The Targeted Place of Attack

Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 1 Peter 2:11 (New American Standard Bible)

The truth I must realize and embrace is that my unhealthy lusts, desires, passions, impulses, and longings can have an effect on my soul. My soul is that which houses my mind, will, and emotions. I am an emotional person. So much of what I do and think about is driven by my emotions. Once those emotions are ignited, the heat and flames are actually coming against my soul which is as much a real part of me as my skin and bones. What I think about, determine to do, and strongly feel are all birthed out of my soul. Affect my soul and you affect those three components of my soul.

The enemy knows this. God’s Word is clear that my daily battles are more against him than against my flesh or anyone else’s flesh and his target is my soul. He can’t reach my spirit because my spirit is already seated at the right hand of God in Christ. My spirit is alive in Christ and connected to Christ. It is not a place the enemy can touch but my soul is another story all together. If he is able to gain some ground in that area, he is able to effectively bring about some painful consequences and sinful behavior.

This is a more serious problem than whether or not something bothers me or my feelings get hurt. So often, those consumes my attention and energy. God is inviting me to see the bigger picture. It is the attack upon my soul that robs me of peace, joy, and contentment. It is the attack upon my soul that spirals me into pits of darkness. It is the attack upon my soul that causes me to withdraw into places of pain and back away from God given sources of encouragement. Most importantly, it is the attack upon my soul that makes me unproductive and limited within God’s kingdom work.

So how do I counter the attacks? First, I stand on the premise that the battle belongs to the Lord. That includes the fighting of that battle and the outcome. Second, I ready myself with the armor of Ephesians 6:13-18. Third, I stand in truth and resist the lies. Fourth, I connect daily to God and God’s people. Fifth, I renew my thinking with truthful thoughts. Sixth, I place my dependency and focus upon God more than upon myself and others.

It is going to be a busy day as God and I stand guard over my soul. When I come to the end of this day and retire for the evening I want to hear Him whisper to me, “Well, done, my good and faithful servant!”

Father, the puzzle piece of truth You gave to me this morning is a powerful one. Keep teaching me and showing me the truths that will protect me and set me free. Amen.

The Battle Belongs to The Lord - Spiritual Warfare
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DMZ8D6nTKhg

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.

Contending With the Giants

For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. Romans 7:15 (New American Standard Bible)

We are not told what Paul’s actual struggles consisted of but whenever I read Romans 7, I can relate with what he is saying. There are times I want to just throw up my hands and say, “God, I do not understand myself!” Just when I think I have a certain area under control or mastered it rears its ugly head and shows me it is very much alive and well. Tonight I realized and admitted the existence of sleeping giants within me. They seem to sleep soundly until something arouses them and then the battle begins.

For me, the giants consist of feelings of shame, vulnerability, insignificance, and confusion. What awakens them are moments of disappointment, loneliness, unmet needs, and crushed expectations. Seeing them as giants and seeing what awakens them has helped me to finally fight them the same way David fought Goliath……come against them in the strength of the Lord. Use His Word and truth as my weapons. I don’t have to let their presence scare me or throw me off balance anymore.

I know when a tendency in me has died or been transformed by the power of God and I also know when that is far from the case. It use to send me reeling to see that I would have to contend with certain things on an on going basis……..maybe for the rest of my life. The simple truth is that I possess a sin nature, live in a fallen world, and will always have giants to face. David once again becomes my example. He fought Goliath ONCE and it was over, but he spent years running from King Saul. Either way, God gave continual victory.

My hope is renewed by these truths. I am not a basket case nor am I a lost cause. I am simply a child of God who must continue to take the stance of a warrior and face the battles as they come. As long as I stay honest and open with God and use the war tactics and armor He has provided for me I will be triumphant.

Father, there are times I am not sure I am doing things right and then You come along with the wisdom, counsel, and direction I need. I praise You! Amen.

Keys For Kingdom Living

You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. Deuteronomy 13:4 (New American Standard Bible)

Today’s verse is nestled among warnings to Israel to not allow anyone to seduce them away from God. His words to them are meant for our ears as well. I see them as a prescription for victorious living and ignoring them spells defeat for any of us. They are meant to be taken as a whole in order to prevent becoming obsessed or unbalanced with any one aspect. They are descriptive of a life lived in relationship with God and dependence upon God. To each of us who know Him as Savior, He whispers, “Follow Me, reverence Me, obey Me, listen to Me, serve Me, and cling to Me.” For if we reverence, listen to, and cling to God the result will be obedience and service. Not mustered up in our own strength but brought about by the Spirit who lives in us.

