Peace and Certainty In The Midst Of Uncertainty
By Laurence Torr
PDF Download Article Click Here – Certainty in the mist of Uncertainty
Wow! What a great year 2020 has been! It’s been a wonderful year of growth, vision and direction with great encouragement from God. “But Laurence, what do you mean it’s been a great year?”
We have been going through a pandemic, we’ve been in lockdown, we have political unrest and uncertainty, fear has been on every side, so what do I mean when I say it’s been a great year?
When we know and believe who we are as sons of God, we have peace, strength and determination, we have focus, vision and direction from God. Every day we stay with God and move as He is leading us, and we follow the direction and encouragement that He puts into our heart daily. We are fully persuaded that God is with us and for us and has a plan and purpose for our lives and that He has many before ordained works for us to do. When our minds are focused on God, we have peace and certainty in the midst of uncertainty. When our minds are focused on what we see happening in this world, we can become discouraged very quickly and loose hope. But God is a great encourager of His people and He is with us daily. God is for us and has our purpose, direction and vision and when we look to Him, we will know our purpose, direction and vision.
Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Isaiah 26:4 “Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.”
God will keep you in perfect peace when your mind is stayed (focused) on Him. And the reason your mind is focused on Him, is because you trust in Him. Our strength is in God.
The words “perfect peace” is the Hebrew word, ‘shâlôm’. Click this link (https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=h7965)
The Hebrew Lexicon describes ‘shalom’ as completeness, safety, soundness (in body), welfare, health, prosperity, peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment, peace used of human relationships, peace with God especially in our relationship as sons of God and peace from war.
Colossians 2:10 “And ye are complete in him, (Christ) which is the head of all principality and power.”
When we confessed Jesus as Lord and believed in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we became born again filled with the spirit of the living God. This spirit is called, “Christ in you the hope of glory.”
Colossians 1:27 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
When we received the spirit of God we became complete in Christ. God has provided everything for each believer to live a victorious life no matter what is happening in this world.
We also have been delivered from the power of darkness.
Colossians 1:13 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”
So, you are complete in Christ and even though you may not feel you are complete, God says you are complete. You have the spirit of God dwelling in you and this spirit is called Christ in you and with that you have been delivered from the authority of darkness. Satan who had this authority over you, has been defeated by our Lord Jesus Christ, and Satan is under Christ’s feet and under your feet as well. As believers we can live victoriously, overcoming all the attacks Satan throws at us. Satan no longer has authority over you. When we focus on the narratives and words of this world and what it’s promoting and what is happening and keep our attention on the world affairs, we will become discouraged very quickly. But when we keep our eyes and focus on God and who He says we are, and when we say what God says we are, we will have great faith. We will not be deceived or discouraged by what we may hear or see is happening in this world.
So, we are to stay our minds on God. Here is how to keep focused:
Colossians 3:2 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
God wants you to set your affections, your mind your focus on things above and to have the same opinion that God has about life and living and not to focus on what is happening in this world.
There is nothing wrong in finding out what is happening, but we are not to keep our focus on what is happening in this world. When we focus on this world and what is happening we can become discouraged very quickly and then we begin to speak the negative of what we are seeing and hearing. We can very easily get caught up in the emotions of the worry, doubt and fear that is being promoted.
2Timothy 2:4 “No man that warreth entangleth (Thayer’s – of a thing: to entangle, involve in) himself with the affairs (Thayer’s – prosecution of any affair) of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
God’s heart is we are not to be entangled with the affairs of this life, but rather we put full focus on God speaking forth His words and doing what He shows us to do.
2 Corinthians 5:7 “(For we walk by faith, not by sight).”
2 Corinthians 4:18 “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
1 John 2:17 “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
As sons of God we are to walk by faith not by what we see in the senses realm. The things that we see are temporal, and one day this world will pass away. We set our affection on things above, the promises of God, and we are to have the same desires that God has. God’s desire is that all men to be saved and to come unto a knowledge of the truth. God does not want anyone to perish. Our work is to speak forth God’s word to those that are lost in this world and as the lights of this world, we are to shine brightly by speaking the gospel of God and Christ which is the power of God unto salvation.
Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Romans 1:17 “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.
The Gospel, the good news is the power of God and when we speak for God to those that are in fear, sickness, defeat and darkness, we release to them the words of life, imparting the delivering power of God which will make whole those that receive them. The words we speak are words that reconcile people back to God, declaring what God has made available through the finished and accomplished work of our amazing Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Whom God raised from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand and has also sat those that believe on Him with him, at the right hand of God. We have a wonderful life, a power-filled life and this is our confession and true reality. We are bringing these true spiritual realities into this physical world by speaking forth these truths and ministering to others the power of God and the deliverance God, which He has made available to all mankind. You are the sons and daughters of God and it is up to us individually to decide daily, to walk in the power of God and in who we really are. It is up to us to decide who we will listen to. Will we listen to this world’s words or God’s delivering powerful and healing words? It is up to us to choose whose words we will speak. Will they be Satan’s words, which are the world’s words, or God’s words which are light, life, healing and delivering words, which give direction and impart life, strength and peace? What words have you been speaking? Your words are very powerful and will have an effect on you and those that hear you. Your words are either imparting fear or uncertainty, or words from God that impart faith, life, light, healing and wholeness. We are either speaking words of death or words of life.
Proverbs 18:21 “ Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
Proverbs 10:20 “The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.”
Proverbs 10:21 “The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.”
What we feed our minds goes into our hearts and comes out of our mouths. Jesus said, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
So, it comes down to where your focus is, where your mind is and what you listen to, and where you set your affections.
The lips of the righteous feed many. When our hearts are focused with God, we will feed many through the heavenly words we speak. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the words from God. So we need to feed our faith and starve fear out of our life by keeping daily focus with God.
Ecclesiastes 11:4 “He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.”
Proverbs 20:4 “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.”
Wonderful verses here showing very simply if we look at what we see happening, it can stop us from doing what we should be doing. Getting back to my opening comments, 2020 has been a wonderful year of growth and vision and direction and great encouragement from God. God has certainly taught me many wonderful things and the great benefits of when we practice the things He puts into our hearts and when we follow the encouragement we are receiving.
As I began to follow and practice the things I have been receiving, from my teacher, God has been opening many doors for me and giving me the increase in every area. Something that I cannot do from my own personal efforts which I thought I could before,
So what have I been practicing? What things can I share with you that I know will work for you, like it worked for me and is still working for me?
For years I was getting the same old results, which was not much at all and I really desired to see God move in my life and open up doors for me to speak His words and minister to others and be blessing. I thought the many years of researching the bible was the key to this, but as I have now found out it is a relationship with the living God and looking only to God and going to Him for everything and simply following and doing what He puts into my heart. God has made it so simple for all of us. Now God is directing my every step as I go to Him. He directs when and where I go to the scriptures and He opens the understanding of the things that are written. God directs where to connect for fellowship and encouragement. God is the one that is directing my steps as go and do what He puts into my heart to do, I know when to speak forth what He shows me, I know when to open the scriptures, I know where to connect, I know where to honour God with my substance and I know how much to honour God. The best life to live is a spirit led life just like the Apostle says in Galatians.
Galatians 2:20 “ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Galatians 2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
To frustrate the grace of God, is by trying to do things from our own ability and or strength and knowledge. We now have a purposed filled life because we have a spirit led life, being led by God. And God wants us all to:
- Walk in the spirit of God 2. Live in the spirit of God 3. Be Led by the spirit of God 4. Speak by the spirit of God
Everything to be inspired and led by God, will prove the most effective way to live our life with and for God. That does not mean we neglect the scriptures, rather we go to the scriptures as God shows us and He will open up to us what He wants us to know and understand. God is the one that will show us the breadth and length and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19
It starts with a humble heart and ready mind to receive encouragement and then simply practice doing the things I am being encouraged. The very first area I began to practice was to allow God to work in me and give me the words to speak forth when preaching and teaching, which is to speak by the spirit of God. It simply is to open your mouth boldly and speak what comes to your heart. God gives the perfect words to speak to the person or persons in front of you and this minister’s directly to their needs and what God is presently speaking to them through you. God is working in you constantly and presently both to will and to do His good pleasure, not my good pleasure, but His good pleasure. Also speaking in tongues much is very important if we really desire to see things move greatly, for us. And also, honour God with our finances.
