Today’s episode is a clip from a recent conversation I had with Graham Cooke in his “Creating a Devotional Lifestyle” 3-Day Challenge.
Graham shares a brilliant way to think about our New Year’s resolutions and his own story of overcoming anxiety with peace.
Transcript
Today, we are going to take a “Posture of Peace” by resting in what God has resolved for our new year and over our lives.
Posture is a short, audible fist bump to remind you God is with you in everything. Together, we’re going to be emboldened to take a daily Posture of perfect peace.
Today’s episode is a little bit different. I’m sharing a clip from a recent conversation I had with Graham Cook, all about creating a devotional lifestyle. Now in this clip. Graham shares a brilliantly fresh way to think about our new year’s resolutions and he also shares his own story of overcoming anxiety with peace.
Graham: What I like too about resolutions. I wonder how many people, understand a resolution is just a declaration. This is what I’m planning to do. But, the Bible talks about God makes declarations about us all the time. So I wonder if people have ever thought to ask the Lord. So, how do you see me this year? What is it you want to see me move into this year? What have you got planned, to empower me to become more like you? What are the specific things you know that you wanna say to me? Is there a promise? Is there a declaration that, I can partner with, you know with you? And I started to have this thought probably I dunno.
I think it’s a couple of decades ago or something. When I really wasn’t doing well, I had a horrendous year. When I’m faced with a lot of situations that really threw up a lot of anxiety in me. And some fear about where I was, about my future and I was struggling. And I’ve been talking to Lord about it but, not really praying about it more like, complaining and moaning and then saying, “Amen” at the end and hoping, you know, “That’s a weird kind of prayer but could you just do something anyway?” And the question He asked me was, “Graham, I’m curious. Why are you so attached to anxiety?” A part of me wanted to deny it or be a little offended. “Seriously You’re saying that to me?” I don’t think. I hope, but I am. “Why are you so attached? Why are you more attached to anxiety Graham, than you are to my peace?” I started to cry I said, “I really don’t know. I really don’t know, why am I? You said it’s a rhetorical question. We’re never gonna answer it. Because it’s not necessary.” What I’m saying to you is, “How about we break that attachment?” So that’s what I wanna do with you. And we weren’t doing this in December.
You know, this was like mid July or something, you know, ’cause God doesn’t have resolutions attached to a calendar date you know. Each is gonna bring one and say, “How about this?” And He said, “Okay, how about we break your attachment, to anxiety and to fear?” And I said, “Okay.” He said, “So this is my resolution for you.” And He gave me Isaiah 41:10. And it says this, “Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” And I read it. And I heard it in my spirit and I think I must have spent the next couple of days, just reading that verse and saying it out loud. And then the Lord just saying, “Say it differently.” I said, “What do you mean?” He said, “Well, how about you say it like you believe it.” So then I got all theatrical and it was like, “Do not fear Graham for I Am with you.” You know, and I could hear Him laughing in my heart, which was just amazing. And so after several days of speaking out loud and just saying, “Lord, I believe this.” And He said, “That’s great.” So now why don’t you pray, why don’t you say the declaration back to me?” And so, so I just said, “Lord. I am not fearful, for You are with me. I will not anxiously look about me because You are my God. You will strengthen me. Surely you will help me. Surely you will uphold me with your righteous right hand.”
And I sat back and, “That was so good say it again.” So I said it again and He was like, “Say it again.” And then I said it again. And I think I spent like about an hour saying it out loud but every time I did it, something shifted. And all I can say is, over the next few months anxiety, began to reduce in terms of it being a possibility for a focus like focus. Anxiety began to reduce. And I began to stop thinking fearfully, anticipating something fearfully, you know. Are evil backdating my fear? Oh, well I knew that was gonna happen. That’s like, the negative prophetic. which I was very good at in those days. And so I’ve practicing that ever since, just like whenever the Lord and I come to a crossroads where I know something needs to shift or there’s a different direction, He just says, “Let’s make a declaration.” You know? And so, sitting there and listening to Him or getting a scriptural promise. ‘Cause your promises, from God are declarations of intent. You know? ‘Cause when He tells you what He wants to do for you, it’s like, “Let’s do it now.”
Yes. Let’s not wait a few months. Let’s not gradually work into it. Let’s just dive in. It’s a swimming pool jump right in. And so I began to realize, the declarations of God have been one of the most powerful things in my life. So, it’s like, you know, Jesus, John 15:11. You know their talking about abiding. And Jesus says this, “I speak these words to you so that my joy might be in you and your joy may be made for.” What’s He doing? He’s making a declaration. John 14:27. “My peace I give you, not as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled. Because I’ve just given you my peace.” So declaration is where in the kingdom, is where God gives you something, talks to you about it and He looks you right in the eye and He smiles. And He says, “You and me, we’re gonna work on this together. And every time you get fearful, I’m just gonna tap you on the shoulder, until you get to a point where you stop yourself almost in mid-sentence Graham. And you realize, now I’m not thinking that way anymore. No, it’s not gonna be the first words out of my mouth.”
And from that whole time I began to do things like, make war on my own negativity. You know? So, because I wanted the language of God so much. So, what I’d like for people on the challenge today is, why don’t you ask the Lord what His resolution is for you? What’s His declaration over you? Ask Him to give you a scripture. Maybe you’ve already got scriptures that He’s given you. Why don’t you go back and start with them? You know a scripture that, you know when God gives you a scripture, you feel it. It’s almost like the word jumps off the page of the Bible and wraps itself around your face. And your heart is beating and you know that you know that you know, God is talking to me right now.