Live Missionally
How to Keep Calm and Carry On
“All authority in heaven and on earth” has been given to Jesus, and He promises to be with us “to the very end of the age.” This should fill us with unshakable assurance as we seek to live missionally in this challenging and unpredictable world.
To keep calm and carry on, REMEMBER:
1. God is fully aware and sovereignly oversees everything we are going through (vs. 1-4)
- “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous” (cf. 1 Pt. 3:12a; 2 Chron. 16:9a; Ps. 121:5-8)
- When persevering in trials, surrender the outcome to God and trust in His sovereignty over your situation (cf. Lk. 22:42)
How do you view the difficult circumstances that God permits in your life? Do you see them from an ‘only here and now’ perspective or are you learning to see them from a ‘big picture’/eternal perspective? No matter how difficult the trial, remember to live by faith, knowing that God is still on His throne and has everything under His control.
2. Through Jesus Christ we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence (vs. 5-17)
- “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous AND HE IS ATTENTIVE TO THEIR PRAYER" ( cf. 1 Pt. 3:12b; Php. 4:6-7)
- Calling out to God in prayer is always the first and best response (1 Pt. 5:7)
How do you regard prayer? Is your initial response to fight, devise a plan, or to petition Almighty God? It is reassuring to know that regardless of our circumstances, God hears our prayers and can choose to deliver us at anytime.
3. God fights for us and will ultimately deal with our enemies (vs. 18-25)
- God wants us to rest in the assurance of His unchanging, constant love and power (cf. Ps. 46)
- Be assured, the Lord may not settle accounts immediately, but eventually He will (cf. 1 Pt. 3:12b; 2 Thess. 1:6-9)
As you seek to live missionally, does the opposition ever overwhelm and discourage you? If so, don’t lose heart! Remember that Christians from every age have faced conflict when they have sought to advance the Good News about the truth of Jesus Christ. Despite the enemy’s best efforts, Christ continues to build His church. We can face opposition with unshakable assurance that Christ will win! He wears the Victor’s Crown!
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