Shake It Off…Continued

Don’t let it in; Don’t let it get in your heart. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life”. Proverbs 4:23) You must work not to let what you are struggling with affect your heart. Not to blame the other person. Why did it bother you? Is there something that you are working on, they have struck a nerve or something you haven’t addressed? You have to clean it up. Proverbs 19:11) “Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger, And it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense [without seeking revenge and harboring resentment”. James 5:16) “Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].” We make ourselves sick at times because we don’t confess the mess and put the work in to get it right.

Don’t let it latch onto your soul. The betrayal, the heartache, the sickness, the lack of finances, and especially friends that have walked away from you, it didn’t turn out like you thought it should. When we are in the heat of things, it can be overwhelming, painful, humbling, numbing, and disappointing. When it’s up close, personal, attacks from those you least expect and it makes us uncomfortable. It becomes our responsibility to not lose faith, don’t give up, fall back, or be hard on ourselves. Stop believing the lies of the enemy. This is what we tell ourselves at times: there’s no hope, there is no use, it won’t get any better, I can’t do it and it won’t work. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you”. I Peter 4:13 A trial comes to try you. The word tells us to know that the trial is coming. We are shocked when things happen but it’s a part of this Christian journey. It is not strange. We have been called out to catch it. When it comes your way what are you going to do about it?

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 The test, the trial or storm is coming. It’s important to be prepared for it. I have seven things for you to prepare for when it happens. Make sure you are properly dressed in the armor of God. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For we know our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation; and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Immediately assess the situation. Remember God is in control and He has allowed this situation to happen. What did I witness, hear, smell, feel, or taste? Is it according to God’s words? God’s word is truth and we stand on it. Was it from the devil? Does it go against God’s word? Was it me? Did I think this and feel this? Why did I think this way or feel this way? Take a personal inventory. Paul reacted immediately and there was no harm. He didn’t let the snake linger on his hand. He knew the snake meant him no good and shook it off. Don’t be shocked, don’t wallow in it. Rise up and shake it off. Forgive yourself and others quickly. Forgive yourself for your past mistakes, mindset, and opinions of others. Forgive yourself for the opinion you have about yourself. Forgive your enemies so they aren’t a snare to your soul. We are to forgive quickly. Why don’t we give ourselves the same grace? We can be so hard on ourselves at times. Everything we have done God will forgive us if we confess our sin but we hold it over ourselves as if we are God. Rise up and shake it off.

We must meditate upon God’s word and get it in our hearts. Then when the trial comes, we have the word stored up in our hearts and you will have the Word to pull up and use it against those fiery darts. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians 3:15 The word of God is power. Store up your arsenal so that when the enemy comes you have your ammunition ready.
We all should have an accountability partner in our lives. Someone who will not put up with our foolishness but will tell us that we are wrong and speak life to us. What are you doing? Where are you going? There should be someone in your life that you can be honest with and take the mask off. You know the mask that we wear at times pretending that we have it all together. Someone you can be real with and tell the truth. You both can be honest with one another. You should have a prayer partner. Someone you can go to, call, or text and just say the word pray. They don’t need to know what is going on; they don’t ask questions; you know when you send the words pray. It’s like a 911 call and you know they are praying for you. When you have an accountability partner you can give them the entire situation and now they know how to pray specifically for your request. This is where trust comes into play. Some of us have been hurt so much that we don’t trust anyone. You judge everyone out of your past experiences. That isn’t fair to that person. I thought you were a new creature and old things were passed away but you are still acting like the old you. We are not meant to be on this journey alone. We all go through tests, trials, and storms and no one is exempt. We may handle them differently and you aren’t the only one going through something. We are all going through something at different times in our lives. I do know this one thing, there is nothing new under the sun. It may be new to you but someone has already been through what you are trying to get through. Don’t lose your praise whatever you do. “I Will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. “Blessed be the name of the Lord”. Don’t stop speaking of God’s goodness even through the storm. You can turn on your praise and worship music and get in God’s presence.

When Paul shook off the snake, there was no harm. The harm comes when we let the enemy linger around. Despite what they thought of Paul when he arrived on the island, he remained there for three months and wrought many miracles. Paul was on a mission and he let nothing stop him. He proclaimed Jesus wherever he went no matter what he was going through. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Ephesian 6:16, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” I Peter 1:6-7) Don’t let it touch you. Don’t let the trial leave scars so deep until there is no point of return. Don’t let the test become your poison of choice. You don’t want to go back to that place because God is trying to get you to another place. God is trying to get you to another position in him. God is trying to get you to another level. Rise up and shake it off!

The trial of your faith is more precious than gold. Though you be tried, hold on and hang on in there Don’t you become shipwrecked! Access the damage, seek God, and get a strategic plan to get out of the storm. The hardest thing about a storm is the clean-up after the devastation. When you are cleaning up, it’s hard work, the rebuilding of the relationships, our lives, the situation, or whatever it is; it is more beautiful than before. We appreciate what we have learned, gained, and experienced. Now we can share it with someone else. You can testify and tell of the goodness of the Lord and how He kept you, how the Lord made a way, how He got you out of it, and how you made it over.

I know there are times when we go through things, and we wonder why Lord. We all have a cross to bear and God’s word lets us know that God will not put more on us than we can bear. You can handle it, brace yourself, and steady your course. Every test, trial, and storm is for our development and growth. We all will go through a fiery trial but we must learn to shake it off and not stay in the trial. We can be out of a storm physically but we stay in it mentally. God has delivered us but there is still some residue there. We are still holding onto the broken pieces, the boards, the fragments, the brokenness, bewilderment, the abandonment. God has done all He is going to do, now we have to do our part. Take those pieces and use them for God’s glory!

People look at you and wonder how did they make it, how did they get through that trial, they look and wonder how did you get out of that. God is a deliverer. Yes, God has saved our souls! God will be delivering us from tests and trials as long as we are here on this earth. Don’t let anyone or any situation disturb your peace and joy. Don’t let the test, trial, or storm last forever. It’s over now so rise up and shake it off.

After the storm, God will put you in a place you don’t recognize. You will have such peace in the place you are in. Whatever you do, don’t stay in that painful place but live out of it. Where ever you are it’s a temporary place. We don’t stay in that place! We rise up and we don’t let the poison get in. We don’t give it a chance to poison us because we rise above the situation. Stop trying to calm the storm, calm yourself and the storm will pass. As the song says, Trouble will not always be, and after some time has gone by the sun is going to shine. You will smile again, you will laugh again and you will live again. It’s time to get up, rise up, and shake it off. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s”. I Corinthians 6:20 You are precious in God’s eyesight now rise up and don’t let the fiery darts of the enemy get in. You might have thought you were shipwrecked but no it’s just a setup for a comeback, a setup for your growth, a setup for your good, a setup for you to see God working in your life. You will rise up and not let it get in whatever it is. Rise up and shake it off!