God

Powerful prayer starts this way

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

Do you ever feel like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling?  Do your prayers seem ineffective?  Well, could it be that you’ve fallen into a very common pattern of simply using your prayers to tell God what to do, when to do it, and how to do everything?!  Hah!  I know I’ve fallen into that pattern more times than I care to admit.

The truth is that God doesn’t need us to explain to Him what to do.  If we’re being honest, we can acknowledge that we don’t always know the best thing to do.  But Jesus does know!  So maybe we should ask Him!

Here’s a mind-blowing fact.  Jesus is actually praying (interceding) to the Father for YOU right now!  Romans 8:34 says “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

Another huge truth from the Bible is that our heavenly Father answer the prayers of people who are praying in line with His will.  1 John 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

Put these two truths together and it becomes clear that the key to powerful prayer is to ask Jesus how He is praying for us or the challenge we’re worried about, and then to pray in alignment with Him.  When we start prayer that way, we know we are praying according to God’s will, and God answers those prayers! 

If you’re wondering how to know what Jesus is praying, simply ask Him to tell you and then await a gentle nudge of your spirit….a quiet whisper to your heart….a word downloaded into your mind.  Jesus says this in John 10:27  My sheep hear my voice….  So ask Him how he’s praying, await his direction, and then join him in that prayer.  How powerful!!

Do you have approval exhaustion?

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

In a recent prayer time, God gently confronted me.  He asked me this simple question.  Are you going to be a slave to your to-do-list today, or are you going to focus on bringing me glory?  Here is another way of posing the question for both you and me:  Are you working tirelessly to bring yourself glory as the “perfect wife’, “perfect mother”, perfect Christian, etc, or are you releasing your day to God and asking him to show you what to do and what NOT to do in order to bring HIM glory?

Oh man!  Busted.  To be honest, I tend to drive myself to always do more and do it better, because I want to look good in other people’s eyes.  I become exhausted and stressed in the process.  The good news is that God didn’t design us to be people-pleasers.  Yes, we are to love people, but our focus shouldn’t be on doing whatever they want.  Our focus also shouldn’t be trying to look good in people’s eyes.  The Bible reminds us in Galatians 1:10 “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?”

I am confident that if you and I were both to release our days to God and ask Him to guide us, we would find much more peace!  We would be free of performance-exhaustion.  We would find freedom from approval exhaustion.  Instead, we would be free to follow God’s promptings, which will lead to greater joy and peace than we’ve ever known. In fact, if you listen for God’s voice, he might even tell you to take a nap or relax while listening to praise music!  God’s Word promises that those who seek to follow Him (instead of following their own agenda) will enter peace!  (Isaiah 57:2 says, “For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; he enters into peace.” And Isaiah 26:3 reminds us, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

Handling melancholy or hopelessness

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

When we are going through a difficult season in our marriage, or faced with any challenging situation, we tend to feel so alone in our distress.  We tend to feel a sort of melancholy sweep over us, which leads to a feeling of emptiness or hopelessness.  It feels like no one really understands.  It feels like no one really cares.  However, I’ve come to realize that those “feelings” are not correct!  It’s also dawned on me that the enemy of our souls is busy whispering lies to us to try to get us to align ourselves with the feeling of despair, hopelessness, and emptiness.  He throws fuel on the fire by whispering “you’re all alone” and “no one understands”, and “your situation will never change”, and “no one really cares”.

We must catch ourselves when we sense hopelessness or melancholy starting to invade.  At that very moment, we need to refuse to align with the lies of the enemy.  Instead, we must begin actively coaching ourselves with truth from God’s Word!  Mediate on these 6 powerful bits of Scripture when you’re feeling alone and battling with hopelessness, emptiness or melancholy:

Psalm 73:23-24 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.  You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

Psalm 40:1-2 I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

Hebrews 13:5  God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Learning to follow God’s nudges

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

I asked God today what was on His mind for today’s message to all of you, and I heard him whisper to my spirit, “Urge them to trust me completely and follow my prompting, even when it doesn’t seem to make sense.”  Yep.  That sounds exactly like what God would say!  After all, throughout the Bible, we hear God revealing a plan to His servants that seemed preposterous at the time, or foolish or, at the very least, unwise.  However, when the servant obeyed God, then God accomplished his perfect plan in a way that was truly astounding.  The people ended up being amazed by God and his mighty power!

