Do you really trust Him? Part two

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Now that we have covered the first part of the word eiréné, we can move on to the next part, which most people are most interested in.
And that is: How do I stay peaceful on the inner in times of trouble?
What I wrote in the previous article is deeply connected to the next step regarding staying peaceful amid problem(s), which I will address here.
In the first steps, we learn to trust God despite the problem, the inner torment, and the fear that is constantly lurking and even overtaking us at times. We learn to stay close to God, abiding in Him in times of difficulty, we learn that God is sovereign. We learn that despite the experience of fear, He is taking us through the problem(s). From all of this, we learn it has nothing to do with us. What I mean is, that we learn over and all, that God will take care of the problem(s), since we now have surrendered all to Him, here I do mean all. This is another requirement we learn in the first step: complete trust in Him. He will therefore make us surrender everything by leading us through circumstances that require a total surrender of everything.
We “show up” to the difficulties, and we face the problem(s), but how they are solved, we don’t know. We do all that is in our power, but the expected end of them is a move of God.
Back to how God deals with the problem(s) we face. He will not just fix it out of the blue, but He will merely lead us through the desert. A pictural reference related to “nothingness”, where we can’t find our way out, and it’s Him leading the way.
In daily life scenarios, it would mean He is asking us to do certain things, which in my experience at first often seem strange or something we can’t make any sense of. In the OT we find this occurrence taking place many times. This is called “learning to trust God completely, no matter what the physical circumstances look like”, no matter what God asks of us to see whether we would trust Him to lead us out of bondage. In this God is changing the spiritual atmosphere FIRST. Therefore, there might not seem to be a connection between the problem(s) and what God is asking us to do.
In the OT we find the story about how the Israelites should enter Jericho but before that could happen, they were told to march around the city for seven days in silence and on the last day to shout and blow the trumpets, and because of that the walls fell. (Joshua 6:1-27)
Seven is the number of completions which means God will allow the situation to be the same until the spiritual battle has been won first. This battle at Jericho is a pictorial reference to keep marching until there is reason for a shout of victory. It shaped faith within the men until the seventh day when there was a completion of faith to give the greatest shout of victory so that victory was for certain. The whole time during the six days they were not allowed to speak, no complaining, no slacking in words, no careless talk, nothing through words, because nothing was fitting for the situation, nothing but utter silence.
The things that He is asking us to do most certainly mean something. They are not just things He is asking of us, to see whether we would do them, but they are things where He is leading us out of bondage. They might not look like they have anything to do with the situation we’re in, but they do.
Another angle on this is we must also learn to trust Him even when things seemingly don’t turn around, even though we have been waiting for a long time for something to shift.  And there will be long periods of waiting before some things turn. A lot of purging takes place in these long periods of waiting. We realize this at the expected end of them. Way too many people give up and start doing their own and they miss out on the expected end from God. “The expected” end from God in this matter has everything to do with our relationship and our call of God later on.
Too often I find that we are too fixed on ourselves in our relationship with God. What can He do for me? When will I be free of this problem(s)? And so on.
God on the other hand is interested in that we may endure ´til the end. So that we may not be the seed that springs up and much to quickly die out, because we were too carnally lead.
God is always trying to shape people who can and will endure no matter how it feels on the inside.
So we can keep doing the holy acts before God at all times. No slacking no matter the circumstances, in the knowledge that He is with us and that it is to Him we do all things. We all want to be the faithful servant before God, but many don’t want to pay the price.
We should learn to walk with God through all seasons in life as mature spiritual adults, and not as a spoiled child who constantly needs consolation from God before we do anything for Him.
A complete surrender now equals a finalized trust in Him later.
There is always “a walking out” or “movement”, but we might not know the meaning of what He is taking us through in the middle of it.
This is called trust.
This is something very unique He is taking us through in those times of torment being in the desert and/or in the period of waiting.
First of all, we learn over some time, that the problem(s) are being solved and, each time we get purged to being able to receive the virtue of peace.
Let’s look at the rest of the meaning of the word eiréné. Again, this is the word that Jesus speaks when He talks about having peace in Him.
Other meanings of the word eiréné are this:
1) The sense of rest and contentment consequent thereon
2) The God of peace is a title used in several places in the NT. We find that the corresponding word in Hebrew is shalom primarily signifies “wholeness” “full” “finished” “made perfect”. In the Septuagint shalom is often rendered Soteria “salvation”, hence the peace offering is called the salvation offering.
So, by this, we can see that the word eiréné holds the inner completeness to the solution to our problem(s). It has an expected end when we are allowing God to work out the difficulties in our lives.
Another point to be taken into consideration is the fact that God is looking for somebody who will be the atoning sacrifice for the situation. Whatever the problem(s) may be. We are now the ones that carry the burden, paying the penance, and having the willingness to pay the price of salvation. We are called to take upon sufferings from another and in our own lives.
It seems to me, that when we are reaching this stage in our peace-walk, there comes a certain time when all of the old ways of reacting to problem(s) have finished. We now are so emptied that we can receive the virtue of peace in such a manner, that God is pouring this virtue into our hearts, which makes us unable to react through the carnal man in doubt and fear anymore. We might still feel them, but we don’t respond to them.
We don’t become stagnant or untouchable, no, we become peaceful, because we rest in peace in Him. This part we also grow in. We might start experiencing that we stop responding to situations/problems(s) the way we used to in some areas of our lives. We walk along the path of life, we find ourselves becoming constantly freed in ourselves in all areas of our lives.
We find ourselves immersed in the peace of God in such a way that the emotional faculties have stilled so that fear can no longer enter our hearts. This is where it shifts. Here we know that God has lifted His countenance upon our lives, by this we know we don’t walk into battle by ourselves, but that God our Lord Jesus, is walking before us, carrying out His plan for our lives.
The pictorial reference is this: when you were a child certain things scared you, but as you grew older you no longer are fearful of the same things as you were back then.
This is how we mature spiritually as well.

