so much love that he wants you to experience by following and knowing Him. Instead of finding yourself in a helpless war with your flesh and Satan, ask the Holy Spirit to search you and remove any behaviors not in alignment with His will. Ask Him to spiritually armor you up to follow Him and fight successfully amongst spiritual warfare.
Pray this week:
Dear Father,
My hearts desire is to be in alignment with you. Please forgive me for the times that I rebel or begin a pattern of disobedience. I want to honor you in how I live, get to know you more and experience your love. Open my eyes to the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. Order my steps dear God.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
Amen
Join my free prayer circle for support from a community of women who pray for one another everyday.
Do you want to become a believer today? I’ll show you how here.
Sources Used:
Evans, Tony. The Tony Evans Bible Commentary. Holman Bible Publishers, 2019.
The Daily Grace Co., et al. “Isaiah.” The Bible Handbook, edited by Jana White and Alli Turner, Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 2017, pp. 132–134. Source used to understand the context of the book of Isaiah from the Holy Bible
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version: The ESV Study Bible. Crossway Bibles, 2008.
The fear and anxiety that we experience are not of the great God we serve. Many times our anxieties are imaginations that we think up to ourselves. We fester on them and eventually begin to believe them.
This is a snare. It’s a trap orchestrated by Satan. He doesn’t want us to trust God. He definitely wants us to believe that we are all alone. The enemy desires for us to be webbed into bondage by the thoughts and things that we are fearful of.
Have you ever thought of your anxieties this way?
Anxiety is not a God thing. It’s a tool to disable us from fulfilling God’s will for our lives.
Take Moses for instance. He was fearful of a speech difficulty that he struggled with. He actually didn’t believe he could effectively travel into Egypt and command Pharaoh to let the Lord’s people go.
Exodus 4:10But Moses said to the Lord , “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”
Many times like Moses, all of us allow our shortcomings to disable us into fear.
But Proverbs 29:25 says, “whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”
Do you believe that today? God’s Word is true and never lies.
The next time you are fearful or overcome by anxiety, remember this promise of God. We don’t always know how He does it, but God protects His children. He is graceful, merciful, and kind in heart.
We can trust Him over any anxiety.
I encourage you to break free of your anxiety trap today. Go forth and persevere in the things God has called you specifically to do.
Be not afraid and remember that God remembers us in our fear. We can be reminded by that in scripture when we read that Aaron was sent with Moses to be his spokesman.
Exodus 7:1
And the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet.
God is always for you and will not forget you. He is your safety.
Pray this week:
Dear Lord,
Please help me to overcome my fears and anxieties. Please correct my way of thinking and remind me that you are my safe place. Build my trust in you and my resistance to any snare.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
Amen
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'And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” '
I know from experience that mental illness is a long journey. Like the woman with the issue of blood, I suffered daily for years. It sometimes seemed never-ending. It became worse over time. At one point, I refused to believe that God could heal me. I had no faith that the pain, the confusion, and the anguish could weaken and become non-existent.
Among this defeat, people of prayer constantly lifted my name and my circumstances to God. Essentially, all those who prayed for me stood in the gap, praying for my relationship with God and healing. Eventually, I began to welcome God again into my everyday life. My heart began to soften.
During this time of reconciliation, I went to a conference for women. There I realized my distance from God had stripped me of my faith. At this conference, we had nightly services. During the end of one service, I went forward to the altar for prayer. I desperately wanted to be healed in my mind and free from the pain in my abdomen from anxiety.
Like the woman with the issue of blood, I pressed toward the altar. I was weak from all the pain, but I knew in my heart that going to that altar for prayer would be a declaration that I believed God could heal me. I had faith that He is mighty to heal and deliver, just like the woman with the issue of blood.
For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”
The apostle Dr. Monique Flemings, met me at the altar. She already had the discernment to pray over my mind and my abdomen. It was such a supernatural experience in the presence of God. As she prayed, she encouraged me to be set free. She told me I must believe in my healing and freedom for myself.
I did and after that prayer, I knew I was free like the woman with the issue of blood.
'And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” '
God’s power had broken through the mental stronghold that had me bound. Before the end of the conference, Dr. Flemings reminded me to stay free. And I have ever since. I have my bad days, but I am no longer in spiritual and mental bondage by bipolar 2 disorder, PTSD, depression, or anxiety.
My sister, you too are able to have the faith to believe in healing for your mind. God has not forgotten you in your pain. Having faith like the woman with the issue of blood will allow you to be free from bondage in your spirit and mind. You may still have a clinical diagnosis, depressive days, and anxious days, but you will not be in bondage by it. You can still have abundant life like God intended you to.
Finally, I have to tell you how I stay spiritually and mentally free. I fervently pray over my mind and cast down high thoughts that are lies. I also read my Bible almost daily and worship when I feel weak.
