Lysa TerKeurst
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 (NIV)
Whatever we are facing in this moment we can choose to grab on to the truth. Let everything else go. Let go of the anxiety, fear, uncertainty, and frustration. Park our mind with what is true. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32).
What truth can do for us is really amazing.
A few weekends ago I was wrapping up at a conference where I'd been speaking. My friend Beth and I were talking about where the team would be meeting for dinner that night. Suddenly, a very frantic arena staff member came over and told us there was an emergency and we were needed right away.
A lady attending the conference had just been told her two grandchildren had been killed in a fire that day.
We rushed over to find a lady surrounded by her friends. She was sobbing to the point she could hardly breathe. She'd just been with her grandbabies ages 8 and 4. They'd spent spring break with her last week. She'd held them, rocked them, stroked their hair, and kissed them all over their faces. How could they be gone?
It was too much for her brain to process.
The EMT stepped aside so we could hold her hands and pray over her. At first I stumbled my way through requests for Jesus to pour His most tender mercies into this situation. I prayed for comfort and the reassurance that these children were being held by Jesus in this moment.
It was so hard. My mommy heart ached so deeply for this woman. My eyes welled up with tears refusing to stay contained.
As Beth took her turn to pray I noticed something miraculous. Every time we said, "Jesus" her body calmed, her crying slowed, her breathing stopped sounding so panicked.
So, when it was my turn to pray again I just said His name over and over and over. This sweet grandmother joined me, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus."
As we said "Jesus" over and over, truth flooded my mind.
I remembered what I'd written in last week's devotion about fearing death... Death is only a temporary separation. We will be reunited again.
I remembered this truth from 2 Samuel 12... When David's infant child died, David confidently said, "I will go to him, but he will not return to me" (v. 23b). David knew he would see his child again- not just a nameless, faceless soul without an identity, but his very child. He would know him, hold him, kiss him, and the separation death caused would be over.
The only thing that seemed to calm my devastated sister was the name of Jesus and His truth.
What a powerful reminder to us all.
Hold on to His Word, sweet sister. Speak His truth and the name of Jesus out loud in the midst of whatever you are facing today. Our souls were formed to recognize and respond to the calm assurance of Jesus and truth.
Never has this been clearer to me.
Please pray for my friend and her family.
And remember in the midst of whatever you face today...
We can choose to grab on to the truth. Let everything else go. Park our mind with what is true. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free," (John 8:32).
Dear Lord, I lift up my friend and her family today. I also lift up my mind, and ask You to help me remember to speak Your Name and Your truth in any situation I'm in that seems overwhelming- little things and big things. Truly my soul was formed to recognize and respond to the calm assurance of truth. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Visit Lysa’s blog for a list of powerful verses every woman should memorize
Lysa is speaking in over 40 cities this year and she’d love to meet you! To check for a city near you, click here
Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst. This book is the resource you have been looking for to learn to read the Bible and really apply it to your everyday life.
Also, consider doing this study in a group setting by ordering Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl DVD set and leader’s guide– Contains 6 sessions lasting 15-20 minutes each on one DVD for only $24.99! Perfect for your Bible study group or as a neighborhood Book Club.
Application Steps:
When you face a hard situation today, determine to speak the name of Jesus and ask Jesus to help calm you and reassure you. Use the verses from my blog today to start filling your mind with essential truths. Click here to get those verses.
Reflections:
What situation are you facing today where you need some fresh insights and truth?
Why is truth so powerful?
Why is just the utterance of Jesus' Name so powerful?
Power Verses:
John 14:6, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (NIV)
John 6:47, "'I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.'" (NIV)
© 2010 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 (NIV)
Whatever we are facing in this moment we can choose to grab on to the truth. Let everything else go. Let go of the anxiety, fear, uncertainty, and frustration. Park our mind with what is true. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32).
What truth can do for us is really amazing.
A few weekends ago I was wrapping up at a conference where I'd been speaking. My friend Beth and I were talking about where the team would be meeting for dinner that night. Suddenly, a very frantic arena staff member came over and told us there was an emergency and we were needed right away.
A lady attending the conference had just been told her two grandchildren had been killed in a fire that day.
We rushed over to find a lady surrounded by her friends. She was sobbing to the point she could hardly breathe. She'd just been with her grandbabies ages 8 and 4. They'd spent spring break with her last week. She'd held them, rocked them, stroked their hair, and kissed them all over their faces. How could they be gone?
It was too much for her brain to process.
The EMT stepped aside so we could hold her hands and pray over her. At first I stumbled my way through requests for Jesus to pour His most tender mercies into this situation. I prayed for comfort and the reassurance that these children were being held by Jesus in this moment.
It was so hard. My mommy heart ached so deeply for this woman. My eyes welled up with tears refusing to stay contained.
As Beth took her turn to pray I noticed something miraculous. Every time we said, "Jesus" her body calmed, her crying slowed, her breathing stopped sounding so panicked.
So, when it was my turn to pray again I just said His name over and over and over. This sweet grandmother joined me, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus."
As we said "Jesus" over and over, truth flooded my mind.
I remembered what I'd written in last week's devotion about fearing death... Death is only a temporary separation. We will be reunited again.
