2023-09-30
Efesiërs 6:16 NLV
Gee aandag aan dit wat Satan op jou afskiet: ‘brandpyle!’ Hy weet dat indien hy die vure van kommer en angstigheid binne-in jou aan die brand kan steek, kan hy jou immobiliseer en jou oorwin. Let op wat God vir jou gegee het om jouself te beskerm: ‘die skild van die geloof.’ Jy het egter ook ‘n deel om te doen: ‘Dra onder alle omstandighede die skild van die geloof. Dit kan al die brandpyle blus wat die Bose afskiet.’ ‘n Skild sal nie ‘n soldaat help as dit op die grond, of selfs langs hom lê nie. Hy moet dit oplig en dra om homself teen die aanval te beskerm. Dieselfde geld vir jou.
Wanneer die Duiwel jou met onaangename omstandighede en gedagtes aanval wat veroorsaak dat jy jouself bekommer en bang word, moet jy onmiddellik die skild van die geloof optel. Geloof in wat? Jouself? Nee, geloof in God se getrouheid! Jou geloof in God mag by tye wankel, maar sy liefde en sorg vir jou sal nooit wankel nie. ‘Hy wat julle roep, is getrou. Hy sál dit doen!’ (1 Tessalonisense 5:24 NLV). Hoe dra jy die skild van die geloof? Deur te sê: ‘Here, ek vertrou U in hierdie situasie!’
Jesus het die Woord van God gebruik om Satan in die woestyn te oorwin en jy moet dieselfde doen. God se Woord is ‘n beskermende skild wat die Duiwel se pyle nie kan penetreer nie. Wanneer jy dit soos ‘n skild ophou, is dit effektief teen enigiets wat hy in jou lewe probeer doen. Satan se brandpyle kan uit enige rigting kom, van beide jou vriende en jou vyande. Jy moet dus die skild van die geloof dra.
Sielskos: Lev 23:33-44; Joh 7:1-40; Sag 14:16-21; Heb 11:8-16
Ephesians 6:16 NLT
Pay attention to what Satan is shooting at you: “fiery arrows!” He knows that if he can light the fires of worry and anxiety within you, he can immobilize and defeat you. And notice what God has given you to protect yourself: “the shield of faith.” But you have a part to play: “Hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” A shield won’t help a soldier while it’s on the ground, or even at his side. He must lift it up to cover himself from attack. The same goes for you.
When the Devil attacks you with unpleasant circumstances and thoughts that cause you to worry and be afraid, you must immediately lift up the shield of faith. Faith in what? Yourself? No, faith in the faithfulness of God! At times your faith in God may falter, but His love and care for you will never falter. “Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 AMPC).
How do you lift up the shield of faith? By saying, “Lord, I trust you in this situation!” Jesus talked back to Satan in the wilderness by saying, “It is written,” and you must learn to talk back to Satan too. God’s Word is a protective shield that the Devil’s arrows cannot penetrate. When you hold it up like a shield, it’s effective against anything he tries to do in your life. Satan’s fiery arrows can come from any direction, from both your friends and foes. So, you must lift up the shield of faith.
Soul food: Lev 23:33-44; John 7:1-40; Zech 14:16-21; Heb 11:8-16
2023-09-29
Proverbs 18:24 NKJV
There are no shortcuts to overcoming shyness; you’re going to have to work at becoming comfortable being with people. But you can do it. Here are some surefire strategies that will help you make friends:
(1) You can’t deny the fact that you’re shy, but the more you keep talking about it, the more you reinforce its control over you. “Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences” (vv. 20-21 NLT). Why “own” something so damaging to your goals and relationships? “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). Fear is a spirit, and you must learn to reject it! The fact that you have named yourself “shy” is no reason to shy away from chances to overcome it. Avoidance just reinforces your fear.
(2) Engage in an activity you really enjoy so that you’ll have something to chat about with passion and enthusiasm.
