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.

I'll Huff and I'll Puff....

It’s funny; sometimes you pray and know you’ve heard from God. Other times, you’re not even in prayer and God speaks to you and you recognized Him. But sometimes you travail in prayer and feel as though you’ve run into a brick wall, as though God’s not listening and you may begin to wonder if He’s really even there. We’re so fickle.

That brick wall is ours. God didn’t place it there. We’ve built it up over time. Each brick is a lie we’ve believed. Eventually the wall becomes sizeable, looking insurmountable. We built it up – and we need to tear it down.

But God doesn’t leave us to our own devices. He clearly tells us that “there’s a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 16:25 KJV)

He provides the key to every problem, the solution for every riddle, instructions for removing every brick in the wall. We need to search out His Word, and learn it, knowing it’s good and profitable.

There are effective ways to pull down the wall that hinders our communication with God, which threatens our faith in God. Though it can be a very intimidating wall with a commanding presence, it can crumble like the Walls of Jericho. Surely the Israelites thought God’s instruction for bringing that wall down were silly, too. But it led them to victory. Plans they created on their own may have sounded more practical but, if in direct mocking and opposition to God’s direction, they’d have failed miserably; their way would have led to death.

Before you can submit yourself (your heart; mind, will and emotions, your body, your family, your finances, your health and all that makes you who you are) to God and His Ways, you’ll first need to choose to do so, and then follow through. So whatever it takes for you to come to a place to make this decision, get on your knees and wrestle it out with God.

I’ll follow this up with some biblical instructions for tearing down the walls that if left untouched, will eventually wind up imprisoning us, where, if left alone, despair would take our hope – then our lives.

Who Are We Wrestling With?

While praying the other day a point came to mind and of course I pondered it. Sometimes when we pray, we feel futility come in and try to distract us, or even compel us to give up praying for certain people or situations. It can be trying on our patience and a test of our faith to continue to pray even when we cannot see things change.

Sometimes we pray because we don’t know what else to do. Sometimes we pray because we know it’s the best thing to do.

But when we pray because we know it’s the best thing we can do – and we feel like our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and no changes surface in the ordeal we’re facing, then what?

Most of us humans aren’t all that good at waiting, especially here in America where our culture promises everything from a microwave. If we’re in a drive-thru for more than a few minutes, we’ll mutter, “And they call this FAST food?”

I don’t claim to know the secrets to living a life of patience, quite frankly, if I couldn’t find folks to chat with while waiting in line I’d consider them a form of purgatory.

But I discovered a little nugget the other day that has changed and invigorated the way I pray for people and certain situations. I may not have authority over their minds, BUT – I can have spiritual authority over the evil influences that overwhelm them.

When God bestowed upon us the gift of freedom to choose, He didn’t intend for any of us to wrestle that freedom away from others, even when we think we know better than they do. You may not be able to force someone to see things your way – or God’s way, but you can take authority over the forces that want to see destruction throughout mankind.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” – Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)

(The photo is Australian actor/wrestler Nathan Jones.)

Peace

I miss my dad. He would have celebrated his 80th birthday today if he hadn’t already left this world for heaven. I wonder what he’s doing there. I wonder if he can see me. I wonder if he’s already seen the future revealed…

With my feet still planted here on Earth, I watch as my father-in-law takes strides, some great and some ugly, to live the way he wants to; the way he’s used to. The great things include his body healing. The ugly things include his violent demands to get his own way. I suppose we all want our own way in most circumstances. Some of us are demanders and others of us are submitters.

I’ll admit there are times it makes me feel incredibly selfish to want my own way. I can justify both sides of pretty much any argument (something which has frustrated my husband for years now). But for example:

It’s Christ-like to be selfless and give everything I am to others ~ VS ~ I have other people who depend on me, too, and giving all my energy and time to one person knowing others need me is too draining.

God will supply all my needs ~ VS ~ I don’t always want to be Wonder Woman and handle it all.

I can honor the present while God deals with the past in His own ways ~ VS ~ Sometimes I just don’t want to!

I’m being loving ~ VS ~ I’m being manipulated and used

The bottom line is seeking and accepting what God wants of me and submitting to Him, not to the confines of what man demands I think, say or do.

This is where I’ll actually find peace.

'Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.' –Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

This Mountain Won't Stop Me

Apparently learning the big lessons in life isn’t easy. The enemy has plans in place to fight you all the way. It’s normal to feel like a failure when you recognize your struggles seem to form a repetitive pattern in your life. I find myself asking if I’ll ever make it over this particular mountain. Then I can’t decide whether to laugh or cry, thinking that once I reach this pinnacle, the next one is liable to be an even bigger leap.

