An oak tree and a willow tree lived side by side. Fixed in their ways, they stood the same way, day after day. Suddenly, a mighty gust of wind began to hit the trees. The oak tree, rigid and refusing to change its position, was broken by the power of the wind. The willow tree, on the other hand, bent as the wind blew and escaped the storm unharmed.
As with the storms of life, becoming resilient--adapting and bouncing back when crisis hits--is the key to surviving intact. “I have always done it this way” just is not going to cut it anymore! Resilience has to do with one’s emotional strength. It is knowing how to cope, despite setbacks, barriers, or limited resources. It is being able to learn from mistakes and move forward, rather than wallow or dwell on failures. Someone who is resilient will be strong, tough, quick to recover, flexible, and adaptable. Resilience is an ability to spring back into shape after bending, stretching, or being compressed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” God desires that we become resilient. Resiliency Blockers
Resiliency Boosters Resiliency can be developed in our lives when we choose the right behaviors, thoughts, and actions.
Pray the following prayer aloud, asking the Lord to help you develop resiliency in your life: Dear heavenly Father, I ask You to empower me now to successfully be resilient in the face of every adversity, trial, and storm. Forgive me for the times where my resilience has been blocked, including when I've walked in self-pity, negative and destructive thinking, and blamed You when things went wrong. Enable me to use the resiliency boosters, including flexibility, determination, having a tough skin, and completely trusting You at all times. I command any spirits hindering my ability to be resilient to go now, in Jesus’ name. Thank you, Lord, for equipping me to survive every storm. Amen.
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Our thoughts, words, and actions create atmospheres. We carry, cultivate, and release those atmospheres wherever we go. Considering the current global pandemic that we suddenly find ourselves facing, I feel compelled to share how imperative it is to create the right atmospheres so we can live in faith within a world snared by fear. What is your Atmosphere? Your atmosphere is the pervading tone or mood of a place or situation that you are within. Atmospheres can do two things: attract similar atmospheres and collide with each other (which is when one atmosphere takes over another; the strongest prevails). You have the power to create, change, and shift atmospheres through your thoughts, words, and actions. Guarding Against a Spirit of Fear One morning, recently, I awoke to a spirit of fear. Throughout the night, this demon had been tormenting and bombarding me with dreadful thoughts, telling me that I had contracted the COVID-19 virus. This spirit had been trespassing and harassing me because, you see, it was in the atmosphere. I wrestled with this spirit in my mind, but then I quickly realized that I needed to expose the darkness. I partnered with my husband in prayer so that we could agree, in faith, and shift the atmosphere. Faith successfully broke the atmosphere of fear and those thoughts disappeared. Fear is the Opposite of Faith In Mark 4:40, Jesus said to His disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” When we are full of faith, we are not afraid. It is necessary to identify our fears so that we can exercise our faith over them and walk in victory. If we choose to live by what we see in the natural, fear can trespass and intrude. We must adjust our thoughts, words, and actions so that they line up with the Word of God. Take self-inventory. What are you thinking, speaking, and doing in these present times? Are you spending too much time listening to negative news? Are your thoughts and words fear-based? Have you allowed an atmosphere of fear to prevail in your home? If you haven’t been aligning with a lifestyle of faith, make those necessary changes starting today. Close the news, open your Bible, and pray! Stand firm in your faith and allow God to strengthen that faith. Isaiah 7:9 says, “If you are not firm in your faith, you will not be firm at all.” I declare over you that the atmosphere of fear is colliding with the atmosphere of faith, and the atmosphere of faith will prevail in your life! Pray the following prayer aloud, declaring an atmosphere shift: Dear heavenly Father, Thank You that You haven’t given me a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. I command every spirit of fear attacking me or dwelling within my atmosphere to leave now, in the name of Jesus. I ask You, Lord, to send Your angels to drive out anything that is not of You. I claim Your promises in Psalm 91, and I plead the blood of Jesus around my body, mind, family, home, and atmosphere. I ask for a fresh release of faith now, in a greater measure than I’ve ever experienced before. Equip me, Lord, to align my thoughts, words, and actions with a lifestyle of faith and not fear. Empower me to shift atmospheres from fear to faith wherever I go. In Jesus’ name, amen. |
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