Isaiah 41:10, “Be not dismayed; for I am your God.” 

The Hebrew word for “be dismayed” means “to gaze about, to be non-plussed, to look around in amazement or bewilderment.”

Where are you looking, dear mother? Are you looking in despair at all you have to do? Are you looking at the difficulties you face and worrying how you can cope? Or are you looking up? God, who is our Rock, our Fortress, our Savior and our Deliverer specifically tells us to stop looking at what we see – and look to Him. He is God. He is in control. We can trust Him unreservedly with our lives and all our problems.

How can I do it? I have too much to do,

I’m overwhelmed and feeling real blue,

I’m stuck in this house like super glue.

    Don’t look around – LOOK UP!

The dishes and laundry are piled up high,

When I look ‘round the house I have to sigh,

And for supper my husband’s expecting a pie!

    Don’t look around – LOOK UP!

We can’t pay the mortgage; bills are overdue,

I’m tired and have headaches, not a few,

These children are driving me crazy too!

    Don’t look around – LOOK UP!

My husband comes home late; he doesn’t care,

He doesn’t help with the children; it’s not fair!

I don’t want to smile; I just want to glare!

    Don’t look around – LOOK UP!

Take your eyes off your problems, look up to Him,

God’s presence is with you, even in the din!

Confess your bad mood and He’ll cleanse your sin.

    He is your God – LOOK UP!

He will show you how to order your place,

He will give you direction as you seek His face,

He wants to pour upon you His anointing of grace.

    He is your God – LOOK UP!

Keep your eyes fixed on Him; He is your Stay,

He is your Wisdom for problems each day,

He will bring His presence right into your fray.

    He is your God – LOOK UP!

Each morning He comes as the refreshing Dew

To revive your body, and your spirit too,

He is your Deliverer and He’ll make you new,

    He is your God – LOOK UP!

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Oh God, forgive me for looking at everything, except You. Oh God, help me to remember that you are bigger than my circumstances and the problems that I face. I thank you that you are my God. You are in control of my life and every situation. I look to you, Lord, as my Source and my Deliverer. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION: 

I’m going for the up-look!

Matthew 18:21-22 GNB, ‘Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against me, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” answered Jesus, “but seventy times seven.”’

Today we check out the last four kingdom principles for coping with unkind words and deeds people do to us.

6.  FORGIVE!  

“If you will forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you too; but if you do not forgive people, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

It is very easy to be unforgiving because it is part of our fleshly life. Sometimes we can easily forgive once, but oh, do we really have to forgive someone 490 times? Yes, it’s a lifestyle of forgiveness. We can’t afford the luxury of unforgiveness. Unforgiveness destroys. It not only destroys the one you won’t forgive, but even more, it destroys you! It destroys your soul. You will be the one who will be hurt the most.

God’s way is to forgive. And God’s ways work. They release us into freedom and joy. Read Matthew 18:21-35, Luke 17:3-4 and Ephesians 4:32.

7. FORGET!

Hebrews 10:17, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”

When God forgives our sins, He remembers them no more. What an example for us. When we forgive, we must also forget. That’s the hard part. To help you forget, don’t talk about your grievance. Every time you talk about it, you stir up the wound. You will soon forget if you don’t talk about it all the time.

And remember to forgive and forget before you go to sleep at night. (Ephesians 4:26)

8. PROVIDE FOR THEIR NEEDS!

“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” 

Read also Proverbs 12:19-21 and 25:21-22 and ask God what He wants you to do.

9. LET GOD VINDICATE! 

“Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19 and Psalm 35:15)

We dare not take from God what is His rightful authority. Only God has the authority to avenge. It is His right and He is the only one who can do it with pure judgment. You can trust God to do righteously and act on your behalf.

When you bless those who hurt you, you overcome three enemies at once:

1.    THE DEVIL who will take advantage of a hurt and unforgiving spirit and get a foothold in your life. Proverbs 18:14 says, “A wounded spirit, who can bear?”  It will destroy your life. But as you pray and bless, your spirit will become free.

2.    YOUR ENEMY, the one who has hurt you. Many times it is someone very close to you -- that’s when it hurts the most! But as you bless them, God will work on them to change their attitude.

3.    YOURSELF. This is the greatest victory of all. As you forgive and bless, you will be cleansed, healed and blessed yourself. Your words and attitudes are boomerangs that always come back on you.

It is not in your nature to bless those who have hurt you, but it is Christ’s nature and He lives in you.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Oh Lord, I don’t have it in myself to live by your kingdom principles, but I thank you that you live in me. Help me to live my life by the power of your loving, forgiving and blessing life. Amen.”

 

AFFIRMATION:

Because God forgives, I can forgive; because God forgets, I can forget.

1 Peter 3:8-9 GNB, “Do not pay back evil with evil or cursing with cursing: instead, pay back with a blessing, because a blessing is what God promised to give you when He called you.”

Today we continue to find out God’s kingdom principles for coping with hurts and unkind words.

