Think about it.

I’m in a relationship where I’m constantly fearing that I won’t be pretty enough for him.  I worry that he’ll betray me for another woman.  I withdraw.  I question him constantly.  I make accusations based on my perceptions.  I become controlling.  I push him away.

Fear.  In some instances, the fear of betrayal (resulting in withdrawn love and control) may actually cause him to essentially betray me for someone whose love is not based on fear.

My family has a history of a particular disease.  Let’s say it’s breast cancer.  My whole life, I hear about that disease.  It’s a buzz word and anytime I hear it on the news or in a book or in conversation, my ears perk up.  When I reach the age that my family member was when they were diagnosed, I start doing what the world calls “smart”.  I go in every six months for a mammogram.  I eat the right things.  I do self-exams.  I schedule blood tests.  Really, I’m bracing myself for sickness.  I’m expecting it.  I’m fearing it.  I hear its name and I tremble.  I pray that I won’t get it, but all my prayers are rooted in fear.

Fear.  Did that last sentence catch off-guard?  Perhaps you didn’t realize that it mattered if prayers were rooted in fear (rather than faith).  It matters.  Jesus said that the prayer offered in faith would make the sick person well.  In the book of Job, it says that what Job feared the most came upon him (sickness and disease, the loss of his family, the loss of his reputation and livelihood).  Fear and faith both get results.

At work, I have a large share of stock in my company.  I become fearful when I hear reports of the economy falling and stocks plummeting.  I withdraw my money.  Because I pull out my stocks, many of my co-workers follow suit and do the same.  After six months, 50% of our staff has been laid off.  After a year, our company is bankrupt.

Why?  Fear.

I crave love.  I feel as if I’m constantly being mistreated.  When I make a new friend, I come up with a list of reasons of why they don’t like me.  Eventually, they stop talking to me and then the inevitable is proved: I am unlovable.  I am friendless, because I am unworthy of being in a relationship with those who love and respect me.

Fear.  Fear of rejection.  They didn’t reject me.  I pushed them away, out of fear, until they finally gave me what I wanted: freedom to return back to my isolation (fear).

The command that God gave more than any other throughout the Bible is Fear not.  It makes sense that satan, our enemy, would try to lead us right into the pit that God told us to stay out of.

God told me not to fear.  I’m thinking of all the problems (or what I perceive as problems) in my life and I can say this: If I obeyed God’s command to not fear, all my problems would be gone!

Have you ever looked at your life (your problems) and said: “God must really be testing me.”  I have.  I’ve looked at my problems and thought they were tools from God to test and prune me, when really, those problems were nothing more than offspring of my fears.  And yes, God used those things (because He can use even what satan does for our good) to test and mold my character, but they were not sent of Him.

Satan uses fear.  God uses love.  The two cannot coexist.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. -1 John 4:18 NIV

Daughter,

You were made to wear a crown.

Your smile radiates My beauty to the world.

Your hands reach out and bring healing to the broken.

Your arms embrace and fill the empty with My love.

Your eyes sparkle and draw people into a revelation of who I created them to be.

You are an open invitation to the world.

My children who don’t know Me will see you and long for Me.

Hold that head of yours high.

Walk fearlessly.

Talk confidently.

Be bold with My love.  Never try to ration it.  The more you give, the more you’ll have.

Keep letting that radiant smile of yours shine.  It’s a weapon I gave you.

I love you.

Love,

Daddy

You keep standing when you want to sit.

You keep fighting when you feel like surrendering.

You go by what you know, not what you feel.

You walk by faith and not by sight.

You trust God when your emotions lie to you and tell you that He’s the one to blame.

You hang onto Him even when you feel like letting go.

You believe what He says when you have zero evidence backing it up.

I will do what is right.  No matter what I feel like.

There are two topics that people like to avoid: God and Politics. And if one of the two is brought up, the other is kept out of sight. Especially with politics. If you’re about to engage in a political discussion, one way to turn that grass fire into a bonfire is to pour God on the flame. Am I right? Welcome to the bonfire! In my opinion, there’s no such thing as a political discussion absent of God. There’s no truth apart from God; no clear right and wrong. If I’m going to have a political discussion, I’m not going to waste my breath on speculation and opinion. No, if I talk politics, I’m going to talk about what I know is true and right and just. Nothing else will stand the test of time. Only truth.

