Ponder This…

Ladies,
I want to thank you for sharing your stories and the beautiful words God is giving you, I am honored to have a glimpse of these personal heart stories  between you and your loving Father!

Whenever someone sheds light on the oppression caused by the enemy or how to become aware of spiritual battle, for some strange reason, the enemy seems to kick it up a notch in a desperate attempt to have you buy his lies. Since our last meeting, I’ve been made aware of at least one instance of an ensuing battle, but I feel sure there are others of you who have seen the enemy rear his ugly head! So, rather than give you more info, I felt inspired to pray for you. I wanted to write out this prayer because I hope you print it, put it in your journal and  use it to fortify your souls. Feel free to adjust, omit or add whatever speaks to your heart- it is for you sweet sisters.

For those of you who still feel this concept is a little “twilight zone” (I used to be one) I’d like to remind you of God’s word:

“Be self-controlled and alert.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.
resist him, standing firm in the faith,
because you know your brothers (and sisters)
throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ,
after you have suffered a little while,
will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
To Him be the power forever and ever! Amen!” (emphasis mine )
I Peter 5:8-11

Please do not let this instill fear (another lie). Just be aware of the challenges that face us as believers and how we can best equip ourselves. The battle has been won, we need to tap into the power of our own personal Conquerer!

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for being our shelter and our conqueror and that we have victory in YOU!  For those who feel that this seems a little bizarre I ask that you remove any confusion and allow them to begin to trust in Your word. Father help us see the enemy for what he really is: a defeated envious, pitiful, fallen one, nothing more! Give us supernatural spiritual battle lenses to see when a battle is approaching us. I ask for huge red flags Father, for all of us. Help us discern the best course of action to take quickly, so that we don’t stumble and fall. If we do stumble, I ask that You give us grace and quickly put us back on track in pursuit of You and Your will for our lives. We want to be Your daughters Father and live the abundant lives You’ve promised us. We realize struggles cannot be avoided but we ask that You help us tap into Your strength and that we not try to go it alone when we face these challenges. You will give us victory. Teach us to call on Your name and strength. We love You, live for You and praise You, in Jesus’ name….Amen.

Blessings and hugs,
Kristy

I am very passionate about women accepting themselves for who God created them to be-that uniquely wired, beautiful ever-blooming woman! So, I’d like to touch a little more on that subject.

Does a religious woman look a certain way? We are set apart because of the Holy Spirit, but our life with Christ isn’t like a one-size-fits-all garment we put on for the rest of our lives. Author Gary Thomas in Sacred Pathways, says we each have a spiritual temperament. Find the book if you’d like to dig deeper into the traits, strengths, and pitfalls of spiritual temperaments. There’s even a questionnaire to help you discover which temperaments you possess. He also gives great examples of the temperaments found in several characters of the Bible. Understanding this encourages our connecting with Him and frees us from a stiffling religious box. Lets take a look at the nine temperaments/pathways:

Naturalists- This person connects with God through nature. This temperament might respond to God best through the beauty of God’s glory in nature, creating a worship experience like no other.

Senates- This person thrives on being surrounded by an experience that touches the five senses: sight, sound, smell, hearing and tasting.

Traditionalist- A traditionalist connects best with God through more traditional disciplined and historical faith practices that provide structure, repetition and rituals.

Ascetics- One who loves being with God in solitude and simplicity. They enjoy being left alone to pray.

Activists- An activist expresses their love for God through confrontation, calling sinners to repentance and fighting injustice.

Caregivers- This person connects and expresses their love for God by serving and loving others.

Enthusiasts- Woo hoo! This sister expresses her love for God through joyful celebration and desires to experience an emotional heart movement.

Contemplatives- These believers are the romantics of us all. They LOVE being in love with Jesus. They express their love for Him by seeking to love Him in the deepest, purest way possible.

Intellectuals- This temperament expresses their love and connects with God through with their intellect. They spend much time studying Him and pursuing Him through theological understanding.

I’d like to challenge you to do some self-evaluation in this area. Apply this to your prayer life and see if you don’t discover a deeper connection and more grace to be YOU. This should enhance your walk with Christ and your church experience, not become a substitute.