So I am asking God what it is that hinders this from happening on a consistent basis. His answers to me are numerous and have only begun to scratch the surface. For starters, it is identifying the tactics of the enemy and implementing warfare against him. I must realize that ANYTHING I harbor in my heart is fair game for him to use and abuse. Be it anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, jealousy, self pity, fear, ingratitude, or pride, it is imperative that I confess it and release it to God. It requires a continual inventory on my part as well as aggressive “house-cleaning.”

It is also necessary to see the importance of my words. This entails calling the enemy on his attempts against me and proclaiming the truths of Scripture against him. He should never be allowed to have the last word! Each time he approaches the door of my mind with his banner of lies and distortions I have the authority to say “no” and turn him away. But that is only part of the story. I must also proclaim the truths and praises about my Heavenly Father! To do so is empowering!

Finally, I must see the difference between needing God’s healing and deliverance for areas that are out of my control, and walking in cooperation and obedience in areas for which I have a choice. Attitudes of my heart and mind (which drive my actions and words) must be aligned with God’s truth and I must follow His prescription for walking and standing in victory.

Father, I confess I have given ground to the enemy and walked in defeat when all the while You have invited me to join You! I take Your message to heart and ask that You continue to transform my life through Your Spirit and Word as well as the renewal of my mind. Amen.

Fight For Me

Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to Debir, and they fought against it. He captured it and its king and all its cities, and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed every person who was in it. He left no survivor. Joshua 10:38,39 (New American Standard Bible)

The phrases stood out to me like bright, flashing neon lights. Throughout the tenth chapter of Joshua I see the repeated message….fought against, captured, struck down, utterly destroyed, no survivor. Taking possession of the promised land entailed many battles but none were fought and won without the instructions, direction, assistance, and partnership of God. Not once were they left on their own to defeat the enemies. A few times, God did all the fighting for them but many times they were called upon to enter the battle and wield the swords. City after city fell to complete annihilation. I want such victory!

This morning I am voicing but one request to God, “Fight for me. Destroy the enemy within me.” The very thing that keeps cropping up in my life is what I want to see put to death and I am desiring that God does that for me. Some would say I must do it myself. Their words would feel like I am being sent to the battlefield of my soul on my own. I need God to help me do what I am struggling to do. I am asking Him to help me conquer and defeat the very thing I am holding on to. To help me open my hands in release. To help me let go from my heart. To kill what I have kept alive.

There was a time in my Christian life when I had no idea I could bring such a request to God. I felt He wouldn’t hear or help. But He has shown me His heart and in seeing that, I have learned to be honest and transparent before Him. His Word assures me of the perfection and display of His strength in my weakness. His hope in my hopelessness. His willingness to fight for me when I am over whelmed and over run. I am not giving up. I am simply asking Him to carry me until His courage infuses me once again. I want to embrace the journey He has for me and allow Him to bring in and take out of my life all that entails. My unwillingness in certain areas of submission and trust is the backdrop for my cry for help to Him. I am in need of Him to put to death in me the desire that still pulsates with life until it is no longer breathing (Joshua 11:14). I am asking Him to put within me the desire to fight. To release what needs to be released and embrace what needs to be embraced. To hunger for Him and His will above my own. He knows the heart behind my words as well as the places of fear. He knows I can’t see beyond right now and that my faith is shaky. And He reminds me that He is not only my Rock but my Shepherd. He will supply what I lack.

Father, You fought some of the battles in their entirety for the children of Israel. I call upon You to do the same for me now. Amen.

Continual Preparation

When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:19b (New King James Version)

Sometimes the enemy makes sneak attacks. They have been planned out for days or even weeks and at the right moment he strikes. Other times the attack is so blatant and head on it literally feels like an overwhelming flood has hit. I find it interesting that the word flood can also imply an undercurrent. Growing up near Lake Michigan I often heard of the under toes that could pull a swimmer down quickly and the result could be tragic. Being caught off guard and unprepared was deadly for some. Spiritually speaking we must stay alert and knowledgeable to our adversary. We must know the places he tends to visit and the things he is most likely to use against us. He thrives on our ignorance of him and his techniques.

