Live In His Spirit

        

        Country singer Chris Young sings a song called Voices. In this song he mentions all the sayings and advice that keep returning to his mind via the voices of his parents, friends and respected others. Nowadays, we have a focus on mental health, where the voices we hear and unfortunately pay attention to are toxic.

        Have you ever discouraged yourself? I have. I have loaded up my mind with everything and anything that is going wrong in my world at the time and question how and why am I alive? Have there been friends or even family that have been an outside discouraging influence? After all that Job went through, his wife was no help, she said, "Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9)

        I've had my share of pity parties and temper tantrums, even as an adult, but when the dust settles and God says, "Are you through now?" - He reminds me that whole scene could have been avoided. Two verses in particular the Holy Spirit recalls -

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

        In the John 14:27 verse, in the original Greek the words "troubled" (tarreso) and "afraid" (deilos) communicate a shaking or unsettling dread that grips you and produces a shrinking back. Mr. Rick Renner boldly encourages us, "We were not created to be torn up in our emotions! That's why we must quickly learn to grab hold of our emotions and tell ourselves, I wasn't made for this! I refuse to allow this sense of panic and fear to get hold of me! Jesus is Lord over every situation I commit to Him and that includes the one I'm looking at right now!" (Sparkling Gems From the Greek 2, p.190)

        And the original word for "world" in John 16:33 refers not only to the physical and spiritual globe, but all the systems of the universe. Anything and everything that could have set itself up against God's plan was thwarted through Christ on The Cross and by His resurrection.         

        Therefore, I will submit two huge keys in battling negative mental health issues or anything that will attempt to steal your peace - 

1. Know Jesus, Know Peace. No Jesus, No Peace. The foundation and all benefits with Christ are all about relationship.
2. Submit emotions and situation beforehand. Head-off the attack at the pass and try not to operate on a knee-jerk reaction but a drop to your knees and pray reaction.

        With all that's going on in our world - war, virus, storms, economy and personal issues - the list of depressing things balloons as the spirit of fear tries its best to control humanity's minds and hearts. However, just as Paul reminded and encouraged young Timothy, so I do for you -  "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7) So, live in His power, live in His love, live in His self-discipline - Live In His Spirit.