The "Right Nows" of Life

For those who follow me on social media; for the past couple of weeks- even months, I have been sharing a lot on the subject of contentment. The Lord has been leading me into this place of contentment, and I know it transcends beyond the “four walls” of my life, He wants everyone to be content in the season they are in.

You may ask why? Why be content when I can do better, I can be better. Aren’t we supposed to have a spirit of excellence and not of mediocracy? The answer is yes, yes and yes. Of course, God doesn’t want us to stay stuck; He wants us to go from glory to glory. It is His desire to see us grow and prosper in everything that we do.

 

What I mean is to enjoy the “right nows” in life, in spite of what season you find yourself in. It’s a choice. How will I react upon adversity? Will I count my blessings or my troubles? Will I look over my shoulder and see how everyone else’s beautiful curb appeal is while my grass is withering? (Maybe they just put really cool filters to make it look greener…I mean, I’m just saying) The point is that contentment starts within. It's a decision, a decision to be happy. Decide to be happy with what you have today without being consumed with the worries of tomorrow. In every season there is a beautiful lesson to be learned and before you can advance to the next level, you must learn the lesson and pass the test. So often we are sucked into this idea that if we don’t have what we want now, we are not happy. I want to make something clear to you today, the devil is a liar. You may have 99 problems, but that one solution, that one blessing, that one ray of light is enough for you to stop yourself and say “Wait a minute, let me take this time and be grateful for this ONE thing.” If you were to take a piece of paper and draw a line in the middle, on one side you put blessings and on the other side you put problems or goals, or dreams; I can assure you that your blessings will outweigh your troubles.

Don’t ever allow the enemy, or people make you feel that you need more. You are enough; you are complete in Jesus Christ. I quoted this a few weeks back on Facebook, “Don’t be consumed with what lies ahead that you forget to enjoy what’s right in front of you. God has provided everything you need for today and new provisions will be added on for you tomorrow. God wants you to be happy with what you have now, instead of worrying about what you need later.”

I strongly believe that God wants His people to be appreciative with what they have today. Celebrate your small victories. Enjoy your every milestone. Be thankful for the small dosages of progress that you’re making each day. Stop comparing your custom-designed journey to someone else’s; you will never fit in because you were not meant to fit into someone else's mold. You’re meant to fit in yours and yours alone.  No matter how little or insignificant it may seem today, if you genuinely decide to be happy with what you have, God will open up the heavens and pour out abundant blessings over your life.

Learning to be content with what you have will bring complete fulfillment. Comparisons create unnecessary voids while contentment offers unconditional joy. Enjoy the “right nows” of your life, no matter how your season may seem. Don’t look for validation in anyone else’s life; everyone has a distinct journey they’re traveling. God has orchestrated every single detail in your life to His perfection. You may say, Landy you have no idea how my life looks like, it’s a mess. I tell you today, it may be a mess, but it’s beautiful. As disastrous as it may seem, as disappointed you may feel right now, it’s still your beautiful life and it’s perfect and fitting for you! A single season does not determine your destiny or the outcome of your life. A season is simply a fragment of your life; it’s not your entire life. It does not define you.

Learning to be content with who you are and what you have, gives you grounds to experience a liberating feeling like none other. You’ll be able to enjoy and savor the “right nows” of your life; leaving absolutely no room for the worries or concerns of tomorrow.

Decide to be happy, decide to be free.

“Learn to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.” –Jim Rohn

 

For further Scripture readings, take a look at these: Philippians 4:6-7, 10-14,  Matthew 6:25-34, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, John 10:10,

Be Encouraged, Be Blessed!

landypf

Slaves of Fear

I can’t believe I haven’t touched based with you guys since last year! Actually, it’s only been about a month but you know what I mean… Happy New Year!!! I am declaring a year of fulfilment in your life. May 2016 be a ground-breaking, bold and fearless year for all of us.

Last weekend we had an amazing Women’s event, a true Night of Encouragement. We had about 90 women; some brought their children because we offered an amazing childcare experience. And to think that this is only our second year and God has blessed us and this incredible opportunity to minister to so many women is just mind-blowing. This is only the beginning of what’s to come; we are looking forward to next year’s event on Friday, January 6, 2017. The theme of the night will be “Beauty for Ashes”. It’s going to be transformational and we invite you beautiful ladies to join us. More information will be shared as the time approaches.

