Waging War and Winning!

There will be a time in every Christian's life where they will have a "crisis of faith". A time when they must decide who they believe and what they believe, regardless of the circumstances. It is not a time to bemoan or belittle. This is not a time to feel guilty for having a "lack of faith". This is a time to be excited that you are facing something bigger than yourself, of which you have no control, because you serve a God that is big enough to bring you through victoriously. Be excited that you are about to see Eph 3:20 alive in your life (to Him who is able to do FAR MORE abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us).

The Bible offers us some specific promises when we find ourselves in the midst of extreme spiritual warfare:
1. James 4:7 - "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he WILL flee from you."
2. Romans 8:37 - "in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us" (We have the power to OVERWHELMINGLY Conquer!)
3. Isaiah 26:3 - "He will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you"

The revised version reads, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose imagination is stayed on thee." Steadfast means to be firmly established, anchored, stayed, leaning wholly upon. The Bible promises that He will keep us in perfect peace when our mind is firmly established, anchored, leaning wholly upon the Lord.

When spiritual warfare begins to creep in (whether in the form of fear, doubt, etc.) follow this formula outlined in the Bible over and over:

1. Bind up and rebuke the spirit of fear in the name and blood of Jesus Christ.  Command the spirit to leave and bind it to the dry and waterless places. (See Matthew 12 for this. I don't understand it all, but I know it works. I have seen the power of this over and over in my life)

2. Ask that in place of the spirit of fear, the Lord would fill you with the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) - Galatians 5:22-23

3. Obey Phil 4:8 ( Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things).

4. Renew your mind in the word (Romans 12:2). (Ex. If your main spiritual battles involve fear, MEMORIZE scriptures that help you fight your fear) - See a great list to get you started below, but also ask God to reveal Scriptures to you. Also remember to pray and not doubt: "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." James 1:5-6

5. Start praising the Lord. The Bible says that God inhabits the praise of His people, meaning he dwells in the atmosphere of praise. (Ps 22:3) There are 100s of things to be thankful for if for nothing else that you are standing, that you can breathe on your own, you have a family that loves you, etc.

6. Move on. Don't stay defeated. Trust God to answer your prayers. Get up and go. (See 2 Tim 1:7 and Gal 5:1)

Pray these scriptures back to God. Tell Him you believe that these promises are truth and then speak them over your life.  (These deal with fear because that is what my main spiritual battles involve)

Prov 3:5-8 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. (ex. prayer: Lord I want to trust in you with all my heart. I do not want to lean upon my own understanding. Today I am resolving that in all my ways I am going to acknowledge you and I know you will make my path straight. I don't want to be wise in my own eyes. Help me to fear you Lord and turn away from evil. I believe your promise that this will be healing to my body and refreshment to my bones).

Romans 8:15 - For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “ Abba! Father!” (ex. prayer: You did not give me a spirit of slavery to fear. I have a spirit of sonship where I can call you Father! Please help me to not be enslaved by fear, but enslaved to my recognition of my place in your family!)

Proverbs 3:24-26 - When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught (ex. prayer:  Lord I will NOT be afraid!  My sleep will be sweet.  Thank you that I don't have to be afraid for you are my confidence!)

2 TImothy 1:7 - For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and self-control (ex. prayer: Lord I thank you that you did not create me with a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and self-control!  Help me to walk in the power, love and self-control you provide!)

Psalm 27:1 - The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread

James 4:8-9 - Draw near to God and He will draw near to you... let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.

Isaiah 55:8-13

Galatians 5:1 - It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Psalm 46:1-2 -God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea

Ps 62:1-2, 7-8 - My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken... On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

Ps 4:8 - In peace I will both lie down and sleep,For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety

John 14:1 - Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

Ps 112:7 -He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

Ps 34:3-5 - O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed.

Jer 17:5-8 - Thus says the Lord, Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the Lord. “For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant. “ Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord And whose trust is the Lord. “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes;But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.

Is 12:2 - Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation

Ps 127:1 - Unless the Lord builds the house,They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain

Is 41:10 - Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Ps 34:17 - The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles

Read Mark 9:14-29, esp. verse 24

Jeremiah 30:17 - For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord.

