Warfare, Part 1: Who are we fighting against?

Spiritual Warfare is a thing that people are either very well aware of or not aware of at all.  It is a significant part of our life, even if we don’t want it to be.

The Spiritual War started before the creation of mankind.  Satan was originally known as Lucifer or the Angel of Light – he was God’s most glorious angel.  Long story short (if you don’t know the story), Satan became entranced by his own beauty, became prideful and obsessed with himself and decided that he wanted to be God.  So, he and one-third of the angels in heaven warred against God.  As result of his rebellion, he was cast out of heaven along with the other third of the angels that had rebelled.  Since then, he has become as hideous as his nature and has been at war with God and everything that God loves.

Enter mankind, Adam and Eve, who were made in the very image of God and whom God created for the very purpose of being in extraordinary relationship with Himself.  Enter the serpent (Satan) who tempted Adam and Eve to do the very thing he himself did to be cast out of heaven.  Eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and you will become like God.  You will know what God knows and be like Him.

As we know, the temptation was successful and we, as the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, fell out of perfect union with God.  God has since been at work restoring that broken relationship with us, coming after our hearts and lives at all costs (offering Jesus, His Beloved Son, as a ransom for us) in the Ultimate Campaign of restoration, redemption and victory. 

As God’s beloved, there are those of us who know we are His and a part of this battle as it rages on.  People who don't know that they are His are equally part of the battle - they just have no idea why life isn't going the way they had hoped!  God warns us that Satan is real and is our enemy, repeatedly in the Bible. 

John 10:10 is where Jesus tells us, “the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.  And I have come that you would have life, in abundance, to the full, until it overflows.”

Then, 1 Peter 5:8-9 says:

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Lastly, we know from Ephesians 6:10-12 who our battle is against:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³

In these passages of Scripture, several things are clear: 1) we have an enemy; 2) he seeks to kill, steal, destroy and devour us, in any way that he can; and 3) the enemy is spiritual, not flesh and blood.

Why I have titled this blog entry “Who are we fighting against?” is because we can tend to see people in our lives as the source of the problem (because circumstances and situations are often “caused” by people).  People are responsible for their actions and that is for sure.  However, when you are struggling with a person and their bad (or even appalling) behavior, you need to pay attention to who your enemy is.  This is equally true if the person who is behaving badly is yourself!  It is not that person, rather it is the enemy of your soul and theirs, who is the enemy.  The enemy will influence people to behave badly – all people.  He will plant a seed, whisper to them reminding them of past wounds (how or who wronged them and that the wrong was maybe never “right-ed”), get them to make agreements about those wounds and who is to blame and ultimately, give the enemy (unknowingly) authority to have a stronghold in that person’s mind and heart.  That person then starts wreaking havoc out of this agreement made with the enemy, completely unaware that this is what he or she is doing.

So, what do we do about this?  I will get into more of the story later, but, for starters, look for the agreement and renounce it (if it is you) or help your brother or sister to see that they are (or might be) making an agreement.  Renouncing the agreement releases the enemy's grip and influence on the person, so that the truth and light of Jesus can heal, restore and redeem the situation (relationship, in most cases).  BUT before you even attempt to do this, go to Jesus for wisdom, pray without ceasing, wait for His prompting AND PEACE on how/what to do (if anything) and KEEP YOUR EYES ON HIM!  If you are looking anywhere else, you and anyone else involved will be in for a fall (aka “hot mess”).

Peace.

Loss

I just found out this morning on Facebook that my highschool boyfriend committed suicide a couple of nights ago.  I am definitely in shock at this news and the only word that comes to my heart is "loss."

My understanding is that he and his wife were separated in November and he has a 4 year old son.

I cannot imagine that little boy growing up without his father.  And even though I have not had a relationship with this person for over 20 years, I cannot imagine the world without him in it.

He was my first love and I was blessed to have known him.  We shared something that was unique and special and I will never forget him.  He had a winning smile, a good, pure heart and danced to the beat of his own drummer.  He did not care to fit in, he only knew how to be his true self.  And, as a result, he taught me and gave me the courage to be my true self.