Do you really trust Him?  

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Imagine living a life always knowing there would be problems, but there would be no one to help. But to be left on your own, to deal with the big problem(s) and that no one understands the magnitude of the problem(s). On top of that, there is the embarrassment, the humility, the inner torment of being unable to figure out a solution to the problem(s).

 

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.                                                                                                                      

In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

 

As I was reading this Bible verse today, it occurred to me, that many people live like that. I have most definitely tried it.

Now, it’s one thing to have a huge problem, but to have no inner peace in times of tribulation, – that seems like having a problem, on top of a problem.

The problem of not having any peace causes us a lot of times, to make the wrong decisions, because we want a quick solution to our problem(s).

Many people are confused about this scripture because one does not feel at peace in the midst of problem(s).

So not only having the problem(s) but also never having any real inner peace, and not knowing how to abide in peace, and on top of that, the Word states, that if we know Jesus, we should have peace, but we don’t! So, there is an add-on to the problem, and that is “no peace”.

When we look up the word peace in the dictionary, there is a description of requirements that show the importance of understanding the need to trust Him. Which is the actual peace.

Peace equals trusting solemnly in Christ alone. This is a virtue that is being poured out within our hearts. (Covering this part in my next article).

The Greek word eiréné is the word that is used in this incidence in John 16:33. Let’s take a look at the meaning of the first part of the word.

It states as follows:

It describes:

1)                  Harmonious between men

2)                  Between nations

3)                  Friendliness

4)                  Freedom from molestation

5)                  The harmonization between God and man, accomplished through the Gospel

Exerts from Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary.

From this, we can understand what Jesus is referring to in this incident, and that is, He will bring order to a chaotic situation. That means we will properly still experience the roaring of the emotions, but when we stay in Him, meaning keep waiting for Him, He will bring order to the problem(s) the way He sees fit. Not what we think is the right way or the way it should be.

It is clear, that the ability of peace is not something that is residing within the carnal man, but the ability is abiding in Christ alone.

The peace of Christ is connected to leaning in on and knowing His love for His people. We simply must know His love for mankind and this is connected to understanding the Cross. The great act of His passion for mankind and by that Jesus gave up His life so that there may be life in all areas.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:10

 

The above scripture states, the answer to the problem(s), is connected to knowing Jesus.

He promises that knowing Him, He will grant peace in times of trouble. I find the peace He is alluding to is the ability to stay peaceful in the storms of life: knowing He has the answer to our problem(s).

It means that He will give the ability to refrain from acting out manmade solutions to the problem. This is actually the core of staying peaceful it is to fully trust that He has the answer to the problem(s).

The inner roaring of unrest may arise inside, there could be anxiety, confusion, and fear, and it might even be like this until the solution to the problem has come to an expected end. The peace in such conditions is only found when we keep trusting Him. Trusting Him is the key to peace, despite the inner roaring of emotions and not acting out in order to solve the problem(s) ourselves.

                                                                                  It’s not the peace we search for, it is Him we seek for.

 

Understanding that in times of trouble the feelings of the roaring of emotions in the carnal man are present but when looking for Him in the situation, peace arises. This is how to abide in peace.

The carnal man does not have the ability of peace in times of tribulations, how could it?

Since it’s not the author of peace.

