From NIV 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.
- From The Message Bible 10 Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. “I’ll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
So -- tonight beloved --- I wanted to remind you -- The enemy of your soul is out to destroy you.
How will he do it ?? Through your thoughts mostly -- but he will use your husband - your children - your circumstances - your finances - your weeknesses -- whatever he can. Period.
Have you underestimated him?
I had. I did for MANY years.
This blog is going to be a bit longer. And for me - giving you THAT warning ahead of time -- you may need 2 cups of coffee and set your alarm to read it all in the am -- but I pray you will READ this unto its end.
As I want to encourage someone this eve -- especially this one, that has reached out and grabbed the hem of Jesus' cloak in the past few days and has been hanging on ..... I must write !
The Orlando shootings have been pretty BIG in the news. Sad. Prayers.
All the talk about same sex bathrooms.... Prayers.
Our political campaigns now -- Sad. Prayers.
I believe Satan can use anything -- to get you distracted and begin the assault on your thoughts.
I mean -- he convinced EVE, who was living in the Garden, walking and talking with God on a daily basis; he convinced her that God was withholding something from her and Adam. Satan convinced Eve ( and Adam was RIGHT there!) that God was a taker and would not allow her to be wise and such so she should NOT eat from that Tree of Knowledge. But she did. They did. They were deceived.
Has the enemy deceived you into thinking the character of God is manipulative?
A few mornings ago, my husband read me a news story of a Christian Artist named Trey had come out to his wife and family. He believes he is gay. In the letter he wrote to his fans he shared what was going on with him presently. It went viral. Of course with the Orlando shootings, the news media picked it up. Two kids... wife.... and the marriage was being dissolved. They had been married 7 and 1/2 years. So now what? Another family is destroyed.
My heart sank.
My heart sank and then God reminded of the scripture that was so piercing last night as I read it several times from the book Romans.
Romans 1: 19-32
This is from the Message Bible.
Ignoring God Leads to a Downward Spiral
18-23 But
God’s angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing
and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth.
Lord, what shroud am I trying to put over the truth?
But the
basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is!
By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people
have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal
power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being.
Taking a LONG and thoughtful look at what is transpiring around me --
When I gave birth to my child -- what I saw was goodness, favor, and beauty -- NO one can deny God. Have you ever had that type of moment when you know God is indeed present?
When astronauts return from being in outer space -- 99% of them come back and claim the beauty and majesty that HAD to be of God! It's like the science of space declares the wonders of our God!
Taking a LONG and thoughtful look -- one can't deny there was a Creator!
Taking a LONG and thoughtful look --what has been submitted to God?
Taking a LONG and thoughtful look --what has been submitted to God?
So nobody has a
good excuse.
What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well,
but when they didn’t treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they
trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was
neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know
it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God
who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy
at any roadside stand.
They traded the glory of God who holds the world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at a roadside stand --
This totally struck me.
REFUSING to worship ....we worship with our lives and how we live daily. I know as I was raising my children and they refused to act as I had expected or if they were disobedient -- I disciplined.
I wanted children that were citizens of character. And their behavior was a reflection on me as a child. As an adult -- my children make choices of their own. They have a choice to always weigh everything they think and do against the standard we use -- His Word.
So, with God as my perfect parent --- if I disciplined my young when when needed ....how can I think that My Father in heaven won't discipline me as well?
For that one who is trying to figure out WHY that loved one continues to stay in sin...
REFUSING to worship ....we worship with our lives and how we live daily. I know as I was raising my children and they refused to act as I had expected or if they were disobedient -- I disciplined.
I wanted children that were citizens of character. And their behavior was a reflection on me as a child. As an adult -- my children make choices of their own. They have a choice to always weigh everything they think and do against the standard we use -- His Word.
So, with God as my perfect parent --- if I disciplined my young when when needed ....how can I think that My Father in heaven won't discipline me as well?
For that one who is trying to figure out WHY that loved one continues to stay in sin...
How a person can just lie or --
Bargain with God into justifying what they think is 'better'.
They are convinced that "THEY" know better. They are deceived.
My heart sank.
I have seen this in people.
I have cried with people when their other half thinks like this or has begun to believe the lie!
However, I also know ...hurting people hurt people -- thus, the enemy will USE anything to steal, kill, and destroy!
To the beloved I am trying to encourage this evening -- that is where he is right now .....
