Tags
allergies, christian living, circumstances, five senses, healing, Jesus, storms of life, victory, walk by faith, word of God
Spring finally came after our first winter in Nashville. I was driving with the windows down enjoying the beautiful day. While stopped at a traffic light I took a deep breath only to be greeted by the horrific smell of freshly cut grass. Yes, I said horrific!
Some people love the smell of fresh cut grass; for me it brings back the worst childhood memories. Suddenly I was back in the fifth grade sitting on the grass at school watching giant red welts take over my body, and itching for the rest of the day. Then sneezing uncontrollably all the way home with no Kleenex to wipe my nose, snot flying everywhere using my new pancho for a Kleenex. I was a vision of loveliness!
“Hey! Wait aaaa minute”; interrupting this trip down memory lane, I reminded myself the Lord healed me of allergies over eighteen years ago (sometimes it’s good to interrupt yourself). Immediately I started praising God for healing me.
So what happened? Something I smelt (the freshly cut grass) and saw (stuff floating in the air) triggered my memory back to the days of allergy attacks. I got caught off guard through my senses.
Thoughts come at you contrary to what the Word says. Maybe what you are seeing is so in your face you can’t see anything else, the circumstances may be screaming at you “you’re not going to make it”; no matter, it’s our job to bring those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:3-5), and to walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7) and not by what we see, hear, feel, smell or taste.
Memories or circumstances can trigger your senses and pull you out of the faith realm. Following your senses will only cause you to keep your eyes on the circumstances and not the promises of God. Which is exactly what the enemy wants, to keep the battle in the sense realm; victory will never come on that battlefield.
At that moment I had a choice, I could fall into the trap of my senses or I could continue to thank God for what He has already done for me. I chose right; I sneezed once and said, “I will have none of that devil, the Lord healed me and that is the end of it! I am not dwelling on this any longer”. I don’t care what the mold spore or pollen count is, I don’t care that I am seeing huge floating things in the air, and I don’t care that the news is saying this is the worst allergy season ever… I am healed and I will not be subject to what I see, smell, and hear.
Several weeks later I was driving down the Highway; up ahead was a storm coming towards me fast and furious. Within two minutes I was in the thick of it; rain coming down like a solid wall. I couldn’t see two feet in front of the car. I didn’t panic; I heard the Lord say, “keep your eyes fixed on your lane”. The Lord gave me a point of reference. About three minutes later I passed through it.
The enemy will try to come at you with all he can; he tries to create fear through circumstances. He tries to get your eyes off of the Lord and His Word, which is our point of reference. He wants you to focus on the storm. But if you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, fixed on His promises, fixed on His Word you will come through the storm. Even if the storm seems to take forever to pass, your job is to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus the Author and Finisher of your faith (Heb 12:2 NASB). It will pass!
A few more scriptures:
2 Cor 4:18 NIV “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen”
Isaiah 43: 2 NASB “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you”.
Isaiah 59:19 “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him”.
I would love to hear your thoughts!
Posted by Maria Costadini | Filed under spiritual