 

As we settle into mid-January, I want to talk about Slaves of Fear. One of the definitions of the word slave is a person who is strongly influenced and controlled by something. When you are under the influence, you lose control of your actions. It’s a power that affects and takes over the person, thing or course of events. And for many, fear has been that stronghold. Fear has become a powerful influence; it has gained control and has dictated the course of the lives of many people. Take for example 2015; can you honestly say that you accomplished everything you had set out for? Be honest. Only a small percentage can probably say YES, the grand majority will say NO. We get answers like, “I tried but I didn’t get around it “or “I was going to but then something came up and I got discouraged”, “Maybe next year”, “I wanted to but I got scared”. And there it goes again, fear creeps up until it takes complete ownership of our lives. And what’s sad is that we begin to believe all of the lies that the enemy infiltrates in our minds. We become Slaves of Fear.

The bible declares in Romans 8:37 that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. That’s powerful, isn’t it? His love makes us more than conquerors, His love makes us face our biggest fears, and His love assures us the victory; therefore, we shouldn’t live in fear. 1 John 4:18 tells us that “there is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear…” and that perfect love can only be found in Jesus. Last weekend, we were encouraged not only to Be Brave but despite what unforeseen challenges we may face in this year, we will declare victoriously that We Will Not Be Shaken! In order for that to come alive in your life, you have to live in complete freedom of fear! Yes, that means kicking that little sucker to the curb. John 8:36 says “so if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” As children of God, we are no longer held in bondage, we become free in Jesus. And that goes for any situation. Through Jesus Christ we are free from bondage, strongholds must come down, addictions must be broken, sinful activities must cease, and our past must be forgotten. And yes we must be free of fear. Fear can no longer control you. Is it easy? No. Will it happen overnight? Not really. Will you struggle with it? Maybe, but remember Romans 8:37! Ask Jesus today to help you and He will. Be receptive to His Word, because His Word will guide you into all truth.

When we are in Jesus, we are free, it’s not something temporary. This does not consist of being free on Sunday mornings during worship and then we become captive on Monday afternoon, I’m talking about a permanent freedom; free indeed as the bible states. Do not be captive by the lies of the enemy that try to bully you. Do not be a Slave of Fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 assures this, “for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind”. Fear does not come from God, the only spirit that comes from God is the Holy Spirit; therefore you have the authority to cast out any fear that wants to come over you. Whatever the Lord has placed in your heart to accomplish in this New Year, I pray that the Holy Spirit guides you into completing His perfect will. Something interesting happens when you surrender your dreams for God dreams; they become a lot bigger and bolder than what you could have ever imagined. And although the dreams may seem scary at first, it just feels right. A sense of peace comes over you and the sweet whisper of God tells you, “Do not fear; I am with you, everything will be alright.” When this happens, you will begin to see how much more productive you will become in whatever you do because you just know that …God’s got this!

Be Encouraged, Be Blessed!

~landypf

Doesn't Make Sense

You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branch back into the tree where they belong. ~Romans 11:24

As I was reading the word this morning during my devotional time, this verse not only stood out but it really spoke to me. A little backstory to this is that the Apostle Paul is telling the Romans how we as Gentiles have the blessing to be a part of God’s special tree upon accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and through Him we find salvation. However, we must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off (the Jews, God’s chosen people who have rejected Jesus as the Messiah) because we are merely branches, not the root.

Ok, so we understand the concept of the tree, right? There are two trees; His cultivated tree (Chosen people) and a wild olive tree (Gentiles). As Gentiles; non-Jews, we have been grafted (inserted) into God’s tree while some of the original branches have been cut off, due to their lack of faith. What a privileged you and I have been granted! However, what is mind blowing- well, not really because God is God and He is Omnipotent and He does as He pleases, but what is so amazing about our God is what this text says..

“…So if God was willing (His choice) to do something contrary to nature (against the norm)…” Wow! This means that there is no telling how He will do things in our lives. We are not to place God inside of a box because He cannot operate in a “fixed” environment. We are not to expect Him to intervene or resolve something our way. Maybe God wants to glorify Himself in your situation differently than before. Expect the unexpected, He will act, respond, put together, take apart, or bless you on His terms, not yours. It may be exactly the way that you’ve envisioned it and AMEN! However, chances are there will be some slight changes, be open to the possibilities of your blessing coming in an unconventional manner. If you are open, you will give Him the freedom to move and operate how He pleases. There are no rules or guidelines that the Lord of Lords and Creator of all things should follow. Who are we to demand or expect God to do things a certain way? Exactly, we are no one to question His doings. Sometimes things will simply not make sense; does it mean God doesn’t know what He’s doing? Of course not, He is all knowing.

