Prayer Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Jackie M. Johnson

How to Handle Fear About the Coronavirus

In these days of uncertainty, with the worldwide coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, you may be feeling fearful or anxious.

What’s going to happen?

What is the truth—what is real news and what is fake news?

Am I safe? Are those I love safe and healthy?

When our safety is threatened—physically or emotionally—we are rightly afraid. Our bodies are equipped with an inner alarm to signal something is not right in order to protect us from harm.

We are human. And it’s OK to feel afraid. But…

In addition, we need wisdom to discern if the thing we’re fearful about is a real fear or a false fear—and what to do about it.

For example, if you hear an unfamiliar noise in the middle of the night, you might be afraid someone is trying to break into your home.

But once you discover it’s really just the wind blowing tree branches against a window pane, your mind can rest again.

We need to know the truth, so we can be set free from fear.

Some people are afraid to fly.

Some fear being alone.

Others are afraid of not having enough money, like when you’re laid off from your job or bank account is nearing zero balance.

You have a right to feel fear.

It’s what you do with your feelings of fear that makes a difference. You can choose to live in worry and doubt, or you can choose to trust God in every situation. Peace can replace anxiety. Fear subsides.

How do you do that?

Pray

To begin, pray. Talk to God about your fears. Jill Briscoe once said, “Courage is fear that has said its prayers.”

God is always here and near. He listens. He cares. And He is always at work, even when we cannot see it or feel it.

Remember

Then, remember what God has done in the past—for you and for others.

Recall how He has seen you through hard times before, and believe that He will again deliver you from difficult circumstances. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you do what you cannot do in your own human strength.

Fear says, “I cannot handle this situation.” Faith says, “God can.”

Bask in Truth

Trust that even though you can’t see now how it’s all going to work out, God does. He knows. And He is still in control come rain or shine, or virus or anything.

Shore up inside you the truth about who God is as protector, provider, helper, and healer. He is stronger than any force that tries to come against you. And He is your peace in the storm-tossed world.

Listen to the words of hope and comfort from Dr. James Dobson on his Family Talk broadcast today, April 2, 2020. He shares his thoughts and concerns about this worldwide pandemic, and also offers encouragement.

God is whispering to you, “Will you trust me?” Will you choose to trust that the One who loves you most will take care of you?

The choice is yours.

Our times are in His hands.

***

Key Bible Verses

“So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?’” ~ Hebrews 13:6

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” ~ James 1:6

“For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.” ~ Psalm 27:5

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9

Powerful Prayer

Lord, I need your help and protection. Rescue me from this fear and doubt swirling around me. I ask you to quiet my stormy emotions. Help me to believe that You will take care of me—and all of my difficult circumstances. Keep me safe in the comfort of your love and strong power. You can do anything! And I need you right now. Turn my darkness to light. Help me to move from fear to confidence, from timid to trusting. Give me courage to move forward, one step at a time with You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

He is another prayer specifically to pray against the coronavirus, COVID-19.

Additional Resources

Power Prayers for Women by Jackie M. Johnson
Praying with Power When Life Gets Tough by Jackie M. Johnson
When Love Ends and the Ice Cream Carton Is Empty by Jackie M. Johnson

Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

By Jackie M. Johnson

PRAYER AGAINST COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

PRAYER AGAINST COVID-19 (Coronavirus):

Lord, we ask today that you would stop the spread of this awful virus.

Please help people who are sick to recover, and that it would not affect others. May it STOP soon.

Help us to be PREPARED AND PRAYING.

Help fear to cease because You are in control, even when we do not see or feel it.

We choose to trust you. In Jesus’ Mighty and Powerful Name,

Amen!

Praying on…

PRAYER for help in the time of the coronavirus:

Lord, we ask for your help and healing in this time of uncertainty. Please stop the spread of this coronavirus (COVID-19) around the world. Help it to cease soon!

Help those who are sick to heal. Help the first responders and medical professionals to stay safe and healthy as they treat others. Provide the supplies they need. And a cure.

Be with those who are working at home or in the workplace to be productive, and not feel isolated or lonely.

Help those who have lost their job or have reduced hours. People who need cash and supplies right now.

Help us all to stay healthy and keep our eyes on You, not the changing circumstances around us.

May we be strong and better people for this, and may this virus crisis end soon. We trust in your goodness and faithfulness.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

***

For more hope and inspiration, check out these books by Jackie M. Johnson:

Praying with Power When Life Gets Tough

Power Prayers for Women

Prayers with Purpose for Women

Photo credit: Will Sporada, Unsplash

By Jackie M. Johnson

How to Find More Peace in Your Life

Why is peace so elusive?

Perhaps it’s because we forget to replenish our source of peace in the busyness of daily living.

Regardless of our circumstances, we can live a life of peace when we find contentment in Christ and draw near to Him.

What does that mean, really?