But some things I know. I know them because God has declared them to be. I don’t have the understanding yet that backs everything God has decreed, but one great thing I have going for me is that I’m determined not to give up; that what is before me is greater than what is behind me. When I come through this life, I will have ‘fought the good fight of faith’ and reached out for the wisdom and knowledge and understanding that we’ve been promised.

In Proverbs Solomon writes: ‘My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;’ (Proverbs 2:1-6 NKJV)

Read all of Proverbs chapter two – it’s empowering to know what we’ve got coming to us. It makes the search and the struggles worth it. The worth of our lives isn’t based on our past and every battle we perceive we’ve already lost. We have to look forward to the ultimate goal. Like Paul, I too choose to ‘…press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 3:14 NKJV)

I want to be like Jesus. I want to love like Jesus – and I’m not giving up until I do. That’s my goal. I’m looking past all the earthly hindrances that try to stop me, because I AM God’s ezer, His image bearer, He perfects me, He completes me. I just need to stay in the game ‘being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;’ (Philippians 1:6 NKJV)

Ezer Standing IV - Afraid to Fight

‘All warfare is based on deception.’ ~Sun Tzu

I hate that line! We all hate the idea of being deceived. It’s happened to all of us. Whether you’re a jilted lover, a shocked parent or a businessman that’s just been swindled – the deception causes hurt and shame. But this is how our enemy battles, and these are the wages of his war, to envelop us with guilt, shame, hurt, pain, anguish, failure, fear, sickness and death.

The other day we celebrated Veterans Day. Thank you to our veterans! But as I noticed on line the many notes of thanks, I also noticed the notes of a few that were bold enough to say: Thank you for doing what the rest of us are afraid to do. And that’s just it. We’re afraid to fight.

‘One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.’ ~again from Sun Tzu

We’re afraid to fight even for what matters. Around me I see those afraid to fight daily battles, for the rights of their children, afraid to fight for the defense of unborn children, afraid to fight for their personal convictions. We’ve become accustomed to the idea of being ‘politically correct’ or to the idea that we’re not ‘giving up’ – we’re just ‘moving on.’ I want to make note here that I am not aiming this at anyone! As in every battle – there are times to retreat and regroup or cut your losses. As long as you’re submitting to what God requires of you – I applaud you! The whole point of a battle is submitting to your commander – so that you can win His way. The ways that seem right to a man, in the end lead to destruction. The bottom line is to do things God’s way – and that’s why it’s so important to be in His Word – so that we know His ways, and submit to them.

Ezer Rising V

Okay, so some of you didn’t find yourself in the last post. You read your Bibles every single day. The angels are celebrating your commitment. I rejoice with them. What a way to seek after the heart of our Father!

This post isn’t aimed at everyone either, but to those who read the Word out of habit, like they take their vitamins every morning. I think some people even read their Bibles out of the superstitious feeling that if they don’t something will go wrong that day. So is it a good-luck charm?

Today I want to challenge you to examine your motives when you read God’s Word. Are you looking for something? That’s okay. But be ready to receive what God’s desiring to pour into you, as well. If you’re looking for a ‘word in due season’ – something to provide encouragement for your day or the answer to a question, great. But be open to the idea that God may be pointing you toward something you didn’t go there for.

When you’re looking for something you’ve misplaced, isn’t it great to find something else you thought you’d lost forever, or discover something you didn’t realize you had in the first place? God has nourishment and blessings and instructions and commands and even correction for us that we might not have been looking for when we opened our Bible covers. I love digging a purse out of the closet to discover there’s money in it I’d forgotten about. I love finding a note I’d written to myself with a nugget God gave me, refreshing me once again. But I love it best when I’m reading God’s Word and I find that He’s talking about me, that He’s written something there just for me, that I need right now. He knew I’d need it today since before I drew breath!

He’s good like that!

Look at your routine. Is it just a routine? If it is, you’re missing a lot.

Ezer Rising III

Discipline. Kind of sounds like a cuss word to the lazy person.

I bought the book The Art of War by Sun Tzu, a Chinese military general that lived at least 500 years before Jesus clothed Himself in flesh. In it he reveals his mind set for war. A lot of Christians don’t see the warfare we’re involved in, and most of those that do are still learning this mind set. Amidst his warfare strategies, General Tzu says: All war is deception. We need to see that spiritual warfare in particular, is built upon deception. Of all the things Pastor Mark has been teaching us lately, this resounds in my mind.

