From the Apostle's Pen

Isa 26:3-4

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength

"Sometimes God delays the answer to our prayer in final form until we have time to build up the strength, accumulate the knowledge, or fashion the character that would make it possible for Him to say yes to what we ask." Samuel Pepys

Well, obviously there is so much that we could be discouraged concerning in this life. How often we have each experienced faltering expectations due to things not quite working out like we had wanted them to. The Bible suggests to us that the way that we think will ultimately affect and influence our emotions. Our emotions on the other hand will influence our outlook on life and our outlook will determine either success or defeat.

Whenever we allow anxiety to rule how we live. It will not be long before we find that we are depressed without a concrete cause or reason. Satan the enemy of our souls knows that if he can get us anxious and all worked up over an event or events that may or may not happen he has effectively diverted us from seizing the truth that will be needed for our deliverance. There is nothing more detrimental to our walk than a discouraged heart.

Discouragement causes us to shift focus from God as our source to areas of lack an ddeficiency in our lives. When disocouragement enters into our hearts we need to appeal to the highest authority that we know of and that is our God. We should approach him in three areas; Through prayer, by fasting, and through his Word. Communicating with God as our source casues our hearts to turn away from the circumastances that are creating the discouragement and makes me the focus upon the promises of a God who cannot lie. Fasting makes my search for the heart of God concerning the matter that I am engaged in more intense and effective. Our belief in the Word of God is used as a tangible reference resource for deliverance. Through the Word I can discover the ways that the Lord has dealt with issues of this nature in the past with His children. Because we know that God has shown a pattern of mercy toward his children. Havig knowledge of the love and mercy of God, my faith increases and I now know that help is on the way!