Take Up Your Weapons and Fight!

Let's recap.  In the past posts, we have:  

*looked at what we received from Jesus-grace and mercy
*examined whether we live reacting to our flesh and what the enemy throws at us or if we choose to be proactive
*gleaned from Anna's example to live purposefully
*saw in the Word how we can come boldly before the throne of God in grace and ask our requests
*broke down why we should pray
*understood the importance of Jesus' prayer life
*learned that prayer cultivates a passion for God's presence
*realized how to guard our hearts
*pondered how the Word changes us and our situations

Now let's consider our authority...because let's face it, you can pray what is on your heart, even believe that God cares and is listening,  and welcomes you before Him, BUT, if you don't think you have a "right," you probably aren't going to pray with power.

Luke 10...¹⁸ “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! ¹⁹ Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. ²⁰ But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

When Adam and Eve made their choice to disobey God, they forfeited their authority...their power to rule and have dominion over the earth.  That power became Satan's, and the Word shows us this when we read of Satan tempting Jesus in Luke 4...⁵ Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ⁶ “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. ⁷ I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”

Thankfully, Jesus loved God more than anything else and did not cave.  Because He had spent time with the Father, He believed the Father would give Him all He needed in the end.  Jesus went on with His earth mission and we were given back authority over the enemy.

Hebrews 2...8 You gave them authority over all things.”^[c]Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. ⁹ What we do see is Jesus, who was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. ¹⁰ God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.  ¹¹ So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.^[d] 

So we see we have this authority over ALL things...nothing left out.  That's EVERYTHING!  And then we read that we have not yet seen all things put under our authority. 

Why?

Well, I believe it is not because we don't have the authority, but rather because we don't choose to PUT things under the authority we have been given and make it seen!

Here is a great, paraphrased illustration from John Bevere's book, Relentless:

A leader sends a soldier into battle, equipping him with all the best weaponry possible to defeat the enemy.  When the enemy comes, the soldier, instead of taking up his weapons and fighting, calls the leader on the phone and begs, "Oh Leader, help me!  Please help me!  The enemy is attacking!  I am so tired and just wish they would stop. Why is this happening? Oh woe is me."

The leader replies, "What?  What are you doing?  I have given you everything you need to fight these foes!  They are attacking because they want what you have, but I gave you everything you need to overcome them!  You are more than a conqueror!  Now take up your weapons and FIGHT!"

This changed me.  

I had my understanding opened to all I have been letting the enemy do to me and mine!  I don't have to tolerate or simply dodge the fiery arrows of the enemy!  NO!  I can take up every weapon that Jesus died to put in my hands and I can reign over the enemies of my soul!

Yes, they are mad.  Yes, they want what I have!  

What do I have that they don't?  Forever forgiveness, unending love, high favor, great blessing...and unbroken communion with the Creator of All.

I have what the enemy of God can never, ever get back and so, heck yeah, they want to wear me down!  We can very easily see what comes from the enemy and what comes from God by using this verse: John 10:10...The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

You can bet if something feels like it is being stolen from you or will kill or destroy you, God isn't doing it!  Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father. There is NO darkness in God.  He is not evil to His children.

In the Old Testament under the old covenant (the law), God did punish.  Jesus had not come to take on the sin of mankind yet.  But, under the new covenant of grace, God no longer seeks to pour out His wrath on you!  He sees Jesus in your place, who is constantly making intercession on your behalf...reminding the Father that your debt has been paid in full.

Don't fear God...reverence and honor Him.  Thank Him for grace and mercy that you cannot fathom, but rest in it.  Don't be afraid of Him and His anger toward you because Jesus took care of it! 

Absolutely do not use grace as a license to sin or justify sin!  Jesus certainly didn't die for that!  But, show your love for Him by obeying what the Word says and bring glory to His wisdom and ways.  His Word is meant to guide us and protect us and lead us into abundant life!

Inside Out

I didn't grow up having prayer modeled for me.  I didn't go to any powerful prayer meetings or have parents that prayed in front of me.  I wasn't quite sure what prayer should look like or sound like.

After I studied the life of Jesus and saw how important prayer was in His life, I knew I needed to practice it, but the how eluded me.

In the beginning years of marriage, we went through some pretty rough spots.  All things that could have been prevented with some good discipleship when we were younger, but we had made choices and the consequences were not pleasant.

You know how in your selfishness you often see all the flaws of the other person, but justify your own thoughts, feelings, and actions?  I used to get so aggravated with my husband.  I thought if God could just fix him we would be fine!

It's so laughable now.  Goodness that man put up with a lot from me.  I was so blinded of my own shortcomings!  But God is good, and when I cried out for help, He sure met me where I was.

He led me to a book called The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian.  I will be honest that I actually, literally threw it down three times!  I couldn't believe I bought a book about praying for my husband (you know, who had the problems) and this woman was telling me in the first chapter to forget about his junk and look at mine!  Maybe she had junk, but I wasn't "our" problem.  

Yeah right!  Boy did I get and need an eye opener.

You know what I learned though, as I read this life-changing book?  That we all have issues...that usually we are blind to them...that true 1 Corinthians 13 love covers a multitude of sins.

At the end of each chapter in the book, the author had a prayer written that you could pray.  The prayers were saturated with Scripture.  That is how I learned to pray God's Word over my life and other people.

God's Word is His will.  You can't go wrong when you pray what God says.  It is true.  And He tells us in Isaiah 55:11 It is the same with my word.  I send it out, and it always produces fruit.  It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

God's Word is living and powerful and will accomplish His will and not come back void of good fruit.

As I meditated on the Word, let my character be shown in the light of it, and let my mind be transformed, my patience and compassion grew for my husband.  I learned to be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem.

The enemy and my flesh had me blinded, but the light of God's Word opened my eyes of understanding.  Truth set me free and changed me.  

Pray God's Word over your life.  Let your ears hear God's view and wisdom.  Let it change you from the inside out.  Watch it accomplish His will!

Prayers of Thanksgiving Guard the Heart

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Here it is!  This is the verse that God anointed with revelation to my heart in the last couple of years!

How many of us know this one?  We can quote it...probably even know a couple different songs with it!

We have heard it in sermons, had others encourage us with it, probably felt guilty by it!  But, I want to shout this out:  if you can really get what God is saying in these two verses, you can change your daily life!

All that I have been sharing in previous posts culminates right here!

Let's break it down.

DO NOT be anxious...okay, not a suggestion here.  Don't!  Do not!  

Don't waste your time being anxious-worried, troubled, but in EVERY SINGLE THING, by prayers and requests WITH THANKSGIVING, talk to God.

THEN, the peace of God...which goes beyond what makes sense to you, will guard your heart and mind.

Now, link this to that famous portion of Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

I had never seen these verses linked together.  Above all the other wisdom being poured out in Proverbs, we are told to guard our heart.  I always wondered how to do that!

NOW I know the how...by choosing to not allow myself to get anxious about anything, but turning every thought into a prayer of thanksgiving so the peace of God can reign in my heart and mind.  

My choices allow God to be exalted above my troubles and guard my heart so that what flows from it, will produce good fruit.  

Try to live like this each hour of each day.  I dare you!!!