The discouragement the enemy rolls out before us like a red carpet, compelling us to ‘walk this way’ is based on deception. The ridicule he throws at us, intentionally, is steeped in deception. Every lie we fall for is intended to deceive us into thinking about our lives from any viewpoint that doesn’t line up with God’s. This is why it’s so important to investigate and search out what God says about everything. The enemy of our soul doesn’t want us to know God’s point of view, because there we will find truth; absolute truth.

You’ve heard it said: fact is stranger than fiction. Well, lies can be easier to swallow than a truth pill. If I’m sly and cunning and have access to your unguarded mind, I can hide the truth from you. And Satan has had eons of time to practice the art of deception; he’s watched and learned the vulnerable, soft spots in the human mind. He notices when we drop our guard and sees when we’ve not been taught how to guard our minds in the first place. He is merciless and is out to steal, kill and destroy – his purpose, in a nutshell.

John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Come back for more………………

Beautiful Seasons of Ezer

Each season is crowned with splendor, but the colors of autumn are so rich, they insist on grabbing my attention. Looking out the window I can tell that the air is crisp and chilly. It’s daytime, but there’s no hint at the warmth the sun should be spilling everywhere. It’s time for turtlenecks, jackets and the fuzzy socks from the back of your drawer. But whether we’re looking at the warm colors of fall that compliment the cooler temperatures or the white skirts of snowflakes canvassing our view in the winter; whether we’re embracing the bright pastels of springtime or the array of greens that summer wears – the beauty of change is fulfilling. Oftentimes we’re forced from our routine to stand awestruck in wonder and nature itself takes our breath away.

The seasons of our lives are just as beautiful. But just as in springtime there’s rain to complain about or the sweltering heat of summer, the temperature drops of fall and the icy roads of winter – we find things to complain about as we pass from one season to the next as we age. When we’re young, we can’t wait to grow up. When we’re young adults we think time will stand still. When we’re older we long for our youth.

But God, in His wisdom, has placed us right where we are for such a time as this. We can make a beautiful impact on the lives around us, as we allow the beauty of those lives to fill our day with meaning and love.

Instead of defaulting to complaining and murmurings, and wishing for something ‘better’, we can rejoice in knowing that our God knows exactly what He’s doing and that His timing is always perfect.

Today, we are beautiful – and perfected in Christ.

Esther 4:14 …yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Ezer - Help or Hindrance?

Going back a few blog posts I wrote a little about what an ezer is created to be. When God created our world, He saw that everything was good – the only thing that was not good, was for man to be alone, without one of his kind. God created the woman as the man’s ezer; his helpmate and so much more. The woman was created, as was the man, to bear God’s image in this world. Both men and women are created in God’s image – we are His masterpiece. Working together with each other, we more perfectly bear God’s image. When we war against each other, we mar His image.

Though men are traditionally the protectors, women have a protective nature and role as well. Along-side the men in our lives, we are called to fight. We are not called to fight against our men or to fight against our children. We are not called to chase after elusive battles that demand our attention, such as the battle of the bulge or the fight to keep up with the Joneses or even battles for equality. We are called to fight the good fight of faith. (1 Timothy 6:12 KJV)

This past weekend I had to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. In an attempt to ‘help’ my mate – I stepped on his toes. In order to help and not hinder the man I’m called most to stand beside, I have to be careful not to create little battles that can blind us to what we’re really fighting for. Satan rejoices when we get side-tracked and chase after pink elephants that aren’t really even there, instead of donning the full armor of God and pulling down strongholds and vain thoughts and every high thing that exalts itself against God.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (KJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

Ezer Part 6

We cannot fight everyone else’s battles and stand unwounded to fight our own. God has equipped me to fight my battles – though He may call you along to help me as I grow weary, but they are my battles to fight. He may call me alongside of you to provide an encouraging word at the right time, He may expect me to even take a bullet for you, but ultimately, the battles you’ll face are yours to fight. He never leaves us alone; He is constantly with us no matter what enemies we face or their strategies against us, because He lives inside of us and cannot leave us, by His own choosing.

So, where do we start? How do we build our foundation on God? Is it something that just ‘happens’?

Building your foundation is not an overnight undertaking. It’s something you have to be intentional about. Along the way, you’ll probably make mistakes, I know I have. But God is ever so patient with us. He sees our heart, He knows our intentions. He’ll provide road signs and assistance along the way. He’s paid too dear a cost to leave us alone to wander in the wilderness all by ourselves. He’s provided us with a map and instructions that far too many of us pay far too little attention to. The old jokes about men not wanting to stop and ask for directions when they’re lost are a perfect example of how God’s children try to get through life, thinking we can complete our missions without asking how God wants us to do it; thinking we can surely figure things out on our own.

