Today, even more so than ever before, fear is gripping the lives of so many people ...
... and that includes the children of God!
Other than an open attack on one's physical body, be it by terror or sickness ...
... the major cause today is stress and stress related situations!

I remember a few years ago ... (what at the time seemed to come out of the blue) ...
... when I suddenly started to suffer from extremely high blood pressure ...
... with the accompanying thoughts and fears of heart attacks, etc.

The ECG and a cholosterol test were normal ...
... so the obvious cause ... was stress!
Although nothing else seemed wrong ...
... that did not do much to alleviate those thoughts and fears at all!
And taking pills aagainst blood pressure did not actually help that much either ...
... except maybe for a little peace of mind!

You can and should change your lifestyle ...
... but that does not really solve the problem ...
And yes ... you can quote scriptures ...
... but like the pills, they did not seem to help too much either ...

What was there that had to be done?
What would turn that situation and that fear around?

Learning to fully trust in God and His ability in your life and in your body!

The one weapon ...
... the only weapon that the devil has ... is fear!
And he will use any and every situation to get us into a place of fear ...
Why?
So that our trust and dependence on God is broken ...
Because when our lifeline to God is interrupted ...
... then the devil can plant his negative thoughts in our minds ...
... and cause us to accept defeat, sickness and whatever else he has to offer ...

Unless we deal with the real problem, satan's attack against our mind ...
... and not just with the outward result of that attack, sickness or stress ...
The devil will have us where he wants us and mess our lives up totally!

Therefore the Bible tells us in 2 Cor. 10:5 how to deal with those situations ...
... and how to take fear captive ...

... Casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought
to the obedience of Christ.

What do we do with those fearful thoughts and pressure?

We simply compare what is coming against us ...
... with what God has said about that situation and about our lives!
And put what God has said, above what is coming against us ...
... thereby subjecting those negative thoughts and fears under God's Word (Jesus).

How do we take fear captive?

We take negative and fearful thoughts and pressure captive ...
... by putting God's Word and God's will above those thoughts and fears!
and ...
... by accepting what God has said as final, and not the situation we are in ...
... no matter how real it may seem at the time ...

As the Bible very specifically teaches us ...

• For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
  but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
  --- 2 Tim. 1:7

God has given us a sound mind ...
... so no matter what thoughts come against us ...
... our minds can overcome that, if we accept what God has said about it!
And God has given us a spirit of power and of love ...
... to help our minds overcome every imagination and every high thing!

The Bible goes on to tell us this ...

• Love has been perfected among us in this:
  that we may have boldness in the day of judgment;
  because as He is, so are we in this world.
  There is no fear in love;
  but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.
  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
  --- 1 John 4:17-18
  

God is love ...!

How does perfect love cast out fear?
What does that mean and how does it work?

• He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
  --- 1 John 4:8

God is love ...
... and Love as we know is Agape ...
... To give without expectation or pressure to perform ...
That is who and what God is ...

God wanting to give to us whatever we have need of ...
... and all we have to do is go to Him ...
... to rely on Him and to trust in His word ...

• And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love;
  and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
  --- 1 John 4:16

So... as I put my trust in God ...
... giving my situation, whatever it may be to Him ...
... expecting Him just to do what He already promised ...
Love comes and replaces pressure with peace ...
... God and His power, strength, goodness and blessings move right in ...
... the burden lifts and you can breathe again!

Ofcourse the devil will immediately try to put that fear or pressure right back into your mind ...
... but then all that you do is exactly the same again ...
... start talking to God about what He promised and what He IS doing in your life ...
and speak no doubt in any way at all whilst God is at work in your life, your body and your mind!

That is what it takes to have the victory ...
... and that is what it takes to stay in that victory!
In the Spirit, in God's strength ... in His LOVE!

It works for me, and it WILL work for you...

Our mission at Covenant Ministries is ...
... to lead both Christians and sinners into a personal, love relationship in Covenant with God and their fellow man (1 John 4:20)
Our mission field ... John 4:35-38, Matt 28:18-20 ...
... the Body of Christ, our neighbourhood and the World!
Standing in the middle of Israel, Jesus said ...
... Look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest ...
... Go therefore and make disciples ... teaching them to observe ...

In accomplishing our mission we provide ...
... Free ... Online Bible Courses, Devotionals and Studies, Teachings and Resources, to touch and build the lives of people all over the world and to bring them into that love relationship with God and their fellowmen.
... Bible Courses and Teaching material to Pastors and leaders in underprivileged areas all over the world, such as Africa, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, South America, Jamaica, Eastern Europe ... etc.
to equip them to touch the lives of the people in their own areas.

To (fully) accomplish our mission we need ...
... Your help and support in prayer and in finances ...
For the ministry to grow and fulfill its mission, more time, effort and resources are required, which in turn necessitates more support and more finances.

News from the mission field ...

The First Covenant Ministries Bible School is opening in Accra, Ghana ...
Covenant Ministries is providing all the material and support to open a Covenant Disciples Bible School together with a local pastor, Pastor Martin Omobude from Accra Ghana, on the 3rd of May 2002. I will be travelling down for the opening and will bring some more news and pictures back (watch our next issue!)
Further news from Africa is that ... a number of other pastors in other parts of Africa also want us to provide them with material and support to start Bible Schools in their areas ... More about that also in our next issue ...

For contributions and support ...
... click here ...

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I really enjoying coming in here and fellowship with all the sister's and brother's in Christ.
I believe that all this bible teachings I go through everyday really helped my spiritual life.
I thank God for using the young peoples in his ministry... Name of Jesus Christ Amen
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God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6)

Hey, I'm getting the hang of this.
I'm really enjoying this Bible study. I'm really getting alot out of it. This is a great way to learn.
Thank you Papa Jan.   You were right, all I had to do was keep on trying.
GP@attbi

A Childrens Church teacher once had a quiz on the lives of Adam and Eve after their fall and expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
One of the questions was ...
... What was the name of Adam and Eve's first child?

One of the boys jumped up almost immediately, shouting ...
... "I know, I know!"

..."Yes Billy, what was the name of Adam and Eve's first child?" the teacher asked.

Excitedly Billy replied ...
... Cable sir!"

Well, at least you could not fault him for not knowing the whole families names...

Did you know ....
... that in our modern society ...

We need over 35 million laws to try and enforce the Ten Commandmdnts! ...

Do you have any good humour to share ... mail us at ministry@covenantnet.com

For more information on study material

Email us at

ministry@covenantnet.com

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Covenant Ministries