GOD'S TRUTHS

By: Lizzie Williams

Fun fact: I struggle with anxiety. Not just like cute little worries, but like full out panic attack anxiety. But God has also spoken into my life a lot lately about proclaiming his truths. So tonight when I started to have a panic attack, when I felt the tears in my eyes and my throat closing up, I tried something. I tried being still and knowing that He is God (Psalm 46:10). I took many moments to breathe, then I raised my hands in the air and said everything that I know about God to be true, and then I laid there some more in silence. It took some time but eventually my anxiety went away and for the first time ever in my life, I was able to stop myself from having a panic attack. So, why am I telling you this? Definitely not to draw glory to myself, all I did was lay on my bathroom floor like a goof. I’m telling you this to show that there really is power in the truth that is God’s word.

We see this in scripture when Jesus is being tempted in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). Instead of giving in, he recites scripture; he proclaims God’s truth. “Well, what is God’s truth?” you ask. Good question! There are so many ways to answer this, but I will keep it simple. You were dead in your sins, but Christ took your place. Now you are alive, and Christ who defeated death is alive as well, and one day He will return so we can all be alive together! There are many true statements that come along with that, but this is a devo, not a book. So instead, I’m just going to attach a letter that my grandma, I call her Gigi, wrote to me when I went to Guatemala, which she titled “God’s gifts and promises.”

Because of the blood that Jesus shed, [we are able to approach God’s throne with confidence] (Hebrews 4:15-16). He is our intercessor, sitting before the Father (Mark 14:62, Hebrews 7:25), so we can make our petitions known (Philippians 4:6). We have direct communion with the father, there is no veil separating us [and no one is] standing between us (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45).

He not only forgave us, He adopted us and made us His own (Romans 8:15). We have been made sons and daughters of the Most High God (John 1:12-13). We have been made joint heirs with the son of God, everything that belongs to Jesus now belongs to us (Romans 8:17, Galatians 4:7). We may use Jesus’ name, knowing that anything we ask according to his name, the Lord will hear us and answer (John 14:14, 16:23). God has lavished such a great love on us (1 John 3:1). He has taken the responsibility to be our Father, we are not orphans any longer (John 14:18). We are not alone; he will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He will walk with us and remain with us. Jesus life and presence dwells within us (Galatians 4:6). The same power that raised Jesus from the dead dwells within us (Romans 8:11). He is our counselor, helper, guide, teacher, [and savior].

[Jesus says] “it is the father, living in me, who is doing his work” and that we can do great things because his Spirit will come and live in us (John 14:10, 12) Jesus came to destroy the powers of darkness (Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:8) [This means that even] the gates of hell cannot prevail against us because the One who is in us has already defeated them (Matthew 16:18). The One in us is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

We are his ambassadors, his representatives on the earth sent to reconcile the world unto him (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). We are to reveal him, to bear witness to the reality of who he is to the world (Luke 21:12-13, 24:48). We have been given divine weapons and power to accomplish the work he has given us (2 Corinthians 10:4). He said we will be able to trample on snakes and scorpions (Luke 10:19) and that no weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). We are his army; He has given us weapons that have the power to put down everything that comes against the Spirit of God (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

Overall, you are loved and you are safe in the hands of God. Go forth knowing that you are a princess, a child of the One true King. Have a blessed week!