He has wanted something that is not of God --
So, think about what this verse says -- it may appear that he is "OK", but in reality we know and can trust from God's Word ....sin is only pleasurable for a season!
And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes!
Sad. This makes my heart sick.
Idols. I think this hurts more, cause I know exactly how it feels to be that prodigal!
26-27 Worse followed. Refusing to know God, they soon didn’t know how to be human either—women didn’t know how to be women, men didn’t know how to be men. Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women with women, men with men—all lust, no love. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it—emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches.
28-32 Since they didn’t bother to acknowledge God, God quit bothering them and let them run loose.
There -- that verse implies that God just allowed them to be -- Tough Love. I know there were lessons that I had to allow my kids to just learn on their own. It is hard to watch that, but we must take out hands off of those loved ones and give them to God!
I think it is time that as a believer, we must show God's love and be Jesus to a hurting world, but we must know what God's Word says and not sugar coat sin. We must extend grace but also continue to show the lost His Truth!
I agree with Lisa Bevere and I will quote her, "we are called to be bedside with the world and be comforting, not get in bed with the world. We are called to clothe the naked, not get naked with the world, and we are called to hunger and thirst for His Word, not hunger and thirst for the World".
And then all hell broke loose: rampant evil, grabbing and grasping, vicious backstabbing. They made life hell on earth with their envy, wanton killing, bickering, and cheating. Look at them: mean-spirited, venomous, fork-tongued God-bashers. Bullies, swaggerers, insufferable windbags! They keep inventing new ways of wrecking lives.
They ditch their parents when they get in the way. Stupid, slimy, cruel, cold-blooded.
And it’s not as if they don’t know better. They know perfectly well they’re spitting in God’s face. And they don’t care—worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best!
Hand out prizes? Funny - what is the reward for being someone that gives his life as he takes others while with ISIS ?
God's word is something you either believe or you don't.
I know it is a living testimony of God.
I know its truth won't return void.
However, if you don't know what is in that word -- you will fall for whatever!!
The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
The enemy will seek to dim your whole desire for prayer --
The enemy will downplay the potency of your most strategic weapon -- prayer!
See Eph 6: 10-20 By putting on the WHOLE armor of God, you can withstand the enemy!
The enemy will seek to destroy your focus.
The enemy will have you focus on the WRONG culprit.
Maybe You do need to repent as well as that wayward husband.
However, he can also disguise himself and manipulate your perspective.
The enemy will use anyone around you, even loved ones that claim they believe God is a miracle working God, to help you think that God has forgotten you. Many times, we as believers just want the pain to end - so we settle. Don't!
The enemy will seek to destroy your identity. He magnifies your insecurities and leading you to doubt what God says about you and to disregard what He's given you. See Eph 1: 17-19
I can't help but think of that Christian Singer/Artist and his family. Talk about stealing his identity!?? I believe when you have the belief that men can be women and women can be men, you are stating that gender can be altered.
We were created in HIS imagine.
An attack on gender is an attack on God's image. God's Word says do not take his name in vain -- I don't want to stand before him in heaven and be one of those that mocked his image as well.
But this goes for pride and unforgiveness as well.
There will be many "good" people that may be totally caught unaware and yet, I don't buy that either as I believe in God's Word that states " that not one will perish"....I believe God will give everyone the opportunity to choose Him before their death and that every ear will of heard that Jesus Christ is Lord. So....I just believe there will be NO excuse as His Word says in verse 20.
The enemy will attack your family -- he wants to disintegrate your family. I am thinking of those two children who will now be co-parented because now the wife has to deal with the fact that she was rejected by her husband.
That was NOT God's plan nor God's will. See Gen 3: 1-7
What God has placed together - let no man separate!
The enemy will attack your confidence as he constantly reminds you of your past and bad choices, hoping to convince you that you are under God's judgement rather than under the blood of Jesus. Rev. 12:10 It is important to say, I am a sinner saved by grace -- but Jesus then said, "go and sin no more"..... THAT is where I must check myself! Reveal to me Lord, any motive or thought that is NOT of YOU!
The enemy will attack and put strategies against your calling and your purity. He tries to attempt you toward certain sins, convincing you that you can tolerate them without risk! The enemy knows this will create a wedge and further the distance between you and God!
The enemy will attack your rest and contentment. There will be constant pressure to push you beyond the limits.