Here’s a good example: The moon absorbs light from the sun, and reflects the light. Likewise, you can bask in the light of God’s Son and absorb His truths.

Then you can become a man or woman who reflect His joy and peace to the world.

You can have peace because God has a plan.

A life of less anxiety is truly possible when you trust God and transfer the outcome of the decision to Him.

Instead of thinking “it’s all up to me” and “I have to make this happen” you can surrender your fear and doubt to the Lord believing He will take care of you—and provide a course correction, if needed.

Talk to God in prayer.

Tell him how you feel and what you need. Ask Him to give you wisdom to know what to do, and supernatural strength, to do what needs to be done.

You don’t have to do this hard and messy life on your own. God is with you, and He is for you. Ask for His help and provision, His protection and peace.

TRUST is the key. God will take care of you.

Be at peace.

***

Key Bible Verses

“A heart at peace gives life to the body…” ~ Proverbs 14:30

“Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” ~ James 3:18

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” ~ Isaiah 26:3

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” ~ John 14:27

Powerful Prayer

Lord, I don’t want to be anxious. I want to be a person of peace. Help me to keep centered on you and not my problems or the storms of life around me. Calm me, and help me to find my security and contentment in You, the One who loves me most. Still my inner heart so I can be peaceful in my thought and actions. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Additional Resources

Power Prayers for Women by Jackie M. Johnson
Praying with Power When Life Gets Tough by Jackie M. Johnson
When Love Ends and the Ice Cream Carton Is Empty by Jackie M. Johnson

Check out these other related blogs…

How to Be Happy Now

5 Lies That Keep You Stuck on the “Busy and Stressed” Treadmill—and How to Break Free

Build Confidence and a Strong Self Esteem

By Jackie M. Johnson

Why Do Some People Get Healed When You Pray–and Some Don’t?

Most of us have family members or friends whom we’ve prayed for when they are sick or injured. Some get well and others do not. And often we wonder why.

I know I do.

Right now, two people whom I’m very close to are very sick—my Dad and my friend Denise.

My Dad, is 85 and has congestive heart failure, complications of Type II diabetes, and other ailments. He can barely walk, even with a walker and is very weak. I pray for him every day to be free from pain and get the care he needs.

Right now, my brother and his wife are in the process of finding an assisted living place for him (which is another prayer request).

My friend Denise has multiple things wrong with her. She has been in the hospital for weeks with a rare bacterial infection, and other ailments that I don’t want to describe that are causing her pain. The doctors are miffed.

Because of this, I’ve been looking at what the Bible says about healing.

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament reveal that God has the desire and the power to heal our bodies from sickness and disease.

That is good news.

Healing Verses in the Bible – Old Testament

Some key verses on HEALING from the Old Testament say:

“… I am the LORD, who heals you.” Exodus 15:26

“LORD, my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.” Psalms 30:2

“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.
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 53:4-5

“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD” Jeremiah 30:17

Healing Verses in the Bible – New Testament

In addition, the Bible’s New Testament reveals some helpful verses about healing as well:

“Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.”
James 5:14-15

Jesus Christ himself healed people. He performed miracles and healed the sick and those with disabilities.

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.” Matthew 9:35

There was the woman with the issue of bleeding, for example, who touched the clothes of Jesus. And He knew power had left him.

“He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” Mark 5:34

And, Jesus healed a blind man by putting mud on the man’s eyes and sending him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. And he could see! See John 9:5-11.

So why does it seem that God heals some people and not others?

The answer? We don’t know why.

God, in His sovereign, infinite wisdom has not revealed that to us.

But someday we will understand.

In the meantime, we choose to trust God, have faith and press on in prayer.

1) We trust that, no matter what happens, God is good and loving and faithful. He is “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

2) We pray for those who are sick to be well and to EXPECT healing. In the midst of it all we know that somehow, God “works all things together for the good” (Romans 8:28) and His purposes stand.

3) We discover that whether the situation changes or not, PRAYER CHANGES US. We grow closer to God through the trials, and closer to those with whom we are praying.

4) We stand in awe at the mystery of God’s ways, and look to His hands of compassion and grace. He alone knows the answers. And we choose to TRUST Him no matter what.

5) We choose to stand strong and confident that God’s love for us never changes. We keep our eyes on Him, not our circumstances.

6) We praise. When God does heal, we thank Him and praise Him. And if He does not (at least, not in the way we think He should), we praise Him still. Knowing that one day He will make all things right. Heaven awaits. One day: no pain. No tears. Only joy and complete freedom and peace!

We trust God is at work, in the good times and in the difficult times of life.

Our times are in His hands.

PRAYER

Lord, I humbly and boldly come before you and ask for healing to this person I care about. Will you please heal him? Will you please help her? Take away their pain and bring relief. Show the medical professionals what to do. Help me to be a source of comfort. May your strong healing hand come, and bring relief, peace and new hope. I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Jackie M. Johnson