We had some good impressions today on our prayer walk. Thank you for praying. One person noticed a yard with goats and a cow and an empty food barrel. He felt the west side needed someone to come and fill up the barrel with food that was substantial. Another felt the animals were looking for a shepherd.
Another had a sense of pride of ownership. The people put up fences and walls to protect what was theirs, at the same time keeping others out.
Another sensed that too, and saw the differences between nice homes and homes that weren't kept up. She felt that although all the houses were different, each one had a beacon inside that could be giving hope to others in some way. She also felt that people need to come out from behind the fences and start talking with each other. That food and children who know each other from schools would be the vehicle that would bring people together.
I had a sense for the first time of the spiritual battle that is taking place there. I saw and felt the evil that has a hold on some families. The tennis shoes on the telephone wires in front of the drug house. The young man who looked out of it at 8:30 in the morning. The shotgun shell in the gutter.
One person felt if they had a purpose and something to do, that people would come out of their houses on a Saturday morning. Many homes appear to be short of hope.
I walked over a metal cover, about 2'x4' and heard water rushing under it. I felt God say there would be many things I don't see from looking at the outside, but if I listen, I will hear the murmurings of people's hearts. I took that to mean to pay close attention to people. Not everything will be disclosed by looking at the outside, but listening to the underlying things that people say, which reveal their heart. It may be their longings, their passion, their true opinions and values and view of things. This is what I need to respond to, pursue, and cultivate.
It was a great morning, and the weather was much cooler this time. Have a blessed Saturday!
Showing posts with label Spiritual Warfare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spiritual Warfare. Show all posts
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Spiritual Warfare
I look at what the searches are for those who find my blog. Probably 90% of all first-time visitors find me by searching for Spiritual Warfare. I read a book on Spiritual Warfare by Charles Stanley and reported on it several months ago when I was experiencing some heavy artillery. I can't say I am very knowledgeable in this subject, but I do know what it feels like when it's happening and it's awful.
You feel like someone dumped a huge weight on your head and shoulders. You feel sad and hopeless, like everything is going wrong (and it usually is) and you don't see any light or hope in the future. People tell you to look on the bright side, things will get better, and you just don't believe it. You can feel like everyone is against you. You feel like you're being blamed for things you didn't do. Most of all, it's all the negative thoughts running through your head.
Why does the enemy sometimes attack us? I believe it's because he feels threatened in some way. Sometimes it's because we are about to do something great for God and that really bothers Satan. Sometimes it's because God is about to do something great through us, and we may not even know it yet, but it is planned and the enemy knows about it. It's as though the enemy wants to cut us off at our knees so when the call comes, we will have a harder time running to respond to it. Sometimes the enemy knows so far in advance that we don't even realize what is happening. We think maybe that other people are just behaving badly towards us, but it's really the enemy manipulating people in our lives. And yes, he does use Christians to do this. We can be fooled into behaving badly towards others if we're not careful.
God's Word says to resist the devil and he will flee from you. I've seen this happen. Once I realize that it's spiritual warfare I'm dealing with, I start praying for the enemy to leave. Usually the black cloud lifts in a day or two and stays gone for months.
Sometimes when dealing with this and other people are involved, I have to keep reminding myself that my battle is not against flesh and blood, but with the dark forces of this world. It's hard to remember when our normal, fleshy reaction is to react to the words and actions of others. But often, there is a spirit behind them, using them to give into their fleshy responses to sidetrack us. The key is to keep focused on Christ and to look at the situation from 10,000 feet up, a larger perspective, instead of only at the circumstances around us.
Once you can do these things such as ask yourself what good things are in the works with you and God, realize it's spiritual warfare, resist the devil, keep a large perspective, and focus on God, it will dissipate. And keep praying!
Blessings on this cooler, breezy Tuesday!
You feel like someone dumped a huge weight on your head and shoulders. You feel sad and hopeless, like everything is going wrong (and it usually is) and you don't see any light or hope in the future. People tell you to look on the bright side, things will get better, and you just don't believe it. You can feel like everyone is against you. You feel like you're being blamed for things you didn't do. Most of all, it's all the negative thoughts running through your head.
Why does the enemy sometimes attack us? I believe it's because he feels threatened in some way. Sometimes it's because we are about to do something great for God and that really bothers Satan. Sometimes it's because God is about to do something great through us, and we may not even know it yet, but it is planned and the enemy knows about it. It's as though the enemy wants to cut us off at our knees so when the call comes, we will have a harder time running to respond to it. Sometimes the enemy knows so far in advance that we don't even realize what is happening. We think maybe that other people are just behaving badly towards us, but it's really the enemy manipulating people in our lives. And yes, he does use Christians to do this. We can be fooled into behaving badly towards others if we're not careful.
God's Word says to resist the devil and he will flee from you. I've seen this happen. Once I realize that it's spiritual warfare I'm dealing with, I start praying for the enemy to leave. Usually the black cloud lifts in a day or two and stays gone for months.
Sometimes when dealing with this and other people are involved, I have to keep reminding myself that my battle is not against flesh and blood, but with the dark forces of this world. It's hard to remember when our normal, fleshy reaction is to react to the words and actions of others. But often, there is a spirit behind them, using them to give into their fleshy responses to sidetrack us. The key is to keep focused on Christ and to look at the situation from 10,000 feet up, a larger perspective, instead of only at the circumstances around us.
Once you can do these things such as ask yourself what good things are in the works with you and God, realize it's spiritual warfare, resist the devil, keep a large perspective, and focus on God, it will dissipate. And keep praying!
Blessings on this cooler, breezy Tuesday!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Spiritual Warfare
Today we'll start looking at Charles Stanley's Landmines in the Path of the Believer, Avoiding the Hidden Dangers.
