Joy In Every Step

Introduction: 00:01

Welcome to a place of peace, hope, and divine encouragement. This is Joy In Every Step with your host, beloved preacher, retired teacher, and faithful servant of the Lord, Elder Sarita Bernadette. Long before podcasting existed, a promise was spoken. That one day, Sarita's voice would bring comfort, clarity, and understanding through the word of God. Years later, when God opened the door, Sarita took the next step in faith.

Introduction: 00:32

What began as a leap of faith has become a weekly invitation to walk more closely with God, discover the joy found in his word, and receive fresh revelation for every step of the journey. Whether you're walking through the valleys or standing on the mountaintops, Sarita's heartfelt messages will guide you back to God's promises with wisdom, warmth, and the gentle reminder that he cares deeply for you. So open your heart, settle your spirit, and take the next step in faith with Joy In Every Step.

Sarita Bernadette: 01:05

Hi. I'm Sarita Bernadette, and the And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. From the voice we read, And know that the peace of God, a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding, will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One. Let's start today's episode with an accounting from the Old Testament. It's found in the book of first Kings, the nineteenth chapter.

Sarita Bernadette: 02:04

And for the sake of time, I'm gonna sum up the front end of this particular chapter in the prophet Elijah's story. You may recall Elijah was a prominent prophet in the Bible known for confronting the people of Israel as they vacillated between worshiping God and the idol Baal. Now, this passage of scripture picks up after Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. He had literally called down fire from heaven, beloved. Then, in retaliation, queen Jezebel threatened to kill him within twenty four hours.

Sarita Bernadette: 02:45

Elijah heard the threat and was afraid for his life. So he ran into the wilderness. He was so stressed and exhausted, he asked God to let him die. After traveling for forty days and being fed by an angel along the way, Elijah arrived on Mount Horeb or Sinai. First Kings nineteen, nine through 13 reads, At that place, he came to a cave and spent the night there.

Sarita Bernadette: 03:20

Then the word of the Lord came to him saying, what are you doing here, Elijah? He answered, I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life to take it away. He said, Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.

Sarita Bernadette: 04:06

And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, what are you doing here, Elijah?

Sarita Bernadette: 04:42

So Elijah has faced down the prophets of Baal, and he still feels fear and doubt. He doesn't find any relief or peace until he hears the voice of the Lord, not in the wind or the earthquake or even the fire. God comes to him in a gentle voice, a divine whisper, if you will. Peace in the midst of the storm. Elijah found peace in the silence after all the noise stopped.

Sarita Bernadette: 05:20

Back to Philippians four and seven, the voice. And know that the peace of God, a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding, will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, the anointed one. Think about that, beloved. Think about that in light of Elijah's experience with God on that mountain. The verse describes a deep supernatural calm.

Sarita Bernadette: 05:51

This is a peace that comes from God and God alone. You won't find it in friendships or food or material things, beloved. It's a gift of inner quiet and rest. Elijah, not unlike many of us, was struggling to find that inner quiet. Notice how he responds to the Lord when asked the question, what are you doing here, Elijah?

Sarita Bernadette: 06:21

That question was asked twice. And twice, Elijah responds with, and this is the message version of first Kings nineteen fourteen. He says, I've been working my heart out for God, the God of the angel armies, because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed your places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I'm the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me. Beloved, I believe the question God repeated had a deeper purpose.

Sarita Bernadette: 06:59

Surely, God is omniscient. He knew where Elijah was physically. Right? He knew. So the Lord was calling Elijah's attention to the fact that he was out of place, hiding in a cave.

Sarita Bernadette: 07:20

Was that the behavior of someone who's trusting God? Is that the behavior of someone who's trusting God? Are you listening? Elijah's physical location was a problem, but so was his spiritual state. He was hiding in despair.

Sarita Bernadette: 07:41

He was allowing his fear to detract from his assignment. So God tells Elijah to go and stand out on the mountain. The wind, an earthquake, and a fire pass by. But God's not in the drama. Are you hearing me?