Consider Noah.  God told him to build a humongous boat and load it with every kind of animal.  What a crazy instruction!  But Noah obeyed, and boy, did that ever work out well for him and his family.  Consider Gideon.  God told him to get rid of almost all his soldiers before taking on a huge enemy army!  What a preposterous instruction!  But Gideon obeyed even when it didn’t seem to make sense.  In the end, God destroyed the enemy and got all the glory for that incredible victory.  Consider Moses.  God told him, an ordinary shepherd, to go before the Egyptian pharaoh and demand the release of the Jewish slaves.  What a ridiculous idea!  But Moses obeyed, and the Jewish people stood in awe of God as they were released from oppressive slavery.

Right now, God is whispering words of instruction to you.  He may be counseling you to stay in a marriage that seems hopeless.  He may be instructing you to leave a marriage because He may know that is best for you and your children.  He may be telling you to give away more money than would seem wise in order to help those who are poor.  He may be telling you to share the Gospel with someone who has been your enemy.  God has plans to work through you and He is whispering instructions to you right now.  Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.  What He is telling you to do may seem difficult or even unwise, but if God is instructing you, I urge you to step out and obey.  Trust Him.  He knows what is best because He sees the future and His ways are perfect.  Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

You’re not alone or forgotten

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

Sometimes, during the really challenging moments in life, we feel all alone in the struggle.  The enemy of our soul starts whispering lie after lie.  He tells us God doesn’t care.  He tells us nobody understands.  He whispers that we are all alone and nobody will help us.  What a bunch of filthy lies!

The truth is that if you believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins and if you have chosen to follow Him as the leader of your life, then God will never leave you…not for one second!  Others might abandon you and others might disappoint you, but God tells us in His Word that He will never leave us or forsake us.  You can read that in Hebrews 13:5.  We also read in Psalm 27:10 that even if our mom and dad desert us, the Lord will hold us close.  Hallelujah!

Here’s something else that occurred to me recently.  When someone asks me to pray for them due to a super challenging situation, I always seem to be prompted to pray “Lord, hold __________ in the palm of your hand.”  Frankly, I’ve always kind of wondered why I feel prompted to pray that way.  Why do I tend to ask God to hold them in the “palm of His hand”?  Well, I stumbled across the reason the other day.  I found it in Isaiah 49:14-16 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…”  Wow!  God has engraved your name on the palm of His hand.  He will never forget you. He is holding you tenderly, always.

If you’re reaching for comfort…

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

We all inevitably go through stretches in our marriages (or with kids, finances, health, etc!) that are pretty rough on our hearts.  Yes, we can persevere, pray, and trust in God during those times, and all those things are super important.  But sometimes, we just plain need comfort.  We need to sit in the lap of our heavenly father and have Him hold us tight.

Here is what I have discovered.  Reading the Psalms slowly and out loud is like a warm embrace from my heavenly Father.  As those words roll off my lips, I can almost feel His love and compassion flow over me.  I sense the tenderness of His heart toward me.  I gain hope once again.

Try it for yourself.  I would suggest some of these Psalms:  Psalm 103, Psalm 91, Psalm 34, and Psalm 37.   God longs to comfort you.  He loves you.  As Psalm 103 says, “Our Father is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love.”

Practice this when seeking guidance

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

When we face a challenge, a dilemma, or even a crisis…we tend to search high and low for the easy answer.   We cry out to God, asking him to give us the magic pill that will make it all go away!  We call our mom or our girlfriends, and we whine and complain about the problem, hoping they will have the magical, painless answer to our situation.  Well, here’s the thing.  The answer isn’t easy, but it is simple.  Seek God’s counsel and then actually pause to listen. 

Proverbs 18:13 says “To answer before listening, that is folly and shame.”  Yet, that is exactly what many of us do.  We complain to God.  We pray that he would magically fix our situation in the way that WE say is best, and yet, we don’t actually consult the Bible to see what guidance he has for us.  We pray that God would tell us what to do about the problem, yet we don’t actually pause to listen for the Holy Spirit’s quiet whisper of guidance.

