Unshakeable - keep being persuaded

Over the past few days I have felt this growing intensity, a sort of challenging in my mind. It is hard to explain. There have been questions like, 'Do you have what it takes to stand? Do you really believe you have the victory? Do you really believe that God will have the last say?'

Questions, that if left unanswered for too long, can cause problems. Doubt. Fear. Thankfully after years of experience I am getting quicker to recognise that voice. It is not the voice of God, rather it is the liar. And by the grace of God I am getting quicker at responding with truth - God's word.

In these times we need to be immersing ourselves in the word of God. As we read His truth, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to us bringing peace and encouragement, so we are unshakeable.

Jesus answered them, 'Do you finally believe? In fact, you're about to make a run for it - saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I'm not abandoned. The Father is with me. I've told you all this so that trusting in me, you will be unshakeable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world." John 16:31-33 The Message

Today, in this world, let's ask God to help us trust more in him, so that we will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. 

Following on from this verse we can read Jesus' prayer for His Followers. This is The Message version, it is more the essence of what Jesus prayed, than His actual words, but how comforting is it to know that the Lord of lords, King of kings prayed this for us....

Now I'm returning to you. I'm saying these things in the world's hearing so my people can experience My joy completed in them. 

I gave them  your word, the godless hated them because of it, because they didn't join the world's ways, just as I didn't join the world's ways. 

I'm not asking that you take them out of the world but that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world than I am defined by the world. 

Make them holy - consecrated - with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth. In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. I'm consecrating myself for their sakes so they'll be truth-consecrated in their mission. 

John 17:13-19 The Message 

His word is consecrating truth and it does not return void.

So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth; it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11 AMP

We may not understand, but we are called to trust.

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plan your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP

Jesus, please help us to find time in the busyness of the day to read Your word, and to get more of Your truth into our hearts so we can better stand unshakeable.  Thank you that Your word does not return void. Thank you that You are with us. Emmanuel. Thank you that when we do not understand, we can trust You. You are our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

As it is written:

"For your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, not things present not things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:33-39 NKJV

Note: interestingly in my NKJ Bible, in my early days as a Christian I have drawn a box around verse's 38 and 39 and written 'keep being persuaded'.