Today my friend Satin is sharing her heart here with us and I’m so delighted…
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In a recent email conversation with a precious friend, she mentioned that her word for the year is LOVE, yet she felt as though it should have been WAR.
The Holy Spirit infused my words when I responded with:
Scripture tells us that “He who does not LOVE does not know God, for God IS love” 1 John 4:8 (emphasis by me).
If God IS love, then to LOVE means to walk with God, which makes the enemy angry!
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” John 10:10
When we choose to serve God, we choose a life of war: war with the enemy of our souls. We cannot serve two masters. There will always be a fight for our soul and it is our choice as to whom we will allow to win the war: Christ or Satan.
It sounds like a simple enough choice, but the challenge comes in our day to day lives with simple choices like these:
- Do I follow the dream God has placed on my heart, or listen to the Stealer of Dreams & hold back?
- Do I place my fears in God’s hands, or grasp them tightly believing the Enemy’s lies saying I am in control?
- Do I extend the olive branch of peace to someone who hurt me, or harbor my hurt, believing the Enemy’s lies that I have a ‘right’ to be hurt & angry?
- Do I look myself in the mirror and smile through the blemishes at who I am in Christ, or do I frown & believe that I am ugly & worthless?
- Do I view past failures as stepping stones for which Christ has built, or do I allow the devil to convince me I should have stones thrown at me in condemnation?
“…For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places…” Ephesians 6:10-13
Just as a soldier goes into battle fully trained & armored, we are to do the same!
Ephesians 6:14-18 clearly defines how we are to armor up from head to toe:
While war is difficult & even painful, the Bible has these words for encouragement:
Our friends were born for times of adversity (Prov 17:17)
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because they will receive the crown of life (James 1:12)
The testing of your faith produces perseverance (James 1:2-3)
God works things out for the good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28)
So next time you’re having a bad day, after you’ve checked your armor, reach out to a trusted friend & ask for prayer!
I’m on the front lines with you, friend~you’re not alone!
