Vital seasons of our lives are sometimes painful preparations for our future destiny. God has promised. “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing” James 1:2-3.”
You feel as if all your hope is dashed to pieces with one onslaught from the enemy. Filled with dreams and expectations and you are only met with disappointment and hurt.
Isn’t that what the enemy wants? Isn’t it his job is to prevent you from fulfilling your God-given purpose?
I don’t know who said you couldn’t do what fills your heart, but they were dead wrong.
The enemy’s plan is to take you out and get you to give up on everything you hoped for. I speak from a place I know all too well. I have spent years wrestling with the words the Lord has spoken over my life. Recently, I have gotten to the point where I am sick and tired of him stealing from me. I am tired of feeling less than. Tired of feeling I am not enough. I will never measure up.
I am not sure how suddenly I found myself in this season of doubt again, when His promises felt so real a week ago. Here I sit questioning everything God ever said over me…again. I hate the enemy!
Everything seems to blur and leave me gasping for breath…for life.
How could so much of my flesh resurface? Be so active when I thought that part of me died.
The same insecure, fearful, lost teenager resurfaces. How quickly I begin to hear negative voices again. How quickly I lose my God.
Years of walking with God have opened my eyes to the enemy’s schemes and there is no way I will let him win this time. I already have the victory in Christ!!
It’s there in my darkest moments I feel light piercing through. Here in the middle of all my questioning His grace encircles me and gives me the strength to rise.
Everything begins to make sense again…I am in need of my Savior.
It is in these places of darkness where the Lord sculpts our heart. His true desire is to form a heart like His. Preparing and shaping us into a vessel that is fitting to be used by Him.
I find comfort in the words David penned in Psalm 142. He wrote these words in a cave on the run from King Saul, a wildly jealous king. Little did David know God was preparing him for the throne. Little did he know God would use him mightily after he was falsely accused and walked through one of the darkest seasons of his life. David is the perfect person to teach us how to respond when the enemy is at it again.
The next time you are in a situation where the enemy is tormenting you try doing these four things David did. They have helped me and I hope they will help you too!
- Cry out to God and pour out your honest feelings to Him.
I pour out my complaint before Him, I reveal my trouble to Him.”
He can handle all of your emotions and provide you with peace and comfort. You can fully trust God.
2. Declare your trust in God.
Remind yourself, “God knows me and is for me.
Although my spirit is weak within me, You know my way.”
- Make your deepest needs known to God.
Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.”
Write it out. Post it in your home. He is faithful to meet your need. According to Ephesians 6, we fight an entire assembly of unseen powers and principalities. Without God’s intervention and His holy armor, we will be crushed by the enemy. We are toast if we do not humbly admit we need God’s help.
- Forgive all that have hurt you.
Free me from prison so that I can praise your name.”
Unforgiveness becomes our own prison. Choose to forgive all who have hurt you and release them into the blessing of the Lord. Forgiveness is not an option it is a command and will bring such healing and peace. Read more on forgiveness here.
We cannot survive the schemes of the enemy if we do not choose to walk in faith and surrender to God’s guidance. Let’s keep having faith even in the face of trials and difficulties. We will be richly rewarded.
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The Joy of the Lord is My Strength.