Blessings and hugs,

Kristy

It’s Friday, which means today’s blog post is provided by one of our guest bloggers for July, Cathy O’Neal, Women’s Pastor at Discovery Church in Orlando, Florida.

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Dear Ones ~ I love this Draw Closer workshop so, so much!  I love being able to sit on this panel with 3 amazing women of God who I have known as friends, women who have gone to war in prayer for me many times!  I love seeing your faces each week, watching as your countenances are transformed by the Father as He draws you ever closer to Himself.

On Wednesday, Lauri talked to us about prayer and the power of the One to whom we pray.  She spoke about how Christ is the Living Water that quenches all thirst.  That He is the Balm of Gilead who soothes every ache and heals every wound.  She reminded us that outside of this Christ there is no healing.  That without Him we will always be hungry, thirsty, empty.  Jesus is the King and all of creation is under His authority and we have this King of Glory living in us!

Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 4:16) What would that look like for me to live my life, to live today believing that I have access to this King every minute of every day?  Believing that He is waiting to pour out His mercy and grace in my need. All I have to do is call His name, invite Him into every situation that is too big or too overwhelming for me and Christ will be my Shepherd.  I can invite Him into every lonely moment, every hurt feeling and every wound and Christ will be my Comforter, my Healer.  I can also ask for His wisdom in every decision and He will be my Answer. If I look to Jesus to be the Lover of my Soul, I will have every need and longing met.  He is faithful, and He will redeem all things for my good and His Glory because that is who He says He is.  Praise His holy name.

Jesus says “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10) He doesn’t want us to stay in our stuck places–that is not the “full life” Christ has for us!  So today, may we enter into the Holy Place and allow Him to transform the mundane, the ordinary, the bound and the broken into the extraordinary, the beautiful, and the free.

“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, Who is Spirit.” -2 Corinthians 3:16-18

Believing,
Cathy

Good afternoon! I am so stinkin’ excited about what God is doing this summer in the lives of women. Not only in Orlando at the Women of Discovery DRAW CLOSER workshop, but on my blog as well. What a refreshing experience to hear from someone other than me!!! Today I am introducing to you the last member of our DRAW CLOSER panel, Lauri Gentry. Lauri is a beautiful wife and mother. She has been on the Women of Discovery team for many years. Her expertise, in my opinion, is prayer. She has a gift for listening/hearing what God is saying in the midst of emotions, circumstances and so on. Lauri is a vital member and lay counselor in Discovery’s Restoration Counseling ministry. I don’t mind telling you that she has been one of my Restoration Counselors each time I’ve participated in that vital and emancipating ministry. Lauri led our discussion last night on prayer. Next week she will be leading again on prayer with an emphasis on spiritual warfare. Do not miss this. Until then, she continues the conversation we started last night. Please welcome my prayer warrior friend. Listen in….

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Precious Ladies,

I’d like to re-emphasize what I hoped to convey to you last night:  Jesus mourns our brokenness.  He is the God who sees and feels our pain and it breaks His heart when we get stuck there.  He has the power to heal or see us through whatever is causing us to struggle.  Be it fear, doubt, addiction, weakness, loneliness, insecurity—they all bow to the Name that is above every name.  Prayer is our invitation to run to Him and to pour out our hurt in the confidence that He is strong and able to come to our rescue.  He is the hero on the white horse who is called Faithful and True!!

Let’s not be like the woman at the well—unaware of Who it is we are speaking to. So often we settle for a temporary fix that leaves us thirsty again when He actually has Living Water that can satisfy our deepest longings and needs. Ascribe to Him strength and glory, ascribe to Him wisdom and power. Trust that He is Who He says He is and that He can do ALL He claims He can do.

There have been times when I have been terrified that He wouldn’t show up, that my prayers weren’t heard, that nothing would change. We all go through that.  Pray anyway. Invite him to be your Feartaker and a Stream in your desert.  He loves you whether you feel loved or not. Go back to step one and ask Him how He sees you. His perfect love for you will cast out the fear you feel.

Don’t get hung up on what to say. Picture Amy cross-legged on her bed just talking to Jesus. You don’t need to find the right words to move Him to act.  His heart of mercy is already moved by our desperate need of Him.  Draw closer, say whatever words come and Believe that He will come as Healer, Friend, Father, Comforter or whoever YOU need Him to be.

