God help me, I'm afraid! What to do after you pray

I'm afraid, I'm praying like crazy and I don't feel any better. Help!

Paul knew exactly what you mean, and he found the answer. Thankfully he wrote it down so now we all can know!

Paul was experiencing a season of active harassment from a Satanic messenger. Oh yeah, there's actually a Satan and he really is out to get you. Now that we know that, what can we do? A lot actually.

Paul started out well, he prayed and asked Jesus to remove it. Good advice, ask God to deal with this problem. And you know what God said back?

Jesus told Paul he already possessed everything he needed to deal with this interloper. 

Wait, I thought I'm supposed to pray and take my hands off the wheel! Right?

Jesus answered, “'My grace is always more than enough for you [to ward off the Adversary’s harassment of you] AND my power finds its full expression through your weakness.' So I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me [sheltering me]. So I’m not defeated by my weakness, but delighted! For when I feel my weakness and endure mistreatment—when I’m surrounded with troubles on every side and face persecution because of my love for Christ—I am made yet stronger. For my weakness becomes a portal to God’s power."

 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 TPT

Great.... everybody get happy... Seriously, what do I DO? How do I open the portal? Is it like a Stargate? Do I stand under the moon and chant? Uh.....not so much.

Now, I know most of the time I tell you (and myself) to focus on the neuropsychology aspect, to take my thoughts captive, to take charge of what I choose to think, and instead think on what God says to think on (Philippians 4:8). 

Neuro-what? Did you know your thoughts are based on beliefs about what is happening to you, usually created early in childhood, and they create your emotional response? That's right, think about it, when you are upset, what do you believe about your situation? That's why you feel that way. 

Think about it, why would God tell us to change our thoughts unless we have the power to do so?  But wait, there's more...

This time I'm going to tell you to give your brain biofeedback from your muscles, from your action. Yes! You get to DO something, because we always want to jump in and take over and do something, right? Or is that just me?

Hebrews 12:12-13 So be made strong even in your weakness by lifting up your tired hands in prayer and worship. And strengthen your weak knees, for as you keep walking forward on God’s paths [See Isa. 35:3; Prov. 4:26.] all your stumbling ways will be divinely healed!

Yes, we have Free Will, we have a part to play. I don't mean pray then do whatever you think will solve the problem, that's the opposite of what I am saying. 

I mean pray, then act like your prayers have been answered, lift up your hands in worship and go about your day, knowing that help is in action even when you don't yet see it manifested. 

Instead of continually praying for help, convincing yourself that help is not yet here (what we expect is what we experience)

decide to pray once, then continually thank God that He already knew this was going to happen and already has prepared a supernatural rescue. 

Yes, ask Him for help, acknowledge that it's His help you need, then choose to believe the help is on the way. 

Daniel prayed for God to help him and all the people in captivity, and he didn't see any results for nearly a month, but he kept believing the answer was coming. Sure enough, an angel showed up and explained, 

"He told me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. God has heard everything that you said ever since the first day you decided to humble yourself in front of your God so that you could learn to understand things. I have come in response to your prayer. The commander of the Persian kingdom opposed me for 21 days. But then Michael, one of the chief commanders, came to help me because I was left alone with the kings of Persia." Daniel 10:12-13

Still think you are not part of a real war? Don't worry, we win, I've read the end of the book.

So, pray, decide help is on the way, and repeat until amazed. There are really cool studies in atomic research that demonstrate atoms (and photons) appear where they are expected to appear, behave as the observer decided they would. Kind of makes sense now why God says "as you believe in your heart, so it is, or so are you," Proverbs 23:7. 

Reinforce it, keep reminding yourself of every verse that says God knows the end from the beginning, He knows the thoughts He has toward you, to help you, etc. (Look these up, the post is getting really long.) It might take a month of believing, it might take years, I don't know, most of the time mine take minutes to about a month but some stuff I am counting on went on for a few years or more - remember other people have free will, too, and they may choose to never change.

