Armed and Ready

In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. Proverbs 14:26 (New King James Version)

My level of confidence is proportionate to my view of and relationship to God as is my sense of security. I find that the times I am in turmoil, distress, confusion, or emotional resignation are the times my mind and eyes are no longer fixed and focused on Him. His truths must be the plumb line for my thoughts, words, and actions. It is imperative that God is my object of confidence and my place of shelter. Not just a shelter from the dangers and storms of life but from falsehoods that abound.

The enemy of my soul knows all of this. Therefore his main objective is to chip away at my connection to God. If I am not on guard to his tactics and lies, I can very easily have my confidence shaken and my outlook on many things distorted. If I am not intent on purposefully bringing my thoughts captive and in line with truth, they will actually work against me and fill my soul with a foreboding darkness.

It has been my practice to write devotionals in an honest and open way. Usually God’s instructions to me include remaining general enough so people are able to see themselves and their situations in the truth I am sharing. This morning I sense His nudging to be specific with a personal example. Yesterday’s devotional centered on walking in God’s forgiveness of past sins and mistakes and moving forward. Little did I realize when I sent it off that I would later become engaged in a four hour attack from the enemy over that very issue. He was ruthless!

While at work, the enemy fed me a lie about a past situation. His interpretation and conclusion of the event left me with a feeling of being a disappointment to the body of Christ, to myself, and even to God. I lost perspective on everything that my journey of the last three years entailed. I could not sense one moment of God’s delight in me. The darkness enveloped me until I was able to identify the enemy being at work. With the renouncing of lies and embracing of truth, my thought process became clear and my confidence and security returned…..until later in the evening when he sideswiped me again as I emailed a friend. I can reread the email I sent her and literally see where my conversation shifted and the enemy’s lies surfaced.

This morning I woke with a completely different perspective. There are no dark thoughts, no question of God’s view of me and love for me, no overwhelming sense of despair. The enemy has backed off but I know he will return. Before he resurfaces with repackaged lies I must put on the armor of Ephesians 6 and stand ready to stand in truth. I must realign myself with what God’s Word says and place my reverential trust in Him and Him alone. He is my covering for any battle that takes place today.

Father, I sustained wounds from the enemy yesterday. May I not give him such pleasure today. I take Your hand, Your Word, and Your Spirit with me into every confrontation that lies ahead. Amen.