Can’t wait to see Who shows up at your prayer parties this week!!

In Him,
Lauri

Today, I’d like to introduce you to another member of the DRAW CLOSER panel, Kristy Fox-Hart. Kristy is also going to be a guest blogger for the month of July. Once more continuing the DRAW CLOSER conversations and giving you another perspective as well. Kristy is a very talented Mom of two teenage boys. She is an interior designer, she has an amazing talent of singing and a gift of encouragement. She serves at Discovery in the Artistic Ministries by being a staple on the worship team at our Southwest campus. Kristy shares below a possible reason you may find journaling difficult. Great insight, please welcome….Kristy.

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God does specifically “wire” us to be uniquely “us”. For each of us, our journaling style will reveal itself as we get into the habit of opening ourselves up on paper. For some, like DRAW CLOSER panelist Laurie Gentry, we may find that journaling isn’t our thing. However, if  you have difficult journaling, perhaps you should consider whether or not there is a “block” if you will. This block could be a small spiritual battle/obstacle in the way.

The enemy LOVES to distract us! Realizing this about him makes me want to fight even more. If we weren’t worth messin’ with, he wouldn’t mess with us!

Many times, I struggle with just quieting the “noise” of my mind and being still, simply focusing on my Heavenly Father. My mind seems to go 90 mph and I am challenged to just be still and KNOW that He is GOD! During my quiet time, the decibel levels of the distractions far exceed the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, so I have to be intentional about concentrating. It’s like coaching myself through a mental exercise.

I do this by first finding a cozy, quiet place. My cozy place happens to be a big chair I like to call my Daddy Chair. Sitting in that chair helps me to visualize myself sitting on Daddy’s lap, like a little girl crawling up on my father’s lap to be comforted. I imagine I’m resting my head on His chest, then I just breathe….after a few moments of this, I settle in and focus on pouring out my heart to Him. Yes, again with the visualizing..this is how I’m wired.

Ladies, sometimes our quiet time is NOT about an amazing journal entry, a heartfelt prayer, or scripture. Our time with Him is about simply CONNECTING with Him, aligning our heart with His. THIS in itself is powerful! Writing an account of this can be as powerful a “marker” as any spiritual break through that we can experience! When the connection happens, we WILL eventually “hear” from our loving Father. I hope that helps some of you. There is SO MUCH freedom in allowing ourselves to be the women God wired us to be and loving that woman….HE DOES!!

Blessings and Hugs,

Kristy

Happy Summer to you! For the month of July, I am going to do something new on my blog. I have invited Cathy O’Neal, Women’s Pastor at Discovery Church in Orlando, Florida to be a guest blogger on Fridays. Cathy and I, as well as two wonderful women of Discovery (Kristy Fox-Hart and Laurie Gentry) are conducting a summer workshop at Discovery on Wednesday nights. The purpose is to share each week about a different way that we have learned to DRAW CLOSER to God. Last week we talked about the importance of studying Scripture in order to DRAW CLOSER. This week we talked about journaling Scripture, how we do it and why it deepens and enriches our walk with Jesus. Laurie even shared that she doesn’t journal so much on paper as she does in her Bible. Seeing these tools through four different sets of eyes and methods, we are hoping will be a great inspiration to those who desire to DRAW CLOSE to Jesus. We’d love to have you join us. For more info, click here:

http://www.discoverychurch.org/index.php/display-all-dc-southwest/item/211-draw-closer?source=http://www.discoverychurch.org/index.php/women&title=Connections%20Groups:%20Women

The Spirit of God is moving in an amazing way on Wednesday nights. Women are literally hearing Him “speak” (not audibly, I promise) for the first time or for the first time in a long time. Some are being released of guilt from not feeling like they are good at drawing close to Him. Many are beginning to see how God sees them and it is changing lives.  Below is Cathy’s first post on our blog. She shares a time with you when she journaled Scripture while waiting to hear from God. Please give her a big welcome!