I’m not a Democrat. I’m not a Republican. I’m not an Independent. I’m a child of God. His Word is my compass – not people’s opinions, not my own experiences, not how I feel. All of those things can change on a dime. God’s Word can’t change and it won’t change. Some people claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, yet their lifestyles contradict God’s Word. There is no Jesus without the Word of God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. … The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us [through Jesus Christ] (John 1:1-3, 14). If you’re basing your political views (or any views) on anything other than the Word of God, you’re wrong. The Bible has something to say about every single issue and problem and situation that we will ever encounter on this earth.

Some Christians like to be Switzerland when it comes to forming a political standpoint. It’s so easy to take the easy way out. It’s much easier to bury your head in the sand than to stand for what’s right. But why would you? No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light (Luke 8:16). If you like to think that politics (in our day and age) is anything other than a battle between darkness and light, morality and immortality, justice and injustice, I’d like to know where you’ve been living for the past year.

When I was in school, I learned that it was noble to be undecided. Having no opinion meant that I never had to hurt anyone’s feelings – no matter which side of the fence they sat on. But I was sadly mistaken. If you are in God’s Word and God’s Word is in you, you will know where you stand on every issue that comes along, because you’ll know where God stands on every issue that comes along. Truth is limitless. I’m not saying you have to stand on street corners and declare where you stand on an issue. If you so choose, you can never have a political discussion in your life; but you should know for yourself where you stand. Having no footing when it comes to issues of morality and truth does not mean you’re merciful towards those that do; it means you’re ignorant. Know God’s Word. Know what you believe. Do not be tossed to and fro by every little wave (news story, interview, headline, celebrity’s opinion) that comes along. If you have viewpoints regarding anything that are not founded on the Word of God, not only are you wrong; you will topple when the storms of life come.

“I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears My words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” -Jesus Christ, Luke 6:47-49

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Originally posted on August 29th, 2009 at Godinpolitics.wordpress.com (a sublog of HandsFrozentotheSword.com).

I have greater faith than I’ve ever had in my life.  If sickness tries to come on me, I no longer have to wonder whether or not God wants to or is able to heal me.  And I don’t let symptoms run their course for a few weeks before finally buckling down and receiving healing.  I believe and know it’s God’s will to heal me.  And if something contrary rises up, I’m quick to bat it away.  But this wasn’t always the case.

My increase in faith was preceded by a decision not to listen to just any ol’ minister or pastor or teacher that claimed to be teaching God’s Word.  I used to listen to sermons constantly.  Who were these people I listened to?  I didn’t know.  All I cared about was that what they taught sounded good and sounded right.  If someone said it was God’s will to heal, I would latch onto it and believe it.  But if someone I really respected shared a testimony that said God sometimes “chose” not to heal, my faith was destroyed.  And then when sickness would come my way, I wouldn’t have the faith to believe God to heal me.

There was a well-known teacher that I used to listen to constantly on TV.  Around that time, I  became interested in learning about healing.  Jesus healed in the Bible and I was sure He still wanted to.  One day, I heard my favorite teacher tell a story about a Pastor she knew whose son had died of an illness.  “That man prayed and prayed.  He fasted.  He served God.  He believed God.  And his son died.  Sometimes we just don’t know why God does things the way that He does.  Sometimes He heals and sometimes He doesn’t.” For over two years, I accepted that as truth.  After all, if this Bible teacher spent so much time in God’s Word, she had to be right.  Right?  Wrong!  And it took me a few years to even venture out and believe what God’s Word actually said about healing.

A few nights ago, I listened to bits of a testimony about a woman who had what doctors classified as terminal cancer and was given 4 to 6 weeks to live.  My heart leapt initially, thinking that she was about to share about the awesome, limitless, healing power of God.  Instead, I heard a testimony of how to trudge through.  I was sorely disappointed.  I wanted to cry.  Even six months ago, I would have applauded this kind of testimony, but now I can’t.  I know the truth and I believe it.  And because I believe it, I can’t applaud a testimony about a woman having “strength” to succumb to cancer, leaving behind a wonderful husband and two little children.  First of all, it’s not God’s will for anyone to die of any illness.  And second, whoever listens to that testimony and accepts it as truth is not going to have faith for healing.  I know that because I’ve been there.

The church needs to get back to God’s Word!  It’s imperative that you stop listening to everything you hear and accepting it as truth.  Believe God’s Word. If anything doesn’t line up with His Word, reject it.  That doesn’t mean we reject the person — not for single second!  But we do need to reject ideas and theories that are contrary to God’s Word.  Learning to accept and cope with and live with satan’s attacks (sickness, poverty, depression, etc.) is not Biblical, nor will it reap any benefits.  Learning to cope with satan and be passive towards his attacks will destroy your life.   It will bring poverty, disease, sickness, confusion, depression, worry, fear, and anything else he can get you to accept — even death.  And yet satan is powerless — absolutely powerless — if you use your authority against him instead of handing it over for him to use against you.  So use it.  Choose life that you and your descendents may live.

