God’s Kingdom runs in the currency of faith that knows no bounds.

Faith is a by-product of meditating on what God’s word says.  “Faith comes by hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17 ESV) Fear is a by-product of meditating on the natural. 

Faith is a by-product of seeing our limitless God Who is with us, in us and for us.  It sees beyond the obvious.  Fear is a by-product of seeing the limitations around us. 

Faith looks at God and believes in Him.  Fear looks at the circumstances and believes in it. 

The choice is ours.   What are we meditating on?  What are we seeing?  What are we believing? What are we feeding ourselves with?

For the past couple of years, it has become somewhat of a comfort zone for us to stay at home.  We are in a season where work from home is becoming to be a norm.  To get out or to travel seems to be challenging especially with the still rising number of covid positives.

The answer to this challenge is not to ignore it.  The answer is to overcome our fears by faith and by prayer.   Of course we are not to bypass the protocols and precautionary measures, but what is most vital is within us.  What do we really think or believe about where we’re at?  Will be limited?  Or if given the chance, are we willing to step out in faith knowing that it is not by our own might, nor by our own power, but by the Spirit of God?

I was set to attend my nephew’s wedding to be held in a distant city wherein I needed to take a flight.  This happened in such a time when the number of covid positives massively increased after restrictions were eased during the holidays.  Once again many offices were closed, ours included.  Many flights were cancelled.  The question was, was I going to push myself and take the risk?  Oh well, faith is spelled risk to such a degree.   The only difference when it comes to faith is that it is founded and rooted on the personal spoken promise of God to us in which He is willing and able to perform.

Yes, I prayed.  I sought the will of God.  I know that when we ask, He faithfully answers.  I chose to turn off and filter what I wanted to get through the gateways of my eyes and ears into my mind, and kept the sensitivity of my heart in prayer turned on.   I waited and waited, until the time came when He unveiled my eyes to see the very purpose why I had to go, that was more than just being present at the wedding.  Yes, I got an answer, and along with His answer came peace and joy.  Then, the ball was in my court, and that ball was my obedience by grace through faith. 

With our progressive walk with God, He makes known to us how He moves.  Not that we know it all.  No!  No one does.  Our God is inexhaustible.  His thoughts and ways are higher than ours and will always be, but His Word says, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” (2 Corinthians 2:9-10)

He desires for us to take a glimpse of how He works.  When we ask, He supplies the answer, but He needs us to supply our response to His answer.   Are our hearts set to respond, “Be it done to me according to Your Word, Lord”?

He said, “If you love Me you will obey Me.”,  and our love for Him is birthed from being loved by Him first.  Our obedience is an outcome of being outrageously and deeply loved by Him. We know when our heart is filled of His love when it is yielded to His will.  Then, we see our actions point towards His answer.   

The next weekend came and my first agenda was to go the mall and get myself a dress with a specific color and specific price, hahaha.  The motif is not a common one, neither the price is according to what I was able to spend.   

There was a particular place where I was strongly prompted to go and check.  So, I went.  After carefully going around the whole area twice hunting for that particular dress and found none, I still opted to check again for the third time.  Lo and behold, there it was hanging in a hidden spot only for me to see, hahaha.  It was the only one left, in one size and was on sale, half price.  I hurriedly and excitedly grabbed it for fitting.  Oh wow … it was perfect fit, perfect color and perfect price.  Glory to God!  Truly, where He leads us, He already had the provision we’ll be in need of.

Then, I went ahead to purchase my plane ticket and because it was the at the height of the flooding omnicron, many passengers cancelled or moved their flights that resulted to a very low price airfare flight.  Hallelujah! 

And so I was all set!  Flight … check!  Dress … check!  Shoes … I had an old pair … check! 

While waiting for the set date, there were still a lot of possibilities that could stop me from going.  The “what ifs” were flooding my mind which is our battleground.  But, the Word of God always helps us win the war in our minds.

WHAT IF I’ll get the virus?  But, God Who is rich in mercy and abounding in love always reminds us Who He is and who we are in His sight. “The Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.”  (John 14:26 AMP)

It is He Who will quicken us to take every thought captive into the obedience of Christ.  In Him we will have perfect peace.  In Him we can put on the full armor of God, suited up to who He called us to be, overcomers, more than conquerors and victorious in Christ Jesus.  He has given us the power and authority in Jesus’ Name to trample serpents and scorpions and all the power of the enemy that nothing shall by any means hurt us.  In Psalm 117:11-12, it says, “They surrounded me; surrounded me on every side, IN THE NAME OF THE LORD I CUT THEM OFF.  They surrounded me like bees, they went out like a fire among thorns, IN THE NAME OF THE LORD I CUT THEM OFF.”  Yes, it may look like we are surrounded, but we are surrounded by His glory.   When we get ourselves aware that we dwell in the Shelter of the Most High God, abiding in the Shadow of God Almighty whose power no foe can come against, it is an invitation for us to explore and experience His presence.

“Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling”  (Psalm 91:9-10)

Every single day, we have an adversary that roams around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour with his lies that steals, kills and destroys our peace, our joy, our hope, our faith, our purpose, our dreams, our plans and our strength that are founded on Christ the Solid Rock we stand.  He comes to shake us, but the good news is that we have the unshakable truth found only in Christ Jesus.  He is The Way, The Truth and The Life.  We fight a good fight of faith and we, the violent, take it by force, standing on the promises of God that are YES and AMEN! 