People don’t just “find peace” out of the blue. Finding peace is at the place where the author of peace resides. Therefore, it’s a must to seek Him. Abiding is an active condition in seeking Him. It is the ability to stay spiritually awake, this is the training and the active and diligent seeking condition that is being awakened when undergoing difficult circumstances.

Jesus often asks us to wait because of timing, inner growth and most definitely learning to trust in Him.

It does not take long to understand that the way that Jesus solves the problem(s) is very different from what is to be imagined.

The way He is solving the problem(s) we find that many times it is connected to involving other people, some we never would consider ourselves, – to ask for help. I find that it is one of the ways that He is building His church.

Only Jesus knows what’s really at the core of people’s hearts, nobody else knows that. The carnal man, the flesh, tends to look at outer appearance. However, Jesus only looks at the condition of the heart. This is a very strong point that always needs to be taken into consideration and for us to become keenly aware of.

Over the years I’ve learned to trust Him in affairs, regarding people. He touches someone in their heart to reach out with the needed help, someone we would never consider paying attention to, mainly because of thinking, they don’t have the ability to do what’s needed.

Also, I found that the people who are most likely to be used by God are the broken vessels, people who have gone through some things in life, people who understand what it means to be in a difficult place.

In the next article, I’m going to dig even further into the meaning of the Greek word eiréné. For now, I’ve managed to cover one layer of the word, which I would consider the first layer we go through, before entering the virtue of peace.

How does God work?

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The way God works in our lives is completely opposite of how the world works in our lives. That is because God is not OF this world, and therefore are we – in Jesus Christ – not OF this world either, but we are IN this world. That is two very different things. So, the ways of God are often very different from the way we would handle things in the world.

The closer and more intimate our relationship is with God is, the more “strange” things He will ask us to do. That is to see if we trust Him. We are worthy to be trusted, and therefore we hear stories about people who leave their home and move to another country – when God tells them to do that. That is a very different way to live than the ways of the world.  I knew a family where God told them to move to another country, and the money for the trip came three days before they should leave … God is never late, but sometimes He is not early either. Sometimes, often, we need to learn to wait on God. We need to be patient. Watch videos on patience, perseverance and the ways of God.

One thing we have to learn is to trust God. We need to learn to trust God’s timing. He sees the future, and we can’t do that, therefore we need Him to speak to us when wait and when to act.

God is for everybody who has a hunger in the soul. The hunger in the soul is something everybody can relate to. Hunger is a natural thing that makes us seek. This hunger will never be satisfied until we live in an intimate relationship with God. Here I’m not talking about the godly, divine or something like that, I talk about Jesus.

Everybody is seeking: Rich, poor, weak and strong. We seek it through different things. Through love in a relationship, through money, through fame, through doing things that make us feel important. In every aerea we think there is something we need to get/seek outside ourselves. Everybody seeks peace and love. Not just peace in the head – because that means there will only be peace sometimes. No, we seek the peace of God – the peace that is everlasting, no matter situation. Everyting else only lasts for a periode, to live in God’s love and peace releases the new creation in us, and we get to experience His freedom, joy, love and peace. In other word; we are living it.

That is why Paul could write the most beautiful things about love even being in captivity, in a cellar, just waiting to die. He was living in God’s love and peace.

That is what we are longing to live in all the time. Not just like when we are having a great day because that feeling doesn’t last, but always, all the time – no matter circumstances.

What was it that Paul knew? What was inside of him that made it possible to live, not just endure, but live in God’s love and peace under these circumstances? That was because he lived in God’s love which is a supernatural love. God’s spirit – The Holy Spirit – is supernatural. That means that His love and spirit kan do things that our human mind cannot understand and grasp. The Holy Spirit in Paul made this possible.

Spiritual warfare

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When we pray, we are doing spiritual warfare. We declare the truth about ourselves and who we are in Christ. When we do that, the enemy can no longer have a foothole in our lives. That is something we need every day of our lives, because the enemy “walks around like a roaring lion in the street”. The small things in life are as usual the things that can be a big problem, when not solved right away.

That is where the enemy get a chance to have a foothole in the door. If we do not confront it immediately, he goes all the way through the door. It is a much bigger problem to get him out when he has gotten inside.

The enemy talks to you with a tiny little voice which can be very easy to not to notice. He whispers in our inner, saying things that keep us away from joy. He says things like: “You can’t manage that. Last time you tried, it didn’t go well – what makes you think you can do it this time? What would others think of you if you do it? If you stand up and take action in your life, you won’t have anybody. They will leave you, think you are crazy. They will not like you anymore, they will stop giving you things and supporting you like they do know. It’s not much, but better than nothing.”

Notice that he takes one sin and create a new one.