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Greetings my friends ~

These journal entries are over a period of weeks–I had recently returned from my first mission trip to China where God had been so ever-present.  It was a dark place, so walking in the Spirit was not just a desire, but a necessity.  The things we saw, the stories we heard and miracles we were blessed to be apart of  were  life-altering, but when I got back to  my real life I struggled to hear God–I didn’t journal everyday, and when I did it was barely more than a cry for mercy–and then the break-through!

Sept. 17, 2007:  So we’re back–part of me just feels numb.  Did it even happen? Who am I now?  Who are we?  I am headachy and lethargic and I miss you and have no idea when I will see  You again.  Where are You?  You were so close then but now I don’t even know where You are?

“…the Lord upholds all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down.”  Psalm 145:14

I need you to lift me up, Jesus.  I am tired and can’t do it on my own–I don’t even care about anything here, what does it matter compared to what is happening in China?  I don’t understand why You won’t talk to me. What was it all for?  Forgive my doubt, my thoughts, I bow down before you.  Help me to trust Your will.

Sept. 29, 2007:  “Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You”  Psalm 9:10
Help me to believe this is true when You seem no where to be found.  I know that You have never forsaken me…but it feels as though You have.

Oct. 7, 2007:  I am withering Lord.  Root me in Your Word that I can walk in You.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners, but his delight is in the law of the Lord…”

Oh be my delight!  I want you to be my delight again!

“…and on His law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields it’s fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither”.  Psalm 1: 2-3

I am trying to read, I’m reading but it doesn’t seem to go in–I’m withering, o that You would make me like the tree planted by streams of water.

Oct. 29:2007:  Come Jesus, come.  Help me to trust You. Help me.

Nov. 5, 2007:  “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so it is with my word that goes out from my mouth it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish all I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”   Isaiah 55: 10-11

Oh Jesus!  I know and believe this to be true–it is raining now, it is finally raining!! And the result will be the earth filled with green and the grass and the plants will grow, all the creatures will drink.  The air has cooled and is clean. And it will rise back up into the sky, forming clouds to do it all over again!  What genius!  What a miracle!!  I’ve seen it with my own eyes and it is true!  I can hear your WORD to me again and you are accomplishing EVERYTHING in me, around me that you always intended!  I feel your Spirit in me, rising up, filling me, forgiving me, loving me and sending me out!  O you are amazing!  Thank you, thank you, that you have changed me!  Humble me, O Lord, and remind me that you alone are worthy to be praised! O and I do praise you, I love you so.  Thank you for the desert that I might recognize the miracle of the rain!  Thank you for the brown withered plant that I might recognize the green!  You did not send me to China to return void!!  I will wait upon you, for you to show me and direct my path for it is YOUR voice I hearing saying “this is the way, walk in it”. I praise You with all that is in me!  I glorify Your name in all the earth. You are God and there is no other!!  How I love You, come and fill me with your Spirit.  Amen and Amen.

I woke up today with full anticipation of a day at the beach with my boys. Their Dad is working from home and I thought we’d head out and enjoy some sand, sun and salty air.  Needless to say I was a bit disappointed when they all bailed on me at the last minute. When reading my devotional this morning, I was reminded that God is in control of every aspect of my day, so I decided to believe that perhaps Jesus wanted me all to Himself today! What a thought!

As I settled into the sand, to my left was a sweet family with three young boys. I love boys.  So adventurous, so much fun. I am not use to being at the beach alone, so even the quiet was a little odd rather than relaxing at first. I looked at this Mom enjoying her family day at the beach. My mind began to go back to days at the beach with my boys when they were young. Everything they saw was a wonder. They darted from one activity to another: swimming, building sand castles with huge moats, finding shells, eating snacks.  I watched her show interest in everything they found and said, just like I use to do. I saw her apply what had to be their second coat of sunscreen. Even those moments seem sweet to me at this juncture in motherhood. One of my boys took sunscreen application with a grain of sand, the other reacted as if you’d put a grain of sand in his eye. He wriggled, complained and accused me of getting sunscreen in his eye or up his nose every time. I can’t believe it, but I’m actually looking back and laughing about that, though at the time it was a huge bother.