The enemy will take every opportunity to keep old wounds fresh in your heart and mind, knowing that anger and hurt and bitterness and unforgiveness will continue to roll damage forward. See Heb 12:15
And the enemy will attack your relationships and create disruption and disunity within your circle of friends and within the shared community of the body of Christ. 1 Tim 2.8
SO......
So, THIS was to encourage?
YES.
To that sweet beloved one this evening -- the one brokenhearted or upset cause you have grabbed the hem of Jesus' garment and HE turned around and said, "who touched me?"
And what did Jesus do?? -- HE healed her.
He is holding you -- cause no matter what the enemy is trying to do -- the 2nd part of John 10.10 is that Jesus has come so that YOU may have life and live it more abundantly. God won.
So, don't let go of that garment. Believe that Jesus is RIGHT there, looking into your eyes and reminding you -- You are healed. Walk by faith and not sight.
So, perhaps you can't figure out WHY this is happening right now -- look over that list of the enemy's strategies that I posted -- they are from my bible study, The Armor of God and dig into God's Word and write out some scriptural prayers to renounce the enemy. Take an active stand in this fight! Go to war!
I know when you understand WHAT you are up against -- it is easier to battle and easier to fight.
I know that when darkness is exposed to the LIGHT -- LIGHT wins.
I know that in my own life, I will say --- "it is what it is".....but when whatever sin is exposed and you can begin to pray for the one who has hurt you ...... You will change. God's Word will wash you and small victories will come.
And when you forgive and allow the Lord to fight this battle for you.... you can concentrate on just being with God in the space between hopelessness and victory!!
I know that it may seem hopeless ....but even as I read and look over the strategies of the enemy -- I can feel sorry for the one that the enemy has WRAPPED up so tightly right now -- but I have HOPE, cause I believe that we can intercede and bring the enemy to his end!
I do believe and have HOPE to see and know that God CAN, resurrect your marriage, resurrect that prodigal child, or even resurrect that addicted loved one --
So, to the dear and beloved one that was drawn to this blog tonight -- cause you wanted to be encouraged -- I pray you are.
You have NOT been duped -- however, now that you know and can see that you are not fighting flesh and blood but fighting evil powers and rulers and so forth -- maybe you will begin to believe that God has created you for such a time as this - to FIGHT!
I believe YOU were created to live right here and now in this moment. The enemy knows and continues to attack so hard -- maybe not for WHAT you can do right now -- but for WHAT your grandchildren will do in the future.......
So, what are you going to do -- ??
You will face God one day and account for WHAT you did here on this earth.
You will be judged - but by God. Jesus will be your lawyer!!
I am speaking to a believer....what has God asked you to do?
Have you been obedient?
Have you heard from God lately?
Maybe HE has been quiet because the last thing HE told you to do - you have not done!!
Why would God speak again if the last time He gave you a direct command...you thought..."nope, not going to do that!"
Or maybe the enemy has pulled you backwards again so you feel this shame.
You have /had experienced freedom and then you choose to spit in God's face and go and get back in bed with the world....
THAT my sweet one -- is between YOU and God.
But I know that if you call out to HIM - HE is right there and praise God we can start over - NOW.
But let's start over now and STAY in a cycle of victory and not allow the enemy to USE his schemes to pull us backwards.
So, will you fight? Will you be encouraged?
FIGHT?
I pray you will!
God still does miracles.
And, I don't normally place a challenge at the end of my blogs -- but if God is speaking to you -- go to your journal or grab a piece of paper and write out a letter to God. State WHERE the enemy has attacked and then write out a simple prayer..."enough is enough and I am calling you out Satan and taking back ___________" and let's watch together how stuff begins to change!
I pray right now -- Lord -- ONLY YOU can connect this blog to one as the encouragement it was meant to be. I know it was VERY LONG. If the ladies reading this could see my keyboard they would see the imprints of my fingerprints as each word was tapped out and practically beaten as I typed. Lord, God.... this has to be YOU. Let these words remind others to check themselves as well...have I spit on you God? Lord, examine my heart and search me O Lord -- show me exactly where I must repent and God I pray... that You would confirm this to me --You know what I need confirmed as I am human and I trust You Lord.
Again Lord for that one .... in reality as I type I can think of four right now that I pray are encouraged.....IN Jesus name, amen.
Your humbled and simple sheep that loves You Lord for who You are and not what You have done.
Amen.
- michelle
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