Spiritual Weapons Aren't Just Decorations

(Rick Renner, photo courtesy of amazon.com)

It’s easy to believe a lie, and to allow that lie to become a stronghold in our mind.

Sunday morning in church, the incredibly anointed man of God, Rick Renner taught about the battle that goes on in our minds every day, giving precious examples. It’s not a new subject, by any means. But, when you’re ready to hear a message it becomes tangible to you; the light bulb goes on in your mind and things begin to make sense; the lens through which we look at life seems to become a little more finely tuned and we see more clearly.

I bought a book Mr. Renner wrote on spiritual warfare. It’s a condensed version of his book, Dressed to Kill, called Spiritual Weapons to Defeat the Enemy. (If you click on any titles a link will take you to the book on Amazon.) I read the book this afternoon, it’s short, to the point and easy to read and understand. Understanding the Greek behind certain words in the New Testament sheds new light on what a passage actually means. In this book, he takes a deeper look at the meaning of the words devil, wiles, strongholds, devices, deception and several others. “Devil” is Satan’s job description, not his name. In short, he uses few weapons against us, but he uses them repeatedly, like banging a rock against our mind until he penetrates it and creates strongholds there with deceptive thoughts that we grab onto and accept.

Mr. Renner teaches us how to win the battle in our mind. In this little book, he doesn’t beat around the bush or use concepts that only a scholar could grasp, he speaks to us in terms we can understand and shows us how to use the whole armor of God to overcome and defeat the enemy. I highly recommend the book. I paid only $5 for the book and now have teaching I can look back to time and time again as I need to. Implementing his teaching will take a conscious decision on our part, because it’s not the way most of us have been living, though it’s clearly laid out for us in God’s Word.

Tomorrow I plan to read the other book I bought today, You Can Get Over It; How toConfront, Forgive and Move On.

The Silver Lining

(A Gratimoment Mug)

Simple moments of thanks……..or as my friend Stacy Voss would say, Gratimoments.

Sometimes the things we’re thankful for or find pleasure in seem silly to others. For example, our son installed a new toilet in my husband’s bathroom the other day and we take great delight in flushing it. Who could find joy in flushing a toilet? Anyone who’s old toilet required that you stand there holding the handle down for a good twenty seconds so it would flush. Now it’s a tap of the handle and “whoosh” – gone instantly! Dave’s offered to buy me one for my bathroom for my birthday next month!

Another simple delight was getting a gun safe for my husband the other (his birthday present) and putting our old gun cabinet on Craigslist. It went quickly, but not for the cash I asked for it. My first responder asked if we’d be willing to trade for something. Like what? I asked. I’d not thought about a trade at all. He responded with a suggestion that made Dave do a double take. He’s been wanting an air hockey table in the basement for quite a while now, for the grandkids, of course. (wink, wink) It’s in great condition and it’s a blast to play – and it was the answer to a desire of Dave’s heart. Can it get better?

We needed more yellow paint to touch-up, and I dreaded matching the paint to a new can, and paying for more than I actually needed. Upon searching my garage to find the old can – I discovered the can half full, even though I know I used the last of it the last time I touched up.

Or…..

Finding something you’ve misplaced before you go out and buy a new one

Finding cash in an old coat pocket

Putting a smile on someone else’s face

A great night’s sleep

A new blossom on your favorite plant

An out-of-the-blue compliment

A rainbow

Figuring out who-dunnit before the end of the movie (or book)

Winning a game

Making it to the ladies room in time

That first sip of coffee in the morning

An unexpected sale price

A hug

A touch

Your scale being especially kind to you this morning

A long waited for visit

Your favorite song coming on the radio when you actually have time to listen

A cool breeze

The smell of the ocean – or rain

A child’s giggle

Not being criticized by someone who generally does

A good secret

A lazy day

Someone else’s good news

Divine revelation

New socks

A great meal – that someone else cooked

Pajamas warm from the dryer

Eye contact with someone you love

Figuring something out on your own

What would you add to the list?

For all these things and so many more, I thank You Jesus!

Psalm 100:3 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (KJV)

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (KJV)

What Won't I Look At?

(painting by Sarah Boardman)

Various topics can bring feelings of sorrow or sadness, just as some can bring feelings of joy and anticipation. But, what about when you can’t put your finger on what you’re feeling – or what brought those feelings on in the first place?

Today I looked at an internet piece on emotional eating, it was aimed at readers that may be eating for emotional reasons, not simply because they’re hungry.

Let’s face it, we eat for lots of reasons. There’s an old saying that goes: We are Americans; we eat when we’re not hungry, we drink when we’re not thirsty and we spend money we don’t have. It’s not really a saying that we, as Americans want to aspire to, but, too often, true.

Sometimes we eat because we’re sad. Sometimes because we’re celebrating, sometimes simply because the food is in front of us and we mindlessly put it into our mouths.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, most of the time the things we consume are a conglomeration of toxins we poison ourselves with; not really even food at all.

That brings us around to a topic that should make us sad and even angry.

If we stop and ask ourselves right now, knowing no one but God can hear our thoughts and answers: What emotions am I feeling right now? What answers will we list?

Then if ask why we’re feeling this way? How do we explain ourselves?

Some of us don’t resort to eating, we resort to shopping, or overworking ourselves, or we become addicted to working out, or we gamble or get drunk as often as we can. Why? An attempt to avoid facing something about our lives or ourselves that makes us ache?

What could be so bad about us, or about our lives that we can’t face it? In light of the fact that we’re not facing it alone, but with Almighty God – and all the resources of heaven, shouldn’t it be easier to look in the mirror and see our whole selves? If there’s a change we can make, why not make it instead of running from the reality of the need and hiding behind food or other addictions?

Ponder this with me, if you would. Give me your input, offer up some insight that might help us all. I'm looking for your comments and suggestions. I hope one of my next posts will shed some light on the subject with a mixture of your thoughts and mine.

James 1:22-24  Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  (NIV)