Going back to this verse, isn’t it crazy to think that there are two trees and God grabs one branch from one tree and grafts it, or inserts it into another tree? The question is: Will it belong? Will it stick together? Will it grow? Well, you and I are here. By His grace and love we are here and if you’ve confessed Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are in the family. It didn’t look, seem or feel right, and from an agricultural/landscaping point of view, it still doesn’t make sense yet that’s what God decided to do. And aren’t we happy He did, because of it; we too have been granted the gift of salvation and eternal life.

Sometimes it takes something that doesn’t make sense to fulfill the purpose. Today I encourage you to let God work in your life the way He wants to. Surrender your all (especially your mind and intellect, they always try to reason and make sense out of things) and allow Him total access to do as He pleases, to remove and place as He wishes. You may not get it but don’t hinder His work or your progress. It doesn't have to make sense to you, as long as it makes sense to Him. He’s a craftsman. Let Him create a new thing in you today!

Be Encouraged, Be Blessed!
Landy Perez-Feliciano ♥

God Is Good

Happy Friday everyone!

We’ve all heard it: "God is good, all the time… and all the time God is good". It almost sounds cliché but I really want you to grasp the meaning behind those words. Despite your current situation, God is good and will remain good.. all the time! Not just sometimes, not once a month, not only on happy days but God is good all the time. Things may change in your life, but God never changes, He is constant.. God is good!

 

The Bible consistently describes God as good. “Good” is the consistent scriptural description of the nature and actions of God. We see this manifested in Bible’s earliest revelation about God and His creative acts, the word “good” is used repeatedly. God described as “good” the things He made on the various days of creation, and the overall work of creation was summarized as “very good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25).

When God revealed Himself to Moses and the nation of Israel, it was in these terms: “And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth’” (Exodus 34:6)

The Bible also says in James 1:17 that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning”. If a gift is “good,” it ultimately comes from God—the unchanging God. “You are good, and do good” (Psalm 119:68). This reminds us that once again, God is good.

You may not see the complete picture or even understand the overall plan that God has for you but let me tell you, it is a good one. The road that has been mapped out for you may not be easy, but it is good—it's very good. God is good, and that goodness is seen as He accomplishes His purpose in your life. Philippians 1:6 reminds us that we must be confident because the good work that God has begun in our lives, He will bring it to completion. So, if you find yourself questioning God’s goodness in your life, remember that you’re only seeing a glimpse of His masterpiece, just wait until you see the whole picture- you will be blown away! In the meantime, declare that God is good….all the time! He’s not done with you.

Be Encouraged, Be Blessed!

Landy Perez-Feliciano ♥

 

Need a favor?

Hi, I’m back! I know it’s been a while but I want to share this with you all and I hope you are blessed and encouraged by these words!

“Can you do me a favor”? Hey, “I need a huge favor, I need your help.. please!!!”? How often do we hear that request? I would say definitely on a daily basis, if not almost every day. Something is always going on where we need help or someone needs our help. We are so accustomed to asking and hearing that plea. Just hearing the request, tells us a lot about favor. Asking someone for a favor is a request based not on merits but on relationship. We ask not because we have “earned” the right but because of a formed relationship that exists between us and the person whom we are making the request. That relationship gives us confidence that most likely our request will be granted.

We see that in the Bible, another word for favor is grace. And if we define grace, it is simply “God’s unmerited favor.” God gives us grace freely to all who ask in faith. It’s not about how hard can I work for it, or did I do enough to earn it. No! It’s given to you because God chooses to do so. This is God’s favor. The apostle Paul wrote this, ”For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” And since it is a gift, it didn’t cost you anything.

David; Israel’s greatest king, knew that his success was not attributed to his own merits or goodness but to God’s favor. He says in Psalm 30, “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Now in my prosperity I said, ‘I shall never be moved.’ Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong.”

Favor triumphs over works! One day of favor can be worth more than a lifetime of labor. It’s so refreshing to know that God’s favor is timeless, it lasts forever. For Joseph, the day came when he found favor in the eyes of God and in one moment, his life was transformed from being a prison inmate to becoming Pharaoh’s second-in-command.

