If the Spirit of him who raised Christ from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11 (ESV) If you spend any time tuned into the news or following current world events, it’s easy to become fearful. However, if we aren’t careful to guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23), we can begin to let fear control our lives. We can start to live small, isolated lives, scared of anything that might cause us harm or death. Of course, we use wisdom to the best of our ability in all circumstances, but living in constant fear doesn’t lengthen our lives. Perhaps you continuously fear sickness …

And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.” Ezekiel 37:3-4 (ESV) If your house is freezing, what will help most: a thermometer or a thermostat? A thermometer tells the current temperature, but a thermostat sets it. Confessing God’s Word aloud over our lives works like a thermostat. It sets our expectations of the future. As I talk with people, I’ve discovered very few pray the Word out loud, yet doing so changes everything. In Ezekiel chapter 37, God told Ezekiel to speak over a valley of dried, scattered bones. As Ezekiel …

“In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.] John 16:33 (AMP) In Old Testament days, when soldiers became overwhelmed with fear, they were removed from battle and sent home to their families. Why? Because keeping them within the ranks allowed them to spread a spirit of fear. Now, we know a spirit of fear doesn’t come from God. He’s given believers a spirit of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7) which is crucial to use when it comes to dealing with life’s problems. The enemy wants to keep us focused on our needs, concerns and issues. However, …

David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you…. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” 1 Samuel 17:45, 47 (NLT) Storms speak to you. Do you talk back? The story of David and Goliath found in 1 Samuel 17 shows the power of speaking back to your problems. Goliath, a giant Philistine warrior, shouted obscenities at the opposing Israelite army every day. Seeing David approach him, Goliath “cursed David by the names of his gods” (1 Samuel 17:43, NLT). …

But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!” Numbers 13:30 (NLT) Problems are like storms—they pass. But how you handle those problems until they do pass makes a difference. Numbers chapters 13 and 14 shows the importance of perseverance and having the right attitude in the face of adversity. Moses sent twelve spies to explore the land God had promised them. They all returned to report an amazing, resource-rich country full of fortified towns and powerful giants living in the land. Ten of the spies spoke of inevitable defeat and their fearmongering spread like wildfire throughout the entire Israelite camp. Only two of the twelve—Caleb and …