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 Cooke 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. 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 want to say to me? Is there a promise? Is there a declaration that I can partner
with you? And I started to have this thought probably, I don't know, I think it's a couple of
decades ago or something, when I really wasn't doing well. I had a horrendous year when
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 trying, I've been
talking to the 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? And part of me wanted to deny it, ought to be a little offended.
Seriously, you're saying that to me? I don't think I...
Oh, 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? He said, it's a rhetorical question. We're never going to 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 want
to do with you. And he wasn't, we weren't doing this in December, you know, this was like mid-July
or something, you know, because God isn't, he doesn't have resolutions attached to a calendar
date, you know, he's just going to 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 verse 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 said, and 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 it out loud, and just saying, Lord, I believe this. And he said, that's great.
Right, so now why don't you pray,
why don't you say the declaration back to me?
And 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 he went, 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 just 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, life focus.
Anxiety began to reduce,
and I began to stop thinking fearfully,
anticipating something fearfully, you know?
Or even like 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 been 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 the scriptural promise,
because your promises from God are declarations of intent.
Because when he tells you what he wants to do for you,
he's like, let's do it now.
Let's not wait a few months.
Let's not gradually work into it.
Let's just dive in.
Let's just, it's a swimming pool, jump right in.
And so I began to realize that 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, they're 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 full.'"
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 a 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, no, 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,
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.
Ask him to, 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 what,
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.