There is a spiritual warfare taking place in the spiritual roam. We fight against the rulers of this world. Therefore it is important that we focus on the spiritual roam first – and learn how to do spiritual warfare. When we look into the spiritual roam, we need to know the difference on what is from God and what is from the rulers of this world.

Things occur in the spiritual first, and afterwards they land in the physical roam. In other words; we need to know what comes from God and what comes from the enemy.

Our spiritual gifts are from God. That is why God works through us. It is important not to mix the spiritual and the alternative world. For years I use to practice all kinds of alternative, new ages things which have nothing to do with Jesus. They are not from God. You can read about it or listen to a teaching about it here.

We need these stir up these gifts so they become alive in us. In other words; the gifts need to be awakened so that they can get released when we use them.

In this we need to be with someone that can teach us how we use our gifts   – a person who has an intimate, close relationship with God. In that way what can release our gifts to come alive in us, can come easier and faster. Often it is like that.

Sometimes God can release our gifts through intense prayer because God looks at our hearts qualities. Other times it happens through huge chrisis and sometimes through sickness, just to mention some examples. As mentioned, most often the gifts are released through another person. That is why it is so important to be in a fellowship, to go to church, pray for each other, share life with one another.

Try to imagine this example: You have talent for playing football, but if you haven’t played with anyone, you will never get better – you won’t develope. We need others to be able to play; we can’t play football alone. To be really good, we need a great trainer, a dedicated one. It’s not good to have trainer who only thinks of earning money. Then we won’t get the best out of our talent because we don’t have a trainer who does his best. We need to spend time with someone who can give his best – because then we can also become the best.

If you want to learn spiritual warfare, it won’t do you any good to go to a sports teacher. No, you have to contact a teacher who can teach you spiritual warfare.

Prayer

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To hear God we need to not only know how we talk to God; we also need to know how God sees us. He sees us in a very different way than we see ourselves. God sees us through the righteousness he has given us. When we know this and live in a constant prayer to understand how dependent we are of God, it becomes easy to hear him and live with him. To be in constant prayer means that we live in and understanding of our dependency of God. In human terms you can say that means we need to hang out with God.

The confusion is sometimes this; we can only see our own faults and weaknesses, but God sees all the righteousness, grace, love, strength, courage he has given us, through Jesus Christ who took all our sins. God can’t see any faults and sins in us. We are created perfect because Jesus took our sins. That is why we should look at Jesus’ face. When we do that, we don’t look at our problems any longer, but at HIM. To God any problem can be solved, therefore we must look at Jesus.

We can only look at one thing at the time, and in that way see who we are. That means there are many realizations when we turn towards Jesus.

Watch or listen to a sermon about prayer here:
Video on Youtube >>
Audio on Soundcloud >>

To give our prayer to God

That means that you instead of telling God how the prayers shall be, you give your prayers to him. You tell God about the problem, and then you LISTEN to God. You tell God that he can give you grace to act – if he wants you to do anything, otherwise you remain quiet and still. When we do things on our own without the God’s grace, we often make things worse.

God’s way of solving and healing our situation is so much better, and the solution will always be better when we let him take the control and trust him. He he omniscient, and we are not. That is why it is SO important to give our prayers to God.

Instead of praying: “Give me”, your prayer should be: “Make me the person you want me to be”. When we say: “Give me”, it’s the victim in us that is praying. “Fix my life, Lord. Do this for me, Lord, so that I don’t have to do anything. Give me, give me, give, me, God”. When we pray with the righteousness God has given us, we listen, because we give ourselves to the Lord and ask him to help us in an other way. That is like saying thank you afterwards. It gives our prayer another tone, a thanksgiving prayer – even when we ask for help.

When we pray the “give me-prayer”, we can’t hear what God has for us. If we for instance dream about a new job, we think that we can get that by sending out a lot of applications, and then get a call to an interview, maybe more. Maybe we get a job like this. What we do in this situation is to say: “Lord, give me this job, I really need it”. (Notice that we don’t listen to God, but are based on ourselves and our own understanding.) We might search for a job in the newspaper. We still haven’t asked God what we should do and listened. We might apply for too many jobs. We start getting frustrated and get angry on God. We get more frustrated because: “He doesn’t listen”, and we start to remove ourselves from him.

The other way around – when we give ourselves to God, we give our prayer to God in Jesus name, and then we LISTEN. Then God might say: “Call this and this person”, and it might turn out that this person can offer you a job that in fact is better than you thought possible. The salary might be better, better work hours, closer to home – so it fits with the family, or probably all of those matters. You know; God will give you a full life, not only a little better, but MUCH better – a greater life.

We need to listen much much more, instead of directing God and tell him what he should do for us all the time. When we listen to God, he can introduce us to his greater plans, plans that we can’t begin to imagine.