As I laid in my prayer closet full of feelings and emotions that were consuming me, I began to tell God all about what I didn't want to do anymore and how I really felt about being in this season of my life. Tired one might call it, overwhelmed another might say, "girl tell it like it is" I was even thinking.
As I sit on the other side of the pity party I was having, I realized all I was doing was helping the enemy beat me up!
Don't get me wrong, in that moment I felt what I felt and decided to believe what I was being feed BUT when I actually got quiet enough, I heard the Lord say:
Your prayers of yesterday no longer suffice for the battles you're up against today.
This caused me to change my posture. I began to sit up and press into what Holy Spirit was trying to teach me in that moment. It came to me, a visual representation of my nine-year old daughter having a full-blown temper tantrum like she used to have when she was two or three years old.... now what would that look like? What would I say to her nine-year old self?
Girl Get Up!
This caused me to slowly get up and wipe the tears from my eyes as I realized I was being parented by God in this moment. My response to God was, "Lord, you gotta teach me then how to fight". I was led to a very quotable portion of Scripture and after reading Ephesians 6:10-18 in the NIV Bible I opened up my phone and read it in the Message Translation:
A Fight to the Finish
"And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out".
I was drawn to the shield of faith we are called to have on, the shield that protects us against the flaming arrows of the evil one and was drawn to the weapon which is sword of the Spirit - the Word of God and I felt a new level of strength flow through me and a new sense of "fight" begin to fill my heart and mind.
Oh, okay God, you're not moved by my tears? Not in this battle? It's the Word of God that is going to cut the enemy and it's the shield of my faith that serves as my protectant against the enemy! I get it, now! Though the weapons may form they won't prosper right? ("No weapon formed against you shall prosper" Isaiah 54:17)
With the shield of our faith in place, we can declare from a hard place that way we are to fight these battles is not with our tears and pity but with the voice activated Word of God, declaring those things that are not as though they are.... you mean walk and talk by faith and not by sight or feeling? Hummmmm..... I understand.
So, girl, get up! Fight this good fight of faith! Keep pressing towards the mark! Keep your guard up! Use and speak that Word over your life, your marriage, your family, your children, your finances, your situation and trust it all by faith! Because Jesus got up and rose with all power so can we because greater is HE who is IN us than he who is in the world! Solider, do you have the faith the fight?
Now don't get me wrong, let something be wrong with my daughter let alone any of my kids, mommy is right there to comfort them and this so with God our Father however, the battles of today require the sword to be applied! As we fight with this armor of God- the shield of faith and weapon of the Word of God we can stand firm and know that these weapons of our warfare are not carnal but rather strong and mighty- in fact they pull down strongholds!
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds - 2 Corinthians 10:4
Be Blessed, you are a might warrior and have everything it takes to fight! You are not alone, you have God and we have each other!
Blessings + Love,
Tunai