I don't know much about what has happened in his life over the last 20 years, but I would like to think that the man I knew back then was who he really was.  The possibility and potential of that person was the "real" him.

I pray that the family he has left behind will run into the arms of Jesus for healing, as that is the only place to truly heal.  To find the hope to keep living, and not just surviving with the wounds of further loss from this tragedy.  And I pray that our Heavenly Father will welcome him home, where he can spend an eternity healed and set free from the pain of this world.

Letting Go of the Past

God gave me a vision about 18 months ago, that He was placing me on an “ark” of sorts, like He did with Noah in the Book of Genesis.  He was taking me on a journey, washing away the past, bringing me to a fresh start.  The fresh start including, unequivocally, a promised land.  
 

There are many things that God has revealed to me over this year and a half period.  It has been wrought with trials I never expected, periods of waiting and wondering, desperation, hope, joy and healing, and everything else you would imagine.  Waiting on an ark, wondering if you heard God right, if you have finally “lost it,” if He truly is good at His word.

One of the surprising parts of this journey has been how, even when I am focused on a future promise that is manifesting before my eyes in the present, I am still haunted by a past that no longer exists.  That God has literally washed away.  It is aggravating and embarrassing to be sitting here, in this invisible prison, and I am desperate for freedom from it.

I can tell when “the past” is operating in my present.  Here is how it looks.  A new opportunity presents itself (in work, in relationship, with my health and fitness) and my first [fleeting] reaction is joy and my second [more pervasive, lasting] reaction is hesitation and bit of anxiety.  What is up with that?  Well, the answer is clear.  Something “like this” happened in my past and a scar was left.  I am worried that I will do this new thing and it will end badly, like it did “that one time” or several times or however many times “that thing” happened.  Then, a sort of paralysis sets in.  I am reluctant to get started for fear of a repeat of the past.  Philippians 3:12-14 displays the wisdom and prize available when we let go of the past:

Philippians 3:12-14

I think I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,^[d] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

When we focus on the past, the cost is that all of our energy, hope, joy and focus on God is stolen.  What this scripture says to do is forget the past, look forward to what lies ahead and press on, FOCUSING ON THE PRIZE for which God, through Christ, IS calling us. 

This is not a complex thing to do, but a simple one.   Not necessarily an easy thing to do - clearly, it is hard or we would be doing it.  But it can be done and it is worth it.  Because it isn't worth staying in prison, when freedom is available - even if it is hard fought.  We are assured that we don't need to do this alone - God’s word assures us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).  I, for one, would rather practice and fight to stay focused on the prize that God has for me than continue to be enslaved to a past that does not exist anymore!

Peace and love. 

Letting Go of Fear

Fear. 

Fear is definitely something I have wrestled with a great deal in my life.  It is the one evil "spirit" that the enemy uses the most to harass and entrap me.  I believe that there is a reason that God says "Fear Not" so much in His Word.  He knows that this is a big tool of the enemy - it is one of the ways that the enemy comes to "steal, kill and destroy" us, as is stated in John 10:10.  God knows that we will be confronted with situations, people, circumstances in which our first reaction is fear.  However, He doesn't want us to be slaves to fear, as "He has come to give us LIFE, in abundance, to the full, until it overflows." (John 10:10 AMP)  

So the "fear" that I am talking about here is not the initial fear reaction, but being plagued by fear.  Fear ruling and reigning, possibly as long as days, months or even years.  With little respite.  That is the kind of fear I am talking about. 

I really sought God on  this "plagued by fear" idea, out of total desperation.  I wanted freedom from this awful thing.  Initial fear doesn't steal my joy and peace, but living under a prison sentence of fear most certainly does.  God was faithful to bring me to 1 John 4 to get a perspective on this.  He references "fear" in this scripture, and I think the fear he is talking about is the persistent state of fear versus initial fear.

