The Great Exchange
We enter into one of the most exciting times of the year, the Christmas season! It’s truly my favorite time of the year. This season brings joy, hope and love to the hearts of humanity. It’s a time where we decorate our homes with beautiful Christmas decorations. We put up Christmas trees, we wrap gifts, we hide them under the tree, and we build an expectation for friends and family on that special day.
The greatest gift is not what we give to each other. The greatest gift is the gift GOD gives to us at Christmas and this Gift is FREE! “Now thanks be to God for His Gift, [precious] beyond telling [His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift]!” 2 Corinthians 9:15 AMPC
There are three things we do with gifts…
Give
Receive
After Christmas, we exchange gifts
I would like to FOCUS on the idea of exchanging gifts. God has this incredible way of exchanging gifts, it’s in a way we could never imagine. In this season, I want to show you how Christ transforms our brokenness into Peace, our hurt into healing, our grief into joy, our fears into love and our sin into complete forgiveness. Discover how the greatest gift this Christmas outshines every other gift under the tree.
Here are 5 gifts of God’s great exchange.
Exchange your worry for God’s Peace
Now let’s just be honest, there comes a time in our lives where we all worry. Everyone struggles with this and our bodies were not designed to worry. Worry makes us sick, it causes anxiety attacks, depression, unhappiness etc.. So, what are we going to do about this… how do we stop worrying? We take advantage of God’s gift exchange. We give him all our worries…for the exchange of His PEACE. This is our exchange, look what the written Word of God promises us….
“I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27(TLB)
Wow, I give Him my worry and He gives me His Peace. Whatever worries you this Christmas season, take them and write out these verses underneath your worries. Declare it every time worry comes into your mind, and you will have peace.
2. Exchanging your hurts for God’s Healing Power
I want to encourage you, just like the gift you exchange at the store, go to your Heavenly Father. He has the greatest exchange gift for you called “healing”.
Remember that you are not the only one who is hurting or going through physical pain or sickness and you are never alone. Scripture tells us that…He COMES ALONGSIDE US WHEN WE GO THROUGH HARD TIMES…
He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. 2 Corinthians 1:4(MSG)
3.Exchange your grief and receive God’s unspeakable Joy
JOHN 16:24 AMPC “Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in MY NAME [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that YOUR JOY (gladness, delight) may be full and complete. God is waiting for you today just to ask Him in His name for His JOY. You might face a very intense grief of mourning a lost one, or a marriage that’s falling apart. You might be dealing with a child that’s in rebellion, but there’s a promise waiting for you. Exchange your broken heart for unspeakable joy.. Did you know, that no matter your storm, you can go through it with a smile, but you need to ask and keep on asking just as scripture tells us. Your joy is knocking, open the door and enjoy a joyful Christmas season.
4.Exchange your Fear for His unconditional love
Human fears are many and they are real. Each individual has his/her own battles. We have fears about the future, children, finances, etc…. I’m convinced that when some of you woke up this morning, you had some concern regarding this day on your mind. But I have good news for you, you don’t have to stay in fear. With His love, He will calm all your fears. Zephaniah 3:17(NLT). Ps.23:4 “I will fear no evil, for You are with me”.
God’s love within us has the power to remove and drive out our fears according to 1 John 4:18(NIV). In this season, give yourself a gift, deal ruthlessly with those fears you walk with. Don’t give into fear. God, the one who upholds the universe, is ready to take all your fears into His hands and destroy it … giving you His perfect love
DECLARE: I’M READY TO BE FREE FROM FEAR AND ANXIETY AND I OPEN MY HEART TO RECEIVE GOD’S PERFECT LOVE, IN JESUS NAME. AMEN.
5. Exchange your sin for God’s forgiveness
We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… Repent, give all your sins to your Saviour and He will forgive all your iniquities and this is the best part, “He will remember them no more”. He is so ready to give you a new and blessed life. And this is the perfect time to receive Christ as your saviour.
My prayer for you is that you will share your testimony with others so that they may receive the free gift of salvation and share the blessings of Christ given to them. Just like we are in anticipation of a gift from a loved one, be a loved one to them and give them a gift. Give them the greatest gift, give them Jesus. May your Christmas season be filled with peace, healing, joy, love and forgiveness.
Forgive quickly
Love deeply
Ps.Lil ❤