Today, I would like to talk a little more about spiritual battles and the need for prayer. Often, I have written about my friend who was losing great amounts of hair, with no help in site. After a 14 month fight to get the fungus under control, she is still doubting that she is healed. I realize that it's difficult the longer the trial the harder it is to see God. You think it would be the other way around but I can tell you from experience, you become weary and doubtful that your life will ever change. This leads to obsessive thoughts, worry, fear and depression. Any little thing sets you off and back you are to "if He loved me, why doesn't He heal me?"
For almost 9 months I have spent time praying for my friend, comforting her and speaking the truth when needed. I'm sure that if God wasn't in this she would be frustrated with me and I definitely would be with her but instead, God has placed her on my heart time and time again. All I ever hear in my head is patience. That's what the Lord has for us, patience. He was patient with David, Jeremiah, Noah, Esther, Mary and Jesus. He will be patient with us too. Each trial has it's own destiny and in the destiny there is Jesus. However, the longer the journey, the harder it is emotionally, the more apt we are to crumble. Our psyche wants to rehash every detail, every word, and every injustice. It takes us from being a rationale person to being chaotic, obsessive and overwrought. It can and does steal our joy and at the end of every day we are weary. Why? Because we haven't won the battle. The battle begins with faith and has to end with faith. That doesn't mean we won't have times of stress, worry, fear or loss. We will but when we wake up and when we go to bed we must believe that Jesus can put a light onto our darkness.
I remember the first time God placed her on my heart. My father had just died and we were at my son's first home game. I could barely speak, let alone help anyone else. I had just lost another person, who I loved dearly and it was all I could do to function. I saw her in the crowd with her hat on and said, "Lord could You help me come out of my grief so I could be there for her?" That was my plea as I was walking past her. I wasn't sure how that would happen since he had only been gone a month but I changed with that simple request and began to pray for her. Soon, I was stopping by her house to pray over her and to give her hope and fast-forward to today, I have been walking by her side ever since.
I would never have guessed the battle would be this tough. She is a Godly woman who loves the Lord. She reads her Bible, prays and really, at least up to this point, believed the Lord would take care of everything. Today, I'm not quite sure she believes that. She will have two good days and five bad ones and that's just not right. So, I went into battle again last night. As I was walking, I began to pray that her heart would open and that she would see God's hand in everything. I challenged her to write all her thoughts and look at all that God had revealed. She has been hesitant through this trial to do so but she needs to look at what God has done instead of what He hasn't done. Her belief that God will completely heal is just not there. The battle has zapped her of rational thought. Her only thoughts are on her hair and her kids hair and rightfully so. It has been 15 months of washing bedding for six children everyday. Placing every comb and brush in solution. Spraying furniture, carpets, pillows and bedspreads with an anti-fungus solution. Can you imagine? Every day. I know this has not been easy for her but I can't stop her thoughts and I can't keep saying to her that she has to have faith.
So, I went into battle last night with me and God. I prayed what she can't pray and I asked the Lord to reveal to me how I should pray for her. I began to ask Jesus to reveal to me the things that must change and in the end, I asked for peace. She rarely has it because her mind has taken over and somehow satan gets in and roams. The mind is powerful and we must capture every thought that doesn't align with the Bible. In truth, the mind can destroy. So I prayed for that too. I prayed for anything that came to my mind and then I thanked Jesus for her. She is my sister and I want to stand by her side always. I want her to have a powerful testimony full of God's glory. In my heart, I know she will. She and the entire family will be healed and her house will be protected. But as I write this morning, I will continue to pray for her today and every day until this battle is won and Jesus has victory. I'm counting on Him and know that without a doubt His will, will be done. I am a vessel, a servant, who cares for God's people and although I don't have the power to move the mountain, Jesus does and I stand on that!
So, if you're climbing a mountain today, get a group of women together that you trust and pray! Prayer will move a mountain, God's will can be done, and faith is built when we pray. Believing in Christ is easy. It's during the battles that we must find Him and rest in Him. It won't be easy, I know that but your faith should grow with each victory and in the end, Christ will have victory over all. We must count on that and know that without a doubt, the God that saved us can win any battle. It might just take longer than we like. If you're facing a battle today don't do it alone. Get prayer from others. It's hard to see sometimes but when you have people supporting you, you'll know God is present. This is our time to be vessels to one another. To come before God and ask for His help and to put on our full armor and show the world that Jesus reigns! May your day be full of joy as you look upon the Lord. He's with you and me, don't ever doubt that.
Hebrews 3: 6 NKJV:
but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
Hebrews 3:7-9 NKJV:
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw my works for forty years.
My prayer today:
O, Lord, we are in battle for the souls of Your people. We wander and complain just like the Israelites did so many years ago. Thankfully, you are patient and kind to us. You know our struggles and even now, we struggle with our minds and our hearts. We want to be people that win the race and that have victory in battle. So, please come before us and make us strong women of You. Fill us up with courage for the battles ahead and give us Your strength. Help us capture every wrong thought and give us Your mind as we go throughout our days. Build us up to be better at knowing when we are in battle and give us the words to fight off our enemy. Help us to see You in every part of our day and give us the ability to rest in Your arms. We are just women that need a Savior. We are not mighty warriors or even women that like to be in battle but we know that we are fighting for what's right. So today, protect our houses, give us the shield of faith and continue to bring women into battle with us. We are Your servants and at the end of our lives we want to know that we persevered and did the most we could. This is Your day, Your hour and Your history, help us to make it full of victory for You! In Jesus name, AMEN
Until tomorrow...
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