However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? -Luke 18:8

I heard a story about a guest teacher at a Bible school.  The guest teacher had come to teach on healing.  Various teachers and students had stopped him throughout his lesson with comments like: “Well, we don’t really believe in that healing stuff.”  He dug deeper in the Word and read even more scriptures about healing.  More students stopped him.  “We just don’t believe in that stuff,” they’d say.  The guest teacher paused and lifted the page of scripture he was reading from and ripped it out of the Bible, “Well then I guess we better get rid of this page.”  He went on and on, ripping out more pages about healing and other topics they disagreed with.  By the time he was done, the Bible was nothing more than a thin little book.  “Here’s your Bible,” he said.  Then he left.

Do you believe God’s Word?  All of God’s Word?  Or are your beliefs filtered by your emotions, experience, and the shaky teachings of others that you deem as “experts” in Christianity?

God came to give us absolute and complete authority over every single one of satan’s attacks.  Your first step is to stop blaming God for satan’s workings.  Your second step is to take authority over satan until you win.

Stop being an unbelieving believer.  Get in God’s Word!  Stop basing your Christian life on second-hand knowledge.  Get in there for yourself!  Either you believe all of God’s Word or you don’t.  There’s no gray area.  And if you don’t believe all of it, you are the very reason there is so much defeat in your life.

Get out your sword.  Use it!

America has lost her footing.  I’m not ok with it.

This post isn’t going to be a sonnet on American-pride or a We’re Better than You Are chant.  No, this post will have the same theme as all the other posts on here: Truth.

America has only 4% of the world’s population and 6% of the world’s land mass, but make up 24% of the world’s economy.  While nations around the world gauge poverty at $1 per day, America gauges poverty at $22 per day.  Are these statements of pride?  No, they’re simply fruits of what happens when a nation — any nation — is founded on the Word of God.

I know what you’re thinking: Didn’t you just say a few days ago that the world was going to end? Well, not in the those exact terms — but yes, I did say that Jesus return appears to be imminent.  So why even go where we’re about to go?  Because what if Jesus doesn’t come back for another 50 or 100 or even 15 years?  When the chance comes to get this country back on the right track — God’s track — I’m not going to be found hiding in a hole.  I’m going to be ready.

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Let’s talk about truth, shall we?  You know the issues as well as I do.  No need to beat around the bush about it.

Capital Gains Tax. Why don’t we start there?  It’s the measure that says the rich or wealthy should be taxed to provide for the poor.  I know what you’re thinking: The Bible doesn’t say anything about that, so I’ll just formulate my own opinion.  I know you’re thinking that because the election wouldn’t have turned out the way it did if Christians knew what was in the Bible.

Let’s start with the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30.  If you aren’t already familiar with the story, please read here.

The two men who invested their talents (money) and doubled their return were given this reply: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness” (verses 21 and 23).

But it’s what the Master said to the man who buried his talent (money) that might be puzzling to some of us: “Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him” (verse 28 and 29).

So what’s the bottom line?  The talent from the fearful servant was taken away from him and given to the servant who had the most money.  Or you could say, the rich man was rewarded for his productivity while the poor man was punished for his foolishness.

Whoa.  Is she saying we should punish those who are down and out and give the little they have to the rich? No, not at all!  Jesus was good to the poor.  There are a million verses in the Bible that talk about being good to the poor.  All I’m doing is telling you what God’s Word says.

When people think of what the Bible says about the rich, the first scripture that comes to their mind is Luke 18:18-30 and the rich young ruler, who Jesus told to sell all of his possessions and give his money to the poor.  And just like we could use the parable of the talents to say that Jesus doesn’t care about the poor, we could use the scripture of the rich young ruler to say that Jesus doesn’t want anyone to be rich.  To fall into either extreme would be deception.  To the fearful servant in the parable of the talents, it was his fear that kept him in poverty.  Fear is a sin and he was corrected for it.  In the parable of the rich young ruler, it was the man’s love of money that held him back from following Jesus.  His sin was pointed out and he was given the choice to turn from it or continue on its path.

You can do a lot of damage to yourself by pulling out one scripture and centering your theology around it.  Don’t do it.