These three things are first encouraged with the Indian and Nepalese believers when they become born again. 1. To speak by the spirit of God 2. Speak in tongues much, and 3. Honour God with their finances.
And the ready to go believers which are those that really want to live and move for God, begin to do this right away, they practise this, and we know the results they are seeing and receiving.
The outreach and growth is phenomenal and many people have come from darkness to light and are born again. Many people healed from physical diseases, devil spirits are cast out, people are raised from the dead, many wonders and signs and miracles occurring daily. Those that were in poverty have come into to prosperity, and God wants that for all of us, all over the world. God wants this in your area in your country where your live, and it is available for all of us to see these things and manifest God power and abundance.
It is through the sound doctrine, the heavenly words which are received in a humble and meek heart and put into practice and full confidence in God, then we will absolutely see these great things and that God wants to do by you.
We have to be fully sold out to God and be ready to do what He is showing us, and totally rely on Him. It starts with a desire and giving your desire to God and allowing Him to lead you, and for you to simply do what He is personally showing you.
I have begun to do these things, I am practicing these things and the fruit is beginning to manifest and all I have done is to do what God is showing me. I am not trying to make anything happen in my ability but I simply do daily what God shows me and walk through the doors He opens. You do not need a PhD…you just need a desire to live unto God and willingness to do what He shows you.
There are many believers in India and Nepal that cannot read or write, there are many that do not have a Bible, but what they do have is ears to hear and eyes to see and a humble and willing heart and great confidence in God’s ability to do the work for them.
God will put the vision and desires in your heart if you just ask Him. “Father, I want to live for you and unto you…Father, I desire to see all men saved and come to a knowledge of the truth…Father, I desire this area to open up, and this country to open up…Father, give to me your before ordained works for me to do, Give to me that ready person, that labourer that will shake up this country and world…Father, open the doors for me…”
God wants us to expect from Him and God wants you to give Him your desires and to be ready to go for Him and do whatever He shows you to do. As we begin to practice this, we will begin to see fruits, according to your faith be it unto you. Ask God for His desire to come into your heart and say, “Here am I send me Lord, I will go forth.” Then simply rest in Him and do not try to make anything happen but allow God to go to work for you, and He will.
So, we do not want to be distracted by what is happening in this world. God is taking great care of us as we practice going daily to Him, speaking in tongues much, speaking by the spirit of God those heavenly words inspired of God, and as we honour our God with our finances, God will super naturally and abundantly, supply all your need and cause all grace to abound towards you. As we do all these things from our hearts and with a focused mind on God, we will see great things happening.
When we look to the world, we become discouraged. When we follow doctrines of men tradition and religion, we stay unfruitful rather than abounding. When we withhold what we should sow, we become poor.
But God has given freely all things to enjoy. God wishes you to prosper and be health, 3 John 1:2. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly, John 10:10. This abundant life began when we become born again of the spirit of God. Now all we have to do is follow God’s encouragement to us. And practice those things which will cause us to grow and abound in every area.
God has made all things available to us and we receive by faith, and we do simply the things God puts into our heart.
So once we know what to do and how God would have us move, we just begin.
Speaking In Tongues: We begin daily and simply speak in tongues. God always gives to us great benefit when we do what He encourages us to do, from our hearts unto Him.