Chapter One, Facing the Hidden Threat
Face-To-Face With Our Enemy
"...It does not take long to realize Satan will do anything to prevent you from becoming the person God has planned for you to be. His strategic plan is laid out to entice you to sin and drift in your devotion to God. Satan uses many of the things we feel are harmless or unavoidable sins - gossip, feelings of unforgiveness, pride, and cynicism, to name a few. He also watches to see how we will react to a situation. If there is an opportunity for him to weave his evil mischief into our thoughts, he will take it.
The landmines in his arsenal include such sins as pride, jealousy and envy, disappointment, unforgiveness, compromise, sexual temptation, fear, and laziness - which God also calls slothfulness.
How do you uncover and defuse the landmines that have been laid out in your pathway?"
We'll look at that tomorrow.
Chapter One, Facing the Hidden Threat
Face-To-Face With Our Enemy
"...It does not take long to realize Satan will do anything to prevent you from becoming the person God has planned for you to be. His strategic plan is laid out to entice you to sin and drift in your devotion to God. Satan uses many of the things we feel are harmless or unavoidable sins - gossip, feelings of unforgiveness, pride, and cynicism, to name a few. He also watches to see how we will react to a situation. If there is an opportunity for him to weave his evil mischief into our thoughts, he will take it.
The landmines in his arsenal include such sins as pride, jealousy and envy, disappointment, unforgiveness, compromise, sexual temptation, fear, and laziness - which God also calls slothfulness.
How do you uncover and defuse the landmines that have been laid out in your pathway?"
We'll look at that tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Spiritual Warfare
There's a reason God has been having me read Ephesians lately. Several times I've turned to that book without trying and read it all the way through in one setting. The whole, Eph. 6:12 and the passage on the Armor of God seem to be recurring themes for me. I think this is why.
Aside from yesterday, I had 2 dreams last week and Greg had one night before last, that were just creepy!
Both my dreams had to do with snakes, Greg's with zombies. In my first dream, my family was all busy in their rooms doing something. I was in the kitchen, walked into the livingroom, and saw an aquarium slightly tipped over and without a lid. A light somehow shone on the garter snake inside. (We really don't have a snake or aquarium). In the dream I decided to check on it and as I slowly walked towards it, I startled it and it started to move. I began to walk backwards. As I did, it got more agitated, jumped out of the aquarium and speedily slithered after me. About 6 feet away it caught up with me, wrapped itself around my left calf and started trying to bite me through my jeans. Then I woke up.
In my second dream, I was at some kind of retreat and was walking down a residential street. On the left side of the street there was a missing house or two and instead was a shoreline with a lake behind it. I saw what appeared to be a large black tire tread, all twisted up and about five feet tall. I walked towards it to get a better look. As I did, it started to pulsate like it was breathing, then it started to slither like a snake and untangle itself. I started heading the opposite direction across the street to a house and as I did, it turned into a snow leopard. It was beautiful, soft and spotted, but very very hungry and it wanted to eat me and Greg. We ran to the house, which was my grandparent's house when I was growing up, and then I woke up.
In Greg's dream we were traveling and found out the zombie's didn't travel during the daytime. We met someone who told us we would be safe at the ocean so we went there. I was cold so Greg saw a blanket and went to pick it up and underneath was some kind of creature. I didn't want the blanket after that. There were other creatures walking around, they were Christians, but they were like half zombie half creature. At one point in the dream, the zombies were guarding us, Greg knew the only way to get free was for him to leave me, get help, and come back. He did. He found himself needing to hide from the zombies and I tapped him on the shoulder and he was happily surprised to find I had freed myself. At another part of the dream I had a bat and totally knocked a zombie's head off to save us.
If you can decipher dreams, I'm listening. I think the enemy is messing with us but if there are other meanings, let me know. Prayers are appreciated.
Aside from yesterday, I had 2 dreams last week and Greg had one night before last, that were just creepy!
Both my dreams had to do with snakes, Greg's with zombies. In my first dream, my family was all busy in their rooms doing something. I was in the kitchen, walked into the livingroom, and saw an aquarium slightly tipped over and without a lid. A light somehow shone on the garter snake inside. (We really don't have a snake or aquarium). In the dream I decided to check on it and as I slowly walked towards it, I startled it and it started to move. I began to walk backwards. As I did, it got more agitated, jumped out of the aquarium and speedily slithered after me. About 6 feet away it caught up with me, wrapped itself around my left calf and started trying to bite me through my jeans. Then I woke up.
In my second dream, I was at some kind of retreat and was walking down a residential street. On the left side of the street there was a missing house or two and instead was a shoreline with a lake behind it. I saw what appeared to be a large black tire tread, all twisted up and about five feet tall. I walked towards it to get a better look. As I did, it started to pulsate like it was breathing, then it started to slither like a snake and untangle itself. I started heading the opposite direction across the street to a house and as I did, it turned into a snow leopard. It was beautiful, soft and spotted, but very very hungry and it wanted to eat me and Greg. We ran to the house, which was my grandparent's house when I was growing up, and then I woke up.
In Greg's dream we were traveling and found out the zombie's didn't travel during the daytime. We met someone who told us we would be safe at the ocean so we went there. I was cold so Greg saw a blanket and went to pick it up and underneath was some kind of creature. I didn't want the blanket after that. There were other creatures walking around, they were Christians, but they were like half zombie half creature. At one point in the dream, the zombies were guarding us, Greg knew the only way to get free was for him to leave me, get help, and come back. He did. He found himself needing to hide from the zombies and I tapped him on the shoulder and he was happily surprised to find I had freed myself. At another part of the dream I had a bat and totally knocked a zombie's head off to save us.
If you can decipher dreams, I'm listening. I think the enemy is messing with us but if there are other meanings, let me know. Prayers are appreciated.
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