As Christians, you don’t have to earn God’s favor- you already have it! You are a beneficiary of His grace-unmerited favor freely given. Our relationship with God should be a strong, unbreakable bond. God wants you to feel comfortable enough to go before His throne and boldly ask Him what your heart desires. Imagine this, going up to a complete stranger and asking him/her for a favor, a big favor –like providing you with a car or giving you giving you x amount of money; would you do it? You would probably feel a bit hesitant, right? On the contrary, someone who you have a relationship with; the process will be much easier. Why? Because that relationship has been built on communication and trust and you feel comfortable enough to talk to them and ask for what you need. Would you feel awkward asking your significant other for a favor, what about your parents or best friend? Probably not.

I know circumstances can get in the way of what God is trying to do in your life but do not give in, understand that God loves you with everlasting love and He is ready to grace you with His favor. You didn’t earn it and you don’t deserve it but in God’s goodness and mercy, makes it readily available and at your disposal.

Be Encouraged, Be Blessed!

Landy Perez-Feliciano ♥

It's so much easier

You know what I’ve noticed? 

It’s so much easier to have faith for others than to have it for yourself. It’s so much easier to tell someone to have faith in their situation but, why is it hard for us to have faith in ours? It’s so much easier to believe in provision, healing and restoration for others but we lack belief in the fact that He can do the same for us.  Why is that? It’s so much easier to declare miracles for other people; quoting scriptures and promises yet, why is it so difficult to hold tight to those same confessions when the tides turn?

 

God, help us to really trust in you and gain understand on what it is to truly have faith in You. It’s not a matter of I’m strong for others and weak for myself, I trust and believe that God is able for others and all of a sudden doubt begins to enter our minds when we’re going through our hardship. If we are going to preach to others, we must practice on ourselves first. This faith for others and doubt for ourselves is not going to cut it. The same God that made a way for “him” is the same that will make a way for you! The Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today and .. guess what? He will be the same tomorrow. So if He did it for “her”, get ready because He is going to do it with you too. The word says that He is no respecter of person; in other words, He does not play favorites. He loves us all the same and His desire is to bless us all; we determine the outcome.

God, help us understand that your plans are perfect and our steps are ordered and ordained by you and only You. Help us to step out in faith knowing that You will guide us safely to where we are supposed to be.  We may not know where we are going but we trust in that You are taking us in the path that You have destined for us to go through. Nothing slips your mind! You do not forget, you do not lose control; You are not too busy for us, everything that happens to you and I is because it is in God’s divine plan. Period, no questions asked.

God, help us TRUST you completely and wholeheartedly! You got this!

Be Encouraged, Be Blessed!

Landy Perez-Feliciano ♥

Respond with Faith

Our faith is tested on a daily basis; some on a higher scale than others but nevertheless, we all go through seasons of tests in our lives. In order for Abraham to be called “The Father of Faith” there were a series of tests he had to pass. His faith; ultimately, is what brought him to a place of blessing where God’s promises in him were fulfilled.

We all have and will continue to encounter seasons in which we will have to “step out” with no evidence of an assured outcome other than God’s word. Situations will arise and you will not see a clear picture but will have to take that leap of faith and rely on that word that God gave you. You may not understand the process but you will understand the outcome; that God is Faithful and His promises are yes and Amen!

 

It is in those times that we have an opportunity to allow God to stay true to His word and for our faith to grow. Hebrews 11 says that it is “impossible to please God without faith” and that He’s a “rewarder of those that come to Him in faith”. Faith is vital; it is a key component in our relationship with our Lord and Savior. The more we practice faith, the stronger and easier it becomes, think of it as a muscle in which we exercise.

In times of uncertainties, confusions and pain, God will whisper peace, clarity and strength and you’ll respond with faith. You may not know where life is taking you, but God will clear out the clutter and make a way where there is no way. You will walk on the right path that will lead you to where God wants you to be. You will not know all of the answers; you will not need all of the answers, just knowing that He is by your side, leading your steps is more than enough to feel secure and protected.

Listen carefully for that small still voice of God today that is whispering to you and respond with faith knowing that “He will make a way”.

Be Encouraged, Be Blessed!

Landy Perez-Feliciano ♥

 

 

Photo credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29900177@N02/4130998882/

Expect Favor

As I was reading my daily devotional today, I came across a word that I’ve been declaring all year.  If you are in my inner circle and know me, you know that I’ve declared that this is the year of the Yes, the year of granted requests.  The word “favor” has been in my vocabulary in 2013 and so far, I’ve seen pretty cool things happen- definitely God’s favor.  This word was such a blessing to me and once again a reminder that God’s favor and blessing is upon us, we just have to confess it and believe it. This word comes from one of my favorites: Joyce Meyer!