WHAT IF my flight gets cancelled?  A couple of days after I booked my flight, there came an advice of my changed flight.  Thankfully, I was able to read and re-read what was written that needed my approval by clicking to agree.  This happened not only once but several times and every time a got a notice, my heart leaped. 

But then again, our God is so rich in mercy and abounding in love.  He gave me this Word to stand and hold on.

“For the righteous will never be moved;
    he will be remembered forever.
He is not afraid of bad news;
    his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
    until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.” (Psalm 112:6-8)

Oh how strengthening and encouraging is the Word of God that causes us soar high above the storms in life.  His Word gives us the divine ability to move the mountain of fear from our hearts.  It is able to give us the divine strength to sling the stone and take down the giant of our doubts.  When we make the Word of God our final authority, it does not matter what kind of challenge we face, how strong the wind blows, how high the waves are, for if God is for us, who dare be against us. 

See, when Jesus told His disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.” (Mark 4:35), and a great windstorm arose, the waves were breaking in to the boat so that the boat was already filling, it did not stop them from getting over to the other side.  What did Jesus do?  He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!”.  The wind ceased and there was a great calm. 

Don’t you think this is what happens as well when He speaks into our hearts?  We will experience great calm.  The whole earth trembles in submission to His Word.  The only difference we have from the sea, wind and waves is that we have the will to say “YES” or “NO” to His Word spoken intimately and personally to us.  They don’t.  They just obey.  They are the creations who are totally subject to the commands of the Creator. 

When He strongly impressed in my heart to go on this trip, that means there is nothing that can stop the Word that He declared over me that I was going, for He heard my heartbeat that said “YES” to His leading. 

God never said we will not encounter bumps and humps in our life’s journey.  What He said was, “ I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]”  (John 16:33 AMPC)

Yes, I was able to take the flight smoothly.  There were only a few people at the airport and a handful of passengers on board.  Praise the Lord!  Thankfully, I was picked up from the airport and went straight to the hotel.

On the day of the wedding, while we were all getting ready, out of the blue my sister told me to bring a GLUE just in case something happens to the groom’s shoes.  I obediently put it in my purse and we all went to church joyfully.

Everything went well thus far.  Then, unexpectedly, I was asked to walk down the aisle as one of the Principal Sponsors which at first was restricted and prohibited, which I did.  A little later, when I sat down and the ceremony was ongoing, I felt like something got loosed in my left shoe.  I looked at it and saw that the straps were detached from the shoe, hahahahaha!  It was soooo funny, yet I was not shameful.  You know why?  Because my heart was full of thanksgiving that it did not happen during the walk that was fully videoed!  Inside me was joy unspeakable bursting out while I was putting glue on my shoe.  I couldn’t stop thanking God from saving me from shame.  

When we got back to the hotel, little did I know that my niece had a spare pair of shoes that perfectly fit me.  I was able to use it then for the wedding reception that followed thereafter. 

“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
    let me not be put to shame;
    let not my enemies exult over me.”  (Psalm 25:1)

Praise the Lord Who never puts us to shame.  “CERTAINLY none of the people who rely on You will be shamed …” (Psalm 25:2 Voice).  How awesome is the Lord our God Who busies Himself with our every step.  He goes before us and prepares beforehand what we need so that there will always be provision when we need one. I needed a glue and there it was in my purse.  I needed another pair of shoes and there it was waiting in my room.  He is our Good Shepherd and in Him we shall not lack.  He truly provides for us according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

On my flight back, my baggage weight went over my prepaid limit.  But, our limitless God made a way.  The personnel at the check in counter did not bother to charge me with the excess.  His favor indeed surrounds us like a shield.

Yes, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!  What He purposed me to be there, He made it possible for me to perform.   Indeed, where there is no vision, people perish.  But, when He allows us to see His plan, His agenda, His reason, nothing and no one can stop us  because He Who is in us is greater than he that is in the world.

When we are in Him and Him in us, how can we be in fear?  How can we be hindered to move forward, let alone step out of the boat of our comfort zones?  You and I are temples of the Holy Spirit.  Our Supernatural God in our fellowship with the Holy Spirit makes us supernatural  beings.  It is His supernatural Presence and Power that fuel us.  We cannot be fueled only by natural bread and natural drink if we want to live a supernatural life.  “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)   “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.  God is in her midst, SHE SHALL NOT BE MOVED; God will help her when morning dawns.” (Psalm 46:4-5)  Jesus said to the woman at the well, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)

A supernatural life does not only mean a spectacular life in demonstration of God’s presence and power in our lives.  It is also true when we see Him in our everyday dealings that may seem ordinary, but because He fills us with His all in all, He fills us with the richest measure of His divine presence, our every step becomes extra ordinary.

Therefore, FEAR NOT, little flock, for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank You for Your great love for Your people.  Your love was made manifest among us, that You sent Your only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.  It is Your love powerfully demonstrated when You sent Your Son to be the propitiation for our sins that we may become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  Thank You, Jesus, that in You our lives become supernatural as we overcome the world by the Word of Your power and that power is Your love for us. You endured everything that we may be UNION with You in the power of Your death so that new life is birthed in us by the power of Your resurrection.  Thank You, Holy Spirit, for continually pouring out upon and in us the love of our Father, infusing us with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that our fellowship with You may abound and our lives bear much fruit that those around us can taste and see how good the Lord our God is.  Amen!

Photo Credits: Babette Arriola; NZ