Daily Devotion #2

Blurred Focus

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 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 6:11-13

I used to complain so much.  I complained about how hard life was, complained about being sick, complained about just how unfair things were.  That was before I started really understanding what I would read in the Bible.  I was like the seeds that fell on the thorns because I would hear something powerful but it would get choked up by all the anger, hurt and bitterness I had inside; I might even say it a few times.  Not to say I am completely delivered from this, because I still slip up from time to time.  I just thank God for the discernment to catch myself now.  I'll complain and say something crazy and usually before I get it all the way out of my mouth, I say that's a lie and God forgive me.  I am not whatever I was complaining about or confessing.

Too many times in our flesh we complain or point out some difficulty we are facing.  We pine over it and just mull it over, meditating on that thing.  And that is where we lose the battle.  We focus on that thing negatively instead of remembering what God can do.  We do the exact thing God tells us to do with His Word except with a thought sent from the enemy!  Isn't that funny???  Well I think it is, because I recognize that we throw in the towel in our minds before we ever use our hands!  It is disheartening to realize that.  But its never too late to change! 

I am all for acknowledging the things we face.  Like, I am vertically challenged, lol.  I had a kidney transplant.  I have a family predisposition to high blood pressure.  All true statements.  But I'm not going to complain about or dwell on being short, or having had a kidney problem, or that I can't eat too much salty foods to prevent high blood pressure...nope I won't.  I'll just get a stool, make sure I take my meds regularly, and check the sodium levels on my foods and drink lots of water.  Or if I'm in a trying situation, I will find scriptures to align my mind with what God says and make sure that I reach out to other believers for prayer.  Now I don't always immediately think of scripture, I want to complain!! But I pray to God for the strength and focus.  Like Isaiah 54:17--No weapon formed against me shall prosper; and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.  The power God gives us is in our tongue!!!! We can confess scriptures, we can pray and Lord knows that is a mighty weapon within itself, we can declare our own victory in very situation.  In Mark 11:23 Jesus tells the disciples this: "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him."  You have to speak--speak to cast out doubt, speak to lift up praise, speak to confess the Word. 

We too often focus on the negative or the obstacle we face.  And if you've been doing that for a long time, you have to break through all the crap that has been planted to truly plant the Word.  We fight against the manipulation of our mind!!!  Our minds are inclined to go against the Spirit.  But don't you know Jesus has given us the keys!!! In Matthew 16:19, He said "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."  So bind up defeat, right now and loose your victory, because through Christ we already have won!!!!!  Know the tools and weapons God has for you so that you can win.

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."  1 Corinthians 16:13
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