Enemies Abound But We Can Win The Battle
Greetings in the Lord, sisters of Christ!
Oh, that Ephesians 6 armor of God, what a protection if we apply it, amen? We all know 1 Peter 5:8 don't we?
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
So what shall we do?
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 1 Peter 5:9
Amen.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. [11] To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10-11
This will make us perfect, stablish, strengthen and settle us, what more could we ask? And let's ponder vs 11, to God be the glory and DOMINION for ever and every. Our Father is higher than any spiritual principalities there be, so let us not fall back in fatigue, fear or stop fighting the good fight, amen?
We just weathered a wicked storm a couple days ago in a parking lot at night. Gusts up to 65 miles per hour were battering our (heavy) van, swaying it while garbage cans and debris were sent flying. I had perfect calm and peace knowing that our Father is in charge and if it's His will that we die or suffer from it, then so be it. That doesn't mean we didn't do what we could to protect ourselves from it such as shut the windows and move to a spot that might offer more protection, which is what we did. We parked on the other side of a large structure so the debris had to go around or over it to get to us.
You can see a video of it here....
And brother Jim made a video out in that wind that you can see (and hear some of it:-)
That storm that just passed through is like some of the spiritual storms we encounter in our ministry. Heretical teachers, fleshly people, false converts, liars, satan's workers etc. It's an ongoing thing, just as our Savior said it would be, but oftentimes they come all at once. We have learned how to build protective walls in our life by standing HARD and UNCOMPROMISING on the word of God. The second you waver from truth, (it's now a weakness of yours) they pounce on it and bring you down.
Over the years of battling through the trials God has you go through and being obedient in it all, you grow strong and can be victorious through those storms that come like a tornado. The walls of truth that you build around yourself get bigger and thicker so each storm you go through batters you less and less. The debris (opposers of the truth) cannot get you so easily and has to go around or over or under and work it's way to you as opposed to slamming into you and taking you unaware.
We have just weathered not only a physical storm in our flesh, we have also (victoriously) weathered a spiritual storm (from many different directions of people) that did not weaken us but only added to the wall of defense built around us, through the Word. Our Father has equipped us with EVERYTHING we need to battle such things and we can either get in our flesh and become weak, or we can get tougher and plow right through to the other side!
Enemies of the Word can come in the form of not only a prominent false teacher but a little old lady or man, a woman with a soft voice, your best 'friend', your favorite relative, your nice neighbor, your spouse, your children etc. We can be thoroughly prepared can't we?
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3;16-17
Just as our Father protected the saints before us....
The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments. [14] Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: [15] Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words. [16] At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. [17] Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. [18] And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:13-18)
He will do it for us also!
I thought I'd share these next two pictures that I took when we were out at the UW (University Wisconsin) college preaching and holding signs. You can see the videos HERE.
Look close at one of the window above and see the words 'Shut up'.
And the one above has '666' on it.
They both used sticky notes to make the letters...taking all that time to spell them backwards (to them) so they were readable for us outside. A woman gave us a vulgar hand gesture. Another man walked by and told brother Jim 'Dude, nobody wants to hear what you have to say'. My thought was, 'Are you God, how do you know?' Just before that, a man was there talking to brother Jim to ask him questions, so yes, someone did want to hear. The guy driving by on the golf cart emptying the garbage cans wanted to hear it because he was listening and waving. Yep, most people will be our enemies but we just continue to push forward because there may be a sheep in the midst and the Word of God will be proclaimed and exampled in our lives.
Satan hates that. And he sometimes sends more and more of his workers after us doesn't he? Sometimes you feel like you just weathered a hurricane, tornado and an earthquake all at once, but if you are equipped in the Word and strong in the faith, you may do what I said to brother Jim just today. 'Bring it on, I'm ready for whatever else is coming!' It's like looking forward to the challenge to press through to get on the other side, knowing that ultimately the battle is already won and we are on the winning side!
It don't get no better than that:-)
I leave you with this...
And I hope your evening (or day) is victorious in the Lord!
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. [20] For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, [21] Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. [22] For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. [23] And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. [24] For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? [25] But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:19-25)
Peace, hope and joy for you all,
Sister Deb
The biblical gospel...
https://www.dontperish.com/the-gospel.html