Armed for Battle...

Relational conflict is a guarantee. Whether you find yourself in the role of husband, wife, father, mother, child, or sibling, you will experience conflict with those you love at one time or another. Before we start battling those we love the most, let's remember a few things.

First, it is important during these battles to remember who you are fighting. The Scriptures tell us that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, powers and authorities of this dark world (Eph 6:12). Satan desires to destroy the family because he knows, "if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand (Mark 3:25)." Jesus himself warned us, "be on alert. Your adversary the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). It is so easy to see the enemy as the family member that appears to be choosing to make your life miserable at the time. Instead we must stop, realize that you and that person are on the same team, recognize the real enemy, and join forces.

Now that you are back on the same team, it is time to remember, you have a mighty ally! The Lord our God has told us numerous times that He will fight our battles for us (2 Chron 32:8, Ex 14:14, Ps 17:6-8, Is 41:9-14). He is our defender, our protector, and our deliverer. We know if the Lord is for us, who can stand against us (Ro 8:31)? Praise the Lord that He is fighting on our side!

Lastly, we need to use the right weapons. Our relationship with Jesus Christ alone enables us to be more than conquerors in Christ Jesus (Ro 8:37). His blood and testimony in our life allows us to overcome the strongest powers of Satan (Rev 12:11). We have weapons of warfare with the power to demolish strongholds (2 Cor 10:4)!! When we put on the full armor of God we CAN stand against the devils schemes (Eph 6:11): the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the Gospel of peace, pick up the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which are the very words of God (Eph 6). When we are seeking out truth, when our hearts are protected with the righteousness of who we are in Christ, when we are grounded in the grace of the gospel, when our faith and trust in our God is our shield, when His salvation protects our minds, and when we have the Words of God, we cannot fail.

1 John 4:4 states, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. " Your family can overcome. Your marriage can overcome. You can have a solid relationship with your children. Remember you are on the same team. Arm up together and fight the one who simply cannot win!

Run Home!!!

Acts 3:19 - "Therefore, repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."

Satan is a great liar and when you sin, inevitably his attack begins. First of all he loves to make you feel guilty, because guilt drives you away from the Father. Guilt causes you to stop and dwell. You listen to the lies that you are not good enough, you are a failure, you have gone too far away from God's love, you could never return... etc. Whatever Satan can do to keep you from the Father, he will lay it on.

However, in this Scripture we see the most beautiful picture of God's operation with Christians when they sin. His Holy Spirit begins to convict the heart of God's child. Unlike guilt, conviction causes you to run to the Father and repent. Christ is calling us to run away from our sin and return to Him. He longs to wipe away our sin and refresh us with His presence. That amazes me! In this Scripture He does not just promise forgiveness, He promises us His refreshing presence.

Where are you at right now? Is there a sin in your life that is keeping you from your Father's refreshing presence? Are you buried in guilt? Quit listening to the lies of Satan and start listening to the Father's own words... RETURN and He WILL wipe away your sins and refresh you with His presence. He is waiting with arms open wide.

It is time. Put on your shoes and run home.

Pull the Weeds!

Mathew 13:1-8, 24-32

I love gardening. I love the whole process, from the planting, to the tending, to the harvest. However, as I was putting in my vegetables this past week, if you could have seen me with God's eyes, you would have seen a storm cloud brewing overhead instead of happiness. I was stewing! As I feverishly turned the soil, pulled weeds and just struggled with the ground, I was listing the things in my head that I "deserved", the opportunities that were passing me by... for the love, I just wanted to go to the grocery store, sans kids, for triple coupon week! All I wanted to do is save my family money!

You get my point. We have all done it.

As I was fighting with the ground, the Holy Spirit whispered one sentence to me that literally stopped me in my tracks... "watch out for the weeds." I knew immediately what He meant.

The very nature of weeds is to destroy. To suck the life and nutrients out of the ground that needs to be sustaining plants that we want to keep. They are prevalent and they are a constant battle that you will never gain complete and lasting victory. Sound familiar? Sounds like sin.

Just as I plant tomato plants to bring forth tomatoes, so God plants us for a purpose. It is our purpose to bring forth a harvest for His kingdom and His renown. Satan desires to do nothing more than kill that harvest, and he often does it through little pieces, of sometimes overlooked, sin. Sin that if ignored will eventually suck the nutrients and life out of what we have.