If you have been suffering for some time, choose now life without bondage. Reach out to God and receive His healing power. I suggest therapy and other mental wellness tools and strategies as well. Please know that I’m praying for you, your faith, and your strength to stay free. You got this!
Pray this week:
Dear Heavenly Father, I have suffered for so long. I have even waivered from my faith in you. I need restoration. I want to believe in your power to heal. Once I am healed from bondage I want to stay free. I desire to be well, and I confess you are my source of power and strength to be free. I place my faith in you and embrace freedom through Jesus Christ.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen
Join my free prayer circle for support from a community of women who pray for one another everyday.
Do you want to become a believer today? I’ll show you how here.
I have to say it has been quite a journey building Her Faith Walk over the past year and a half. I’ve gone back and forth between subject matter and struggled to submit to God’s vision. I’m not proud of this, but I have to be truthful about it.
I’ve never had an issue with evangelizing, praying, and promoting the study of God’s word. I’ve never had reservations about the conversation on faith. After all, the ministry’s name is Her Faith Walk. But, I have had difficulty being fully transparent and willing to share my successes and setbacks in my mental health.
Before I received the assignment of online ministry, I had no problems sharing my mental health journey. There may have even been times where I overshared. But, when the time came to couple my journey with my mission to spread the gospel, I began to close off.
If you wonder why this was, let me explain. I believe that the enemy never wants a testimony to reach the person that needs to hear it. He does his best to distract us from our assignment and silence our story. When stories include the goodness of God, Satan doesn’t want it told.
John 10:10 says,
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
The enemy wants to steal everything God has given us, including our testimony. He comes to kill and destroy and prevent our story from being heard. He wishes that no one becomes saved through the power of our testimony.
However, Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly. Therefore, God’s desire is for our souls to be saved from eternal death and for us to have life to the full.
Sometimes hearing or seeing the testimony of our lives is the only Jesus a person will see.You and I both need to remember this and take our testimony, witness, and assignment seriously.
As I move forward with Her Faith Walk, I am now intentional about fulfilling God’s desires. It’s all about Him, and I want more of Him to shine through and less of me. Women’s lives are and will continue to be touched by me sharing the highs and lows of my journey living with a mental illness. They will change by the goodness of God that shines through it all.
In conclusion, our God assignments are powerful, and we cannot allow the enemy to distract us from them. We must stay in prayer and obedience. Let’s open our mouths and declare the goodness of God in our lives. Let’s show the world how He has allowed us to overcome.
Grab the March Free Resource, The Deliverance Prayer Challenge here.
'By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. '
In the past, I have found myself wondering if the Lord would do as He promised concerning my mental health. Doubt has come when I felt like I would not see the promise of God fulfilled.
I have had ups in downs in my faith. There have been times I’ve doubted healing, deliverance, and a sound mind was going to happen for me. Have you also been holding onto a promise from God and sometimes feel like you won’t make it to that promise?
In Hebrews 11:17-19, we see a picture of the unwavering faith of a man named Abraham. God asked Him to sacrifice his only son Issac, despite Issac being a part of the plan to the promise.
Before we move on, let’s review the promise in Genesis 26:4…
"I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,"
Issac is the man by which Abraham’s offspring would come. However, Abraham knew that God’s promise would be fulfilled despite God telling him to sacrifice hisonly son Isaac. (Genesis 22:2-3)
Abraham believed even if he sacrificed Issac, God could bring the boy back to life.
That is FAITH!
We read in Genesis 22:11-12 that just as Abraham goes to slaughter his son, the angel of the Lord appears. The angel of the Lord says not to lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. The angel of the Lord knew based upon Abraham’s willingness to give his son that he feared God.
In Genesis 22:13, Abraham looks up to find a ram caught by its horns in a thicket.
God provided the sacrifice, just as Abraham believed he would! (Genesis 22:8)
I have found that faithfulness to believe in God’s promises for healing is where the journey to wholeness began for me.
So can you believe by faith that whatever your promise is, God will do as He said He would?
I encourage you to believe God in faith and to walk obediently. Your promise will come to pass. I know this because my mental health has improved throughout the past several years. I’ve seen God do and continue to fulfill His promise of healing to me.
I praise God that I have been free from self-harm for nearly two years. Additionally, I no longer struggle with suicidal ideation.
God is faithful sis!
In closing, Confess to God that you will stand in faith for His promise to you. If you don’t feel that you can, ask God for strength to believe that all His promises are yes and amen. He will strengthen you, which will build your faith in Him.
Pray this week:
Dear God, I need your help. I want to have faith in every promise you’ve made to me, but sometimes it can be difficult. I know that you know this about me already. Since you understand me better than anyone else, remind me of the times you have never failed me in the past. Show me how to live in your will and in obedience to you. Help me believe with the faith I have to give you. Thank you.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
Amen
Join my free prayer circle for support from a community of women who pray for one another everyday.
Do you want to become a believer today? I’ll show you how here.
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