They took our daughter. Only months old, porcelain face, perfect in every way. The one we held through seizures, blue skin, tiny bottles, and stopped heart beats; carefully feeding her just ounces every two hours, day and night, in hopes to keep her alive. Her body weight finally went up from three pounds to regular birth weight when the ex-addict social worker snatched her from our sight. No warning. Not even time to pack her bags. Grieving seemed to swallow us alive...until we answered another call. Another preemie, suffering from the same kind of drug withdrawals, sitting in the hospital, waiting for a foster family to take her. Without even praying, we shout, “yes”, like wide-eyed children not even thinking through the consequences. We try covering up heartache with another face, instead of dealing with the pain and accepting the reality of ministry...life isn't always picture perfect. Her high-pitched cry was heard all the way down the hall from the NICU when we entered the hospital. Nurses plopping her in our arms, pushed papers quickly at us, so that the fragile state of the Care Unit could return to its silent state. And in that moment, I think my husband and I both knew, we had just stepped outside of God's grace by making the decision to take this child without getting His permission first. We learned a lesson in the days to come that ten years later has still stuck with us...not just as foster parents, but as leaders...as Christians. Another man, like us, was told to wait. Saul was a King on the verge of the Philistine's invading. His men had begun scattering. His emotions became frayed. He eventually led an offering, instead of waiting like Samuel had instructed Him to. (1 Sam 13:7-8) Saul led when he was supposed to follow, charged forward when He was told to be patient, trusted his emotions instead of waiting for the blessing. (1 Samuel 13:9) And can't we all be like that sometimes when following God; letting our feelings dictate our actions, instead of waiting and trusting God? All great men and women in history who not only did great things for God, but maintained their ministry, learned early on, never to lead but to listen for God first, then follow. So, how do you discern God speaking? Listen, wait, never act emotionally, give time for confirmation, and only walk forward if He is leading. Every second with this second baby was excruciating, not because of her non-stop cries or physical frailty, but because it was as if God had taken His hand off of us and was saying, “You want to lead...then go ahead. Good luck”. What we learned from our own rushed decision was...Any ability in us to accomplish any good works only stems and originates from God. King Saul ended up losing his anointing and eventually His crown. However, the following leader King David, talked constantly with God through prayer. David repented after sinning, praised God even when blasted or persecuted, He listened and walked willingly in obedience, even when he hoped life might bring about something different. Ten years later, we still refuse to take a child without waiting, praying, and listening for His, “yes” before obeying. We have learned, no ministry is sustainable without continual communion, attentive listening, and wholehearted surrender to God first. Do you want a ministry that is unstoppable? Go to God first and hear His call before you follow, walk as Missional Women only where He is calling....and like the one after God's own heart. About JenThough born, raised, and still living only miles from where she grew up, Jen's heart lies in the nations. Jen loves the beautiful tapestry found in the wide diversity of people, different cultures, and all nations. Jen and her husband have been married twenty years, and have parented fifteen kids and counting; twelve foster, one adopted, and two bios. Her multi-racial family reflects her passion for unity, desire for faith without walls, and missional mindset to share both the gospel and the power of redemption to a world desperately needing the hope found in Jesus Christ. Jen and her husband have led in a variety of ministries; including prayer, small groups, children's, and women’s. Jen advocates for the orphan as a board member for the non-profit, A New Song; and loves doing missions work internationally, along with her family. You can find Jen writing about faith, while challenging her readers at her blog, Rich Faith Rising, as well as at tweeting faith-filled messages @Jen_Avellaneda . Jen is also on facebook. Want to read more from this contributor? Put her name in the search box at the top. Sharing this article over at these awesome blogs
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Drums pounding, enthusiasm rising, battle lines drawn, warriors clothing themselves in armor, charging forward toward the front lines. The momentum is contagious. Cheering, shouting, and promises of victory drives the multitude onward expectant toward the victory. However, the front lines are loud, messy. Shouting fades and all that's seen is pain and difficulty. Doubts start trickling in, hesitancy, questioning, thoughts of returning to where it's safe start ringing in people's ears. Another gets drowsy. Looking around, weary, her legs start aching from the journey. Too weak to stand or take one more step, she stops, lays down, & drifts off to sleep right there on the front lines with the bombs blasting, wounded weeping, the shooting blasting. Has she forgotten this is war? The above analogy seems ridiculous, doesn't it? But it happens every day. Those on the front lines get targeted, lose hope, embrace discouragement...or just get weary, and either start sleeping or retreat from the mission. However, Jesus came to change the way we live missionally, His Spirit equipping us to take new territory, declaring His great name. Here are ten reasons to put on our armor, strengthen your legs, get your footing, and stand when the wars of this life rage...
