Good Morning,
We are going to understand why every believer in Christ should put on the full armor of God. I urge you to chew upon these words until they are easily digested.
Although there are many books written about putting on the full armor of God, it is my prayer that a new light might be shed on this most important subject.
Together, let’s take the word “discouragement” and place it under a magnifying glass to see how we can actually be a physical target that is hit by an invisible arrow. Target, you say? Me? Yes.
Discouragement can be instrumental in promoting self-pity. There were times I have stayed in that mode for about half a day to 10-15 minutes, but no longer. The visitation of this mindset allowed to stay for any length of time could bring you into a “victim mentality” and that is when you have allowed the offender to have the victory. Your discouragement and disappointment evolves into disillusionment = depression and then onto hopelessness. Later on, we are going to talk about the ways to: “let it go” before it blooms into something serious. When things go wrong, I remind myself, “if this is happening to us, we know others have gone through it too.” For some reason, knowing others have been where you are at, unites a sense of sisterhood and comfort. When you talk to them, you have this link of knowing they completely understand.
We are never alone on this journey.
Think for a moment, of how discouragement enters our lives.
To name a few realities:
- The telephone rings, you have your hands in the cake batter and the baby cries in the high chair because the cat is licking it’s face and the dog took his food. We may be multitaskers but there are limits.
- You are at work and worried about your child’s latest babysitter. Your boss fires you and you never saw it coming. You are left stunned, asking yourself, “what did I do?”
- You are upset with your husband. Before you married him he was so different. Surprise!
- You bought your dream house, that is falling apart.
- A sudden serious illness is diagnosed.
- You lose a loved one.
- You discovered your husbands infidelity and lies and then begin to wonder what is wrong with you?
- The frustration of miscommunications.
- The man next door is too friendly. Then, you find out he is the psychopath the police were hunting. Fearful thoughts ask, “I thought this was a safe neighborhood.”
- Thoughts rewind. The seeds of child molestation can go deep and wound the soul and every time you think about it; an old bitterness begins to arise. “Why, you ask?” This is more common than not.
- Listening to the news, the journalists were once again busy instigating lies. An outrage of anger burst inside of you, then depression followed. Hatred is a global epidemic today.
“For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”
This is why Ephesians 6:12,13 Amp. says, “ For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents] but against rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands,] to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious.]”
We cannot see these invisible forces but we know they are there because we can physically see the work they are doing around the world.
Everything that God has, the devil designed a counterfeit. God sends His Holy Spirit to bring comfort and peace to your heart. The devil sends a unholy spirit to send discomfort, discontent, discouragement and depression. Good vs evil.
For every beautiful praise song that gives honor to our Father God, the enemy presents a frantic upheaval filled with vulgarity to purposely dishonor the Creator. The whole of creation was designed to be filled with God’s goodness and give Him glory and yet, there are adversaries whose main mission is to pervert all that is holy and good.
Is it not true, that God created the earth and all within it? He called it good. The idolatry of pagan tree worship is encircled around the globe in almost every nation, from century’s ago right into the present. Just this one subject of a beautiful tree is perverted to the highest degree of Idolatry.
God brings truth to set you free.
The enemy brings lies to place you in bondage.
God says you are forgiven, by the blood of the Lamb.
The enemy accuses, mocks and humiliates.
God gives you love, because He is love.
The enemy whispers: “What if?”
God gives you a measure of faith to be more than a Conqueror.
The enemy scatters doubt, worry and unbelief.
God gives us His supernatural peace.
The enemy will try to rob you of your peace.
God says, “Trust in Me.”
The enemy taunts, “oh, but look what happened!”
God says, “Trust in Me.”
The enemy taunts, “But, did you hear what they said?”
God says, “Trust in Me.”
The enemy taunts, “why would you trust in Him?”
God says, “Forgive them.”
The enemy says, “I’ll never forgive them for what they did!”
When we choose not to forgive, our heart becomes incased in bitterness and hardened to sin. Perhaps this is when the physical manifestation of hardening of the arteries begin.
We can choose to nurse this discouragement and feel sorry for our wounds or we can wash our hands and comb our hair like King David did when he lost his baby boy. King David knew God had heard his prayers, but the boy passed over.
David’s reaction was: “But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” 2Sa. 12:23 No matter what, David’s heart chose to trust in God in faith and keep a good attitude. Though his heart had to be filled with intense grief and sorrow. He did not blame God.
Pray with me:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for giving me these thoughts. We desire to give you honor from our hearts and minds. We ask that honoring you would be a mirrored reflection of our behavior and love for you. Strengthen us to be all that we are called to be. Feed us Father with your truth and increase our faith. Right now, we boldly stand upon the Rock that you have given to us. Place a sensitive guard over our minds, our mouths and our hearts so we can know when we are a target. Give us the keen discernment we need to recognize an arrow. We desire to see with your eye-view and not our own. We ask when we learn your solutions, they would go down deep inside of us, readily available at all times. Thank you for your Holy Spirit for working inside of us and keeping your hand upon us. Thank you for your food, your strength, your love and your joy! Together we say “Jesus is Lord.” Amen.
Next: We begin on Descriptions and Solutions!
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