We are going through a season of change in our lives. Trina and I have moved, and not just across town. We are in an entirely new area, entirely new situation. We have moved into a house that requires a change in our life style. We are currently at 30% of the space that we left.
We have irons in the fire in Clayton. We have family spread across 7 or 8 states. We took a step back from the pace and the speed of the life we were part of, and are trying to find a different pace that fits us better at this point.
In all of this, we have felt God's hand. We were not looking to sell our house, but God sent buyers that needed to buy our house. We were not looking to move to the beach, yet, but God made the plan and path clear to us. We were not expecting a career change for me, but God made that a necessity for me.
In a season of change, where so much is new, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. It is also easy to find worries and problems that can make you so focused on them, that you fail to see the beauty of the new thing that God has given you. Change motivates stress, stress motivates doubt, doubt facilitates bad decisions, bad decisions lead to failures and pain.
So, in the process of trying to keep my mind focused on what it is that God has called us to, what that new thing is, I have started a new project. Every day, I find a verse that God calls me to. I spend some time in study, and what comes out is a short post that fits on Twitter and Facebook.
Somewhat longer here, each day, are some deeper thoughts and personal reflections. You can request this blog to notify you of new postings, or click on the link each day. That is all of the intro, except for this, I hope you find a blessing in it, even just one person. I feel like God gave me these words to give that blessing. Share them with someone that you think may need them, that may be the person God intended the blessing for, that I have never met and may never know.
2 Cor 10:3-4 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
This verse is one of those verses that make the more literal minded, grounded, skeptical and uncomfortable brothers and sisters (like me) a bit uncomfortable. It is proof in the Bible that there are powers that are beyond our ken, that mean us harm, free and active upon the world. That is spooky. There is a contamination of our faith and our understanding that causes us to view this Word skeptically, because our mighty science offers no clear and direct proof. Consider, perhaps, that our mighty science is quickly becoming one of Satan's most successful tools for lying and deceiving.
There is a Satan, and he has devils and minions, principalities and authorities, that do his bidding and are as dedicated to our downfall and torture as Satan is. They despise us, they are tormented by the mere idea that we have salvation available to them, and they do not. There is no evil, no horror, no torture, no deed to heinous for them to bring to bear against us. They have power in this world. They are real, they are here. They do not make science wrong, or evil, but they are absolutely beyond our understanding capable of perverting, twisting and lying to us in ways that make truth seem wrong, or partial information seem concrete and complete.
Now, I am not crazy, and I am not scared of the boogeyman. But, reading the New Testament, and a good deal of the Psalms, there is a recurring theme of militarism and refuge in the Lord. The Lord is our rock and our salvation. That is not just allegory, or fancy writing. That is bedrock truth. Satan is a created being, of the angels. Fallen and broken, he is still a powerful foe, here in this broken and sinful world. He recruited angels, created to worship the Lord, that were with him in the GLORY OF HEAVEN, convinced them to revolt against God, and fought with the hosts of God. Though they were defeated, they were not destroyed, just cast out into this sinful, broken world. They were thrown down here to Earth, for whatever reason God had as part of His plan. And here they remain, just as present on this planet as we are. The Bible says so, over and over and over.
We are created beings of a different sort. We are created in God's image. It does not say that in the Bible about angels. They are able to appear to us in our image, but it does not ascribe the singular characteristic of being God's children, in His image, to any of the angels. In fact, where there is description of angels in heaven, it is pretty wild stuff. Nothing like us, therefor, it cannot be much like God.
We do not have the spiritual powers and abilities that the angels possess. They are different of a necessity, as they are created to be ever in the presence of God. They gifts and powers are different than ours. Not greater, different. However, there is ability to do us harm. The Bible lists several places where the angels, doing God's bidding, were physically able to interact with and even kill men. So, the demons, fallen angels, but angels still, certainly have the same power.
Satan is brilliant, and deceitful. Appearing as his natural self would terrify and cower the people of God. They would do as he instructed, as he required, because of fear and out of necessity. They would not choose to follow his way, and therefor, would not be responsible to the punishment that Satan will receive. To harm us eternally, there is but one way that Satan can have power over us.
He has to lie, he has to cheat, he has to deceive. He has to convince us to make an internal decision that leads us to follow his path to destruction. This is a daily test, to all of us. Mother Teresa, the Pope, Billy Graham, Joyce Meyer, the Apostles, even Jesus himself, were/are tempted and lied to by Satan. This is no different than our day to day experience. Since this happens to the greatest of the holy, even the Son of God, we should not expect anything different for ourselves.
