What Is God’s Promise Land?

Michael Jackson had fame and fortune and he could not even sleep peacefully at night.  He had to have drugs to help him sleep.  Now, his daughter Paris is having problems.  

 

The promise land is different things to different people.  For the children of Israel it was a land flowing with milk and honey after leaving the bondage of Egypt and camping in the wilderness for forty years.  It was a physical land.  But we know that many enemies, especially the Philistines, still attacked them to take away their peace.  The promise land was not the absence of war.  David fought off a lot of the enemies, but then he had problems with his own sons.  

Solomon was able to build the temple and he had less problems with the enemy outside, but he had more problems with the enemy inside which was his heart went after strange gods. 

The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord's command. 1 King 11:9-10

When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone's way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them. Proverbs 16:7

For some the promise land is a white picket fence raising children in the country, for some it may be getting their children through high school or college and them landing a successful job and supporting their own self.  For some the promise land may be getting high on marijuana or alcohol. For some men, it may be sleeping with different women from relationship to relationship.  For some it may be finding a man to help them raise and provide their children if they are single mother.  For some it may be a good companion to weather the storms of life.  For some it’s a good job or having so much money, we never have to think about stretching a budget.  

For some it may be buying just one more junk car or one more pair of shoes.  This lady on my street had a garage sale, someone told me she had around 50 pairs of shoes and she was selling them for $8.00 each.   For some it’s retirement and laying on a beach in the Caribbean. Sounds great to me!  

For me at times its trying to survive each day.  My mother said she could barely put one foot in front of the other.  It turned out she had gall bladder cancer and then she died two days later in the hospital.  We thought it was just gall bladder problems.  I know for my friend who is battling cancer it can be “God get me through this day.”   I went back to work after two weeks after I lost my husband because I had a daughter who was senior in high school, a five-year old grandson who I was guardian of, and I had parent plus loans to pay.  I did not have the luxury of laying around the house.  

My promise land is the kingdom of heaven is within me and it’s peace of mind.  Peace as much as possible with my neighbors, with others, my children, and especially peace with God. The Prince of Peace which is Jesus and then it says the God of peace will crush Satan under our feet so it’s the God of peace crushing Satan under my feet in a time of war. 

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:20

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, Romans 14:17 

Neither shall they say, See here! or, see there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21

When I prayed about some of the spiritual attacks in my life the message came in loud and clear.  The attacks of death and divorce are to make me never be a whole person on this earth.  It’s this perpetual having to fix either things or my heart. 

And you are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power: Col. 2:10

But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 1 John 2:5

A scripture that helped me when I broke up with my boyfriend when I first became a Christian was the “Lord restores my soul.”  It was because of some of the sin I got into as a non-believer, I believe my soul needed to be restored.  Psalm 23:2

I believe that God’s word is “alive” it’s powerful and sharper than a two-edge sword.  His word is not void of power but it will accomplish the task wherein it has been sent.  God sent his word for healing.   Jesus was the word made flesh and He is our healing.

He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Psalm 107:20

Jesus was made my peace. Sometimes I like to say that out loud.  The chastisement of my peace was laid on Jesus.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world." John 16:33

I got over post-traumatic stress disorder from the loss of my husband suddenly and that death playing over and over in my mind by saying Duet 28 – God took my mental anguish.  Mental anguish is under the curse of the law.  I know many soldiers in Iraq and the Vietnam War or those in 9/11 had the same thing.

In the past, I let people take away my peace of mind if I had problems with my teens or step-children.  It was a former bad relationship with a spouse, or even my own father who wanted to argue with me about the Bible.  It disturbed me that we did not see eye to eye and I did not want him to be eternally lost.  He finally prayed on his death bed at 77 years old.  I listened to someone on television talk about how those who opposed us greatly as Christians on earth will thank us in eternity.

I had an anxiety attack last Friday night. I’m glad they call it what it is – a panic or anxiety “attack.”  I have not recognized what those are in the past, but I remember in junior high and high school that I tried out for cheerleading or a play and I would freeze up and I could not remember the words to a song or the cheer even though I practiced it over and over when I went to stand up to test for the part. 

I was feeling overwhelmed about doing a garage sale on my own with no help in setting it up.  I could not sleep and then I had a heart arrhythmia that attacked me and that lasted for several hours including when I woke up after only getting two hours of sleep.  I finally got my heart to quit racing through prayer the next morning so I could do the garage sale.

I’ve spent a lot of time with a former spouse in getting up in front of church and performing to get over stage fright.  We sang one time at John Osteen’s church (Joel Osteen’s father) and that was a big church and that helped overcome some of my fear, but I still had nervousness about getting up with my guitar in front of people.  I have anxiety attacks whenever I have a feeling of being overwhelmed.  Sometimes anxiety hits me when I’m meeting a new guy or dating as far as it’s a new person I don’t know very well and I don’t know what to expect.  Dating guys as friends has really helped in “breaking the ice” for me in going from one man for 15 years in marriage.

It happen to me when I had twin babies, when I was a single divorced mother with four little children, and when I lost my husband.  It’s rather a feeling of helplessness.  I can understand why Elijah came to the widow woman and said, “Don’t be afraid.”

What helps with most of my anxiety besides prayer is having a partner in life.  The Lord has sent me a couple of good girlfriends now to hang out with and I don’t like driving across town by myself.  Many times I’ve hung out with my daughters.  I know Jesus sent his disciples out by two’s and Moses refused to go to Egypt without Aaron.  Joshua had Caleb, Mary the mother of Jesus had Joseph.  Having another person or help mate makes a huge difference in my life.  I’m trusting the Lord to replace one. 

I know when I lead worship it made a huge difference having a person who played keyboards.  It’s like when Jonathan had an armor bearer he did not wait for Saul to wake up but he took his armor bearer and the took the hill.  I’ve noticed if I have a partner and another musician, I don’t have to wait for someone to organize something, I can find open doors on my own with my armor bearer.  

Being “whole” is soundness of mind.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

I was just reading a person's post on Facebook, and it made me think about this -- no point in worrying what people think about us. The important thing is what we think about ourselves ("As a man thinks in his heart so is he”) and what God thinks about us. I already know what God thinks about me and it's positive and they are “peace”

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11