God Knows Us So Well

 If you are struggling with addiction but you are ready to give up the struggle and seek the help you need there is available the most powerful help you will ever encounter if you take the help available and use it to your fullest. I am talking about the help of God Almighty and His Son Jesus Christ. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and now you want Him to set you free from the bondage of addiction He is more than willing to be the strength you need to, once and for all, end your bondage to addiction, He is the tower of refuge and strength you need and without His help you won’t be able to find the freedom you seek.  But I believe what makes this (freedom from addiction) successful for anyone is that you must want and seek after a deep intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. If you haven’t received Him as your Savior and Lord I share how to do that at the top of the blog page, just be sincere when you pray and I promise your life will change.

     What it means to desire and seek a deep and intimate relationship with Jesus is to want to know Him and to be known by Him in the deepest most meaningful way your spirit, soul and body could ever be known or know another. Simply put, we have a Savior who wants nothing more than to know us and for us to know Him, and for us to have a living, growing relationship with Him.   

     Your relationship with Jesus can only grow stronger as you realize that if He saved you from the judgment of sin and eternity without God He can certainly save you from the horrors of addiction. When you know Jesus well and you let Him know you then you can go to Him with anything and trust Him to give you the strength you need when temptation and the urge to give in or give up comes. Talk to Him like you would a friend, He is one who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24) and tell Him about all that troubles you and tell Him about all that brings you joy. He already knows all about you but He wants you to willingly bring (let) Him into every area of your life; especially, as He creates a new one for you, a new life living for His purpose.   

God knows us so well. Jesus said in Matthew 10:30 (NIV),”…Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Do we think He knows the number of hairs on our head and that is the extent of not only what He knows but that it is all He wants to know about us? I don’t think so. Sometimes I am astounded at just how much we actually limit God.  He is not a God who sits in heaven counting the hairs on our head because He’s good with numbers and has nothing better to do. There are a lot of references in the Old Testament in which God protected people and it was a sign of that protection if during battle or a trial not a hair on their head fell to the ground (1 Samuel 14:45, 1 Kings 1:52). If God cares about our hair this much just think how much more He cares about and wants to know our heart.

God knows the things about you that you don’t even know and He longs to help you know yourself, the person He meant for you to be and the person He is going to create as you get to know Him and let Him get to know you.  

If you really want to know and be known by Him it will take a strong sense of “knowing” that you have been forgiven for all of your sins (past, present and future), a lot of people struggle because they carry their shame of the past and therefore they also (unknowingly) negate their precious gift of forgiveness and what Jesus did. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” Romans 8:1 (NKJV), this is a scripture that must be known and deeply not just on the surface, you must know that Jesus did not die for your sins to leave you with the shame of them. When He was nailed to the cross for your sins He also took upon Him your shame and it was also nailed to the cross and it has been conquered and He remembers your sin no more and if there is no (remembrance of) sin there is nothing to carry shame for.

Sometimes while God is healing and mending our brokenness we may still struggle with low self-esteem especially when we are taking the first steps to change the path we were on and now pursue the path God has marked for us. And until we acquire some godly characteristics and get some good deeds under our belt we may have a hard time seeing ourselves as a new creation in Christ, but don’t get discouraged because the enemy likes to play on self-pity and self-image problems—don’t let him use your temporary situation against you. Soon you will see the things God has in store for you and they will not only take the place of the things of the past but they will give you a sense of purpose and it won’t be the meaningless purpose of chasing addictions.  No, it will be purpose in the kingdom of God once you are there (treasures stored up in heaven), and it will also be God’s purpose for your days left here on earth. I can tell you from experience of serving both purposes in my life (no purpose, His purpose) there is NOTHING that compares to living a life that God has laid out for you.  Think about it, if you are obedient to what He wants for you and it is truly His plan for your life there can be nothing short of success for you because God’s plans never fail!  

Remember that we all need God and no one is better than another in God’s eyes and we are fearfully and wonderfully made so when you are struggling with “self” issues study the beautiful verses in the 139^th Psalm which David wrote and he begins this Psalm with “O Lord, You have searched me and known me” and he ends this Psalm in verses 23,24 with “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties…and lead me in the way everlasting” David had a desire to know and be known by God. This is my very favorite Psalm and it has literally helped me heal from “self” issues and doubts about what God’s actual (not perceived) thoughts are towards me. This is a Psalm in which David writes (NIV vs. 17, 18), “How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!” When you read this Psalm you can see that we were not just some after thought of God’s we were intentionally created and He knew us from inside the womb.