The answer is simple.  Dive into God’s Word.  It will guide you.  Psalm 119:105 says. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”   Ask God to give you direction through a quiet whisper to your spirit from the Holy Spirit, who is our counselor.  John 14:26 says (in the Amplified Bible), “But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf, He will teach you all things.”

Is God testing you?

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

We’re all going to encounter challenges along life’s journey.  Some of you may be in the middle of a marriage crisis.  Some of you are facing a health or financial challenge.  Or maybe you are in the middle of a really difficult situation with one of your children, or your mother-in-law.  It’s so natural in the middle of those challenges to throw up your hands in despair.  It’s even tempting to give up on believing that God is good and has a plan to bring something good out of the painful trial. 

But have you considered that God may be allowing that trial to test whether your faith is genuine?  Psalm 11:5 says, “The Lord tests the righteous…”  Maybe God is waiting to see whether you’re only willing to trust Him and obey Him when times are good.  Maybe God is asking you stay steady and calm in the middle of the storm as you stubbornly keep your eyes on Him.  Maybe God is testing you to see if you truly believe that He is good and will bring something good out of this distressing situation.  Afterall, He makes that promise in Romans 8:28.

What will you do during the challenge or trial?  What you do, and how you react, reveal what you actually believe about God.  Is your faith solid?  Is your faith genuine?  Can your trust in God withstand the test?

Handling thoughts inspired by Satan

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

Don’t you sometimes wish you could silence the voices in your head?  You may hear the voice that runs you down and reminds you of your failures…or conversely, you may hear a voice that tells you your husband is a loser and you’re doomed to a life of misery.  Either kind of thought is from the pit of hell!

We MUST examine every thought rolling around in our heads and determine whether it’s true or whether it’s a twisting of the truth that’s inspired by Satan.  Remember, Satan’s mission is “to steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10).  He wants to slowly crush you with the weight of his lies about your value, your future and your husband.

2 Corinthians 10:5 instructs us to “take every thought captive” and we really need to do that.  The next time a self-deprecating thought enters your mind, stop and ask God if this is really true.  (I bet it won’t be!)  The next time a hopeless thought enters your mind, ask God if it’s true. (I know it won’t be!).  The next time you have the thought that your husband is beyond redemption, ask God if that’s true.  (Absolutely not!).  It’s time we stopped believing every thought that pops into our minds!  We must intentionally pause and ask God whether that thought is true or from the devil. Here’s a simple, but hugely clarifying, question to ask yourself in that moment:  “Does this sound like something God would say?”

If you’re considering divorce

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

Having a rough time in your marriage?  Do you wish you’d never married your husband?  Our society makes it very easy to throw in the towel and divorce.  Divorce might seem very tempting, but let me tell you from personal experience; it’s really hard on your children.  Actually, it’s devastating for them.  Yes, God can heal them over time, but your children will always carry a deep emotional scar.  Whoever started the rumor that kids can bounce back from divorce was lying!

I’m not saying that a woman should never divorce her husband.  The Bible certainly gives a clear allowance for divorce in Matthew 19:9 where Jesus says “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”  Jesus clearly states that when a spouse has cheated on you sexually, divorce is permissible.  After many years of studying the Bible, I also believe God permits a woman to divorce her husband when he grossly sins against his wife through continuing physical or emotional abuse.  After all, God instructs us in Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life“.  After years of severe emotional or physical abuse, a woman can become a mere shell of a human being.  I don’t believe that is God’s will for anyone.  Throughout the Bible, we see that God is more concerned with mercy than merely following rules.

All this being said, please do everything you can to fight for your marriage.  Don’t give up easily.  Don’t let bitterness grow.  Work to resolve issues before your heart grows so cold that you don’t feel like working to save your marriage. You may possibly need to separate from your husband in order to bring his attention to the seriousness of the problem, but your goal should be reconciliation and restoration of your marriage. Find a good counselor.  Get a mentor couple.  Read the Bible.  Pray continually.  Don’t give up on your marriage too easily.  If for no other reason, fight for your marriage on behalf of your children.