Ephesians 6:11-13
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand
There are some verses in the Bible that even the unsaved just know. For God So loved....I can do all things....I Am That I Am, In the beginning....Some of the Word has managed to cut through the noise and pollution of the world and just become interwoven with our society.
The verse above is another one of those, though it's usually phrased having done all to stand, stand therefore. It brings a picture to mind of facing down whatever has come against us. Like the soldier on the battlefield refusing to yield despite insurmountable odds. Or the parent who refuses to give up on a wayward or sick child. Amazing courage from the depths of our being. I am grateful that God restores, restrengthens and renews in those circumstances.
But what about less dramatic, but equally as destructive circumstances? Those little battles that we all face. The ones that seem too insignificant to even consider as a battle. Not studying the Word of God. Shirking on our responsibilities to a ministry...just every now and then. Indulging our appetite for that 'thing' we know we're not supposed to have...be it food, drug, entertainment, or people. These aren't really worthy of the attention of God, are they?
They are. And we can see the result of ignoring these little things all around us. Consider the forts of old that withstood battle after battle...or the pyramids in central Mexico as well as Egypt. The great structures built when one civilization dominated another. Many of these structures remained in tact for hundreds of years, only to be brought down by a breach of integrity that started as a leak, or a lodged seed, or a small crack. Or even the strength of a man can dissolve into nothing by the presence of a tumor the size of a walnut. The Ebola virus does nothing until it gets inside the body. Then, just its presence has the power to throw a whole nation into panic. Something too small to be seen by the naked eye can make the most powerful nation on earth run in fear.
As children of God, we have nothing to fear that comes from the outside. The things that truly destroy us start from the inside and often start small. It is these things that we are called to attend. We must be diligent about what we take into our Spirit because it will affect what comes out.
Dear ones, no matter how hard the struggle may be over that 'thing', if it hinders our relationship with God, it has to be attended. There is nothing that we're are asked to lay aside that isn't met with exceeding abundance when we walk in obedience. After all, we have not resisted to blood on that thing (Hebrews 12:4).
Fall is a time of glorious color and change. For many people, this is their favorite time of year. For others, it can be a time of loss and stress. Whether you welcome this time of year with gladness or disdain, I encourage you to focus on what's really important. Not on what's coming at you, but on what's coming out.
And, having done all to stand in the face of depression, and sickness, and loss, stand therefore. Having done all to stand in the face of lack, and desperation and falling self worth, stand therefore. Having done all to stand in the face of anything that exalts itself against God, including our own pride, stand therefore. God will avenge Himself. And His thoughts toward us are for good and not evil, to give us an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11).
And knowing that the end result is victory, as it always is with God, just stand.
I love you and I'm praying for you.
Psalm 146
146 Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.
2 While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:
7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. TheLord looseth the prisoners:
8 The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:
9 The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
10 The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.
Lifeline is produced from the Evangelistic Ministry of Fellowship Church in Jonesboro, GA. You are encouraged to share this message. The Fellowship Church website (www.fcchosengeneration.com) includes a link to the Lifeline Blog (www.lifelineatfellowship.blogspot.com) where you can find previous messages.
Evangelist Robinson also posts her entries on Facebook and Twitter. To subscribe to the mailing, or for questions and comments, tweet (@evangeliststeff) or send an email to fellowship_lifeline@yahoo.com.
Fellowship Church
Where Passions Become RealityBecause You Are a Chosen Generation455 Hwy 138 W. Suite CJonesboro, GA 30238Between GA Hwy 85 and US 19/41Across from EJ Swint Elementary School
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