He is the relationship you have longed for and He is the one who will know you and show you that He knows you. Some people are put off by God knowing them because they think it only refers to Him knowing all that is not good or right about them but that isn’t how or what He wants to know about you, those are the things He has chosen to remember no more! When you have taken something (anything and everything) to Him in prayer and sought Him in joy and His peace and laid it at His throne and trusted Him and then you get your answer, it is then that you understand just how deeply He knows and loves you. When you have been in a crisis and you have had no other choice but to call out and surrender it all to God and He honored that by giving you such peace in your heart and spirit that you had no doubt it was the supernatural power of God, it is then that you become aware that He knows you and He knows exactly what you need and when you need it.

 Our God knows us whether we let Him know us or not (John 2:24,25, Heb.4:13, Matt.10:26) but I encourage you to let the God who created the very being that you are know you and love you and create the creation you were meant to be. Take hold of another verse David wrote in Psalm 40:5 (NKJV) which says, “Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You…if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” If His thoughts toward (about) us are so many they can’t be numbered, He knows and cares about us deeper than we can ever imagine. I don’t know about you but I want to have a relationship with a God whose thoughts about me are so many they cannot be numbered!

 I didn’t know I had things about me that could entertain little more than a few thoughts, but God’s thoughts toward me are so many they can’t be numbered—wow! Yes, even I want to know that me.

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The Armor of God

       

     I know of some people who would engage in a full-on battle for their addictions and the means to feed them. They will do whatever it takes to get their want satisfied and they don’t care who they hurt while they are getting what they think is satisfied. When you live in the world of addiction you do have to have a sort of warrior mentality in order to live in such a way because otherwise you would see your selfishness and the harm you cause others and you wouldn’t be able to sustain a life so self-pleasing and destructive. You have to have a kill or be killed mindset but people don’t realize so does the enemy and when people who live as addicts think they are living for and serving themselves they need to see they are really serving the enemy and his schemes.

 Trying to live and be content by feeding some all-consuming addiction and believing you are satisfied is nothing more than deception and when you live in that world you are basically a warrior of (for) the enemy. Even if you are unaware of it, if you are not putting on the armor of God and warring in the spirit realm you will not be able to live in the Victory our powerful Savior conquered for us. When you don’t live in the victory of Jesus then you have given the victory over to Satan.

       The only real satisfaction comes from Jesus Christ, knowing Him personally and serving Him as Lord and Savior. Until we come to Him and surrender everything to Him we will never know satisfaction. The world is full of people looking for something they will never find because true joy, peace, contentment and yes that ever elusive state of “happiness” can only be found in a deep and intimate relationship with Jesus.

      

We can live victorious in Christ and we can do it every day if we put on the whole armor of God. God gives us everything we need to not only live in Him but He also wants us to live in the victory Jesus died to give us. A Victory means a battle has taken place and we as Christians know that Jesus has already won the battle for us, all we have to do is abide in Him and live in that victory.

       One of the ways we can live victorious is to put on the whole armor of God and wear it always. God has great plans for His people (Jeremiah 29:11) and because the ultimate climax to His plan has us living triumphantly with Him in heaven our walk with Him here on earth is learning how to walk in the victory He already won for us when He conquered sin on the cross and death by resurrection! We already have the victory because our wonderful and glorious Savior did all that was needed to fight and win the battle. 

       So our responsibility is to suit up with God’s armor which is perfect in every way and remember there is a battle going on—yes, I know I said it has already been won and that is true but the enemy would have us believe that it isn’t and if he is successful we don’t live in the victory that Jesus already won for us. Jesus tells us in John 10:10 (NKJV) that, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…”, another way to say it is the “enemy” wars against us to steal our victory and to ultimately kill and destroy us—don’t let the enemy steal your victory.  

No warrior would go into battle against a formidable enemy without first suiting up and putting on every piece of protection available to them nor would they midway through the intense battle or right there on the battlefield start to take off or put down some of their protection. And so it is with the armor of God, put it on and don’t take it off.  And what a wonderful and GREAT Warrior we serve under who gives us everything we need to stand in the victory of this battle, but it helps us not if we don’t first put it on and then leave on every piece of armor we need to stand, live, and abide in our victory.

       Let’s look at what the bible tells us about God’s Armor and how we are to use it. If you are new to God’s family these instructions about God’s armor will be very important to learn but no more important for new Christians than for those of us who have been with God and serving in His army for awhile—we all need the armor of God or we cannot live in victory over our addictions (sins) of the past or our temptations of the future. 