I remembered this truth from 2 Samuel 12... When David's infant child died, David confidently said, "I will go to him, but he will not return to me" (v. 23b). David knew he would see his child again- not just a nameless, faceless soul without an identity, but his very child. He would know him, hold him, kiss him, and the separation death caused would be over.
The only thing that seemed to calm my devastated sister was the name of Jesus and His truth.
What a powerful reminder to us all.
Hold on to His Word, sweet sister. Speak His truth and the name of Jesus out loud in the midst of whatever you are facing today. Our souls were formed to recognize and respond to the calm assurance of Jesus and truth.
Never has this been clearer to me.
Please pray for my friend and her family.
And remember in the midst of whatever you face today...
We can choose to grab on to the truth. Let everything else go. Park our mind with what is true. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free," (John 8:32).
Dear Lord, I lift up my friend and her family today. I also lift up my mind, and ask You to help me remember to speak Your Name and Your truth in any situation I'm in that seems overwhelming- little things and big things. Truly my soul was formed to recognize and respond to the calm assurance of truth. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Visit Lysa’s blog for a list of powerful verses every woman should memorize
Lysa is speaking in over 40 cities this year and she’d love to meet you! To check for a city near you, click here
Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst. This book is the resource you have been looking for to learn to read the Bible and really apply it to your everyday life.
Also, consider doing this study in a group setting by ordering Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl DVD set and leader’s guide– Contains 6 sessions lasting 15-20 minutes each on one DVD for only $24.99! Perfect for your Bible study group or as a neighborhood Book Club.
Application Steps:
When you face a hard situation today, determine to speak the name of Jesus and ask Jesus to help calm you and reassure you. Use the verses from my blog today to start filling your mind with essential truths. Click here to get those verses.
Reflections:
What situation are you facing today where you need some fresh insights and truth?
Why is truth so powerful?
Why is just the utterance of Jesus' Name so powerful?
Power Verses:
John 14:6, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (NIV)
John 6:47, "'I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.'" (NIV)
© 2010 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.
Labels: Balance, Confidence, Overcoming, Prayer, Relationships, Trusting God, Walking in Faith
9 Comments:
I just got off the phone with the man i love so dearly and i was feeling all those emotions, anxiety, fear of whats going to happen, uncertainity and frustration...
But the holy spirit quickened me to get into his word, so i opened to this blog.
And Jesus my Saviour King and lover of my soul spoke directly into my heart.... ONLY THE TRUTH CAN SET FREE.
Immediatly my feelings expressed above disappeared, please pray for the man i love that he will be quickened by the HOLY SPIRIT and the truth will set him free today.
Naomi
What a beautiful devotion. Lysa thank you for speaking the truth to us today. What a wonderful honor it is to be a child of the King. Isn't it amazing that when we just speak his name things happen, our hearts and mind can be clear in a split second. The power of Jesus is awesome!!!
To Naomi,
It's unlikely that we'll ever meet. But I assure you that your words have made a great impact in my life today. I have come to understand that only THE TRUTH CAN SET FREE the man I love, my husband.
I will keep your name in my prayers daily. I hope everything goes well for you the man you love. God bless you.
A.B. from California
I know that God is at work in my life when He send someone (in this case, you, Lysa) with exactly the right words at exactly the right moment. Thank you.
The Lord speaks through you Lysa, and when I was amazed at the message in your devo today to my heart.. I read the comments, and Jesus is still speaking to me through Naomi, and others. Please pray for my friend, who just lost her 18 month old..and also for me and the man I love. God bless you all, and you are in my prayers as well. Greater is He who is in US, than he who is in the world! Thank you Jesus!
My best friend just told me this today, to keep my mind on the Word of God because it is TRUTH. I have been going through so much in my 9 years of marriage. And I have 3 small children who seem to overwhelm me at times. I am a stay at home mom, trying to work a home based business that seems to be going no where right now. And I just want a break. A break from crying, frustration, hurt, anger, anxiety, and the like. I know that the name of Jesus is POWERFUL and when I constantly say his name, my spirit is at rest. Then there are days when I can't say his name but all I do is cry in his presence. Thank God he knows what I am saying through my tears. Be blessed and thank you again for this reminder that I need to keep my mind on Jesus and the truth of his word.
This story made me cry. I felt the pain of a mother. I just began to cry then pray, for this family. I will say that Saying the name of Jesus is calming and things do happen in any situation no matter how hard. Lysa Thank You for your word of the day
Please pass on to all the writers...I value your work, and I hope you know what a blessing your work has been to me. Thanks! Lori
That was really uplifting. Two weeks ago, I had to get surgery for my stomach problems. I kept thinking "Why is God doing this to me?", when all of a sudden, I knew the answer. The doctors said that my stomach problems were being caused by stress and being anxious, and that if i wanted to get truly better, I needed to learn how to be calm. When I recovered from the surgery, the most peculiar thing happened! I asked for my Bible! Not my old-fashioned Holy Bible, but my young childhood one with pictures on every page. God did some wonders to me, and now my stomach pains don't come back as often! And I know now i have a lot more to live for with jesus! After allm I'm only 13!
Sarah
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