As I longed to be in her shoes one more time, I thought to myself that she probably looked at me and thought, “I’d give anything to be at the beach alone. By myself. Just soaking in the sun. Not having to apply sunscreen to squirmy little ones. Eating the snacks instead of packing them or sharing my last bite of PB&J with someone who claims to still be hungry.” She probably enjoys these days with her children, but longs for the day when she has the freedom to have some “alone time”. When she can pick up her beach blanket and take off knowing no one even knows she’s gone.

The grass is surely always greener on the other side. The lesson here? Live in the moment. Whatever moment that is. If you’re with your kiddos, soak up every smile, every lift of the eyebrow, every little kiss on your cheek. One day real, real soon, it’ll be a distant memory. A beautiful one. And, if you’re in a new season of life and everything that was once so sweet and dear is a memory, thank God for a life full of memories worth having and start making new ones.

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” -Luke 12:34

I wanted to update all of you on our adoption of Hope. What a ride this journey has been! As an act of trust and faith in God I am going to let you in on what is going on. See, I have this little area of my heart that I struggle to give God. It’s the area of my hope and the area of my joy. I often don’t allow myself to get super excited about the things I long for the most. I mean, after all, what if it doesn’t happen? The disappointment I fear will be too great for my heart. But God has in the past three years constantly encouraged me to “get my hopes up”.  For most of my life, “getting my hopes up” was considered a very risky thing to do. As a result I have missed out on mounds of joy He had planned for me. Well, not this time. Yesterday God gave me His very words:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”- John 10:10

He reminded me that my Enemy has come to steal my joy and destroy my hope.  My Enemy wants something that doesn’t and never has belonged to him, my joy. It’s a fruit of the Spirit, so he can’t possibly ever have it for himself. So, he tries to steal mine and not so he can enjoy it. He wants it for himself so he can destroy it. But God is making me stronger everyday and I have to admit the Enemy isn’t going to have it without an all out, female, hair-pulling, cat fight. I have waited two long years for God to bring Hope to us and I intend to enjoy every ounce of joy He has tucked into this journey. So, I’m putting my hopes out there and trusting them to God.  So, come on in, sit with me and let me share with you what God is doing in my family.

Up until this year, nothing has moved, not even an inch, in the world of Chinese adoption. Next week, on the 28th, will be our two year anniversary of the beginning of the wait for Hope. Though I have wanted her home every single day of the last two years, I wouldn’t trade the treasures God has taught me along the way. I feel I’m much better prepared for her now than I was two years ago. Not completely prepared, but better prepared.

At the end of last year, with adoptions not progressing, we began to ask God if perhaps He had something else in mind for us. We began to seek His guidance through prayer. This verse and many others began to surface often as we prayed, “..From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” (Luke 12:48-NASB) I began to wonder if maybe God wanted us to go beyond adoption, which is already such a huge thing for us. Maybe He was asking us to do “all the more”. We began to pray about adopting a child with special needs. I have to admit, though a special needs adoption crossed my mind when we began, I just didn’t even feel I could consider it and John felt the same way. But through God’s perfect timing, He brought us to this place and after months of prayer and research, we now have paperwork in the system to adopt a special needs child from China.

The big news is that special needs adoption is picking up speed in China. There’s even a strong possibility we could receive our match in the next 3-4 months!!! It would be another month or two until we would travel, but that means she could be home by Christmas!!! Please pray for this. Here are some things we’d like to ask you to pray about:

1- Her swift arrival this summer!!!
2- That God would continue to provide financially. We have about $20,510 in costs still left. Yes, you saw that right, $20,000. Which is why we’ve set up the Hope Fund in her honor, where loved ones can help by giving towards her homecoming. Would you write this amount down on paper and place it in your Bible for us? Each time you come across it, please pray that God would provide for us. “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.”-2 Chronicles 20:10
3- That God’s provision would provide for the boys to travel with us.
4- Hope’s daily life in the orphanage. She will either have congenital heart disease (minor) or she’ll have a partial hearing loss. These are the needs we felt led to. Please pray for her healing. Pray also for her life in the orphanage. The conditions are tough. We pray she has plenty to eat, stays healthy, has favor with the ayis (nannies), is warm when she’s cold, and cool when she’s hot. That she has a friendly and inviting disposition that warms the hearts of her caregivers.
5- That she attaches and bonds beautifully to our family. Orphans can often have attachment disorders and be in need of occupational therapies to help with developmental delays. We pray she has none of the above.
6-That God will keep our family and our sweet Hope on your hearts and minds.