Part 7 coming soon.....

Ezer Part 5

If something is worth holding on to, it’s worth fighting for. When we’ve been joined together in a holy union, before God and man – that union is worth fighting for. Not much pleases the enemy more than dividing what God has joined together.

Don’t look back to past marriages or failed relationships. Fight from where you are, for what you have now. Looking back upon our broken relationships may reveal flaws in ourselves we need to work on, but we cannot look back and feel guilt over what God has already forgiven. God casts our sins and failures into a Sea of Forgetfulness and doesn’t remember them anymore. When we repent (turn away from) the sins and mistakes of our past, God no longer sees those sins and failures because His Son Jesus stands in the way, saying, ‘Now she is mine, I’ve cleaned her slate, she gets to start out fresh and new today and every day she belongs to me. Her heart is one with mine, I’ve given her a new name and a new mission.’

When soldiers are in battle, they forge forward to gain ground. When the battle slows, they can tend to the wounded around them. Forge forward as the strong warrior called alongside your husband, tend to his wounds as well as to the wounds of others as the battle slows. But keep your eyes on the Master, follow the commands and leading of your ‘General’ and He will see to it you come through triumphant. There will be casualties of war, because there are those who will insist on fighting in the battles without establishing the true and firm foundation from which to wage war. And there will be those who try to fight someone else’s battles. God has equipped you to fight the battles He has already seen the enemy contrive against you.

To be continued again.....

Ezer Part 3

Any one we wish to receive love from is potentially in a very powerful place. We give them the keys to unlock the essence of what’s in our hearts, hoping to exchange with them the phenomenal source of life: love. But love is not always returned. Trust is often laughed at, behind our backs until the charade is revealed. Whether it’s a playground playmate that betrays our friendship or our first love that betrays our trust; the hurt our hearts suffer seems insurmountable. We learn to trust again, either out of hope or desperation. Someone comes along and sends out the signal that they can be trusted with our heart. Or someone comes into our life that challenges us to reach into their heart to love them. A knowing that there’s a place in them that needs to be caressed – and a place in us that needs to be filled.

I want to back up for just a moment to my opening greeting, which may have been puzzling. When God created man, He created us male and female. The female part was, in the original Hebrew, called the ezer. An ezer is one shaped to harmoniously fit together with the male part, but created to be his strong, warrior ally; the part of him that fights for him when he is weak or chooses not to battle himself. Together they can successfully bear the image of God and advance His kingdom. Nothing can frustrate our common enemy more, so he perpetually seeks to destroy the union between man and his ezers. To look at our society we find proof enough to see that the battle of the sexes rages forcefully.

We ezers often want independence and to tout superiority over the man instead of coming along side of man and stand in battle with him. Being fifty years old, I’ve encountered men along side of whom I would choose not to stand. But those are not the men that God has called me and created me to stand with. Through the years too, Satan has regularly lied to me and tried to tear me away from the man God created me to stand with. Praise be to God, Satan’s strategies, though powerful and hurt-filled, have not succeeded.

To be continued again....

Ezer Part 2

Lately I’ve had to face the fact that loving everyone isn’t quite as easy as I thought it would be. Up until this place in my life, I’ve found it quite simple to love most everyone that crossed my path, even those that cut across the paths of my life with sharp razor blades! I’ve not had to wrestle with forgiving most of the offenders in my life – just a few.

But the further into my life I allow a relative stranger venture, the more I find myself protecting my heart and putting up walls and closing doors that I’m meant to love through. Perhaps I plan on sliding my love through in an envelope under the doors, or tossing my love over the tall walls in note wrapped around a rock. I don’t think that’s the way it’s supposed to work, though love can be shown through what I write when it’s my only way to show it. I think love is supposed to be more ‘hands on’. I think I have to love the way I want to be loved, personally. If the object of my love is out of reach, letters, text messages and phone calls may be all I feel I have to reach out with. But written messages and even calls can be vague and my emotions might not be read correctly.

So now I work on tearing down the walls and opening the doors to those around me. I wouldn’t have thought the work to do so would be so hard, or the walls so high and the doors so tightly slammed shut.

When (not if) I open the doors, I’m allowing myself to be vulnerable, which is something many of us have vowed never to do again. By the time we escape childhood, most of us have been hurt enough to swear off the pain that can accompany loving and being loved.

To be continued again.....