We also must stay aware of God’s actions at such times. At the time of attacks, He will lift up a standard against our enemy. This has the idea of putting one to flight and providing an escape. The enemy is put to flight and I am given a way to escape. I like that! It comforts me to know I never face a battle alone. God fights for me and with me! Without that awareness I sink all too quickly and wonder if I will ever come up for air. But that is not God’s intent. He wants to grow me up in the grace and knowledge of Himself. He wants to develop my spiritual muscles and teach my hands how to war successfully. He wants to teach me how to use the armor He has provided and to stand with boldness and confidence in Him.

I am currently learning another powerful truth. With each battle and in between the battles I am being prepared for the next one that hits. When an attack comes, I am better at fighting than I was for the last one. I take some blows, yes, but the devastation is not as profound and the duration is not as long. Discouragement over the fact that I am still engaged in the same types of battles is being replaced by the truth that I am not fighting against flesh and blood……..even when it is my own…….but I am fighting against principalities and powers and rulers in high places. I am learning to define the battle which is often easily camouflaged by the enemy. It is called discernment, walking in truth, and taking a firm stand on the battlefield. If tears are going to fall let them fall amidst praise of what I know God is doing! May God continue to awaken in me the Spirit of a true warrior child!

Father, this recent attack served as preparation for the next one. I raise my shield of faith and sword of the Spirit once again. This battle is Yours and so am I. Amen.

How Do I Do That?

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (New American Standard Bible)

I find great difficulty in doing something that I don’t understand. For years I have heard I should take my thoughts captive but failed to understand exactly what that meant and how to go about doing it. I would hear illustrations, like when a cowboy ropes a calf or when a soldier takes a prisoner hostage, but the pictures didn’t show me HOW. I had learned the source of my damaging thoughts and imaginations was myself and the enemy but I was finding myself with more failure than victory in the area of “taking the thoughts captive.” It seemed for a while I would guard myself against the thoughts entering but if the enemy remained persistent I usually ended up dwelling on wrong thoughts and going down a mental and emotional trail that led to pits, dungeons, and prison cells of great proportion. Then the thoughts of hopelessness and “you will never change” would set in and defeat would be the only picture that hung over my horizon.

God knows better and He desires better for me! First, He began assuring me that He was exposing this area in my life to show me what He wanted to transform and then He reminded me that He always finishes what He starts. What eventually came to me was a very simple yet powerful prayer that WORKS every time I speak it and it comes right from today’s verse. At first, when a thought came to mind that I knew was not of God and not good for me, I simply said, “I take that thought captive to Jesus Christ.” And instantly the thought was gone! Now I have begun adding to that phrase and finding joy in the anticipation that it will work every time. I have prayed it several times already this morning and want to share with you an example of what my prayer now entails.

“I take that thought captive to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is based on a lie rather than truth. I choose to think on what is true. I have the mind of Christ and God’s Spirit living in me. Purify my thoughts and my motives, Father. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

Whether the thought is based on lies, jealousy, insecurities, feelings of abandonment, suspicion, or any number of things, I know now to identify it and state the victorious opposite. May this help others as much as it has helped me.

Father, it is so essential that I handle my thoughts in the right way. Dwelling on the right things and taking captive the wrong things is one huge key to victory for me. Thank you for continuing to transform my life and my walk with You. Amen.

Learning How to Fight

We are not able to go up against this people, for they are too strong for us. Numbers 13:31 (New American Standard Bible)

These words were spoken by ten of the twelve spies upon returning from their forty day assignment in the land of Canaan. The land God had promised to bring them into and cause them to possess. But what they saw with their eyes and believed in their heart resulted in fear, unbelief, and disobedience. In other words, they embraced lies rather than truth! For any of us, that spells danger and disaster every time! If only they had embraced God’s promises to them and reviewed the past deliverances He afforded them. If only we would do the same!

I am becoming acutely aware of the persistence of the enemy to introduce many negative thoughts to me or exaggerate the ones I come up with on my own. Like the children of Israel, I come to believe the very things I should reject and the longer I dwell on those things the more powerful the stronghold becomes. I can tell when this is happening because my mind becomes filled with negative, condemning, fearful, hopeless, frustrating, and confusing thoughts. It is a trap he loves setting for me and delights when I step into it and remain in it. Any time I voice the words of Numbers 13:31 over a situation in my life I can be sure I have exchanged God’s truth for Satan’s lies.