For me that day, the weed of sin was my attitude of selfishness. I fell in to the trap of feeling like "I deserve ____". It is so easy to fall into. Was it too much to ask to be able to get away before 9pm to go to the grocery store by myself? Probably not. However, what was wrong was when I started to get angry at my husband, feeling like he was being selfish for working long hours, nursing feelings of neglect. Instead of feeling this way, I needed to be proud and appreciative that he was going to work to provide for our family (and I know he would so much rather be with us), I needed to be understanding and supportive during that crazy busy and stressful week. I needed to be thankful he came home to us as soon as the workday was over instead of wanting to run off and "do his own thing." I was wrong, and praise the Lord that He revealed it to me before I continued to let these feelings grow and kill the wonderful marriage the Lord has blessed me with. What are your little weeds - Things that seem insignificant, and you may be able to blame on hormones, but if you were completely honest you know it is a sin?

Sometimes we allow weeds to grow, because they seem appealing and even desirable at the time. I have lots of dirt splotches in my yard, and my original thought was green is better than dirt. However, because I left those weeds unattended over the last three years, weeds have spread all over my yard and is literally killing the grass I do have. This simple truth is a huge weapon in Satan's arsenal. In those areas of our life where we feel a void, it is so tempting to allow little things that are not healthy or best to fill that area of need. For example, maybe there is an unhealthy or unholy relationship in your life that is filling a need that you have. I don't know, but you and God do. Only the Lord can fill the voids that are in your life. It is better left alone than filled with sin that will eventually spread and kill whatever life you have.

Lastly, weeds draw nutrients and water away from the plants that they are near. God rains down upon our life blessings, talents and abilities to fulfill our purpose that He has created for us. He tells us in His Word that He will give us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Are there "weeds" in your life that are robbing your time, blessings, etc. and going against God's calling on your life. It is important to note that sometimes weeds are beautiful flowers, but they are still weeds. Sometimes things look good and even Godly, but are distracting us from where God has placed us (being a mom, being a help-mate for your husband, etc). We must closely evaluate anything that threatens the life of people/places we KNOW we are supposed to be serving to make sure that it is of the Lord.

Finally, we must be vigilant. I must pick weeds all summer long. Once picked, more will eventually come. It is a never ending battle, but I like the challenge! We must constantly evaluate our life, even in areas where we have repented, gained the victory and begun pursuing holiness. Satan is out to destroy our lives (1 Peter 5:8) and He won't stop until he succeeds or we either join the Lord in Heaven. Pray Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." After praying, stop, be still, and listen. The Holy Spirit will let you know and you just pull the weeds!

Which will you choose: Victory or Defeat?

Isaiah 41:8-13 (Click on reference to read text)

Some of you may read this and say, the passage only relates to Israel. However, in Scripture, we are told, "if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise "(Galatians 3:29). Therefore, we can look at these Scriptures and see how it applies to us.

Two weeks ago, I found myself broken, tired, stressed, depressed, and to the point of just wanting to give up. It seemed like each new day was bringing on more trouble - serious trouble- and it was just getting to the point that I wasn't sure I could handle anymore. Have you ever been there? If so, it is time we remembered just WHOSE we are!

The Lord, God of Heaven and Earth, the Creator, the Beginning and the End, the Ancient of Days, CHOSE YOU! "You whom (God) has taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its remotest parts and said to you, "you are my servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you" (vs. 9) We will quickly sink and lose our perspective when we forget this monumental, yet simple truth. You are not walking alone, you are not 1 among 6 billion people, and don't matter to anyone. You were chosen by God. He knows you so intimately that he even knows the amount of hairs on your head, nothing happens to you that escapes his notice (Matthew 10:29-31).

Second, we need to stop walking and fighting in our own strength. You did not make the world, and you don't have to fight the world! The Lord commands us, notice I said commands - not requests, mentions, or suggests - "Do not fear, for I am with you!" (vs. 10). When we allow our self to be overcome by fear, we are inevitably communicating to God that we don't think He is big enough or loves us enough to work out His best in our life. Can you imagine, telling the Father, the one who did not even spare His own Son but condemned him to die so that we may become righteous (John 3:16, 2 Cor 5:21), that He is untrustworthy?

