We are in a war. A very real, tangible war. One we don’t see at all, with our physical eyes. One that plays out in the recesses of our mind.
I talk to the young person, wavering doubt, the older woman fighting to live her life for something more than bank accounts and fancy houses.
I hear of the wandering teens, getting into drugs, leaning heavily towards a life of destruction…
The pressure is on, the army is forming, the warfare is escalating..but many of us can’t see it.
And like Eve, we think thoughts, have conversations before we take the apple, get jealous thoughts like Saul, and refuse to battle, like David.
All the while we tend to not acknowledge that there is an enemy, prowling, seeking to devour the weakened and most vulnerable…
We leave our packs, fall back from doubts and questioning. We let bitterness and unforgiveness cripple us, not realizing this race is not for the faint-hearted, not for the victims…but those who are conquerors in Him.
And who of us have not felt the pressures of parenting, or ministry, or missional living…been bogged down, felt like we have been carrying our yoke around, forgetting there is one who will take it, if we just release what we are clinging to…
Yet, there can be a martyr-type mentality among us that says “the more we carry, the stronger we will become”. While God says, “My yoke is easy, my burden is light”.
He promises to free us from a life that defends itself, lives by works, or wars from doubts or worry.
He promises to carry us when we lay ourselves down, like Isaac on the alter….when we give up, admitting our faults, 
and asking of Him to carry us in our weakness.
I have seen them lately, the religious adding on unnecessary burdens, the laborers working for their salvation, the Pharisees condemning what they fail to have eyes to see….
In fact, I have been them.
When God says, “Come unto me and I will give you rest”, when He has carried our cross so that we can live redeemed by His resurrection.
And yet, as Christians, we can somehow crown ourselves the more we do. Reward our efforts every time we look in the mirror. Pat our own backs, make ourselves look more glorious than we are…
Without even realizing it, His Spirits calls, “Come, lay down all you are, anything that might separate you from needing a life lived by grace”.
And I have been the Naomi, wailing over my loses, the Hannah begging God for something I don’t see yet. I have been the Esther rejecting my position as chosen, royalty…all because the battle in my mind has yet to be washed by the blood, cleansed by His grace, so that I fully may see….
He is God. He is good. And He is King…
Not me.
UNITE LINK PARTY
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ENJOY!
6 Comments
We certainly ARE in a Battle….. so glad we know who wins!!
May you see God’s strong right arm intervene on your behalf wherever you need breakthrough.
May His hard-won victory keep us focused on Him and let not our hearts be troubled or afraid.
Love you Jen, and know that you see the salvation of the Lord in the lives of those you love.
Jen,
There is so much truth here! We are in a war whether we want to be or not and our enemy doesn’t give up. But the amazing thing is, if we’ll just focused on God and rely on His strength, He gives the victory.
I recently read the story of the 3 lepers sitting at the gate in Samaria. The enemy had cut off supplies and the people were starving. When they decided to get up and “go,” God made their “going” sound like an army coming and their enemy fled!
Thanks for sharing and for your great linkup every week.
Blessings My Sister!
Donna
Jen, this is beautifully written. We are on the same wavelength too. Friday, I wrote a post Just.Like.Eve.
Yes, there is a battle and He is God, He is good and He is King indeed!
Hugs, Susan
We are definitely in a time of intense spiritual warfare. I’ve recently been reminded from reading Chronicles that too often we focus on fighting the enemy instead of magnifying God. When we worship Him and give Him His rightful place, the enemy defeats himself!
Dear Jen,
I read your words on Monday. I pondered deep the power of this travailing that you are sharing… and I left a response that equated my status as a woman who failed at the resting and spent far too much time in the crying, begging, and moaning. :/ The comment never posted because my computer was choosing NOT to work with me at the moment, and then I forgot to come back here till now. 🙂
I wrote about resting this week, and stillness last week, and so many people are also pondering this resting in grace and letting Him fill us so that we can love others lately. I am reading ” A Meal with Jesus” and that day it was a section on the judging pharisees and how we tend to put ourselves in that spot because we refuse to wear grace. Your words remind me, too, that this graciousness comes from this resting In HIM and out of that we can love others and ourselves well, because the well is full of Him. When that happens the self-righteousness that gets in the way is buried by His righteousness that invites grace in all things.
I am not sure any of that made sense!!! However, I just wanted to affirm you and encourage you.
Many blessings,
Dawn
That my mind would be washed in His blood so that I may come into alignment with His purposes for me.