After a two day battle, I finally decided it was time to change my position. It was time to become savvy and discerning in regards to the activities of my mind and those of the enemy. I knew that my primary need was to flesh out the truth of taking my thoughts captive but sometimes that concept can seem intimidating and elusive. So I googled the phrase “taking thoughts captive” and discovered a treasure cove of articles that had rich information for me to feed on. I learned some things about the enemies tactics, the things in me that he uses, and the power of using my Ephesians 6 armor to resist him.

Already this morning I have been aware of several attempts he has made to walk me down a path of emotional turmoil and each attempt was met with resistance and a closed door. I am amazed at how ineffective his schemes are when I apply the truth of God’s word, stand on the promises of God’s word, and wield my sword (God’s Word) at every lie and distortion.

Father, You invite me to stand against the schemes of the enemy and take every thought captive. I want to become a valiant soldier on the battleground of my mind. Teach me! Amen.

No Longer a Sitting Duck

Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times, for the enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (Amplified Bible)

In Hind’s Feet on High Places, Much-Afraid is warned not to allow her cousin, Craven Fear, to paint a picture on the screen of her imagination. The same warning applies to each of us when it comes to an area of attack by our enemy, Satan. I find that the most frequently attacked place in my life is in my mind….my thoughts.

I have been awake for about 40 minutes. I spent the first half hour listening to some music on the radio. Christian music! And already the enemy was attempting to paint many scenes on the canvas of my mind. Although the sun has not yet risen on this day, the battle is on and I have determined to not let him succeed in his attempt to walk me down the spiraling staircase of despair, discouragement, and doubt. I have already put on God’s armor which is listed in Ephesians 6 and the moment I recognize the enemy’s introduction of thoughts I take action. For I have come to realize while all negative, shaming, condemning, harmful thoughts are introduced by him, it is my choice whether to believe and dwell on them or renounce them as lies, caste them down, and walk in the truth and light of God’s Word.

Yesterday was a different story. I did not stay vigilant, cautious, and alert to the schemes of the enemy. For as soon as I stopped rejecting his thoughts and started dwelling on them I lost the battle. I raised no shield of faith. I wielded no sword of the Spirit. I put up no resistance. It was like I had propped open the door to my mind and allowed him to bring in whatever thoughts he chose. The result was glee for him and despair for me! But I have a faithful God who desires that I learn from it. Through a friend, I was reminded that the negative, condemning thoughts ALWAYS come from the enemy and it is my responsibility to stop him through prayer, Scripture, taking thoughts captive, and fleshing out Philippians 4:8. That realization awakened in me a desire to fight. I am not to be a sitting duck on the battle field. I am a warrior child of the King of kings! I have armor and weapons to use. I know who my enemy is and I am aware of what he has been doing. It is now my choice to stand up to him with the authority God has given me and walk in victory with my head held high. It will not stop his attacks but it will make it harder for him to be successful!

Father, I stand in agreement with You on who my enemy is and how he is to be fought. May I no longer allow him access to my mind or entertain the thoughts he introduces. Help me to stand guard, use the weapons of warfare, and walk in victory. Amen.

A Different Battle Tactic

For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:5 (Amplified Bible)

Ask anyone who has been a Christian for any length of time and they will testify to the fact that we are in a battle. Whether it is in the spiritual, physical, or emotional realm of life we are often engaged in battle daily with either the world, the flesh, or the devil. Realizing this truth does not necessarily make it easy but at least it allows us to know who we are fighting against. But that is only half the story. Not only are we in a battle but we have weapons to use while fighting. Ephesians 6 lists the armor we are to put on daily….armor that is both offensive and defensive. There is also the power found in learning to pray Scripture and along with that learning to use our God-given authority. The list goes on and on. It boils down to warfare praying and warfare living.

So I was taken back yesterday when in the midst of what I knew to be an attack, God revealed another aspect that was new for me. As thoughts became dark and emotions ran wild, I sensed His invitation to hide in Him until the storm passed. Rather than a time to fight it became a time to rest. I will be honest with you, I didn’t know that was ever an option. And it worked! In the midst of the battlefield, He became my hiding place and shelter. And within that shelter, He exposed issues of my heart that needed to be addressed. Rather than fight the external forces, He was leading me to deal with some internal forces. And what were they? Fears, disappointments, loneliness, discomfort, wounds. Unless confronted and dealt with they would fester. God in His wisdom removed this soldier from the fight just as a wounded soldier would be removed from the battlefield.

