Biblical prophecy unfolds each day through global events. Natural disasters, financial collapse, political upheavals, and escalated crime permeate the globe. Media outlets only focus on bad news and horrible scenes. Their spin on world conditions can produce a future full of panic if this is what we focus on.
God gave us His Word to guide our lives on earth. The purpose of prophetic scriptures is to prepare us for what will happen, not to scare us.
The Lord knows the attitudes unbelief promotes and creates; that’s why He continually tells us not to worry.
But how do we live a life free of anxiety? How do we resist these dread-producing thoughts that surround us like a suffocating blanket?
We all have a multitude of tasks to do each day. We know we can't sit and spend time reading the Bible for hours and let our list of things to do go undone.
But we can realign our priorities to listen to Christian teaching through podcasts and radio broadcasts while we are working or in a vehicle. We can abide in His Word not just daily, but hourly.
We can put this Word in our hearts so much that the message plays in our brains more than the negative news reports. When we hear a fear-filled broadcast, we can dispel it with what the King of Heaven says to us (John 10:27).
One way to have these scriptures handy is to record them in a notebook. This way they are easily accessible. We can also personalize the verses by inserting our own name. Our Redeemer does speak to us as His children in an intimate way.
Here are some scriptures that remind us of God’s love, faithfulness, and power. Meditating on these can cleanse our souls of society’s unholy pollution.
God’s Love
Our first step to remove apprehension is to receive the deeper revelation of how much our Father loves us. When apprehension knocks, we can create a peaceful mindset by dwelling on the compassion of the Person who created us. His caring heart is the foundation we build upon.
This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:17-18 NIV)
The above scripture says in this present domain we are like Jesus. This means in our innermost being. We are like Him in our spirits. Jesus had uninhibited oneness with His Father. When we understand the flawless devotion the Lord has for us, terror can’t stand.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)
What an awesome thought to imagine the limitless Creator dancing over us and singing! And this doesn’t say He only rejoices over us if we are faultless because we can’t be. He rejoices over us because we are His children.
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God’s Faithfulness
The King of kings is faithful even when we aren’t (2 Timothy 2:13). We know we can depend upon Him to give us what we need in every situation. It is up to us to accept what He provides and act on His Word.
These verses can remind us of how our heavenly Father never falters but always keeps His covenant with us. If distress over price escalation and supply shortages enter our mood, we can remember how Jehovah fed the Hebrews in the wilderness. When we continue to plant seeds into His kingdom, He brings about a harvest. He can supply our every need no matter what happens in the economy (Philippians 4:19).
A media report can’t compare to the covenant we have with the great I AM. Earthly agreements will fail and expire. God’s covenant was cut with the blood of the Lamb. The Son can’t go back on His Word or the universe would implode (Hebrews 1:3)
He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:8-9)
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. (Deuteronomy 7:9)
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
God’s Power
Satan attempts to put doubt in our perception of God’s willingness to use His strength in our lives. He can cause us to think that because we have sinned and failed we have no right to access the Master’s throne. The Bible tells us grace overwhelms our sin (Romans 5:20).
Jehovah’s mighty hand delivered the Israelites through centuries of battles when they were outnumbered. They were the underdog in natural circumstances, but the Holy Spirit’s superiority delivered them. The only times they were overrun was when He judged them because of disobedience. But because Jesus was judged in our place, our acceptance of His sacrifice means we aren’t judged for our sins anymore.
The Savior not only took the penalty for sin upon Himself, but He also gave us His authority to use in this life. We have the ability of Christ to overcome anything that comes against us. The only condition is to be born again by making Jesus the Lord of our lives.
Christ forgives. As believers, our spirits are united with Him, but we still battle our emotions. Meditating on these scriptures will weaken the impact of our thoughts as we give God’s Word more influence over our lives than what goes on around us.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)
When Paul wrote the above statement, he had previously listed some of the tribulations he experienced due to persecution. He tells us we are more than conquerors. Paul still went through the trials, but the trials did not defeat him.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
Remember who lives inside us (Romans 8:11). The Holy Spirit overcomes any spirit in the fallen realm.
We need our Savior always, not only when we may face fear and trials. Times of peace and prosperity may lull us to sleep spiritually. We tend to settle into comfort and may not acknowledge our need for heavenly help as much as we do when we are in trouble.
God told the Israelites to stay on guard so they wouldn’t forget the One who brought them out of slavery. Once they arrived in the promised land they would have gardens they didn’t plant, houses they didn’t build, and wells they didn’t dig (Deuteronomy 6:10-12).
We need to remain humble before the Lord at all times, thanking Him when we are in periods of prosperity and peace, as well as seeking Him when we feel anxiety.
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Our Hope-Filled Future
The Bible is our source of strength. The Almighty even said that His Word was elevated above His name (Psalm 138:2 NKJV).
Some events may occur, not just in America but around the world, due to government policies that make life more difficult for consumers. Attacks on Christian beliefs may unfold more than they are now. We don’t know what will happen in the future. We do know who holds the future. He grasps our hands through every circumstance that affects us.
Our prognosis is filled with hope and the reassurance of a time when all these struggles will end (Revelation 22:3-5)
We can remember that no matter what happens, situations in this life are temporary. God’s love, faithfulness, and power will hold us through any storm. He is our solid rock and He does not fall when the winds and waves of earthly trials beat against us.
To remain strong through any situation, we need to hide the holy Word in our hearts. That’s the best place to have a ready resource.
We are victorious in Christ.
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
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Barbara Latta lived as an Arkansas girl until she wed her sweetheart. She never dreamed she would reside in seven states and visit eight countries in this marriage adventure with finally settling in Georgia in 1993. Riding on the back of her husband’s Harley inspired her book, God’s Maps, Stories of Inspiration and Direction for Motorcycle Riders. Some rides take them to historic and scenic sites combined with stops at antique and flea markets. Barbara and her husband enjoy life with two sons, one daughter-in-love, and an energetic granddaughter who frequently gets her hands messy in paints, clay, and other art projects. Barbara writes articles for online sites and anthologies, and about living in our identity in Christ at www.barbaralatta.com.