About JenThough born, raised, and still living only miles from where she grew up, Jen's heart lies in the nations. Jen loves the beautiful tapestry found in the wide diversity of people, different cultures, and all nations. Jen and her husband have been married twenty years, and have parented fifteen kids and counting; twelve foster, one adopted, and two bios. Her multi-racial family reflects her passion for unity, desire for faith without walls, and missional mindset to share both the gospel and the power of redemption to a world desperately needing the hope found in Jesus Christ. Jen and her husband have led in a variety of ministries; including prayer, small groups, children's, and women’s. Jen advocates for the orphan as a board member for the non-profit, A New Song; and loves doing missions work internationally, along with her family. You can find Jen writing about faith, while challenging her readers at her blog, Rich Faith Rising, as well as at tweeting faith-filled messages @Jen_Avellaneda . Jen is also on facebook. If you'd like to read more from this contributor, type her name in the search box on the top right.
Sharing this over at these awesome blogs 2014 was a year of enormous change for me. In that one year, I had three huge changes in my life: I got married January 4, moved from Colorado to Thailand on July 16 and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on December 30. It was a great but crazy year! However, there are times when changes are not welcomed in our lives as the ones above are. Change isn’t always happy and positive like the birth of a new child or a marriage. Sometimes change is quite painful. Often we long for our life to just be like it was before. We long for the comfort and familiarity of a "home" that no longer exists. We long to see our deceased loved ones just one more time, to laugh with friends and family like we did before that relationship was broken. Sometimes, the changes we have to adjust to in our lives make no sense at all to us, and we don’t understand why we have to go through this difficult situation. These difficult times in our lives, when we lose sight of the familiar and are forced to reconcile with a new reality can cause us to struggle emotionally, physically and even spiritually. They can cause us to question God and his love for us. God's word offers comfort to those of us who are struggling with unwelcomed life changes. READ Exodus 14:10-12. Here, we find that the people of God are fed up with the situation that they are in and frankly quite scared at what they see as an inevitable result of the changes that have been brought upon them. The people of God didn't see a way out, they were hopeless and distressed. Think about a time in your life when you felt hopeless and did not see a way out of your situation. Maybe you are in this situation now. When we are in situations where change is forced upon us, and we feel hopeless, it can be difficult to trust God. What is Moses' response to the people of Israel when they cry out to him in distress over the situation they are in? In Exodus 14:13, Moses offers the Israelites practical advice that we can apply to our own situations when we are dealing with difficult changes beyond our control.
Think again about the situation you had in mind before. As you pray about this situation, pray that you would live, not in fear, but by standing firm in the truths that you know about God. Trust that he has a bigger plan for your life and your world! About MelanieMelanie and her husband Joel live and do ministry in Bangkok, Thailand. She is mommy to baby Claire and a graduate of Denver Seminary with a degree in Intercultural Ministry. She enjoys traveling, reading and discussing theology, and spending time with her family and friends. She loves the adventure that comes with living every day in another culture. If you'd like to read more from this contributor, type her name in the search box on the top right. Sharing this over at these awesome blogs The suffering of Job is a familiar one; He encountered the utter devastation of his family, wealth, and livelihood. Yet, the Bible tells us that Job was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” (Job 1:1 ESV) There is something inside of each of us that screams, “This is not fair!” A good man should not have to suffer the way Job did. Job didn’t deserve what he received. In fact, this was the exact conclusion Job came to. Not at first, but ultimately, as wave after wave of grief slammed him weary, he went from his famous first cry, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21 ESV) to a very long-winded question of, “Why is this happening to me, God? I don’t deserve this.” (Job 29-31) And, I can’t say I blame Job. I’ve not seen a fraction of the loss and pain Job experienced, and I’ve allowed the same attitude of entitlement to creep in. We cannot make God into an equation. If I do ______, then God will give me ______. That’s just not the way God works. If He did, we all would be without any sort of hope for good things to come. To think biblically, we need a shift of our view of what is fair. Fact is, none of us deserve the mercy and grace of