1 John 4: 18 says
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

In reading this scripture, several things jump out at me: 1) that we associate fear with punishment; 2) that God uses love to drive out fear; 3) in the presence of God's love, fear literally has NO place; and 4) when we experience persistent, unrelenting fear, it is because we are NOT experiencing that God loves us (a full revelation of His love is not yet made "complete" or perfect in our hearts and minds...our experience of Him). 

Regarding 1), I absolutely associate fear with punishment.  I am afraid of punishment.  I will try to do things "perfectly" in order to avoid punishment.  And a combination of striving for perfection and the fear that I know I can never achieve perfection utterly wears me out.  And then, I stand waiting for the punishment (God's wrath, not being a good "witness" of Christ, failing as a mother, wife, friend, ministry partner, etc). This is the state that the enemy wants me to live in - the state of fear. 

All of the points above point to Jesus and the complete revelation of what He did when God sent Him to save us.  He saved us FROM DEATH and saved us TO LIFE.  Life eternal and life right now.  The John 10:10 kind of life - in abundance, to the full, until it overflows.  When the enemy can trap me in the fear of punishment, I do not get to live victoriously in my life.   

So what can we do about this?  Pray and receive.  Pray for God to soak us in the deep, abiding knowledge and experience of His Love and pray for the grace to receive it.  Pray for God to help us let go of our grip on fear, to let go of the lie that Jesus's sacrifice and resurrection was not enough to free us from the prison of fear and restore us to live a life of abundance, freedom and love.  And again, give us the grace to RECEIVE ALL OF THIS, which He lovingly and freely and completely gives.

Letting Go of Understanding

For most of my life, I have lived as if understanding a circumstance or situation would give me peace.  If I could just know “why” something happened or what God was doing in a situation and how He planned to “right” the wrong, the answer would be enough to heal a hurt, provide peace or give me some evidence for how and why I can “trust” God.  I am learning first-hand that my need to understand has mostly caused me bitterness, deeper wounding and most definitely, a deep distrust of God’s character and heart towards me.  In short, my need to understand has stolen so much from me that I can hardly believe it.

I think I must have read this scripture at least a dozen times, but I didn’t really experience the wisdom of the instruction until this last season of my walk with God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Notice how it says FIRST trust in the Lord with all your heart.  It then says AND lean not on your own understanding.  The rest of the scripture is fantastic, as well.  It actually tells you what the next step in “acting” in trust is: in all your ways submit to Him.  And then, there is the promise: and He will make your paths straight.

How often do you find yourself, in a moment of crisis or a crossroads in your walk saying: “OK Lord, what do you want me to DO?”  Well, there it is.  Read it again. No one is hiding the ball, here!

My friend recently went to the Advanced Captivating retreat held by Ransomed Heart in Colorado and she shared something really profound that the leadership team taught at the event.  They said, essentially, that you can either have God or you can have understanding.  If you choose to have God, you will get God (which is really our deepest desire and need).  His Love and all the fruits of the Spirit – that is love, joy, peace, forbearance, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:21-23).  What they said is that if you choose God, you will get all of these things and maybe you will even get understanding (which, let’s be honest, isn’t going to provide much after you have been filled with all of these other things!).

But if you choose understanding (must have it, will not stop until you get it), you will get neither God nor understanding.  I know the severe cost of going for understanding and I can tell you, this one is a no-brainer. 

Peace and joy to you all.

Truth and Lies

God has been speaking to me recently about what I believe about Him and about myself.  I have so many blessings in my life, but the one source of contention that has always been difficult for me is my career.  I am an entrepreneur and an attorney.  This path, while an absolute expression of who I am, is often a devastating part of my life experience as well.  The phrase "one step forward, two steps back" comes to mind.  I think one of the reasons it is devastating is that I often look around and just cannot find a resource that tells me what I am experiencing is normal -- few mentors that I would follow or seek advice on, so to speak.  So, I can start to feel crazy sometimes and as if perhaps the "results" I think I am not seeing means that I am not in God's will.  

God has been faithful to speak into my spirit - a good deal in the last week, reminding me of all the whispers, the nuggets, the resources He has shown me over the years, to encourage and strengthen me.  This IS my path - and that the difficulty itself has been preparing me for the endurance, strength and confidence to live this life, to walk the very path before me.