3. BLESS!

You certainly don’t feel like blessing someone when they have hurt you, do you? It’s the opposite of how you feel. Your fleshly nature wants to pay them back by hurting them like they have hurt you. God does want us to pay them back, but He wants us to “pay them back with a blessing” as many translations say. *

God wants us to retaliate too, but to “retaliate with a blessing” as the New English Bible translates it. We must get into the habit of hitting back with a “blessing reaction.” Blessing is a kingdom principle that has power to set you free. I have proved it many times over the years. It always works.

Here are some more Scriptures:

 “BLESS them that curse you.” (Matthew 5:44)            

“BLESS them which persecute you, bless, and curse not.” (Romans 12:14)

 “BLESS – that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9, The Message)

“Being slandered, we BLESS.” (1 Corinthians 4:12)

When someone speaks against you or hurts you, get down on your knees and start blessing them. You won’t feel like it, but forget your feelings. Do it by faith. Keep blessing them. Don’t get up off your knees until you know that when you meet them you can look them in the eye and bless them. In 1 Peter 3:8 the word “blessing” is not a noun, but a participle and should read, “be constantly blessing.” Often you have to bless a person who has spoken against you many times before you are truly free in your spirit. You think you have got the victory and then suddenly all the hurt comes back again. What do you do? Keep on blessing. Don’t give up blessing them until you are totally free of all hurt.

This is the power of blessing –- you free the person who has hurt you, but you also free your own heart of bitterness and hurt. You get blessed by blessing! God’s principles work!

The Greek word for ‘bless’ is ‘eulogeo’ which means ‘to speak well of, to invoke a benediction upon, to cause to prosper.’

4. DO GOOD!

 “Do good to them that hate you.” (Matthew 5:44)

Can you think of something good that you could do for the one who has hurt you? God’s ways are surely opposite to the way we feel, but if we will only put them into operation, we will see miracles happen.

5. PRAY!

“Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)

How much time in prayer do you spend for those who speak against you?

We’ll share the last principles next week.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Oh God, you are the Blesser of all mankind. You bless me even when I don’t deserve it. Please help me to bless those who are unkind to me and speak hurtfully to me. Help me to walk in the power of this kingdom principle. Amen.”

 

AFFIRMATION:

Blessing is my way of life,

It’s the way I put down strife!

 

* (Good News Bible, Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation, J.B. Phillip’s translation)

Sometimes when ministering to women, I ask the question, “Who has never been hurt by something someone has said to them?”  No one has ever raised a hand. All of us have been victims, at some time or other, of someone else’s abuse, gossip or hurting words. In fact, it is usually those who are closest to us, even family members, who hurt us the most. Words can be like arrows that pierce the soul to wound and destroy us. 

But let me tell you a secret. You don’t have to stay wounded. There is a way out. God has provided kingdom principles for us, which if we put them into operation, will work miracles for us. They will free us from hurt and bitterness and enable us to live in total victory.

What are these kingdom principles?

1. BECOME DEAF AND DUMB!

What? Yes, that’s what the Bible says. Read Psalm 38:12-15 MLB.

“They who seek my hurt talk mischief; they think up treacheries all day. But I am like a deaf man, who does not listen; like a dumb man, who does not open his mouth. Yes, I am like a man who does not hear and in whose mouth there are no arguments. For in Thee, Lord, I hope…”

a)    DEAF. Oh how curious we are to find out what people are saying against us. We want to track down every little morsel. However, when we know this is happening, we must become deaf and do not even try to find out. Can you master this challenge? What you don’t know, will save you from many hurts. Someone could be saying very nasty things about you, but if you don’t know about it, you can relate to them with love and freedom, which will pour coals of fire on their wickedness.

b)    DUMB. When we do hear accusations against us, we should act dumb, with no reproofs or arguments. This was Jesus’ example in the face of accusation and trial…

“But Jesus held his peace…” (Matthew 26:59-63)

“Jesus answered nothing… He answered never a word.” (Matthew 27:11-14)

“He opened not his mouth…” (Isaiah 53.7)

“When He was insulted, He did not answer back with an insult; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but placed His hopes in God.” (1 Peter 2:21-23)

2.  REJOICE AND LEAP FOR JOY!

“BLESSED are you, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.  REJOICE YE IN THAT DAY, AND LEAP FOR JOY: for behold your reward is great in heaven…” (Matthew 5:11-12)

The literal meaning for “leap for joy” is to “jump, bound and spring.” Have you ever tried jumping and leaping when someone has said unkind and untrue things about you? Try it. It actually works. It bounces all the hurt out of you! Do I hear the floorboards shaking?

3.  LOVE!

“But I say unto you, love your enemies.” (Matthew 5:44)

One writer says, “If a little bit of love isn’t effective, increase the dose.” The remedy for the ineffectiveness of a little love is MORE LOVE. A Chinese saying says, “Don’t try to put out the fire of a load of hay with a cup of water!’” The more you have been hurt, the more love and forgiveness you’ll need to pour on! Sometimes you’ll have to pour on buckets!

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Oh Lord, please help me to keep my mouth shut in the face of accusations. Take away all my arguments for I put my hope and trust in You.  I thank you that you are my vindicator. Amen.”

 

AFFIRMATION: 

I am deaf to hurtful words and dumb in the face of accusations.

 

We will continue with more kingdom principles next week…