Thanks everyone!
Amy, John, Austin and Justin

“Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.”-1 Peter 5:8 (AMP)

When you know the truth, you can see deception for what it is. – from a quiet moment with the Lord

When my oldest son Austin was a pre-schooler, I remember taking him to see the movie Mulan.  In it a small dragon looking more like a lizard, was given instructions to look over the head strong, free-spirited Mulan.  He knew she may have a hard time believing something so small could protect her so he made a fire and used his shadow on a wall to make him appear much bigger than he was.  She fell for it, until he was exposed for what he really was…..a small, weak, little creature.

Our Enemy, Satan has spent thousands of years making himself look bigger than he is too.  He’s used his cunning ways and his opportunist mentality to appear strong and quite in control. In reality he lives on borrowed time and borrowed power. Satan has made a career on making false evidence appear real in your mind and in your situations.  From fear of sudden disaster, to misinterpreting someone’s behavior, to believing God doesn’t really care, your Enemy is an expert at making a lie look like the truth.

“He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” -John 8:44

In Genesis 3:1, my version of the bible says the serpent was “subtle” and “crafty”.  Think about that for a minute.   Chances are he will not tempt you to do something really outlandish to start with.  Though, I don’t trust him any further than I can throw him.  More often it’ll be subtle and it may go down something like this.

You and your husband have been growing distant.  You long for him to care about you and have an interest in your life, but he seems wrapped up in his own world too much to notice yours.  At work, there is a guy who sits two desks over. He is so funny and he always compliments you on your work or on your appearance.  Nothing provocative, its subtle.  He always seems to know just what to say when you are having a rough day. He knows exactly what to say to lift your spirits.  You start to laugh again.  You find yourself picking out your clothes in the morning wondering what he may think looks good on you.  On the way to work you find yourself thinking about him and looking forward to seeing him.  He never seems to pull away from talk about emotions and everyday stuff the way your husband does.  Pretty soon, you’re having coffee together before work and then you begin to have lunch together.  Before you know it, you are falling in love with a man that is not your husband.  You begin to ask yourself, “Don’t I have a right to be happy?”, “Don’t I have a right to be loved and validated?”  You tell yourself, you can stop it if it gets too serious, but you can’t and you won’t.  This is just one example of how Satan uses subtlety and craftiness to rip families and lives apart.  If you think the Adversary, your Enemy, the Father of all lies Himself isn’t behind temptations like the one in the example above, you’re fooling yourself.   Please read 2 Corinthians 11:3 to understand my concern.

Satan lives to destroy you.  He lives to lead you astray.  If you belong to Christ he cannot possess you but he can oppress you.  He cannot change the fact that his days are numbered and he will spend an eternity in torment.  But if he can wound and destroy his enemy’s most treasured possession he will.  Satan’s enemy is God and that treasured possession, is you.  All to often however we aid and abet this criminal in our own lives.  Please read Romans 1:25 to see how.

When we choose to lay down and accept whatever lies the Enemy feeds us, we are an accomplice in his mass charade and in his plan to destroy God’s beloved.  We do this in many ways, not the least of which is, trading the truth that will set us free for the lie of our God’s Enemy.  When we choose to believe no one can love us, that we are inferior to others, that we are alone, that we aren’t worth fighting for, that our lives are a mess that can’t be cleaned up, that we are ugly, stupid and unworthy we are trading God’s truth which denounces all of this for a destructive lie. When we believe the lie that our children are only safe if we are within 5 feet of them, that our marriage isn’t salvageable, that cutting ourselves releases the pain, that offering our bodies brings us love, that starving ourselves makes us more beautiful, that being beaten or raped is our fault, that God can’t forgive our worst sins or that doing everything perfectly brings us peace we are choosing a lie over God’s truth.

The best way to learn how to outwit the Enemy is to learn God’s Word.  In God’s Word you will learn who your Enemy is, how he operates and what his motive is.  You will learn hundreds of ways to overcome him and outsmart him.  I cannot express the importance of this enough.  If you don’t value yourself and your family enough to dig into God’s Word so that you can be better equipped for the battle, then you are a sitting duck for Satan.  Jesus Christ died so that you wouldn’t have to live a life wracked with fear.  Please friend, don’t waste His sacrifice, don’t waste His provision for you found in His Word.

