So here I have been trying to get my work done, but all I seemed to be able to do was sigh and go... "I don't wana" or something like that. This life in Christ is not all a bed of roses. There are battles with both defeats and victories. Sometimes the enemy lands a few blows, other times we give him a good whack back in the Name, power and authority of Jesus.
I am finding that I need to remember day by day, hour by hour, who I am in Christ. I spent a fair amount of my life living apart from Christ, now that I am living for him, my old habits try to assert themselves off and on. When I am living and knowing who I am... no matter what I face it seems doable. But when I am living in the ways of the flesh, suddenly it gets quite hard. Hmmm maybe there is a lessen here. I think that is what yesterday and today was all about. I was trying to persevere, but I was trying to do it in my own strength... much as I have lived most of my life. Today with a little encouragement for a little bird... a.k.a. Emily, I was reminded to look to Christ for my strength. I spent some time on my face in prayer. Spent another half hour or so in my prayer journal, declaring the truth of my life in Christ and wala... I'm doing better. I still have aches and pains. I still have the enemy after me.. but I am no longer weary of fighting him. I am no longer complaining about my situation. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I am so grateful for my brothers and sisters in the faith who stand by me and remind me of who I am in Christ. I may not like it at the moment, but I have learned to listen when someone like my wife says, "What are you confessing? Is it life or defeat? What are you hearing, is it the voice of the accuser, your own voice or the voice of the Good Shepherd? What are you believing?"
Jesus says his sheep will know his voice. I know the voice of my Lord and Savior. I know what He would say to me. So then... whose voice will I listen to. Sometimes we just repeat what we are use to hearing or saying. I heard it said that our brain is stupid, it only believes what you tell it, and you only feel what you think? So what are you listening to? What are you repeating to yourself? Are you repeating how defeated you are or are you repeating that you are a child of the King and that He has redeemed you for his purposes through Jesus Christ? We believe what we are told. If someone... especially someone in a parental role has told us we are junk, then we may find ourselves believing it. In my case that wasn't the case. I don't know why I ended up believing I was defeated and couldn't do much, but I did and it is that voice that all to often comes back to haunt me. Some days I choose, out of habit, to believe it. This morning I was in such a place. Now I am not. A sister in Christ, spoke the truth over me and now I am giving the devil a dose of God's truth... I am more than an overcomer. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I am the Lord's beloved. He has paid for ALL my sins. He will not allow anyone or anything to pluck me out of his hand. Nothing can separate me from His Love. Nothing I face or struggle with is anything different from what other people struggle with and God is faithful, He will help me when I struggle and help me find a solution so escape it.
So having said all this.. be encouraged... If God is for you who can stand against you. If neither angels or demons can separate you from the Love of God, do not fear. Even if your feelings or the voices in your head are telling you different, stand firm, declare the truth and overcome all that opposes you. You are a child of the King. You are victorious in Christ. Your future is assured in Him, so remain in Him. He is our Lord. He is our Savior. Submit to Him, declare your position in Him, and resist the devil and he MUST flee from you! Be encouraged again I say. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice in it.
In Him,
P.A.
No comments:
Post a Comment