Originally published Monday, 02 June 2014.
www.insideoutwithcourtnaye.org
Ever heard that your weapons of warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds? That’s actually a Scripture found in 2 Corinthians 10:4. Meaning that as you press to live right and do what God has called you to do, you will experience spiritual warfare. Opposition will come. People will come against you. Tough circumstances will pop up without much notice. However, when these things happen, know that you are not alone in the process. God is your vindicator, your very present help in a time of trouble, and your mighty deliverer! You don’t have to take matters into your own hands. Because the battle belongs to the Lord!
Sis, let me tell you something today. As we draw closer to the soon return of Christ, our great enemy Satan is stepping up his game! And he is certainly not excited about your future, neither God’s purpose for your life. In these last days, he will try everything in the book to try to throw you off track and try to get you to lose faith. But don’t let him. Yes, offenses and hard trials will come, and opportunities to act out of character will present themselves, but we must remember that with God, we can respond to these situations in a way that pleases our Lord and defeats the enemy. Amen!
That’s right! He can be defeated as long as we have God on our side. The Bible encourages us, “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31 – NLT) Our confidence should be that with God, nothing is impossible and that we can overcome whatever the enemy tries to bring our way.
And one thing that I want to address today is that God is calling us to love one another even greater than years past. We have to know that our battle is not with people. Sometimes it may seem that way, but it’s really not. That’s just to get us sidetracked. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:12, “For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule the world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.” (NLT)
So you see. We are not truly fighting with our friends, sisters in Christ, husbands, bosses, or leaders. It’s the enemy trying to pin us against one another and stop us from showing the love to one another. Jesus gave us a new commandment to love each other through John 13:34-35 which says, "...Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." How do we prove it? By showing acts of love. Listening is love, hearing someone’s point of view is love, not holding an offense, grudges, or unforgiveness is love, not disrespecting someone is love, not cursing someone out is love. The list could literally go on and on. Yet, the point here is that we learn to love each other beyond the disagreements or differences, while realizing that Satan is our true enemy, and that God is our vindicator.
Here’s a little practical advice. If you’re in an argument or about to confront a difficult issue with someone, keep in mind that you’re tackling the issue, not the person. Look at it from a spiritual standpoint. Pray before you talk or meet. Also, if it begins to turn negative or hostile, remember that it’s not the person, yet the spirit behind them that’s trying to get you to act out of character to try to mess up God’s plans for your life. Don’t forget what happened with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Satan hid behind a snake and messed up the great plan that God had intended for them. And here we are today. So don’t be deceived. Deal with the issues, but again, don’t attack the person.
From my own personal experience, over the years, I’ve learned more and more that this is a spiritual battle. When dealing with difficult people or tension with someone who is acting a little out of sorts, I sometimes say to myself, “On a good day, that person wouldn’t be acting that way.” Or I’ll try to see things from another angle. I really try to give the person that I’m dealing with the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes, I have to pause and consider, before I respond. Now, does it always work perfectly? No, because I make mistakes sometimes. And you will too. However, our goal should be to try to remain calm in any given situation, while allowing the Holy Spirit to work it all out. Remember the battle is not ours. Yet, it’s the Lord’s. Amen!
Listen. No matter what you face in this life, whether its people or tough circumstances, know that you are not alone. God is fighting for you. You can win with the Lord on your side. But you have to rely heavily on the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you. Now, before I close this post, I want to encourage you with this - When King Jehoshaphat was about to face a serious battle that he wasn’t sure if he would win, he called on the Lord saying, “O our God. Won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.” And this is what the Lord said, “…Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:12 & 15 – NLT)
Long story short…they WON! The Lord gave them victory over their enemies! Hallelujah! BUT the key here is that he called on the LORD for help. And when we follow this example, we can encounter a mighty move of God in our lives as well. So hold on, my sister. Overcome your battles with the Lord. You know what they are. You know your struggles, hurts, and weak spots. Keep in mind that your weapons of warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Let Him fight for you. Let Him help you overcome your issues of life. And when you do, you’ll experience true victory and inexpressible joy!
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
*Thanks for reading! I hope and pray that you’ve been enlightened from this post. Feel absolutely free to leave a comment or for questions you can email me directly at insideoutwithcourtnaye@gmail.com, and I will respond promptly. Also, tune in every Monday at 7:30am for new posts! Don’t forget to “Like” my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/InsideOutWCourtnaye) and share this blog with friends, family, co-workers, or your women’s group or ministry. I’d love to stay connected and help more women grow in the Lord! Thanks again and may God be with you!
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