The Benefits of Speaking In Tongues:
To edify you – 1 Corinthians 14:4, Jude 20
To speak to God divine secrets – 1 Corinthians 14:2
To speak the wonderful works of God – Acts 2:11
To magnify God – Acts 10:46
To pray perfectly – Romans 8:26, 27
To give thanks well – 1 Corinthians 14:17
To have the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit – Romans 8:16
To know you are a joint-heir with Christ – Romans 8:17
To strengthen you with might in your inner man – Ephesians 3:16
To be a sign to unbelievers – 1 Corinthians 14:22; Mark 16:17
Rest to the soul – Isaiah 28:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 14:21
The Benefits of Honouring God:
First we honour God as we recognize He our source of supply. God wants us to trust Him in all areas of lives.
Honouring God is for blessing and prosperity and the least area we use our faith, is in our giving.
Here is the wisdom of God:
Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Proverbs 3:7 “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD and depart from evil.”
Proverbs 3:8 “It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”
Proverbs 3:9 “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.”
BENEFIT TO YOU verse 10
Proverbs 3:10 “So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”
Isaiah 55:10 “ For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater.”
2Corinthians “9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.”
Benefit to you:
God gives us bread to eat, our basic need for living and He gives us seed to sow and He multiplies your seed sown and increases the fruits of your righteousness.
God will always provide something for you to give so he can increase it to you.
Philippians 4:15 “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.”
Philippians 4:16 “For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.”
Philippians 4:17 “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.”
Philippians 4:18 “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.”
Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:20 “Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Here in Philippians, Paul mentions that in verse 17 that giving causes fruit abound to your account, and verse 18 that the giving was an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.
And verse 19, that God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Where do we give:
Malachi 3:10 “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
Galatians 6:6 “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”
1Timothy 5:17 “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”
1Timothy 5:18 “For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.”
1 Corinthians 9:7-14
- Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
- Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
- For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
- Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
- If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
- If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
- Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
- Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
It is so clear that where we give to is where we are being fed God’s words of life, and we can go to God and also ask where to give.
For me, I always honour God from where I am being fed and encouraged and after that initial giving if I am led by God to give to someone else, then I will also do that and have done that, so we give where we are being fed and encouraged, and if you inspired to give after your initial giving, to bless a person or another minister then you are free to do that. If I was faithfully and regularly going to Side show Bobs fellowship, but only giving to Homer Simpsons fellowship, I would count that as not being right. But if I have given where I faithfully go, and then I was also inspired to give to the Simpsons, then I would count that as right (just an example) so the scriptures give us a good base to practice rightly and the spirit of God will lead you and direct what to do.
Benefits of living and walking and speaking and being led by the spirit of God.
When we speak boldly by the spirit of God, God will add to the church daily such as should be saved.
We see this on the day of Pentecost after receiving holy spirit and speaking in tongues, Peter stood up
and spoke boldly to all that was present. I can read the record in Acts 2:1-47
Peter and John on the way to pray, healed a man that was lame, and 5000 souls were added to the church.
You can read the record in Acts 3 and 4. In Acts 9:27, we see that after being born again Paul spoke boldly.
Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
Romans 15:19 “Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”
Romans 15:20 “Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation.”
Acts19:11 “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul.”
Acts 19:12 “So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.”
Romans 8:9 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”
Romans 8:10 “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
So we have the spirit of the living God dwelling in us and it is in God we live and move and have our being. We can see many more examples in the scriptures of those that were led by the spirit.
And they spoke by the spirit of God, lived in the spirit of God and walked by the spirit of God. Reading the book of Acts is very profitable for you to see these things and we also have the great example of our Lord Jesus Christ who lived in the spirit, walked and was led by the spirit and spoke by the spirit of God. Jesus walked in the realm of the miraculous and so did the apostles.
And so can you! In John 14:12 Jesus said, if we believed on Him we could do the same works that He did and greater works.
I will finish off with these verses of scripture,
Mark16:14 “Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
Mark 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.”
Mark 16:18 “They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
Mark 16:19 “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.”
Mark 16:20 “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”
Much love,
Laurence x
