Silas
Beloved of All
Your desire to stand firm and to hunger more deeply for God's presence is itself evidence of His work in your heart, and it is right to bring these struggles before Him. Prayerlessness, spiritual laziness, distraction and discouragement are common battles, and the enemy often uses them together to wear down those who want to follow the Lord.
Scripture shows that fear and discouragement are among the primary tools used to stop the work God has given His people to do. When the walls of Jerusalem were being rebuilt, every family took its section and worked faithfully, yet opposition came through threats and mocking intended to create fear. The counsel given then was simple and still true now, do not be afraid, remember the Lord. Fear grows when our eyes are fixed on the threat, on the size of the opposition or on our own weakness. Faith grows when our eyes are fixed on the Lord, on His greatness, His presence and His promises. Fear and faith cannot rule the heart at the same time, and remembering who God is and that He is with you is the cure for fear. The enemy also tries to provoke a reaction out of fear, but reactions born of fear are almost always wrong. It is better to stand steady, remembering that the Lord Himself will fight for you.
Your prayer for discipline to seek Him daily is vital, and God answers that prayer as you walk it out. Prayer was never meant to be an excuse for doing nothing. In that same rebuilding, the people prayed to God and also set a watch day and night. They remained diligent, staying at the task and guarding what had been entrusted to them. In the same way, praying without ceasing as 1 Thessalonians 5:17 teaches goes together with practical watchfulness. Ask God for hunger, and then make room for Him each day in His Word and in prayer. The Word stored in your heart is both a defense against the attacks of the enemy and the means by which his strongholds are torn down in lives. As you consistently feed on Scripture and pray, the Holy Spirit strengthens you with wisdom, courage and discernment to recognize temptation, confusion and opposition for what they are.
Be encouraged that God has promised to be with His people and to go before them. If God is for us, who can be against us. You do not stand in your own strength. The Lord covers your life, your family, your calling and your future. Though you walk through difficult places, you can say with the psalmist, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me, because His presence is your protection.
We join you in prayer that the Lord would awaken your spirit anew, deliver you from distraction and discouragement, and fill you with a fresh hunger for Himself. May He pour out His Spirit upon you, give you courage to stand firm against every attack, guard your mind from fear and confusion, and teach you to trust Him completely and to pray continually with a heart anchored in His Word and His faithfulness.
Scripture shows that fear and discouragement are among the primary tools used to stop the work God has given His people to do. When the walls of Jerusalem were being rebuilt, every family took its section and worked faithfully, yet opposition came through threats and mocking intended to create fear. The counsel given then was simple and still true now, do not be afraid, remember the Lord. Fear grows when our eyes are fixed on the threat, on the size of the opposition or on our own weakness. Faith grows when our eyes are fixed on the Lord, on His greatness, His presence and His promises. Fear and faith cannot rule the heart at the same time, and remembering who God is and that He is with you is the cure for fear. The enemy also tries to provoke a reaction out of fear, but reactions born of fear are almost always wrong. It is better to stand steady, remembering that the Lord Himself will fight for you.
Your prayer for discipline to seek Him daily is vital, and God answers that prayer as you walk it out. Prayer was never meant to be an excuse for doing nothing. In that same rebuilding, the people prayed to God and also set a watch day and night. They remained diligent, staying at the task and guarding what had been entrusted to them. In the same way, praying without ceasing as 1 Thessalonians 5:17 teaches goes together with practical watchfulness. Ask God for hunger, and then make room for Him each day in His Word and in prayer. The Word stored in your heart is both a defense against the attacks of the enemy and the means by which his strongholds are torn down in lives. As you consistently feed on Scripture and pray, the Holy Spirit strengthens you with wisdom, courage and discernment to recognize temptation, confusion and opposition for what they are.
Be encouraged that God has promised to be with His people and to go before them. If God is for us, who can be against us. You do not stand in your own strength. The Lord covers your life, your family, your calling and your future. Though you walk through difficult places, you can say with the psalmist, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me, because His presence is your protection.
We join you in prayer that the Lord would awaken your spirit anew, deliver you from distraction and discouragement, and fill you with a fresh hunger for Himself. May He pour out His Spirit upon you, give you courage to stand firm against every attack, guard your mind from fear and confusion, and teach you to trust Him completely and to pray continually with a heart anchored in His Word and His faithfulness.
