Every day we can choose life. A friend explained some of her health issues. She said that she feels optimistic yet fear creeps in with \u201cWhat if?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I told her that when the enemy taunts her with his fear tactics to remember, \u201cThe enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy, but Jesus came to give abundant life\u201d (John 10:10), so \u201cShut the door!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve all been there. In fact, during the recent election process, I \u201cshut the door\u201d (aka, the TV and social media) many times to so much rancor and negativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every day we must choose to shut the door to negativity, fears, doubt, and unbelief. When those stressors come, we know who is behind them. And it isn\u2019t our Father Who is our peacemaker and burden remover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2 Kings 4:32-37, Elisha was called upon because the son of the Shunammite woman had died. \u201cElisha entered the house and behold the boy was dead. So, he entered and SHUT THE DOOR behind them both, and he prayed to the Lord.” We know that Elisha’s prayers led to a miracle and Gehazi, the boy’s mother received her son back to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And, then there is Jesus showing up after He had risen from the dead. \u201cSo, when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the DOORS WERE SHUT where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, \u201cPeace be with you.\u201d (John 20:19)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Outside the closed doors of our lives is fear lurking — fear for our lives, doubt and unbelief, but, inside those closed, locked doors, Jesus shows up and PEACE prevails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SHUT THE DOOR to negative voices. Proverbs 4:23 says \u201cMore than anything guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We control the doorway to what we\u2019re allowing in. We can dwell on every negative thought imaginable OR we can shut AND lock the door, and dwell on what God says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n