All that to say: Being rich isn’t a sin.  If you are under the persuasion that the rich need to be punished for their productivity, in order to provide for the poor, I ask you this: When was the last time you read your Bible?  Do you go around believing whatever sounds good and whatever tickles your emotions?  Or do you dig deep into the ONLY source of Truth there is — God’s Word — and let His opinion be your opinion?

Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied. -Proverbs 13:4

Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty! -Proverbs 14:23

If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept criticism, you will be honored. -Proverbs 13:18

An empty stable stays clean, but no income comes from an empty stable.  -Proverbs 14:4

Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows. -Proverbs 13:11

Wealth is a crown for the wise; the effort of fools yields only folly. -Proverbs 14:24

Lazy people don’t even cook the game they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find. -Proverbs 12:27

Did I find those scriptures on a Google search?  No.  I have my Bible open and that’s how many verses I found on two pages.  If these verses are surprising to you, I challenge you to read the whole book of Proverbs.  It’s full of this kind of stuff (wisdom).

The book of Proverbs is referred to as the Book of Wisdom.  It urges and pleads with us to seek wisdom above all else.  There are so many verses to reference that point that I won’t even bother listing them.  In Proverbs 3:16, it says: Long life is in [wisdom's] right hand; in [wisdom's] left hand are riches and honor. If you don’t want to money, don’t pursue wisdom.  In other words, disobey God.  If you are following God with your entire heart, pursuing wisdom, obeying His commands, provision (finances) will follow.  It’s inevitable.  And only someone who has taken God’s Word out of context would find qualm with that.

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For over two centuries, America has been a place where anyone, no matter what their upbringing or education or background is, can succeed through hard work and determination.  Men without a penny to their name have built businesses and invented extraordinary things and traveled all around the world.  And suddenly, an idea comes down the pike that the those who have reaped the fruits of their labor should be punished to allot for those who are poor.  And the human heart naturally feels guilt because who, after all, would say that giving to the poor is wrong?  Who would say that sacrifice is wrong?  And though neither giving to the poor nor sacrifice is wrong, the concept itself is wrong.  You don’t punish those who have to give to those who have not.  And if you’ll dig deep enough into God’s Word, you might realize a lot of other things that are wrong too.

I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense.  I saw that it was overgrown with weeds.  It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down.  Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber. -Proverbs 24:30-34, NLT

This passage of truth illustrates the fruits of laziness from a natural standpoint, but what about from a spiritual standpoint?

There are Christians today whose lives are covered with weeds — sickness, depression, confusion, poverty.  Their walls have been broken down.  They have nothing to protect them from the thief who is constantly on the lookout, seeking whom he may devour (John 10:10, 1 Peter 5:8).  They go to church on Sunday.  They sing the songs.  They clap and cheer during the sermon.  They go out to lunch with their church friends and talk about spiritual things.  But then they go home and they sleep.  They shut their eyes to the truth.  Their snoring drowns out God’s voice.  Satan comes in and robs everything they have and they don’t even know it.  When they wake up, they see what’s gone and they complain to God.  They blame Him.  Then, out of frustration, they close their eyes and go back to sleep.  And satan sneaks in again.

What area of your life do you need victory in?  You don’t even have to stop and think about it.  There are areas so overgrown with weeds that your whole life has been choked because of it.  Wake up.

Whatever is robbing you, confront it now.  Fear controlled my life for many years because I was too busy wishing and hoping and making 12-step plans and dreaming of what it would be like to be free.  One night I got so angry and fed-up that I drew a bath and grabbed God’s Word and refused to get out until that fear was gone (that story can be read here and here).  And you know what?  That fear left.

From November of last year until April of this year, I didn’t have a job.  I was laid off because of the economy.  I strived and I looked and I prayed and I reasoned for weeks and months.  Finally, one snowy Friday early this year, I shut myself in my room and refused to come out until I knew what God wanted me to do concerning a job.  I sat there for hours, pressing into God, reading His Word.  But it was not in vain.  By the time I went to sleep that night, I knew what God wanted me to do and I did it.  Today I have one of the greatest, most secure jobs I could imagine.  I like what I do and I genuinely like the people I work with.  Did it “just happen”? No!  I fought for it.