THEN when you see the answer to prayer, file that memory away and decide to remind yourself of this moment, during the next crisis. Next crisis? For sure, after all that's the nature of the world at this time, until God completes His plan and removes Satan finally, the current "god of this world or age." 2 Corinthians 4:4

Jesus said, why are you surprised when evil happens? 1 Peter 4:12 

It's to be expected while Satan is roaming the earth looking for who he can steal from, kill, or destroy their lives. (1 Peter 5:8) Remember the war? You're in it whether you want to be or not. Are you going to be a victim or a victor? 

What do you do when Satan comes in your house and acts like he owns the place? 

Push him back, push him back, waaaay back - that's basically what James 4:7 says 1. Submit to God 2. Resist (push back forcibly) the devil, and 3. He will flee. 4. Game over - till the next round) 

Look, if you don't believe it, neither will Satan or any demon sent to harass you (Acts 19:16-19) so get in the Word until you are convinced of your authority (Mark 16:17-18 both literally and metaphorically - serpents and poison are metaphors for enemies and attacks on character in Aramaic, however Paul does give us the example of being protected from physical harm as well Acts 28:3-6.)

Back to Satan in my crib....(sorry, I thought I could carry that off). 

Still, I'm like "So what?" I get back in the face of evil and say, "Is that all you've got? Let me tell you something, 'He that is in me (and every other believer) is greater than he that is in the world.'" (1 John 4:4) 

Not only that, I remind myself that Jesus left us His particular brand of Peace. 

John 14:27 says “I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!"

Interestingly, these are the same words Moses gave before he died and the words God spoke to Joshua as he entered into his life’s plan of taking the promised land for Israel. See Deut. 31:8; Josh. 1:8-9; 10:25. 

Because, God has not given us a spirit of cowardly fear. See also 2 Tim. 1:7. That's Satan's specialty and if you've got it, return it for something better. You don't even need a receipt.

God's given us the Holy Spirit! "For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control (also translated revelation or instruction.)

And if the Spirit of the Living God lives inside of me, then of "whom shall I fear?' Psalm 27:1

I mean seriously, "Get thee behind me Satan" or today we might say, "Step off, Jack." Matthew 16:23

Look, when you're afraid you're in fight, flight or freeze. Make a choice in advance. "Choose this day whom you will serve (listen to, obey, respond to.) Joshua 24:15. 

Studies of which people survive attack suggest those people who had a plan in advance make it, they already created a mind map of how to escape. That's why those in law enforcement check out the exits, look at the crowd, are aware of their escape routes. 

When you are afraid, your frontal cortex shuts down and the amygdala takes over and all your brain wants to know is who do I need to fight or where can I run and if that info is not readily available, you freeze, paralyzed by fear. Is that you right now? Its time to decide.

Are you going to believe Satan (Looooser), or are you going to believe the Maker of Heaven and Earth, King of Kings, Lord of Lords who planned the whole shabang and rigged it in your favor from the beginning, always planning for you to have the authority to kick Satan's.... well, you get the drift...

You have armor (a wrap around shield called Faith that goes before you, and protects you from your past behind you, and makes all of the enemy's arrows glance off or bounce right back in his face...because I'm rubber and your glue...and you have a Sword, it's the Word of Truth, the Scripture that demonic forces cannot stand to hear you speak. Ephesians 6:10-18.) 

So be like your Daddy, be the spitting image of Him, and SPEAK things that are unseen into being. Psalm 33:9, Romans 4:17

Words have power, and I don't mean they hurt your feelings. I am talking Quantum Physics now and the Bible is full of it. 

Ok, we are getting into the need for another post. Read my upcoming book, The BrainRetrain and I will go deeper. 

For now, you've got everything you need, do something about it!

Speak the Word, then take action by lifting up your hands in praise and worship, believing that whatever you ask Him in His name (as a representative of God, as His child, under His authority and protection) He will do it. Period. John 14:13. 

Are you a sincere believer, do you believe? Who do you say Jesus is? Matthew 16:15-16

And then act like it.

I'm with you in this battle. He is with both of us. We are not alone.

If you need more help, visit me at www.thebrainretrain.com