As I mentioned in the introductory post, my friend, Beth, was an inspiration for doing this Isaiah 40 series.  Beth encouraged me through her example of memorizing scripture and inadvertently prompted me to get back at it; thank you dear friend!  

Beth faithfully prays for her family and friends.  She is married to her love, Nic, and they have two amazing kids.  Beth inspires me with her creativity; she re-purposes material and furniture- transforming them into something functional and beautiful.  I can’t help but see the spiritual parallel- doesn’t God do that with us?  He takes something ordinary, or broken, and transforms it into something wonderful- a vessel that He can use; for His glory!

I am so thankful that Beth is our special guest today.  I know you will be greatly encouraged and spurred on to walk in the freedom that God loves to give.

Isaiah 40:9  “Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; lift it up, do not fear.  Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Here is your God!'”

I love the Lord with all my heart and with
all my soul and with all my might.  However, I cannot tell you how many
times my flesh has taken control and I do the thing that I hate; I sin. 
Romans 14:23b says, “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” 
Based on that verse (and many others), I confess that there has been a
prominent sin in my life – fear.  Not very long ago, I realized that
fear was placing me in bondage to satan.  Satan has been present
throughout my whole life- throwing his fiery arrows (Eph. 6:16)
at me by whispering ugly things like: “You are going to get cancer and
die,” “Someone is going to abduct or abuse your children,” or “Your
husband is going to die in a car accident and where will you end up?” 
Wow.  These might seem silly or insane to you, but along with many other
lies, I have believed them.  I have let my fears rule my life.

Matthew 17:20
says, “For truly I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of
mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there,’
and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”  When I look
at this amazing verse, I don’t usually visualize a real mountain,
I see my fear.  It’s a big, cold, jagged mass that I have placed in
between my God and myself.  My fear makes it hard for me to
see/hear/walk with my Savior…and God is crying out for me to demand it to move!  Moving my mountain (with all of its creepy climbing footholds for satan (Eph. 4:27) is VITAL in being used by God.  2 Timothy 2:21
says,  “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is
dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy,
useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”  I want
that!  

So, this is where my story gets good!  Through seeking God (in his
Word and through prayer) and through wise counsel and Christ-filled
fellowship, I have come to understand how to FIGHT this fear, and I have
gained unbelievable joy through it.  I agree, sister, praise God!  Anytime I experience fear of evil or of the unknown, I repent.  “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.”(Acts 3:19) 
“As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our
transgressions from us.”(Ps. 103:12)  You know what, ladies?  You also
have the authority to BOOT satan out of your life.  Here are some verses
that might help you with this…Eph. 6:10-17, Luke 17-19, 2 Cor. 10:4-6, Romans 16:20,
1 Peter 5:8, Matt. 16:19, and James 4:7.  After I have been cleaned out
and emptied of my sin, I ask God to FILL ME UP with his Holy Spirit
(Romans 8:9)!!

John 8:31-32
talks of knowing Christ and being set free by his Truth!  Let’s start
praising God, for not only giving us freedom from sin, but also for giving
us a glorious inheritance (Yeah!  Right now!)!  Abba!  Father!  We
praise you together for being our Father!  We praise you for your
unfailing love and wonderful deeds for us.  You are good and your love endures forever; Your faithfulness continues through all generations! 
Truly our souls find rest in you, God.  Our salvation comes from you. You are our Rock and our Salvation, you are our Fortress and our
Deliverer.  You are Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.  You are
the Prince of Peace, you are the Breath of LIFE!!!!

Do you feel it, friends?!  Do you feel the joy of the Lord bubbling up higher and higher in your soul?!  Amen!  When I choose
to no longer be a slave to sin and I seek God’s Truth and do what he says,
I am free!  What better way to choose joy in ANY situation than by
praising God?!  For Christ came so WE can have life to the FULL (John 10:10)!  

And so, I am going to read Isaiah 40:9…out loud…because it is also my
desire to proclaim freedom (and if it is yours, will you say it, too?). 

                                  “You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain.
                           You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, 
                                                       lift it up, DO NOT BE AFRAID.  
                                            Say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”

To my family, friends, neighbors, church family…to strangers walking next to me at Meijer, even…I’ll tell you who my God is!!!

Deep Breaths:

1.  Memorize Isaiah 40:9

2.  What is the name of the “mountain” in your life that needs to be moved?  Talk to God about this mountain and, in faith, ask Him to move it!  Ask Him to help you know what the next step is, and for the courage and follow-through to do it.

3.  Have you ever shared your testimony?  Have you shared it lately?  I am so grateful to Beth for bravely telling us this testimony; our testimony can help others overcome.  See Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him (the deceiver) because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.”  Don’t fear; share what God has done, and how He has freed you, today.