For the entire day I stayed hidden. And when the night fell, the words of honesty poured from my mouth just as the tears fell from my eyes. As the depths of my heart were exposed, His healing balm was applied. What followed was a good night’s rest and a sense of refreshment when I woke. My internal world feels like the calm after the storm. I can almost smell the rain. When my eyes landed on today’s verse I KNEW that was what God had done and I am in awe of Him!

I am always amazed when I turn a spiritual corner and learn a new aspect of God and how He works. He is definitely a God of variety and victory. And I take that truth with me into a new day.

Father, there is so much about You that I still do not know. Thank you for the intentional ways You reveal yourself to me. Amen.

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.

Imperative Reminders

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:10,11 (New International Version)

God is whispering reminders to me this morning. He knows I have been struggling because I have actually forgotten all three of the things He is now bringing to my mind. He is not being harsh. He is being serious yet tender. It is His way of saying, “Pam, it doesn’t have to be like this. Once again, step into the truth of My Word. I have not only good things for you…I have victory available for you.” How I praise Him for His persistence and His patience in getting me to understand I must be aware of my strength, my enemy, and my means of protection and defense.

First of all, my strength is found in Him. It is His strength and His mighty power that give me the ability to stand in victory! My dependency must be on Him and in Him rather than in what I can muster up on my own. The Christian life is not meant to be lived out of self effort, perfected behavior, and impeccable performance. That will only result in draining me. God’s Spirit resides in me to give me all that I need to live victorious in Him. In every area of weakness I must cry out to Him for the strength needed. He is not only ready and willing to give it to me, He is abounding with delight!

Secondly, I have an enemy and his name is Satan. He knows where I am weak, wounded, and vulnerable. He also knows which weapons to use against me. It is essential that I become wise to his ways, otherwise I become a sitting duck to his attacks. I am learning to detect his fingerprints amidst the circumstances of my life. When I find myself feeling discouraged, confused, or defeated, I can count on the fact that he is working against me. When my thoughts are consumed with losses, emptiness, and aloneness, I can be sure he is introducing his interpretation of things to me. How he must dance in glee at any child of God who is ignorant of him and his ways.

Thirdly, I am to daily stand in truth, His righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, His Word, and prayer. If I am not making a daily, conscious effort to put on the armor God has made available to me, I do not stand a chance against the powers of darkness and spiritual forces that abound! The armor is listed in Ephesians 6:14-18. God invites each one of us to take it up, put it on, and fight the good fight of faith as victorious warriors! Will we do it? I pray so!

Father, I needed Your reminder this morning. My defeats come only when I fail to remember and act upon Your Word. I choose today to know where my strength lies, who my enemy is, and what my armor of defense is. Amen.

The Necessity of Zero Tolerance

Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27 KJV

The tears are flowing as I write this devotional this morning. I am so moved by God’s desire and ability to get us to understand truth. His truth. How tainted our life becomes when we allow the enemy of our soul to distort, malign, misinterpret, and sabotage any of God’s truth. Truth about Himself, about us, and about others. Everything that comes into our life is fair game for his spin as far as he is concerned. He will stop at nothing to get us to see life through his grid of lies rather than God’s grid of truth. He will use things from our past (be it wounds, hurts, losses, disappointments), things from our present, and even imagined things from our future. His intent is to destroy us and God’s work through us.

I called a friend last night and we talked about how easily and persistently the enemy can get to us through negative thinking. I shared with her how the entire day had been spent fighting off the messages that just kept coming. As long as I came against the thoughts with Scripture and prayer I was okay. But by mid afternoon I gave place to him. One unguarded thought and the whirlwind hit! Everything I thought I had so effectively fought off came back with a vengeance. For I had simply been holding it at bay instead of enacting spiritual warfare. There is such a difference between those two things. The phone conversation helped me to see that.