(3) Overlook your thumping heart, wobbly voice, sweat, aching stomach, or other signs of anxiety; they are not lethal. Grin. It’s contagious, and it’s vital to appearing approachable.
(4) Ask people to talk about their favourite subject – themselves. Then really listen and reply to their answers instead of worrying about what you will ask next.
Remember, you may be able to sway what people think about you, but you cannot control it – so stop thinking about their assessment or endorsement of you. Meditate on Philippians 4:6-9, and “the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:9 NKJV).
Soul food: S of S 5-8; Mark 15:21-32; Ps 91; Prov 21:28-31
Spreuke 18:24 NLV
Daar is geen kortpaaie om jou skaamheid te oorkom nie; jy sal daaraan moet werk om gemaklik tussen mense te wees. Jy kan dit egter doen. Hier is ‘n paar beproefde strategieë wat jou sal help om vriende te maak:
1) Jy kan nie ontken dat jy skaam is nie, maar hoe meer jy daaroor praat, hoe meer word die beheer wat dit oor jou uitoefen, versterk. ‘Deur die regte woorde te gebruik kan ‘n mens sy honger stil. Hy kan genoeg kry om te eet met wat hy sê. Die tong het mag oor dood en oor lewe. Hulle wat lief is om te praat, moet saamleef met die gevolge van hulle woorde’ (Spreuke 18:20-21 NLV). ‘Want God het ons nie ‘n gees van skugterheid gegee nie, maar van krag, liefde en selfbeheersing’ (2 Timoteus 1:7 NLV). Vrees is ‘n gees en jy moet leer om dit te verwerp! Die feit dat jy jouself as ‘skaam’ beskryf, is geen rede om van kanse om dit te oorkom, weg te skram nie. Vermyding versterk net jou vrees.
2) Neem deel aan ‘n aktiwiteit wat jy regtig geniet, sodat jy iets sal hê om met passie en entoesiasme oor te gesels.
3) Ignoreer jou kloppende hart, wankelende stem, sweet, seer maag of ander tekens van angs; hulle is nie dodelik nie. Glimlag. Dit is aansteeklik en noodsaaklik om toeganklik te lyk.
4) Vra mense om oor hul gunsteling onderwerp – hulself – te praat. Luister dan aandagtig en hou op om jouself te bekommer oor wat jy volgende moet vra.
Onthou, jy kan nie beheer wat mense van jou dink nie – hou dus op om daaroor te tob. Mediteer eerder op Filippense 4:6-9, ‘…Dan sal die God wat vrede gee, by julle wees’ (Filippense 4:9 NLV).
Sielskos: Hoogl 5-8; Mark 15:21-32; Ps 91; Spr 21:28-31
2023-09-28
Psalm 39:7 NKJV
Life seldom works out exactly the way we hope or think it will. When Job lost everything, he said, “I don’t have the strength to endure. I have nothing to live for… I am utterly helpless, without any chance of success” (Job 6:11, 13 NLT). Yet in the end, Job got back twice as much as he had lost. But the experiences and adversities he had gone through changed his attitude toward God profoundly. “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted… My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:2, 5 NIV).
What had Job discovered? That God is sovereign! He is not our servant, we are His servants. We must obey His Word in order to walk in His blessing – but the final outcome of all things rests in His hands and not ours.
Many of us struggle with control. We want control not only over our circumstances, but our goals, plans, relationships, and all that concerns us. Such fear is often an indication of an unconscious desire to be independent of God; to be the master of our own destiny. Sometimes it’s the result of growing up in a chaotic environment and resolving never to repeat the experiences of your earlier life.
Perhaps you think you’re in control of your life due to your educational, financial, or other achievements. It isn’t true. God enabled you to do everything that you have done. Paul writes, “But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favour on me” (1 Corinthians 15:10 NLT). Today God is in control – trust Him!
Soul food: S of S 1-4; Mark 15:12-20; Ps 13; Prov 21:22-27
