Somewhere in the world today a mother is on her knees praying for her child. She is asking God to heal and restore. Somewhere in the world today a wife is praying that her marriage will be restored and that they will find each other again. Somewhere in the world a woman is crying because she lost her best friend and someone in the world is praying for peace because their country is in turmoil and innocent people are being destroyed. The bottom line, someone is praying in every city, and in every country, for something and if they aren't crying out to Jesus how will it get fixed?
This week my pastor started a series on Spiritual warfare. It is going to be a seven week look into the victory of Jesus. We all know what makes this world fall. If you don't, here are the three: our flesh, our world and the devil. Our flesh desires what we want, not what we should have. Our world tells us how to think, feel and react. It instills cultural principles that just don't match up to the Bible and then the devil, who likes to deceive, destroy and conquer through our flesh and minds. He can't get to our soul if we're saved but He can get other places if we let him.
How do we fight a powerful enemy? What strategy must we look at to be victors? Well, we need to read our Bible and begin to transform our flesh and our minds. The heart of victory is in the word and through prayer and surrendering to Christ we will have victory. Throughout time, humans have fallen but as they were transformed God had victory. And as Pastor Terry says, talking about victory is really what the Bible is all about. If you don't think you can have victory through Jesus, then you need to take another look at your motives, your thoughts and your belief in Jesus. We might not get the life we want but we can be victors in the battle. Preparation is the key to understanding that we are in a Spiritual battle and that the only way we will win is with Jesus on our side!
Our world may be in chaos and our families may be under attack, but where does our help come from? It comes from our Lord and Savior. If we don't go to Him, where else can we go? The world won't fix our problems and our friends can only listen. But if we unite in prayer and ask the Lord to show us our sinful ways, imagine how much better things could be. It starts with faith and continues through prayer. None of us are molded overnight and none of us will be pure until our bridegroom comes again but in the meantime, we can surrender, pray and know that there are battles waged everyday and victors of the cross. So stand firm with me today and pray for your families and women everywhere. We need to unite in battle and put on our full armor daily. The only way to have victory is to be mightily prepared!
James 4: 1-3 NKJV:
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
James 4:4-7 NKJV:
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Today, I have only bolded the areas that I really want us to concentrate on. Pleasure is the flesh, friendship with the world is sin and being proud comes from both. It is here that God calls us to draw near to Him and our enemy will flee. We must repent, open our hearts and correct our wrong thinking. We doubt that Christ is who He says He is, especially when we don't get what we want. Haven't you heard people say it? Why won't He just heal me? God never answers my prayers so I guess He doesn't really exist. What are we praying for? Are we praying for our own pleasures or for worldly things or are we looking to what Jesus desires? He desires us to have victory against our enemies, to be bold and courageous and to draw near to Him in all circumstances. That's what I want to do, don't you? I want grace and I definitely want peace and everyday I pray that I surrender my desires to have His. I'm not saying I'm perfect, far from it, but I recognize that I must die to me to see Him!
My prayer today:
O, Lord, thank you for sharing these vital passages with us today. We do live by our flesh and often pray for our desires over what You want for our lives. Wars are started through wrong thinking, sin and fleshly desires. As women, we come before You surrendering our wills, our minds and our flesh to You. We ask that You would forgive our sins and that You would change our thinking about anything that doesn't align with Your word. Fill us up with Your wisdom so that we can be victors. We desire to raise an army that is full of Your word, Your grace and Your hope. We are in battle, not just country to country but soul to soul. We are like sheep, deep in the pasture, with only one hope, that You will find us and save us. You are the great Shepherd and only when we surrender to You can we have victory. I want that victory today so please change my heart and mind to line up with Your word and Your will. Help us all to see what our purpose is through You and for You. We are waiting and repenting today. Victory is around the corner and the only way we will achieve it is through YOU! We bow down before You Lord and we ask that our victor will light the way through our battles. Please help every women in every nation see You today! Bring forth the unbelieving and give them a heart for You. We love You Lord, we proclaim You are our Savior! In Jesus name, AMEN
Until tomorrow...
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