When I do not take authority over the enemy and thoroughly demolish the strongholds and attacks, his fingerprints are all over the place. My life becomes chaotic with confusion, discouragement, hopelessness, and darkness. I become uncertain about God’s direction in my life and my devotion to Him. I question the authenticity of my journey. This thinking sets me up for the enemy’s well thought out plan. He begins to introduce me to options I can take. How dangerous it would be to take them.

I say all of this to remind myself and others of the necessity to be on guard. We cannot afford to give him the tiniest spot of opportunity to move in and set up residence in our thoughts, actions, words, or relationships. And if we have already given him that “place” we must take the steps to remove him. I experienced his glee of “victory” over me yesterday but today I “stand strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10).

Father, I bear some bruises from the enemy and am in need of Your balm of healing! Continue teaching me how to fight the good fight! Amen.

Fighting the Deliberate Attacks

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High. Daniel 7:25 (KJV)

While these words speak of the Antichrist they also depict the words and wishes of my enemy, Satan. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:1 to put on the full armor of God in order to stand against the schemes of the Devil. But if we are not aware of the tactics that he uses against us, our “stand” will be incomplete and ineffective. Much like today’s fight against terrorism, a nation can stand watchful of military attacks but miss the setting up of cell groups within hometowns. Today, God is showing me two of the many schemes of His enemy and mine.

Since his fall from Heaven, Satan has taken every possible occasion to speak words against God. He is the father of lies and seeks any opportunity to slander, malign, criticize, and smear God’s character, heart, and Word. He will twist and distort any event, circumstance, or incident in our life to speak an untruth about the most High. He will attempt to put the faces of countless people on God as a way of convincing us thatHe is different from who He says He is. That is why we must bring every accusation back to the Bible and demolish it with the truth!

Here is one way to do that. Take the lie he is telling you and think of the opposite word for it. If he says God is cruel, think of the word kindness. Then go to http://www.biblegateway.com/ and put in that word. You will be given every verse in the Bible that mentions kindness and numerous versions to read them from. With those verses as your truth you can affectively stand against his lies.

The other tactic is in attempting to wear us out. It is not always a flash flood he uses. Many times it is the slow drip of negative thoughts, disappointments, discouragement, losses, fears, insecurities, and failures that wear away at our resolve and stance. The cumulative effect of these over time does wear us down if we do not stay connected to God and resort to times of intimate fellowship with Him. Many times for me it takes going for a walk, shedding the tears, crying out for His help and wisdom, and realigning myself with the truth of His Word in order to be built up again. God will graciously show me where the enemy has chipped away at my soul and then He faithfully begins the internal repair work.

Father, keep me aware of the necessity of You! Amen.

Learning to Fight Back

The enemy boasted, “I will pursue, I will overtake them. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword and my hand will destroy them.” Exodus 15:9 (NIV)

These words were voiced by the Egyptians as they proclaimed their intentions toward God’s chosen people. I can sense the venom in their words and the thirst for blood in their eyes as they spewed out their supposed conquest and victory. Of course, I delight to know that their threats were undone as they sank to the bottom of the Red Sea in the presence of their intended victims. The celebration of God’s people was profound that day.

God’s Word says that I too have an enemy. He is like a roaring lion and He is out to completely destroy me! Not just disturb, not just bother, not just intimidate….DESTROY! And he delights in his plan. I went to a Prayer Mapping event this weekend and saw so clearly the tactics he uses and the agenda he has. But I also learned how to fight him. I learned how to use my God-given authority to stand up to him. I learned the power of declaring God’s Word over each attack. I learned I don’t have to allow him to take up residence in my territory any longer.

For over forty years, he has delighted in the fact that I was unaware of his methods and schemes. He knew I was not putting on my armor each day and that I didn’t even know what the pieces represented for me. I was like the person standing on the battlefield confused and unprotected because I didn’t know who my greatest enemy was, what weapons were available for me, or how to use the weapons.

His greatest attack and subsequent victories over me have been in the area of my thoughts. How he has twisted and distorted the truth about God, about others, about myself, about my circumstances, and about the design, calling, and gifts of God on my life. In the past I simply tried to ignore him and hoped he would go away. Today I have come out with my armor on and fully intent on using it! He has messed with this daughter of the King far too freely and for far too long. The fight is on!!!

Father, how You must have grieved to see me walk through my days never using the armor or weapons You made so available. You knew the wounds I was sustaining were not necessary (so did the enemy). Now I know it as well! Amen.