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To whom"); document.writeln("will you compare me? Or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes"); document.writeln("and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry"); document.writeln("host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great"); document.writeln("power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.¹

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There are days"); document.writeln("where I feel completely overwhelmed. I get caught up in the problems at hand or"); document.writeln("the problems of others, or the unexpected circumstances that are out of my"); document.writeln("control. I go into survival mode and find it hard demonstrate the trust and"); document.writeln("faith in God that I often speak of or encourage others to have in difficult"); document.writeln("times. But I admit that each time I have felt this sense of overwhelm it is"); document.writeln("because I have shifted my focus from God to my problem. I allow myself to try"); document.writeln("and face these situations from a place of personal opinion rather than relying"); document.writeln("on God\'��s Word.

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In 1 Samuel 17,"); document.writeln("the people of Israel found themselves not only overwhelmed, but terrified of"); document.writeln("the literal giant they were facing. I would have been experiencing the same"); document.writeln("feelings of fear and hopelessness as I looked at this giant,"); document.writeln("wearing 125 pounds of armor! Not only did Goliath carry a giant sword to kill"); document.writeln("those who dared to fight him, but the iron spearhead alone weighed 15 pounds!"); document.writeln("Goliath was completely confident that he had this battle won, but he"); document.writeln("obviously did not know how big and powerful God was! There was no"); document.writeln("comparison, however the Israelites had allowed themselves to get distracted by"); document.writeln("what they were seeing instead of trusting the One who was fighting for them.

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Are you feeling"); document.writeln("overwhelmed today? What are you facing that is making you feel afraid,"); document.writeln("powerless, and defeated? Perhaps you, like the Israelites, are trying to run"); document.writeln("from your giant or hiding in hopelessness. The word overwhelm means: to bury or drown beneath a huge mass. Perhaps you are drowning in feelings of"); document.writeln("guilt and shame for something you have said or done. Maybe you are feeling"); document.writeln("overpowered by the sin or addiction that is raging against you. Are you"); document.writeln("allowing your feelings of insecurity to distract you and shift your focus?

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There is good"); document.writeln("news for us today. Nothing can compare to our God! He wants to fight for you"); document.writeln("and free you from the fear you are trapped in. He wants you to trust him and"); document.writeln("claim the abundant life that we have in Jesus.

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Suggested"); document.writeln("prayer: Heavenly Father, You are Almighty, and no one compares to you. You go"); document.writeln("before me and will give me the victory over the giants in my life when I place"); document.writeln("my trust completely in You. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

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1. "); document.writeln("Isaiah 40:25-26 (NIV).

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The Encounter"); document.writeln("for today was written by: Crystal B.

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