The Lord continues to tell us, "do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely, I will help you" (vs. 10). The troubles of this world mount up when we take our eyes off Jesus and begin to "anxiously look about." It is during these times of intense warfare and struggle, that we MUST keep our eyes on Jesus. He promises that he will strengthen us and help us. We must make a conscious choice to trust Him and wait for His help (Psalms 27:14).

And now my favorite part, "For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, do not fear, I will help you" (vs. 13). The Lord holds my right hand, my strong hand. When the Lord is holding your strong hand, you cannot do the fighting. However, as he holds our strong hand, His "righteous right hand" is free. His strong hand is fighting for you. This is the place we need to be. Our eyes focused on Him and Him only, our hands clinging to his, not flailing wildly trying to defend and protect our own life/family. Here there is rest, and here there is victory.

Have all my troubles gone away, actually none of them have. The situations are still the same, however I am choosing to walk in victory, because I know the battle is not mine, the battle is the Lord's (Eph 6:11-13). Join me, LET GO and LET HIM fight, for victory belongs to the Lord! (Proverbs 21:30-31)

If you need to be encouraged, or are interested in learning more about the powerful hand of God in our life, check out these passages: Psalm 16:8, 17:7, 18:35, 37:24, 44:3, 60:5, 63:8, 73:23, 121:5-6, 139:9-10.

Real quick, I feel like I need to write the practical way this works out in "real life." First, start praising God. This puts your eyes on Him. Tell Him with your mouth, who He is, praise Him for what He is done. This glorifies Him, and strengthens you. It reminds you who He is and what He has done. There is POWER in praise. Satan cannot stand against it. Second, start praying Scripture over yourself, your situation, and your family. If you want to pray the Will of God, you need to pray the Word of God. Third, let go and just start walking. The situation may not change, but your heart can and the way you look at it can. Go about your day. Continue cleaning the house, playing with your kids... when the problem rears its ugly head, start the process all over again. You will see victory. If your situation doesn't change, your attitude can. God wants His best for you, He is sovereign and will work things out to His end. He is a loving Father, and we can trust that His will is best. It is not easy. It is a daily, hourly, minute and sometimes second by second battle. But HE HAS ALREADY WON, and if you have been washed in the blood of Christ, YOU HAVE ALREADY WON! (Romans 8:26-39)

Whose Voice Are You Listening To?

John 10:1-10 (Click on text to read Scripture)

I don't mean to attack us females, but let us be real... We can be especially bad about excusing spiritual attacks against us as emotions, mood swings, just feeling depressed, hormones, etc. However, anything that comes against you that is not the voice of the Father, is a lie! We must learn to recognize his voice and fight back against the thief.

Satan is tricky. He never walks in through the door (vs.1,5) - or sets out to attack us in the most blatant way. (Although often we leave a door of attack wide open for him to prance into by what we fill our minds with). So often we hear the voice, "you're not good enough, you're not pretty enough, you better watch your weight or those you love will no longer love you, you are not talented enough to do anything really great for God, your house is not big enough or beautiful enough to show hospitality to others, you're not desirable enough for someone to ever choose to marry you, etc." I could go on and on. Satan is tricky because he has women hearing these lies, following his voice, and dwelling on things that do not belong. We are not just having a bad day, being a little hormonal, or overly emotional. We are being attacked at the very core of who God made us to be: His beautiful daughter, His princess, the crown of creation, made in the very likeness of the Father and on whom He lavishes His love (1 John 3:1).

God knows you personally and loves you intimately. God calls you by name. God speaks comfort to you. It is important that we, as His sheep, learn the voice of our shepherd (vs. 2-4). "The thief comes to steal, to kill and to destroy, but I have come that they may have life and life to the full! (vs. 10). THIS is God's will for you! To hear His voice, to dwell on His truth and to live life to the max! By listening to the lies of Satan we can truly be missing out on following God's voice to achieve His great purpose for our lives, and to lead us to the blessings He has prepared for us.

The sheep followed the shepherd... who are you following?