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”- 2 Timothy 1:7.

The kind of fear that Satan tries to infiltrate our mind with is spiritual in nature.  This is a supernatural battle occurring in 2 Timothy 1:7. Let’s look a little further into the phrase “spirit of fear”.  In the original language it states that God has not given us or bestowed upon us or brought forth in us a spirit of fear. The Hebrew for spirit as found in this verse means, “(human) the rational soul, vital principle, mental disposition”. God does not use fear to influence us or put us in a particular frame of mind or mental disposition.  When we experience fear it dominates our state of mind. Thus, it is safe to say there is only one who would benefit and gain glory from that kind of manipulation and I assure you it is not our Lord.

Trading the lie of Satan for the truth of God’s Word is hard!  Our natural default is to freak out, to run around anxious, trying to analyze and figure it all out on our own. The original Greek word for sound mind is translated self-control or discipline.  It takes a lot of self-control to deliberately choose to be disciplined enough not to allow thoughts of fear into our minds, when our circumstances give us reason to believe otherwise.  A few years back when researching 2 Timothy 1:7, I read a commentary which said another slant on the meaning of the word sober or sound mind was “teach to be sober”.  We must use the power God has bestowed upon us to teach our minds to be sober.  We teach our mind what to meditate on, not the other way around. (Phil 4:8)

Stop now. Pray and ask God to reveal His truth to you regarding the things that cause you fear. Pray for a sober, sound and self-controlled mind. Remember, God is not the author of fear or confusion.  He has not given you a spirit of fear, it doesn’t originate with Him.  In exchange for fear He has given you a spirit of miraculous power, a spirit of unconditional love and a spirit of sobriety and self-control for your mind.  Whenever you feel fear, tell yourself, “Who gets glory from me responding in fear?  Satan.”  If you need power, ask Him for it.  If you need love, ask Him for it.  If you need sanity, ask Him for that too, and ask Him to give me a little more too while you’re at it!

© 2010 Amy Brady Ministries. All Rights Reserved

This is an excerpt from “The Shame Game” Bible study workbook, (Week Two, Day Two). If you would like to order this DVD study or its companion workbook and/or CD for you or your church, you can contact us at info@amybrady.com.

Mexican food is our family favorite. We have it at least once and week and many times twice a week. Tonight is our LOVE AND WAR marriage group, so I thought we’d celebrate great Mexican food. I found a crockpot recipe for enchiladas that I hope is yummo. I don’t usually venture out and do new stuff with guests, but oh well, here’s to living on the edge. Whether you grab an Old El Paso dinner kit at the grocery store or whip up your own concoction, it matters not, just enjoy.

I’m looking to refresh my arsenal of Mexican recipes. So, do you have a few to pass along? I’d love to see them. Post them here on the Facebook blog. I know everyone would love to see them.

I did want to share a Taco Dip recipe with you that is in our Brady Family Recipe Database.  It’s quick, it’s easy and I think you can whip it up tonight. Here it is:

Hint: I use the low fat cream cheese and I grate my own Monterey Jack. Tastes much better.

Here’s one other recipe that just popped into my mind that you could throw together tonight in a jiffy. An old tried and true Pampered Chef recipe.

Taco Ring

1 lb. Ground beef, cooked and drained

1 package (1.25 oz.) taco seasoning mix

1 clove garlic

1 cup shredded Sharp cheddar cheese

2 TBS. water

2 packages Reduced Fat refrigerated crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375*.

Combine meat, seasoning mix, cheese and water in large bowl. Arrange crescent triangles in a circle on stone or pan.  To assemble ring, unroll crescent dough and separate into 16 triangles. Assemble the crescent roll triangles in a circle on the pan or stone with wide ends of triangles overlapping in the center and points toward the outside.  Leave a 5 in opening in the center of stone or pan.

Using a scoop, spoon meat mixture over rolls.  Fold points of triangles over filling and tuck under base at center (filling will not be completely covered).

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.