Faith Fight

Before service on Sunday I was able to spend a few minutes in a nearly empty sanctuary in prayer. There is a serenity like no other in the quiet stillness of the sanctuary, especially in a church where God is truly pursued. It is not about the building, but there is a presence of God that is tangible – it is electric in the air. I get a similar feeling in my sewing/prayer room. (Still working on a cleaver name for it.) It is where I spend time in prayer, listening and reading the Word, and generally relaxing while being bathed in the message of God.

I have been spending more and more time in my little room. In part because ministry school responsibilities but more than that, preparing for battle. I did not recognize it until Sunday morning when my Pastor spoke to me, I am in the midst of the fight of Faith. Sunday was so busy that I did not marinate on his words until last night.

Last night, I was feeling overwhelmed. You know the feeling that you are missing a step somewhere, but you cannot figure out where or how you are missing it. I was exhausted and headed to bed just before 8 PM. I laid in bed and prayed, earnestly with tears in my eyes. Praying for wisdom and direction. Praying for grace. Praying to have grace and mercy for others. Biblical truths are being attacked by people I have always seen as mighty people of faith. Things I have been praying for have not transpired. People I love, I cannot get them to “get it” regarding trusting God and having faith for their healing. There is a cacophony of information and emotion swirling in my head. It’s not depression I am feeling. I have been frustrated, sad, and even on the border of angry the last few weeks.

As I finished praying, I took out my devotion book by David Jeremiah, “Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God”. John 4:22 is the scripture leading in to the devotion I read last night entitled: Ignorant Worship. The last few lines read, “Worship is knowing God and worshipping Him, and if we do not know God, we cannot worship Him. Make it a priority to know God.”  As I read these words, pastor’s comment about fighting the fight of faith pierced my thoughts.

I am learning more about God, daily. I am learning and recognizing who I am and who I am supposed to be in Christ. The realization that you have accepted one thing as truth (religion and tradition) and finding God’s Word says something very different is A LOT to take in. I have truly felt attacked, constantly, viciously at times…and it is a ploy to take my eyes off God. To pull me into a current of doubt.

This morning in my little room I was reminded that I am victorious in Christ Jesus, more than a conqueror. My current circumstances are not a reflection of what I have in Christ. I am only beginning to open and explore the treasure chest of God’s great grace and mercy. The devil has no power over me, so he is trying his best to get me to defeat myself. If he can remind me of my mistakes and imperfections and get me to listen…the rest of the defeat would be my own doing.

I am not giving in or giving up. It was probably a mistake a few weeks ago to literally tell the devil to “bring it”. The storms have raged, but my faith is built on the rock…not on the sand. Even as I found encouragement in God's Word in the early morning, a member of my connect group sent a loving message that encouraged me. Later in the morning, I received another message with simply a scripture reference: Samuel 30:6

All of this for one simple thought I want to share with you. If the devil is trying to make you stumble...it is because you are a threat. The very actions of the enemy, all the tricks and ploys that are launched against me tell me one very important thing...he is afraid of me and what havoc I can wreck on the kingdom of hell.

 

 

Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12