Do you realize that every battle that you face is a battle between darkness and light? For we do not wrestle again flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places'. Ephesians 6:12 This is hand-to-hand combat and it's real. Satan wants nothing better than to deceive you into thinking that you are in this thing all by yourself. That you are strong enough to fight your own battles. He wants you to think that you are actually in control of what happens to you. So if I can get into an argument with my spouse or my friend or my co-worker and I end up on top, than I've won. If I don't forgive, under the pretense that I am not going to be left looking like a fool, than I've won. One thing I learned a long time ago is that the devil is not stupid. What did he say when the Lord asked him where He had come from in the book of Job? He was roaming to and fro seeking (Job 1:7) someone to devour (I Peter 5:8) I can only imagine that if Job had not been prepared to STAND, what the devil might have done to him. This is no different than what He desires to do to us. As Christians we cannot be fooled by those that look like us, sound like us, act like us. And more importantly we have to make sure that we don't allow the devil to use us in his plan. Every time we choose to rely on our own emotions and feelings instead of really asking ourselves, What would Jesus have me to do in this situation? What is it that He would have me to say?"
I must share with you an incident that occurred not too long ago in my life. My emotions were getting the best of me and I knew that the next words that were to come out of my mouth were not going to be 'what Jesus would have me to say' so I begin to pray....Let the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight,O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. I started praying silently and my spirit kept saying just be quiet Ramona and I did. I did not want the situation to get out of control or to the point of no return. I did not want my hurt and pain to cause me to become angry and bitter. I did not want my behavior to hurt my testimony, to be a stumbling block for someone who may not be as strong as me in their Christian walk. Because I begin praying, things did not get out of hand and I praise God that He helped me to be the bigger person in that situation. This has not always been the case. Satan desires nothing more than to sift us as wheat. He is trying his best to cover up the light that shines from you because of the One that lives in you. One thing that I have learned is that spiritual warfare is real. The way to win is to put on the whole armor of God. It's not enough to put on the belt of truth alone. You must also have your breastplate of righteousness, and that still isn't enough. To that you must have your feet must be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God. Since we are not fighting flesh and blood we cannot fight with carnal weapons. 'For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds II Corinthians 10:4 Since you know what you're up against, why not do all that you can to be totally prepared for battle.
Most Gracious Heavenly Father,
Thank you for Your Word. Thank you because it is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Thank you for the way it guides me into the way of all truth. Thank you that it continues to make me better as I read and study it and hide it in my heart. I confess that I have not always taken up the full armor of God in order to stand against the wiles of the devil. I have went to battle unprepared. Today Lord I am taking on the full armor of God. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that dwells within me and shows me Satan's attacks for what they are and also reminds me that You, O Lord have already won the war and because of this my name is victory. All praise, honor and glory I give to thee. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.
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