Sometimes as Christians, we can really get way too consumed with the natural world around us.
We too often slip back into carnality, where what we actually see and sense around us is more real that what Jesus has taught us in the Secret Place.
We forget the war that is constantly waged around us and for us. Every single moment, the spiritual world is coexisting and active; it is just as real as the person standing next to us.
We forget that there is a battle for the mind, the attention, and the heart of the believer.
A battle to contain the gospel.
An assignment of “don’t you dare let the word of Jesus Christ get out…”
A battle that simply keeps us so busy, so distracted, so preoccupied that we forget momentarily the unseen…
The moments turn to hours, then days, then weeks before we even realize we’ve not even thought about the Lord.
My son plays all the sports, and at a recent basketball game, God highlighted something to me about this reality of war, and the strategy of the enemy and his camp.
During the game, our team happened to be losing, but we were closing the gap pretty quickly.
The opposing team implemented a strategy that irritated me, but was quite effective…
They put their best players on our best players. They had their two best boys literally “stay on” our two best.
Why in the world? I asked myself, not being much of an athlete… then it came to me, the best players are assigned to the biggest threat.
These two boys on our team were completely consumed by the other teams two BEST players to keep them from advancing the ball.
Like a knat at a picnic…
Like a bee buzzing around a cup of honey…
They couldn’t see, they couldn’t pass, they couldn’t shoot… their opponents dominated them until they became frustrated.
It was harder for our best players in these moments because the defenses were specifically assigned to stop them.
It’s like this in the kingdom of heaven.
You’re about to close some gaps with spreading the gospel…
You’re right on the cusp of breakthrough in your growth with Christ…
You’re about to finish the blog…
You’re almost to the last chapter of the book…
You’re almost to the finish line of the current assignment, and all hell breaks loose.
Hell.
The anointing you carry and the power that God wants to demonstrate through your earthen vessel, well, it’s intimidating to the enemy.
He wants you to stop talking about Jesus.
He wants to condemn you for being salt.
To embarrass you for being light.
Chastise you and single you out as you shine bright, as a city on a hill, one that cannot hide the Light of Christ.
He wants you to stop encouraging others.
He wants you to stop loving your enemy.
He wants you to stop forgiving people.
He wants the message of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Alpha and the Omega, the Prince of Peace, the Mighty Counselor to stop being spread.
Because once every single person has heard the gospel, He’s coming back for us.
And it’s that day that the enemy is trying to prolong…
So my friend…remember that whatever you do—no matter how bad it looks, or how tall the odds seem to be stacked against—do not give up, remembering what Paul said to the Corinthians:
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”
II Corinthians 4:7-10 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/2co.4.8.NKJV
And remind yourself of Psalm 103:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them. The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!”
Psalms 103:1-22 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.103.14.NKJV
So embrace your state as an earthen vessel, as having formed from dust, and keep going.
Keep preaching.
Keep writing.
Keep sharing.
Keep telling.
Keep loving.
Keep forgiving.
Keep being light.
Keep being salt.
Because no matter what, we win because He already did…
Win the battle or lose the battle, the war is already won.
Because greater is He.
“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.”
Romans 8:6-7 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/rom.8.6-7.NKJV
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/eph.6.12.NKJV
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”
Ephesians 2:1-3 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/eph.2.3.NKJV
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
I Peter 5:8 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1pe.5.8.NKJV
“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.”
Proverbs 4:23, 25 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/pro.4.23-25.NKJV
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:2 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/rom.12.2.NKJV
Mama Talks Jesus 
Leave a comment