One night, not too long ago, I was overcome by a terrible dizzy feeling in the wee hours of the morning (you can read part 1 of that story here and part 2 here).  I couldn’t even lay down.  I felt sick and miserable.  Did I go back to sleep and toss and turn all night until morning came so I could go to the doctor and have them speak death over me?  No.  I immediately grabbed my sword and went to battle.  By the next morning, I was 100% better.  When the same thing attacked me exactly one week later, I didn’t roll over and give in.  I fought again.  When the same thing came against me two days later as I was getting ready to leave for work, I didn’t call my boss and tell her how awful I felt and that I wouldn’t be able to come in that day.  No, I dug my heels in.  I refused to be robbed.  And that stupid attack of satan was defeated and never returned again.

The issue is not whether or not you have weeds in your life or how overgrown they are or what color they are or what they smell like.  The issue is: What are YOU going to do about it? Now notice that I didn’t say What’s GOD going to do about it? God already did it all.  He made complete and total victory for any area of your life available to you.  What are you going to do with it?

For so long, we’ve seen churches filled with women.  Sunday morning comes and the women and children file off to church while the men are at home, working on cars or watching football or sleeping in.  Now, obviously, I have nothing against women — I am one.  And of course there are exceptions to this rule.  But I would say, as a whole, there are far more women in churches than men.

Why is that?

There has to be a lot of really good reasons.  Reasons that could be proved with charts and facts and statistics — none of which I have.  All I have is my own experience.  I’ve been in church practically my whole life.  I’ve seen pews full of women and children and, as a child, I quietly wondered why men didn’t like coming to see God.  It didn’t make sense to me.  But now… I’m starting to put together the pieces.

The gospel, as a whole, has been feminized (or emasculated — whichever way you want to put it).  I realize that’s a broad statement.  And I realize that may be offensive to some.  Let me try to explain this in a way that has the greatest likelihood of making sense: A real-life example.

When I was in sixth grade, we had field day.  Since it would be our last year at elementary school and we were considered the “big kids”, our gym teacher would choose a select number of students who had done well all throughout the year to be leaders for the younger kids’ field day.  I could hardly wait.  I had looked forward to this all year.  And though I was not a jock or an athlete by any means, I had done my best in gym class and had been given all A’s.  There was no reason that I wouldn’t be picked.  But when the time came around for my gym teacher to announce his picks, my name was not called.  All of my friends name’s were called, which made the blow even worse.  At dinner that night, I told my parents about it.  They could see my disappointment.

Now, before we go any further, let me state the obvious: Men and women react differently. My Mom listened patiently, offering encouragement and feeling my sadness as if it were her own.  She probably even offered me a hug.  My Dad, on the other hand, didn’t say a word.  He listened silently, breathing it all in and never letting it change his facial expression.  He didn’t allow his eyes to well up with tears.  He didn’t tickle my back as he listened to me.  But after we finished dinner, he asked for my gym teacher’s phone number.  Then he sat down and  left that gym teacher of mine a very long voicemail.  The next day, I was asked to be a leader for the younger kids’ field day.

My Dad isn’t a pushover.  He didn’t call my gym teacher because his kids never do wrong and must always have their way (trust me, I was wrong plenty of times and he made sure I knew it).  He called that gym teacher because he knew his daughter had worked hard and done everything she could and had a right to be chosen as a leader.  Could a woman have made that same call?  Absolutely.  But I don’t think it would come instinctively to a woman.  And therein lies my point.

The church, as far as I know, has become good at listening.  It knows how to hug people and feel hurting people’s pain and offer encouragement.  It has become an expert at femininity.  But we desperately need masculinity.  We don’t need to rule out femininity and have only masculinity.  That’d be just as wrong.  We need BOTH!  We need to pat people on the back and show mercy and lovingly listen.  But we also need to call the gym teacher — I mean, we need to stand up and take action.  We’ve got the tender love and compassion of a woman’s heart, but we also need the fierce passion and aggression of a man’s heart.

Am I making sense?

Think about Jesus at the temple with the money changers.  He didn’t stand quietly at the door as tears dripped down his face.  (And he definitely didn’t look like the man in the picture above.  The artist clearly forgot that Jesus was a carpenter — a very physical job that required muscle and strength.)  He didn’t walk in there and pat those money changers on the backs and encourage them in a soft voice to turn from their ways.  I, as a woman, might have done that.  But Jesus isn’t a woman.  I realize that’s obvious, but I also think many people have forgotten that.  Jesus was a man.  He took action.  He got a whip and He walked in there with authority.  He didn’t mince words with those money changers.  Some of us are surprised that that story’s even in the Bible.  The Jesus we know would never do that, would He?  But He did.

