40 Day Journey - Day 22

March 13
Fast Discouragement

Romans 5:1-5
Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; Perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

        Through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we walk in peace with God and are covered with His grace (divine favor.)  
        Paul illustrates our faith in Jesus Christ with a comparison to Abraham from chapter 4. It was by faith Abraham obtained righteousness and favor from God. Abraham may have struggled at times but he pursued God with a hope in the promise made and experienced the glory of that promise to which we, and really the whole world, are recipients of - because of the coming of the Messiah (Jesus Christ.)  
        Through our faith in Jesus Christ we have peace with God. This is not a temporary peace nor is it a peace that trouble can remove, it came to us through an extreme price and Hell itself is powerless over it.
        Through our faith we are covered with God's grace - in other words we walk in His divine favor.  Much like Abraham and Sarah we may not always recognize God's favor but it is there leading us into that which is good.
        Abraham and Sarah had their struggles on their journey in faith but they were blessed many times over and experienced the promised seed, (Isaac), to continue on with the covenant line. So whatever your present circumstance, blessed or troubled, keep in mind you are a child of even a better promise than Abraham, our covenant (promise) has been sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ and we walk in peace and the favor of God.
 
John 10:7-10
7Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.8All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Fast discouragement by not allowing thoughts of doubt or regrets to overtake you as you spend time dwelling on the hope, peace and life that you have through Jesus Christ.