I turned forty in September of 2016. I was a mess. It seemed my hormones had taken a life of their own and depending on which week of the month it was, they ruled the roost. My husband actually started tracking the symptoms on a spreadsheet on his phone. He would refer to it as different seasons- fall, winter, spring, and summer. It became something we would laugh about, assuming of course I was in the correct season to find it funny.  Spring was characterized by happy, upbeat attitude, summer was just level, fall the storm started to brew and then winter hit. Winter was full of defeated thoughts and unstable feelings. I was allowing my fluctuating hormones to dictate my world. Now, I was very good at hiding it. I used the “masking” skills I had developed as a preacher’s child. It was amazing how I felt like my body could betray me. When I was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst that was wreaking havoc on my system, at least it made me feel better. The doctor told me I was experiencing some peri-menopausal symptoms that could last for years before the real menopause began. WHAT?! I didn’t even know such a phenomenon existed. However, it was real alright and uncontrollable.  One thing was certain- satan was using this against me in a big way. The cyst was causing me to retain fluid and therefore sending the number on the scale up. It was making me focus on all the wrong things.
 
During this season, The Lord directed me to Isaiah 42. Read verses 4-20.

  “He will not falter or be discouraged, till he establishes justice on earth, in his law the islands will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:4)

 God is not affected by our feelings, disappointments, or failures. You may feel like you are unravelling, however, God is always in control. No matter how many setbacks you may have, “He will NOT fail or be discouraged.”

“See, the former things have taken place, And new things I declare; Before they spring into being I announce them to you.” (Isaiah 42:9)

Do not allow satan to keep you in the past. Cling to “and new things I declare.”
 
List below what “new things” spiritually and physically you would like to experience on this journey with Christ.
 

Satan loves to blind us with feelings of depression, fear, and doubt. He will use any foothold that he can get to keep you from succeeding on your journey to complete physical and spiritual health.

 
As you pray today, as God to keep your eyes from being blinded (verse 7) by his deception and lies.

 Look at the verbs listed in Verse 13:

  • March Out
  • Stir Up
  • Shout
  • Raise
  • Triumph

According to Webster’s dictionary the word triumph means “a great victory or achievement.’  

This is God’s plan for your life. To have compete victory over the areas where satan is holding you back.
We are going to close our time together today by studying verse 16 in this passage.

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known; along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16)

God desires to

  • Take off the “blinders” that satan so willingly applies.
  • Guide and lad your journey, even when it is unfamiliar
  • To take your defeated darkness and turn it into victory. Darkness into light.
  • To make the rough places smooth.

In closing today I want you to think about your vision for a moment. Mine is pretty bad. I have a  contact lens prescription that is -5.00. That may not mean much to you if you do not wear glasses or contacts. Let’s just suffice it to say that without either glasses or contracts my vision is extremely blurry. One morning as I was frantically getting ready for work, I mistakenly placed my husband’s contacts in instead of mine. Stephen’s vision is -1.00. I then in a panic began screaming, “I can’t see, I can’t see I’m blind.” My husband is the much calmer one quickly realized what had happened.  It is amazing that you can take something as small as a contact lens and place it over your eye and have immediate transformation. 20/20 vision.   What is even more amazing is that you can have the smallest of irritants on that contact lens and your eye will immediately reject it. It cannot tolerate any outside substance on the lens.

As I was praying one morning, God laid on my heart that much of our spiritual life is like the need for a corrective lens. When we rely on His resources and trust in His provision, we only need a small amount to correct our “spiritual vision.” However, when we attempt to accomplish life in our strength, we will try over and over to exhaustion as we struggle with a wayward child, an unsatisfying job, or a failing marriage. The list is endless. Satan will undermine where he can have the biggest impact for derailment.
 
Live your life worthy to God. One day we will all stand before The Lord and give an account for the numbers we have measured our life by.

In closing today, I want you to read and memorize this verse,

“Encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory.” (1 Thessalonians 2:12). Claim this verse today!