Lord, I’m overwhelmed and feel so turned around. What am I doing?

**Excuse me as I encourage myself in the Lord.

Where am I going?

The Kingdom of God, where Christ reigns, who makes God all-in-all, so that all of God’s children can dwell in safety together.

What am I doing?

Glorifying God, destroying the works of the devil, shining the light of Christ by administering the Gospel in word and deed, giving life by His Spirit, ushering all that the Lord our God will call into the glorious Sanctuary of the Kingdom of God through Christ, and teaching others to do likewise.

How am I doing it?

Obeying the heavenly vision by God’s grace —the strength He provides (heart, knowledge, power, people, resources), laying aside this world; allowing Christ to be manifest through me by dying: the emptying of myself (power, possessions, pursuits of pleasure and popularity, and my person), taking up my cross (our weapon —the ultimate implement of our struggle against sin; taking what God purposed, what Satan mean for evil, but what God is using for good to save people alive) and following Jesus to the Kingdom of God, fighting toward His beloved —my fellow disciples, walking as He walked, starting where He placed me (my garden: my marriage, my family, my work, my community) unto the uttermost parts of the world.

In summation: I am making war against every challenge to Lord Jesus’ rule, taking and securing territory for the Kingdom of God according to Christ’s example, starting with my heart and in my home.

People are the fields where this war is waged.

“The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
—Luke 17:20-21

So, focus on eternal, life-giving connections with people to the glory of God. That’s how I take territory for the Kingdom.

My work, my marriage, my parenting, my resources —everything, are Christ’s and are merely means to facilitate advancing God’s Kingdom.

Now that the Holy Spirit has helped me get my bearings again, I can sit with these thoughts and emotions, bring them into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and evaluate what lie(s) I may have embraced that gave rise to the anxiety such as “I’m holding my own world together.”

Lies block love.

But, perfect love casts out all fear. (1 John 4:18)

I don’t have all the answers, I still have problems, but I have peace that the Good Shepherd will guide me through them all.

#perfectourlove