I have been fasting for the first time ever. I have also felt incredibly far from God with my thoughts. I have been thinking really mean stuff. I have been on edge and mad at almost everyone for almost anything. I thought maybe it was hormones. I recently asked my mother to pray for me. I don't know why I'm so angry, but I am. She quickly told me she believes it's because I am fasting. When we are trying to fast and pray, the devil will attack.
1 Peter 5:8 tells us to be alert because the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. I was blind. Easy prey. It didn't even dawn on me to guard my mind. I wasn't even paying attention, which is like leaving the door unlocked and open for the enemy to come on in and make himself at home.
I like to listen to sermons in the morning. The other day I turned on a sermon by Francis Chan because I firmly believe he is one of the best teachers out there. My Bluetooth speaker has been acting up and changes things from time to time. I have no idea why it does, but that day it changed it over to Joyce Meyer. I have never once listened to Joyce Meyer so I'm not sure why she was even an option on youtube. I have a few of her books, but honestly they're just collecting dust on my book shelf because I've never read any of them.
The sermon that came on was called 'Satan loves to attack your mind.' I was surprised by the title considering it was just the day before that my mama told me this is what was taking place with me. So I listened intently. What she said was that we don't have the power to keep the devil from attacking us. He will attack. He will lie to us. He will come against us. Our power is that when he is attacking us, we don't have to act like him.
To you that may have been obvious, to me it was super powerful. I know we are called to be like Jesus. One of my favorite lines from an old hymn says "Till transformed in Thine own image, in Thy presence I shall stand." I often apologize to God for falling short over and over. There are times when I react before I think. When anger gets the best of me. When I can't hold my tongue. If I'm honest, there are times when I really don't want to hold my tongue. I always consoled myself with the knowledge that being like Jesus is hard. It truly never dawned on me that being like satan is easy. That when I'm not resembling Jesus, I'm resembling the devil. I don't want to act like satan.
There's always going to be people that push our buttons, that get a rise out of us. Jude 1:23 says we are to save others by snatching them out of the fire. Too many times we are the ones pushing them into it!!
When the devil is using a person to get to us, we need to feel sorry for them because they fell for his tricks, and pray for them instead of condemning them. Just because they act like the devil to us, doesn't mean we act like the devil right back. We are supposed to be the light to them. How will they know Jesus if we keep introducing them to satan instead?
We need to hide God's word in our hearts and strap on the whole armor of God, because this is war, whether you know it or not.
Ephesians 6:14-18
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
1 Peter 5:8 tells us to be alert because the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. I was blind. Easy prey. It didn't even dawn on me to guard my mind. I wasn't even paying attention, which is like leaving the door unlocked and open for the enemy to come on in and make himself at home.
I like to listen to sermons in the morning. The other day I turned on a sermon by Francis Chan because I firmly believe he is one of the best teachers out there. My Bluetooth speaker has been acting up and changes things from time to time. I have no idea why it does, but that day it changed it over to Joyce Meyer. I have never once listened to Joyce Meyer so I'm not sure why she was even an option on youtube. I have a few of her books, but honestly they're just collecting dust on my book shelf because I've never read any of them.
The sermon that came on was called 'Satan loves to attack your mind.' I was surprised by the title considering it was just the day before that my mama told me this is what was taking place with me. So I listened intently. What she said was that we don't have the power to keep the devil from attacking us. He will attack. He will lie to us. He will come against us. Our power is that when he is attacking us, we don't have to act like him.
To you that may have been obvious, to me it was super powerful. I know we are called to be like Jesus. One of my favorite lines from an old hymn says "Till transformed in Thine own image, in Thy presence I shall stand." I often apologize to God for falling short over and over. There are times when I react before I think. When anger gets the best of me. When I can't hold my tongue. If I'm honest, there are times when I really don't want to hold my tongue. I always consoled myself with the knowledge that being like Jesus is hard. It truly never dawned on me that being like satan is easy. That when I'm not resembling Jesus, I'm resembling the devil. I don't want to act like satan.
There's always going to be people that push our buttons, that get a rise out of us. Jude 1:23 says we are to save others by snatching them out of the fire. Too many times we are the ones pushing them into it!!
When the devil is using a person to get to us, we need to feel sorry for them because they fell for his tricks, and pray for them instead of condemning them. Just because they act like the devil to us, doesn't mean we act like the devil right back. We are supposed to be the light to them. How will they know Jesus if we keep introducing them to satan instead?
We need to hide God's word in our hearts and strap on the whole armor of God, because this is war, whether you know it or not.
Ephesians 6:14-18
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
I can relate in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteThe Christian walk is hard. Jesus forgives you, so forgive yourself and try again.
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