Sarita Bernadette: 08:02

God's not in the drama. He speaks in a sound of sheer silence or a gentle low whisper. I repeat, Elijah found peace in the silence after all the noise stopped. How many of us are willing to seek out the silence so we can hear the Lord's voice clearly? Sometimes we get caught up in rumination when we're under duress.

Sarita Bernadette: 08:31

We think about how big the problem is instead of thinking about how big our God is. His word says nothing is too hard for him. Nothing. No thing. So the question becomes, are you willing to hand that thing over to the Lord and allow him to handle it?

Sarita Bernadette: 08:55

And I know sometimes when we're in the midst of a battle, we don't really see how we're going to have peace. Remember, God made the promise. It's up to us to believe it. In Philippians four:seven, he says, God's peace will guard your hearts and your minds. Beloved, it's protection from the troubles of life.

Sarita Bernadette: 09:25

It keeps watch. Listen, the amplified classic uses the term garrison. It says, the peace that transcends all understanding will garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. My goodness. A garrison is a group of soldiers stationed in a town, fort, or building to defend it, or the actual military post and the buildings where they're living.

Sarita Bernadette: 09:59

So imagine our hearts and minds being guarded and defended against attack. That's so powerful. The previous verse that's Philippians four and six, you're probably familiar with it, reminds us not to be anxious about anything. It encourages us to pray instead. You've probably heard the expression, If you're going to pray, don't worry.

Sarita Bernadette: 10:29

And if you're going to worry, don't pray. The scripture instructs us to bring our worries to the Lord in prayer. And yes, it defies human logic. You can't figure it out. God's peace doesn't depend upon your situation.

Sarita Bernadette: 10:48

It doesn't follow human reasoning. It doesn't make sense during tough times. But you can. You really can indeed be in the worst of times and still be at peace. John fourteen twenty seven reads, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.

Sarita Bernadette: 11:12

I do not give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid. The voice reads that same verse, My peace is the legacy I leave to you. I don't give gifts like those of the world. Do not let your heart be troubled or fearful.

Sarita Bernadette: 11:37

These are the words of Jesus, beloved. He spoke these words to his disciples during the last supper. This was just before his arrest and subsequent crucifixion. He knew the disciples would be upset and grieving. The verse offers us divine comfort and a peace that far surpasses the temporary respite the world offers.

Sarita Bernadette: 12:03

Beloved, the peace of God lasts. The words in John sixteen thirty three are also those of Jesus spoken to the disciples in preparation for what was coming. He knew they would experience deep pain, but he wanted to give them solace in this moment. He said, I have said this to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution, but take courage.

Sarita Bernadette: 12:38

I have conquered the world. Jesus reminds us to stay connected to Him because that is where true peace is found. He also reminds us that we don't have to give in to fear and to worry. We can choose courage. Lastly, the verse reminds us of Christ's victory over the troubles of this world.

Sarita Bernadette: 13:05

He has defeated every earthly obstacle for us. Two more verses to share with you today. Isaiah twenty six and three. You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you. The message version reads, people with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, steady on their feet because they keep at it and don't quit.

Sarita Bernadette: 13:40

Beloved again, God guards, protects, and sustains the minds of those who remain focused on Him. His peace is perfect peace, an overwhelming complete and total sense of well-being. And finally, this from David in Psalm 29. Now the verse comes at the end of a hymn praising God's power and majesty. David illustrates beautifully the power of God's voice through the imagery of a great storm.

Sarita Bernadette: 14:16

David mentions thunder, lightning, and strong winds. And David says, God's throne sits above the floodwaters. He's in control. The Psalm concludes with a definitive statement and this is verse 11. The Lord gives His people strength.

Sarita Bernadette: 14:38

The Lord blesses them with peace. That should bring tremendous comfort and security to all believers. Peace and blessings, beloved. This is Joy In Every Step. I'm Sarita Bernadette and I'm grateful you chose to spend some time here with me.

Sarita Bernadette: 15:00

Feel free to share this episode with someone you know would appreciate it. You can find Joy In Every Step wherever you listen to your podcasts and do give us a follow there. Do check out the website as well. We're at joyineverystep.org. See you next time.