“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13 NIV
Recently, I had an unusual day of heavy warfare and hardness. The battle of the mind seemed to be almost overwhelming. Every negative thought and action was a battle that seemed ever so intense! Nothing seemed to work! Temptation was strong and unyielding! Then it happened… a slip of the tongue, a negative thought spoken aloud, fueling strong and negative emotions! It was a spiral! One word cemented on top of another! I had allowed my thoughts and my words to go unguarded. Without even fully realizing it, I had come into agreement with some of the lies of the enemy and was not seeing myself in the true reality of God’s word. It was as if a demonic chain of events were strategically set up against me and I did not fully realize it until the end of the day.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Proverbs 18:21 ESV
The battle subsided, but the guilt was now settling in. Thoughts and accusations of failure were now the new minefield. It was a day of tears and sadness. I felt guilt and condemnation for my actions. I knew better but I was weak that day. “Lord, what went wrong?” As I reflected on the events of that day, He reminded me of the events that played out early that morning. Usually, My husband and I will pray over each other each morning before we proceed with our agendas and work schedules, but that day we both were running a bit behind schedule and we skipped our prayer time “for times sake”…. Sound familiar?
I am so thankful that the Lord’s mercy is new every day. The enemy uses condemnation against us. The Lord never condemns us. He is rich in mercy and He restores us to our rightful place in Him. We are His children and rightful heirs of His kingdom! The word tells us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). While we are not to be looking for a demon under every rock, so to speak, we are to be aware of our own weaknesses and vulnerabilities. This is where we are to partner with Holy Spirit so we can be shored up in all areas and don’t fall prey to the enemy’s schemes.
I hear the Lord saying, “Warriors! Ready your armor! The enemy is seeking to bring fear and anxiety upon many in this hour and it is imperative that you put on My full armor so that you do not fall prey to his lies and schemes! You will become vulnerable to the enemy and his tactics if you allow yourselves to get off course by aligning with his lies and temptations! Take captive every thought and actively put it in submission to My word! Uproot any thought that falls contrary to My word and replace it with My words of life and blessing! I only have the best for you! I have given you ALL that you need to walk victoriously in Me! My word is alive and is more powerful than any two-edged sword!”
“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Hebrews 4:12 NLT
“If you feel the winds and waves of adversity buffeting against you, then open your mouth and speak My words of life into the atmosphere! Watch as your thoughts and emotions will quickly line up with My word! Praise Me in all circumstances! Your praise to Me will push back the enemy. Raise up your shield of faith to extinguish every fiery dart of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16).”
“You are about to step into a new season of victory and upgrade. Throw off any lingering mindsets or stumbling blocks from the past season. Walk close to me for you have not previously been where I am taking you. Your greatest asset will be your intimacy with Me so that you can hear Me in every circumstance. I am using every hard circumstance that comes your way to strengthen you and to teach you to become skillful in word and powerful in battle!”
“You are breaking into new territory and advancement! Yes, there will be some challenges along the way, but I am with you, encouraging you, and strengthening you! You are a victorious overcomer in Me!”
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13 NIV