Enjoy it and receive it in the name of Jesus!

[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living! Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring.  Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord. -Psalm 27:13-14

 

God wants to give you favor-kindness that you don’t deserve.  We see mention of God’s favor toward many in the Bible, and there’s no reason to think He can’t offer it to you as well.  Learn to believe God for favor.  Confess several times a day that you have favor with God and man.  You will be amazed at the exciting things that happen to you if you speak God’s Word instead of how you feel.

Supernatural favor can be expressed in different ways.  You may get the job you want but are not naturally qualified for.  People seem to like you for no special reason.  You get the best seat in the restaurant with the best waiter.  People give you things for no reason at all.  Favor means that someone will stop and let you into a line of traffic while others are zooming by as if you are not even there.

Living in God’s favor is very exciting.  When Joseph was cruelly mistreated by his brothers and they sold him into slavery, God gave him favor everywhere he went. He had favor with Potiphar and was placed in charge of his household. He had favor with the jailer during his imprisonment for a crime he did not commit.  He had so much favor with Pharaoh that Joseph became second only to Pharaoh in power.  Yes, walking in God’s favor is an exciting way to live.  We see so many men and women whom we admire in the Bible being given favor: Ruth, Esther, Daniel, and Abraham, just to name a few.  Resist and refuse to let doubt convince you that good things won’t happen to you and your family; aggressively expect good things!

Trust in Him:
Ask God to give you divine, supernatural favor, and then trust He’ll do it as you look for in in your life.

Be Encouraged, Be Blessed!
Landy Perez-Feliciano ♥

Grow Up!

For the past couple of weeks my brother Ronny has been talking about the importance of "growing up" in his Sunday morning messages to the church. He remembers when he turned thirteen, it was such a pivotal year in his life, and he remembers it like today! ...props to him, because I don't remember mine.. lol

Ronny was saying that when you turn thirteen, you officially become a teenager! In other words, you're no longer a child; therefore, you must start acting like an adult. There are certain things you should leave behind because you have outgrown them! 

And although we are already in the month of March (still pretty early in the year) I want to emphasize on the fact that we have entered into a new year and if we are expecting to experience a great year, we must leave behind the childishness and start behaving as adults. Basically, it’s time to grow up.

It's time to do grown up things, you're no longer a child
It's time to act like a grown up, you're no longer a child
It's time to speak like a grown up, you're no longer a child

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 3:2 "I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it." Now, this is Paul speaking to the church and he was basically telling them, I have more to give you but because you have not matured enough, I can't give you solid food because you are not ready.

I would hate for God to tell me, I have so much more things to tell you, to show you, to give you but you're just not ready for it.. it's like! Ok, I'm going to get my act together RIGHT NOW because I want more! I don't want to settle for the baby stuff anymore, I can handle that, I need something bigger! Can you relate?

January and February have passed us by and for many it's been a great two months and for others, it hasn't been that great. But the beauty of all of this is, there is time to make 2013 into a different year! A year of what I like to say, the year of the YES, the year of your prayer requests answered. This is such a pivotal year for many of us because this is the year in which God will start to give us solid food! No more milk, no more baby food. He will start to give us big responsibilities that only a mature adult can handle. Are you ready for what is coming your way? Are you ready to receive God's big blessings in your life? You have to be, because God only gives to those who He can entrust His blessings to. But in order to receive what He has for us, we have to Grow Up!

The Bible says that we go from Glory to Glory. Yesterday's blessing was good, last year’s was great but God has something greater for you now. Stop living in the past! Stop living in the past glories, in what God did for you yesterday because He wants to do something greater in your life today.

I truly believe and have been confessing since the beginning of the year that this is the year of prayers answered, this is the year of the YES! This is the year in which God's promises will come to pass in many of our lives. The things we have been waiting for years, the words that God had spoken years ago, we will see them come to pass. Why? Because we have chosen to Believe first! We must believe before we can see!!

I am just so excited for what is to come and I want everyone to be connected with the Spirit so you won't miss out. God wants to bless everyone. The bible says that he is no respecter of persons, in other words, He has no favorites. So if He is doing it with me, He can do it with you. The question is, are you ready??? Make 2013 your best year yet!

Share your thoughts with me :-) What did you think about today's blog?

Be Encouraged & Be Blessed!

LandyPF ♥

 

Courage conquers

This week I was speaking to the Young Adults about the importance of courage and I started off the discussion with this question and I want you to answer it too.
What is something that you were scared of doing but overcame it? (Think...)