Isaiah 41: 14-16 (MSG)

Do you feel like a lowly worm, Jacob?
   Don't be afraid.
Feel like a fragile insect, Israel?
   I'll help you.
I, God, want to reassure you.
   The God who buys you back, The Holy of Israel.
I'm transforming you from worm to harrow,
   from insect to iron.
As a sharp-toothed harrow you'll smooth out the mountains,
   turn those tough old hills into loamy soil.
You'll open the rough ground to the weather,
   to the blasts of sun and wind and rain.
But you'll be confident and exuberant,
   expansive in The Holy of Israel!

In reminding me of some of these things, I felt prompted to make a list.  A list of "truth" and "lies" if you will - the truth of who I am because of my identity in Christ and the lies that the accuser would have me believe and live from instead.  When I am in "truth" camp, all is right with the world -- I experience myself as ALIVE -- as all of the things in that side of the list.  When I am in "lies" camp, I am anxious, afraid, condemned - death camp.  I wanted to share this and encourage you to do a similar exercise.  At this juncture of my life, I need a constant reminder of the TRUTH so that I can wake up to what I am thinking in any given moment and choose to believe the truth and live from it.  

John 8:31-32 (NLT)

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Truth                                                                                     Lies

I am GRACE AND GLORY                                                      I am Much-Afraid

I have the spiritual gift of FAITH                                                I fail to be faithful enough/unbelief


I am strong and beautiful                                                         I am weak and undeserving

I am a beloved daughter – I have captivated the King’s heart       I am an orphan

I am a beloved bride – I have captured the Prince’s heart            I am unwanted/a disappointment

I am fought for                                                                        I am on my own

I am provided for                                                                     I have to [work hard to] provide for myself

I have an eternal inheritance, overflowing abundance                  I will always experience lack

I am a pioneer (courageous, new ground, perseverant)               I am a failure (rebel, irresponsible, alone)

I am victorious – a fighter                                                         I am a loser – unequipped to succeed

I find it intriguing (and far beyond coincidence) that the lie is an exact opposite reflection of the truth.  The enemy knows how much easier it is for me to believe the lie and, as we know, he comes to steal, kill and destroy our "life"  (john 10:10).

Standing free in the truth, from the slavery of the lies, and praying the same for you!

Coming Boldly to the Throne of Grace

For a fairly long season now, God has been impressing upon me the need to take care of my health – mainly, through diet and exercise.  I have been clear that this is His prompting, but the enemy and my own wrong-thinking have entered their opinions and judgments about the “how” of implementing these changes and I am having great difficulty in seeing any lasting transformation in these areas.

I “hear” from God and then I immediately set out to make “my plan” for change.  It inevitably fails because I am weak (in my own strength).  Then the enemy is there to confuse and condemn me.  I then “join in,” agreeing with the enemy’s accusations and finding fault with myself – I am weak and unable to obey God.  More condemnation, which leads to more of “my plans” and more failures.  The maddening cycle continues… 

So, I read this amazing verse from Hebrews 4:15-16 (NLT) and I am reminded of what God has to say about all of this:    

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

In a first reading, I realize that I am latching on to the fact that Jesus faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.  Well, good for him.  Wish I could say the same for myself!  My problem is lingering just in that part of the scripture – hence the [self-]condemnation.  But reading in context (ah, the importance of context):  He understands our weakness…and we need to come BOLDLY to the throne of our gracious God…were we WILL receive HIS mercy and we WILL find GRACE to help us when we need it most. 

God never tells us to do anything outside of His strength, His provision or without Him.  He is so ready to pour out all of the resources we need, primarily, His Love, His Grace, His Mercy.

What an amazing God. 

So, I am coming boldly to the throne – as one who belongs in front of my precious Lord, who is invited, who can be naked and unashamed in my weakness.  And from whom I can receive the anointing and the ability to do whatever He has for me to do – and walk in victory and in peace!