       The scriptures about God’s armor and how to use it can be found in the book of Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10-18. I am going to paraphrase these verses but when you study them yourself insert your name where I have mine and learn how to put on the armor of God.

 Finally (ultimately), Sarah, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (not your own). If you put on the whole armor of God you will be able to stand against the wiles/ schemes of the devil. For your war/fight/battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly/supernatural places. Therefore, Sarah, take up the whole/entire/complete armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all (you know to do) to stand—stand therefore, (Therefore stand, don’t retreat or fall) having belted your waist with truth, and put on the breastplate of righteousness (Jesus is your righteousness), shod your feet (everywhere you walk do it) with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all take the shield of faith—you have a shield of faith, Sarah, take it up (hold it high) and use it to quench (stop) all the arrows being fired at you by the wicked one. Take up, put on the helmet of salvation and protect yourself with the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God; and Sarah, pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Be watchful and stand (stay) on your guard to this (the) end with all perseverance and supplication for all of God’s chosen people. 

       Note that all of the armor is protective and defensive gear the only actual weapon is the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. God’s word is so powerful that it is the only weapon we need as it tells us in Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) that “…The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” We can live in our victory by wielding our sword (of the Spirit—which is the word of God) at the enemy.  

       We don’t have to wander around with no protection from and unaware of the schemes of our enemy because we can suit up with the whole armor of God:

1.  Belt of truth-without truth none of the rest of the armor matters

2. Breastplate of Righteousness-Jesus is our righteousness and He must be in our hearts

3. Feet shod and walking in the gospel of peace-we must walk in peace (violence and discord are the ways of the enemy)

4. Shield of Faith-our faith is how we stop the arrows (attacks) of the enemy

5. Helmet of Salvation-we must be saved and walk in that salvation

6. Sword of the Spirit/the Word of God/the actual weapon-this is the one and only actual weapon, use it

7. Prayer in the Spirit/for all of God’s people-prayer is protection and a way to connect with our Warrior/Savior

8. Stand guard/Be watchful-Never let our guard down

       

So we must understand that we are fighting to stand, walk and live in the victory Jesus already fought and won for us. In her book, A Confident Heart, Renee Swope shares with us the names of God and He is “El ha-Gibbor: The Mighty God, God the Hero (Isa. 9:6)”. Let’s put on the whole armor of God and STAND, therefore, and proclaim that we live and abide in the victory that our Mighty Savior fought and triumphantly won for us!  Our victory is inevitable and certain because of our victorious and Mighty Savior. Hallelujah!!!

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"Share With Me Your Sadness and I Will Restore Your Joy"

       I have had to really seek God during this past week. Some of you may know about the recent wildfire in Arizona that took the lives of 19 HotShot firefighters and I not only live in Arizona but I live about 22 miles from where the fire burned out of control for days. I have family and friends who were affected by this fire and I was so sad and devastated by the loss of life and homes that I started to be overcome with sadness until I sought God and shared my sadness with Him. 

     We can give everything to God. What a blessing, what a privilege and what a joy to experience a God who not only wants us to give our heartache and all of our sadness to Him but He wants us to know He cares about all of it. He doesn’t just tell us to give it to Him so He can throw it away like it doesn’t matter. But He is a God who wants to know who, what, why and how does something cause us to take our hearts and our minds off of who He is and what He’s done to the point our joy has been overcome by sadness and sorrow?! He is there calling to us and saying “I love you with a love that has power over all your hurt!” He wants us to examine our hearts and hurts and learn why we lost our hope that is in Him.

     

     That doesn’t mean we are never to feel sadness or other emotions; after all, it is God our Creator who created us with our emotions, but He does want us to share with Him our emotions, our feelings, our hurts and our sorrows, and yes, our good and joyous times too—our “everything”. God wants to and should be part of everything we do and all that we are. So, not if, but, when you are experiencing sadness or sorrow in your life you can learn to share it with Him and let His light shine through the darkness of your sorrow.

     We can learn to share our sadness and sorrow with God by learning and living in His word and such scriptures as these beautiful verses in psalms (prayers and songs) which David wrote when he was seeking God during troublesome times. Psalm 34:17-19 (NKJV), “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” If we understand that God wants to be a part of everything we do and all that we go through we can learn, grow, and even experience our sadness through Jesus and let Him get us through it His way so that we don’t start to succumb to it. Also, we will somehow grow from it because nothing we experience or go through is ever in vain.

