The Lord said this to my heart: Fear is insidious. Insidious means something that proceeds in a gradual way but has the potential to cause harm often in subtle and unnoticed progression. We have all experienced the acute effects of fear when encountering a threat, but the subtle fear that manifests itself as anxiety, excessive worry, paranoia, phobias, obsessive compulsion, and obsessive troubling thoughts, can have a damaging effect on the body causing epigenetic changes in the brain that have a profound effect on the body. Often these epigenetic changes are triggered by traumatic events in life. The effect of the traumatic event depends on brain resilience that is genetically determined. Here’s a simple explanation of how this works. Fear comes in through our senses and affects the brain networks by eliciting a body response. The acute phase of fear (fight or flight) is usually short-lived, but the persistent state of fight or flight response is damaging to our health. During a stressful event, the hormone cortisol is released increasing alertness, but chronic cortisol release during prolong stress suppresses the hippocampus affecting short-term memories. Adrenaline, another stress hormone, is released preparing the body to run or fight but prolonged release of adrenaline increases the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.

The good news is that there is hope for the fear-driven brain-mindfulness and meditation.  Studies have shown that these practices impact epigenetic regulation that decreases inflammation which is at the root of all chronic disease. Just 12 minutes of meditation increases blood flow to many parts of the brain (prefrontal lobe, frontal lobe, anterior cingulate). Studies reveal that these practices improve telomeres by 43% (telomeres are involved in cell division; the longer they are the more youthful the cell) and cause up regulation of 19 genes related to immune function and down regulation of 49 genes associated with inflammation. Dr. Caroline Leaf revealed in her study that just 12 minutes of daily focused prayer over an 8-week period changed the brain to such an extent that it could be measured on brain scans. Prayer and meditation heal the brain!!!

Meditation was always God’s way to living the abundant life that was paid for by the precious blood of His son, Jesus. Proverb 4: 21-22 reveals the truth of the healing power of God’s word.

Fill your thoughts with my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit.

Then, as you unwrap my words, they will impart true life and radiant health into the very core of your being.

God’s words are spirit and life and have the divine power to transform our lives. Romans 12:2 says be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Literally! Thinking (and speaking) life giving words changes the molecules of the body that bring health! Let’s start meditating on the work that Jesus accomplished at the cross and who we are in Him. We are a new creation ( 2 Corinthians 5:17), and the old self has been co-crucified with Him ( Galatians 2:20). We have died to sin and are alive in Him (Romans 6:11)! We are co-heirs (Romans 8:17) and are seated with him in heavenly places ( Ephesians 2:6)! By the triumph of the cross, Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities of their power! This is the Good News of the Gospel!!!

Let’s make His joy complete!

John 15:11

I have told you these things that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.