Healing Promises (25 page)

Guard your heart above all else, for it
determines the course of your life.

—P
ROVERBS 4:23 NLT

A tranquil heart is life to the body…

—P
ROVERBS 14:30, NASB

Guard Your Heart

The Bible tells us that the heart is where the issues of life spring forth. What we allow to enter our hearts will affect our thoughts, actions and even our bodies. In other words, the condition of one’s heart determines the course of one’s life!

That is why Jesus, who bequeathed to us His peace, tells us, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” So if we want to walk in His peace and rest, we need to guard our hearts and not let them spiral into negative thoughts, worry and fear. The Book of Wisdom also tells us that a peaceful and cheerful heart promotes health.

Beloved, there may be many things in our lives that we want to “guard”, such as our health or careers, but God wants us to guard our hearts above all else, and
He will guard the rest!

A merry heart

does good, like…

…MEDICINE.

—P
ROVERBS 17:22

…when evening had come, He said to them,
“Let us cross over to the other side.” Now
when they had left the multitude, they took
Him along in the boat as He was…And a great
windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the
boat, so that it was already filling. But He was
in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke
Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not
care that we are perishing?” Then He arose
and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,
“Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased
and there was a great calm.

—M
ARK
4.35–39

The Prince Of Peace Is With You

Panic filled the storm-tossed boat as icy water crashed in. Within minutes, the disciples were screaming over the howling winds, “Jesus, don’t you care? We’re drowning!”

Sound asleep in the boat, the Prince of Peace awoke and rose to His feet at the cry of His disciples. Unfazed by the wind and waves, He pointed to the storm and said, “Peace, be still!” Immediately, the turbulent waters became as smooth as glass.

Beloved, if you’re grappling with a challenging condition in your body right now, take heart. The Prince of Peace resides in you. You are NOT going under, but going OVER! When you feel overwhelmed, just cry out to Him. Let His peace flood first your heart, then every part of your body!

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to
the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and
there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why
are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

—M
ARK
4:39–40

You will keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on You,
because he trusts in You.

—I
SAIAH
26:3

Give all your worries and cares to God,
for He cares about you.

—
1
P
ETER 5:7 NLT

Kept In Perfect Peace

I believe that one reason Jesus could calm the storm in this much-loved story was that He was the only one in the boat who was at peace. And what was within Him overflowed and affected the storm outside.

After Jesus had stilled the storm for His disciples, He corrected them for letting their hearts be troubled. And in His loving rebuke, He shows us how we can always have peace in our hearts. “Why are you so fearful?” He asked them. “How is it that you have no faith?” In other words, “Why do you take so little from Me?”

Beloved, God loves you dearly and wants to supply you with His health and healing. When you know and believe this, fear will flee and peace will rule in your heart.

Because
Jesus,
the

Prince of Peace,

is in your boat…

…the only thing that

is
going under

is your sickness and pain!

For with stammering lips and another
tongue He will speak to this people, to
whom He said, “This is the rest with
which You may cause the weary to
rest,” and, “This is the refreshing”…

—I
SAIAH
28:11–12