February 4, 2024
Here is a link to the audio file:
Or, if you prefer Spotify:
We have been talking about freedom in the last few sessions, how the Lord wants us to be truly free of the things that the devil uses to keep us in bondage. We saw how bondage to someone, or something, will steal our joy and our peace, and how freedom can be fleeting if we allow our minds to go where the devil wants when it comes to uncertainty. Fear of the unknown can cripple us. That is why Paul wrote in Galatians 5:1: “…do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”
To illustrate how we allow ourselves to submit to bondage, let me share a testimony from my life this past week. I had two routine, follow-up medical tests scheduled by my cardiologist on consecutive days late in the week. I came into the week dreading the prospect of submitting to those tests to see if anything has developed that might require a medical procedure. The devil was using my bondage to fear of a serious medical procedure to steal my joy and my peace during the week, and I was going along with it in my subconscious mind. I was “being subject again to a yoke of slavery.”
I happen to be reading Joel Osteen’s book entitled “15 Ways to Live Longer and Healthier,” in which he discusses how we tend to clutter our minds with doubt, worry, fear, and offenses. He points to Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God …” and writes, when we worry about things like a medical report, we are refusing to be still and trust God.[1] The scripture convicted me and encouraged me to trust the Lord regardless of my test results. I went into those medical tests praying for accuracy rather than favorable results.
It was no coincidence that I had to lie still while those medical tests were being conducted. So, I told myself to be still and know He is God! This is an example of abiding in the Word and being set free. I had total peace during the testing because the word from Psalms 46:10 came back to me by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
The first test came back with a good result, but I am still awaiting the second test result. I should know early next week if my trust in God will be further tested. Please pray that I will continue to be still and know He is God regardless of test results.
So, the word of the Lord today is to be still and know. Know that He is God, that He cares for us, and He will see us through every trial. In the NASB translation, the phrase “Be still” in Psalms 46:10 is “Cease striving.” In other words, quit striving to get to a place where you see the result with certainty. Leave room for hope and trust in the Lord. Jeremiah 17:7 teaches “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD.”
The scriptures are filled with encouragement that He will be with us, whether our testing involves health, finances, or any other emotional distress. I want to share a few scriptures with you today that will restore your joy and peace as you face every trial and obstacle that Satan uses to oppose you.
Let us start in Hebrews 13:5 where the promise of the Lord is to never leave us nor forsake us.
Hebrews 13:
5 Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”
6 so that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT SHALL MAN DO TO ME?”
Fear of a lack of money can lead us to a love of money, so the Lord is saying be free of that bondage because He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Verse 6 tells us to be confident in the Lord and to declare we will not fear.
Trusting that He is with us is an important step that will lead to the peace described in Philippians 4.
Philippians 4:
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I became anxious about my test results until I became still and trusted He is God. Then the peace came as I made my request known to God: “Give me an accurate test and I will trust You with whatever the result is.” The peace that came guarded my heart and mind in Christ Jesus, and it restored peace and joy in my spirit.
Overcoming worry is only achievable through Jesus, who overcame the world, as 1st John 5 teaches us.
1st John 5:
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.
5 And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Believing in Jesus as the Son of God is how we overcome the world. Believing that He will never leave us nor forsake us is what empowers us to overcome fear and worry and become free of bondage. To overcome anything, trust the One who has overcome everything!
In Psalms 23, King David bears witness to being still and knowing God is with us.
Psalms 23:
1 ¶ (A Psalm of David.) The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
5 Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (NASB)
David testifies that the Lord is his shepherd, meaning the Lord is fully in charge of David’s well-being and, therefore, he shall not lack anything. The references to green pastures and quiet waters in verse 2 point us to be still and know the Lord is our God. Knowing He is God is what restores our souls in verse 3. Our souls are comprised of our minds, our wills, and our emotions, all of which need restored from the damage of worry and anxiety. If we lie down in those green pastures and near quiet waters, we will find rest, nourishment, and peace instead of doubt, worry, and fear. I love verses 4 through 6 because King David speaks His trust back to the Lord and states he will not fear because the Lord is with him. David fully expects and believes the Lord will not only provide for him but will also anoint him to be fruitful until his cup overflows, and the Lord will cover him with goodness and lovingkindness all the days of his life.
When we speak our faith back to God in this way, we worship Jesus and He in turn defeats our worry and fear.
Psalms 100:
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise.
Peace comes as we enter God’s presence through praise and worship.
Acknowledging His Grace Is Key
Being still and knowing requires us to acknowledge that God’s grace is the key to our peace and freedom from bondage.
2nd Corinthians 9:
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
9 as it is written, “HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ABIDES FOREVER.”
10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;
11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
Verse 8 is a tremendous promise: God makes all grace abound to us. The Greek word for “abound” means to be present in large quantity and excellent quality, and to exist in an excess amount to cause us to excel. That is, more grace than we even need. God wants us to have an abundance for every good deed. More peace than we need, more freedom from fear than we need.
This is an abundant God we serve. He is not the God of just enough. He is the God of abundance who wants to supply and multiply our seed for sowing to increase our harvest; that is, to increase our fruitfulness. Just soak in that knowledge for a while. Be still and know that! Then enjoy the peace and joy that returns to your spirit.
In 2nd Peter 1, the Apostle Peter reaffirms the principle that grace and peace are related, and both come from Jesus’ divine power.
2nd Peter 1:
1 ¶ Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
Verse 2 is a prayer that grace and peace would be multiplied to us in the knowledge of God and of Jesus. Acknowledging His divine nature is related to His grace being multiplied to us, or superabounding to us. Verse 3 affirms that His divine power grants us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness. Can you latch onto that? He has granted us everything we need through the true knowledge of Him. There is no room for doubt, worry, fear, or bondage in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Be still and know He is God, and that truth will set you free, as it did for me this week.
Let us pray.
Father God, thank You for the peace that comes when we are still and know You are God. Thank You for not leaving nor forsaking us, and for hearing our requests as we make them known to You. Thank You that we overcome by believing in Jesus, the One who has overcome the world. Help us to lie down in green pastures, near quiet waters. Restore our souls and anoint us so our cup overflows with fruitfulness. Send Your grace and peace abounding to us as we rest in the knowledge of Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.
[1] Osteen, Joel, “15 Ways to Live Longer and Healthier,” (New York, NY: FaithWords, Hachette Book Group, Inc., October 2023), pp 67-68.
House of Hope Online 
Leave a comment