You will be established in righteousness. You will be far from oppression, so you will not be afraid. You will be far from destruction, so it won’t come near you. Isaiah 54:14 GW
Don’t ever allow yourself to fall for the devil’s trap of yielding to discouragement. Once he has you trapped, his plan is to then take you to a place of feeling hopeless and oppressed.
The moment you recognize a spirit of heaviness coming upon you, take immediate action against it. The Bible says God has given “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isaiah 61:3 NKJV). What can you praise God for? Regardless of how you may feel, you can praise Him for who He is:
- He is the God of love
- He is the faithful and merciful God
- He is the God who delivers
- He is the God who never fails
- He is the God who will never forsake you
Thank God for everything you can think of. For the specific times He’s come through for you in the past; for sending His Son, Jesus, to die for you; for His favor and blessing on your life.
Praise and thanksgiving will change your perspective of your circumstances; they will change how you feel. Praise and thanksgiving will move your focus from the seeming impossibility of your problem to the overwhelming sufficiency of your God.
As you praise and thank God for who He is, oppression will flee as courage, strength, and hope rise up within you.
Confession: I refuse to yield to a spirit of heaviness, discouragement, or oppression. I choose instead to thank You, Lord, for who You are and all You’ve done for me. You are more than enough. You are faithful, and You are at all times good to me.
Author: Jerry Savelle