You accomplished it right? Did you die?  Of coarse not. Now, answer this. Is there still something that you are afraid of doing and need to overcome it? If so, what is stopping you?  Yes, I know, fear which in turn, translates to lack of courage.

What is courage?
Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. "Physical courage" is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death, or threat of death, while "moral courage" is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement.

Let's face it, we all have fears! Fear about something, uncertainty about the future, something that happened to us in the past which has paralyzed us from moving forward in the future.

FEAR PARALIZES FAITH!

Now, the million dollar question is how do you gain confidence and overcome fear? In order to overcome fear, you must face fear. This isn't an easy task but you can do it. You must look at your enemy in the face and face that bully called Fear. To say “no” is to live in fear. My goal is to continually improve myself, to become better than I am today. One way to do that is to do the things that scare me, to take them on as challenges, and to learn from them — even if I fail. Are you up for the challenge?

In the bible we see many people who were put in very tough situation and had a choice to make. What do I do? Do I take a chance or will I let my fear interfere? And these bible characters were heroes, they were courageous but at one point or another, had a decision to make. God wants you to make a decision. Do you continue to live the way you are living, in your comfort zone or do you shake it off and actually Go For It? The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again expecting different results. It's not going to work! You must do something different in order to see something different. God is waiting for you to take the Courage and step out into the destiny He has prepared for you. It will be scary, intimidating, confusing, and a whole bunch of other mixed emotions but when you know God has called you for something specific you can rely on His support and His blessing. He will be with you every step of the way.

1. Esther made a declaration: If I perish then I'll perish but she was determined to fight for her people, even if it cost her her life. She was called for such a time as this to go before the king and save her people. For such a time as this God has called you for what? Are you willing to risk it all for Jesus? Esther was.

2. Daniel was a young man who decided to be different. He would not eat from the king's food, he would not bow down to his god, he would instead bow down to His God and pray three times a day even if it cost him his life. He was thrown into the lion's den, in an burning furnace, he faced many life threatening situations but he persevered in his faith. He was willing to risk his life and his freedom to serve God. Now, that is courage! Question is, how bad are you willing to defend your faith?

3. Paul was a very courageous man. Before coming to Christ he was a persecutor of Christians but after his conversion he became a passionate Christian, enduring all sorts of pain and suffering for the cause of the gospel. He was beaten, thrown in jail, ultimately killed but nothing ever stopped him from preaching the gospel and fulfilling God's will on earth. What is stopping you today from fulfilling God's will in your life?

Is it fear? These are only 3 of the many examples of people who were in a "fear" setting enviroment but they were able to overcome it because their purpose was greater than their persecution. Your faith must be greater than your fear

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

Fear is a spirit that does not come from God, He has not given us that spirit, then why do we choose to accept it? He has given us power, power to overcome fear! Do not let fear get in the way of the great plans God has instore for you. Only you can stop His purpose to be fulfilled in your life.


Confidence is built slowly, one success at a time. Like I mentioned previously, I’ve learned that in order to overcome fear, you must face fear. And once you face it, your faith will propel you to overcome it. And today I want to share 14 steps that will help you overcome fear. I will just list them but not go in depth because this blog is a condenced version of the teaching that I gave so here you go.

1. Don’t dwell on failures.
2. Rehearse a positive outcome.
3. Don’t procrastinate.
4. To think confidently, act confidently.
5. Think like the other person.
6. Maintain a positive mental attitude.
7. Get off your “but”. Learn to defeat a case of the “buts”.
8. Visualize success.
9. Look sharp. Take care of yourself.
10. Do the right thing.
11. Keep things in perspective.
12. Don’t seek perfection.
13. Read the success literature. Research others who have succeeded.
14. Don’t compare yourself to others. Be yourself

With these steps and God by your side, there is nothing that you cannot achieve.
And I'll leave you with these few key bible verses that speak about Courage.

1. Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6

2. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:7-9

3. And David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God—my God—will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.
1Chronicles 28:20

4. Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.
Psalm 31:24

5. Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Isaiah 41:10

6. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

7. Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
1Corinthians 16:13

8. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Ephesians 6:10

I hope this blog blesses your life and motivates you to get up and do it.  Do not allow Fear to paralyze your faith.  You are positioned to do great things that will require you to come out of your comfort zone.  Shake yourself off and GO!

Be Encouraged, Be Blessed
Landy Perez-Feliciano ♥