But, 2 Corinthians gives us encouragement, while acknowledging our risk. Our belief, the grace we have sought and received, the love of Jesus, gives us power that is beyond the world. Satan's power is of this world, of deceit and treachery, of followers he has deceived and ensnared. He is variously described as the Prince of Lies, a roaring lion, and the bright and morning star. That is quite the range of appearance, but all things of this Earth, this fallen state.
Our power, our weapons; prayer, faith, hope, love, God's Word, and the Holy Spirit within us; are more than this world. They are DIVINE POWER to demolish strongholds. Satan's deception leads us to build strongholds in our life, designed to keep out the grace and good of God. The weapons Jesus left us with, that we have access to as spirits created in the image of God, are greater than Satan's strongholds. They are greater than his minions and devils. They enable us to contend with and beat principalities, authorities and rulers of this world.
They give us the power to rise above all the chains of sin the powers of Satan try to cover us with. They give us the ability to seek the grace of God, to be made clean by His grace, to remain obedient in what we do and to humble ourselves in the presence of God. We are allowed to be in the presence of God, to feel that power, that gift of encouragement and strength that is the Holy Spirit.
Satan has nothing for that, and it torments and enrages him. What brought all this metaphysical stuff for a first post? Well, when you put yourself in a position that allows you to be in the moment with God, it drives Satan insane with rage. So, what we often find, when we make changes that we prayerful received from God, Satan triples his efforts to destroy us. Every time that we find peace in our life and step out in faith, at the leading of God, we attract Satan to us. Satan cannot let us succeed, because that demonstrates for all the world, that his chains have no hold over us.
When you are in a season of change in your life, you should expect an even stronger and more urgent effort by the forces of this world to bring you down. Not only are there all the stresses associated with change, even God directed change, Satan cannot abide your faith and obedience. So as things change in your life, especially as they change as you have felt called by God to do, other things begin to pile up to challenge you.
Job hunting feels fruitless. Money becomes a struggle. Uncertainty in a totally new area drags at you. Those that you meet do not always affirm your faith journey. Even some of your family suddenly become a source of pain and strife. It can begin to pile up on you, and it is natural to come to that point of frustration and fear, where you begin to wonder what God intended. Did you really step out in faith, or did you make a mistake?
It is not always true, but in most cases in my life, when I stepped out in faith for the Lord, made the tough decision and acted on it, I faced the most challenge. All the stresses you can imagine, plus things I would never have thought possible, all start to happen at once. I have learned, as I have gotten stronger in faith and better at trusting in the Lord, that those struggles usually are affirmation that I have done what God wants, and Satan is beside himself to make me fail.
I try to fall back most strongly on the weapons we have, faith, prayer, hope, love, the Word, and most of all, the Holy Spirit in me. I give it to God, for I have done His bidding in faith, and His power is supreme. Nothing Satan can erect around me can withstand the Light and the Truth and the Love that is God, in Jesus, by the Holy Spirit.
So, when you are in a season of change, following what you are sure is God's direction, expect the unexpected. Do not let the power of the world concern you, because your arsenal is so much greater. Remain in faith, live in love, trust in the Lord. And that season of change will bless you, comfort you, lead you on to the calling you felt. Fear not, for God loves you.
And, yes, we are experiencing all the things everyone else does in a time of change, a season of unrest. But, we will not be defeated, or discouraged. For far too long, and in far too many ways, God has blessed us magnificently and wondrously. And, for that, I wrote this testimony today. Because we are all in some season of change, we all have fear and concern, we all struggle with the same enemy and he is a powerful foe.
But the least of us is far greater than the worst of Satan. Jesus told us that, over and over and over again. And, doing what you can for the least of these, His brothers, is key to His path. Satan flees from the name and power of Jesus. Nothing that claims the power of the Holy Spirit, and lives with that Spirit within them, can ever be defeated by Satan, EVER. When things get tough, it is not to punish you or deter you, it is a chance for you to dig deeper into the strength and power that has sustained you all along.
That is the good news. All of our challenges, however horrible, can be worked to our good, through the power of God. And, God cares nothing for our bank account, our wardrobe, our status, or our appearance. He loves and cherishes and treasures our soul. If we find the will to cherish our souls as well, and live for Him, this is a blessed world of wonder. That is how convicted members of the faith, stricken with even fatal illness, are in a blessed world of wonder, and are not afraid. How much less trouble do we really have than them? And how come we can't live anywhere near as happily and contentedly as them? Never let Satan steal your peace by tricking you out of your grace. It won't profit him, and it will kill you.
God Loves You And So Do I!!!!!
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