And let me say something that most women wouldn’t say: That’s the Jesus that men want to follow.  If your husband or your dad or your brothers or sons are going to be asked to come into church and cross their legs and cry at just the right parts, they’ll stay as far away from that place as they can.  But if they’re allowed to be men, they might just want to go to church with you.

Last night I watched the Bourne Ultimatum.  It wasn’t the first time I saw it, but every time I watch it, this thought goes through my mind: “This guy is unreal.  He cannot be beat.”  And then, as is my custom with most war/action movies, I started trying to equate it to spiritual terms.  And man, this one was a cinch.  It only took me a few seconds to think of the spiritual significance of it.

This guy is the picture of relentless.  He does not give up.  He does not let his guard down.  He still doesn’t know who he is.  He doesn’t know why the CIA is after him.  The woman he loved has just been killed by them.  He has every reason to crumble and fall in a heap and say, “Poor me.  This just isn’t fair” and give up.  But he doesn’t.  He fights.  He runs.  He outsmarts the enemy.  He is always 10 steps ahead.  No matter how huge a blow they lodge at him, he keeps fighting.  He’s determined.  He’s relentless.

Sure you’ve heard the verse that says: Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).  That’s one of those verses that rolls easily off the Christian tongue, eh?  It’s short.  It’s concise.  It packs a punch.  But when was the last time we considered what it actually looks like to live that?  Jason Bourne is a perfect example of what living that would look like.

Have you ever met a Christian (or been one) that loves God with all of their heart but seems to have the most unfortunate “luck”?  They go to church.  They host the Women’s Bible Study in their living room.  They’re at all the church potlucks.  They have libraries of sermons and Christian books.  They’re lovely to be around because they understand God’s love and how to love others.  But man, they just seem to have one problem after another.  They have a half-page list of health problems.  Their car just broke down.  Their house is going to be foreclosed on if they don’t come up with $500 by the end of the week.  They just have problems. And without a doubt, our hearts go out to them.  We’d give our left foot to help them.  We cry with them and encourage them, all the while wondering how so many problems could so suddenly encroach upon one person.  But that’s just it — the majority of the problems that you or I or anyone faces don’t just “suddenly happen”.  Everything isn’t just a-ok one night and then all hell breaks lose come morning.  No, satan is way more sneaky than that.

The best time to kick satan out isn’t after he’s already taken up residence in every room of your house.  No, they best time to kick him out is when he’s still standing on the doorstep, knocking.  The best time to fight a life-threatening disease is not after you’ve stood in awe of it for 12 years and seen 9 different doctors.  The best time to fight it is at the onset — when it’s nothing more than a tiny symptom or a pain.  The best time to fight a shaky marriage isn’t while you’re sitting in divorce court.  No, the best time is when there still is time.

As much as we don’t want to admit it, the majority of our problems are the result of nothing more than spiritual laziness.  Self-controlled and alert?  Maybe if we felt like it.  Maybe if we would just wake up one day and suddenly feel like taking authority and standing on God’s Word and fighting.  Yes, maybe then we’d adhere to 1 Peter 5:8.  But since we never feel like it, we let those symptoms move in.  We let poverty move in.  We let strife infect our families.  We let lies swarm rampant in our mind.  And what do we do?  Pray and complain and wish that it would all just go away.  And it doesn’t.

As far as I know, Jason Bourne wasn’t a real person.  The Bourne Ultimatum isn’t a movie you want to live your life by.  But we sure could learn a thing or two from him on resisting the enemy.  That guy never missed a beat.  He knew the enemy’s tactics.  He knew his strategies.  He wasn’t just trying to survive, to barely outrun those after him.  No, he outsmarted the enemy.  His enemy was determined, but he was more determined.  He never sat down.  He never backed down.  He never gave up.  He didn’t stand in awe of their attacks.  He was never intimidated by the fact that there were several of them and only one of him.  He just stared the enemy straight in the eyes and didn’t relent until they were limping away.

“Well,” you say, “That’s just too much.  I’m not into violence and fighting and all of that.  I trust God to fight my battles for me.” I know, I know.  I believed the same thing for many years.  That’s what my pastor told me to do and since I never bothered to open up the Bible and see what it said for myself, I believed him.  But let’s make something clear here: God did fight your battles for you.  His name was Jesus Christ.  He broke all the authority that satan had over you and I, then He gave that authority to us.  But unless you know that authority and live it out, you will live a very sad and defeated life.  And it won’t be because God let you down.  It’ll be because you had everything you needed for victory and chose not to use it.