     We can feed, grow and live on His word and see that there is help for us when we are hurting and we can let Him get us back to a place of joy and we can grow even in and through our sorrows. One way we can do this is to seek Him (once again) in the form of worship. Honestly, there are so many ways to worship God and there are so many benefits to doing it that you cannot go wrong if you do nothing in a crisis but worship and or praise Him—and if more needs to be done He will show you.  

     Another way we can experience our God is to taste of the Lord’s goodness and remember that we serve a God who can be tasted if we will do it with our spirit and everything that is in us. Psalm 34:8 (NKJV), “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” When I read this scripture it speaks to me that we have to taste Him with our spirit. Let’s look at another scripture and we will look at two versions because they are both important and profound, 1 Peter 2:2-3 (NKJV) “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”  This scripture tells us that not only will we grow if we “feed” on “the pure milk of the word”, but that we will “desire the...Word” if we have tasted the graciousness of the Lord. In the amplified version that scripture is stated like this (and I just love it), “Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation, since you have [already] tasted the goodness and kindness of the Lord.”

     Wow, our Lord can be tasted! That might seem strange to some of you who might be new to the family of God, but the thing is, it is possible to taste our Lord with our spirit if we understand that God is a living God and everything about Him is living and full of life! All living things grow and we should too, we are supposed to grow in Him and how we do that is by doing just what the scripture tells us—by desiring and feeding on “the pure ‘(unadulterated) spiritual’ milk of the word.”

     We can grow and be healed from our pain and sorrow by turning it over and, I like to say, sharing it with Him because I didn’t experience my feelings as a child so I need to learn how to experience my emotions without letting them rule and reign me. I don’t say I just give my “stuff” over to God but that I share my feelings and emotions with my Savior and Creator who knows all about them and wants me to experience and use them for good (His good).

     God and His word are the best, top of the line, never generic, always “name brand”, medicine, therapy and food for whatever sickness, sorrow and famine our life is taking us through and He so wants to be what and who we reach for when we are hurting the most!  

    

     

     The Psalms are songs and prayers which (most of them) were written by King David and although it was during troubled times for David which is evident when he writes “Many are the afflictions of the righteous…” but then he goes on to write “…But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” David also writes as a prayer in Psalm 86:7 (NKJV), “In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me”, David doesn’t deny that affliction and trouble are present but he constantly seeks the help of God as he says in Psalm 54:4 (NKJV), “Behold, God is my helper…”, and also in Psalm 54:6-7 (NKJV),  “…I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good. For He has delivered me out of all trouble.” We can follow King David’s example and seek and sing out to God during our sad and hurtful times because He is the one who will help us and He will restore our joy back to us as only He can. Psalm 51:12 (NKJV), “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous spirit.”

     He will restore our joy back to us after we have shared what, why and the things, feelings or emotions that caused us to give up our joy in the first place. He knows about your pain let Him show you how to grow through it and discover just how much He really cares about what troubles you as we can read in Psalm 55:22 (NKJV), “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Also, in Psalm 46:1 (NKJV) it tells us that “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” These scriptures are where to turn when we need comfort and help during sad and sorrowful times and He is our PRESENT help in times of trouble!

     When I was becoming so sad that I had lost my joy in Jesus, I had to get ahold of these scriptures and share my sorrow with Him and let Him show me through His word that not only does He want to know what troubles sadden me, but He wants me to know that He is there going through all of it with me, I am never alone!  And of course, He is there for you in your sad and hurtful times as well, all you have to do is seek Him, taste Him and desire to be fed on His word which will bring peace and healing to your sadness and sorrow.  We don’t have to deny that pain and sorrow exist we just need to share and experience it with Jesus our precious Lord and Savior who is the expert at getting through painful and sorrowful times to stand victorious in everlasting joy!

      Hallelujah, I love Him so much and I am so thankful to Him that I can go to Him with literally everything I am facing in life and He shows me that His joy is my strength as it says in Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV), “…Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

    

     When you are sad and you spend time talking to Jesus about it, but don’t try to hide how you really feel because God knows your heart and what is going on deep inside of you anyway, then you will begin to experience a peace and a comfort that only He can give to you. And don’t forget to feed on and taste the goodness of the Lord through the pure milk of His word and worship to Him. By doing this you will be sharing your sadness with Him and I promise you He will restore your joy.

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