God, because we’re all sinners. Even Job, the “blameless and upright.” God graciously sent a good friend, Elihu, to speak truth to Job. “Listen to this, Job. Stop and consider God’s wonders.” (Job 37:14) Elihu probably didn’t understand the answer to every why, but he clung to the truth of God’s character; that God is a good, loving, and merciful God. A God of wonders, incapable of wrong. So, no, Job didn’t deserve what he received. He didn’t deserve the blessings he had to begin with. He didn’t deserve the mercy of God shown through the kindness of His own rebuke to Job’s questioning. (Job 38-41) And he certainly didn’t deserve the outpouring of grace God showed Him, through restoring Job’s health, livelihood, and family. And the biggest gift of grace? God’s presence. Through God’s purposeful allowance of suffering, Job experienced the abundance of seeing—really seeing—God as wonderful. Then Job answered the LORD and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:1-6 ESV) What do you think about Elihu’s conclusion about God, regardless of circumstances? About Katie Grace-clinger. Truth-speaker. Pastor's wife. Mommy of 3. As a Bible study writer, retreat speaker, and local women's ministry leader, Katie is passionate about equipping others to walk intimately with God for a lifetime. Katie currently serves as the Social Media Specialist and Community Manager for Flourish.me, a ministry of the North American Mission Board to ministry wives. Learn more about Katie on her website KatieOrr.me. If you'd like to read more from this contributor, type her name in the search box on the top right.
Sharing this over at these awesome blogs Do you ever feel like no one really sees you? Are there those currently, or in your past, that have abused or mistreated you? Maybe it seems like others see the things that you do, the way you mother, the kind of friend you are, your personality. Yet, there are so many things inside that go unseen. All of this can lead to devastating lies that you are alone or unloved. Hagar’s Story (click here to read it) Hagar’s story is a hard story but also, a hopeful one. She is a slave--owned by masters who hold her very life in their hands. And they are not the wicked, but the righteous. They are the ones God has given His promise to make their offspring, countless generations to come, into a great nation. Sarah, in her own bitter pain at not being able to have children, commands Hagar to go to Abraham and lie with him, so he may have a son. After this, when Hagar becomes pregnant, she looks down upon Sarah. Sarah treats her harshly, badly, and Hagar flees. It is here, in her fleeing from her oppressors, that God finds Hagar. It says ‘the Angel of the Lord’ appears to her, who is considered a pre-incarnate form of Christ. He speaks promises to her of how he will bless her son and make him a great nation. She then becomes the first person to name God, calling Him, ‘the God who sees [me]’. So, where is the hope in Hagar’s hard story, and ours? Hagar finds hope in her desperation: The people, who are closest to God in all the world, are blind to the heart and soul of Hagar. She is treated as a physical object. Yet, it is in her desperation, her full acknowledgment of the gut-wrenching pain, that God finds her. It is hard to be vulnerable in the face of those who have hurt us, consciously or unconsciously. But as we expose our wounded selves, God reveals Himself to us. Hagar finds hope in her trust: The first thing ‘the angel of the LORD’ says to Hagar is to go back to her owner and obey her. God continues with His promise to make her son into a mighty nation. And Hagar hears and trusts God, and returns. As we admit the pain and hurt, it is easy to shut God out and blame Him, but the hope only comes as we trust Him--He is for us and He is good. Hagar finds hope in her praise: It is a powerful moment when Hagar names God, ‘the God who sees [me]’. It is a creative expression of the beauty of God; a soul declaration in the midst of great suffering. This moment is recorded in the Bible and becomes a testimony, to us, of the found in our praise as we trust God beyond all the pain, and even grave injustice, of a fallen world. Our hope rests fully on ‘the God who sees’. In the honest pain of Hagar’s story, we find each of our stories as women. There will always be some deep part of us which feels unseen. As we acknowledge this, and pour out our hearts, we behold the God of Hagar who sees us. And more, we see that we are are known and loved fully, by the God whose seeing of long ago, one day, acted in infinite compassion and birthed our forever hope, Jesus. About AbbyI am wife to a wonderful man, mama to three precious now-little-but-soon-will-not-be loves. Each born in a different place--two states including 2 states and 2 countries. I am a farm girl who found her heart in the city. I can now claim fluency in 3 languages :: English, Spanish & Hungarian.This combined with the all-too-true 'mommy brain' explains much regarding my mental state most days;) I am a sojourner longing for Home. Yet, in my messy and broken, I embrace the moments given with all I have. I am seeking, praying, and learning again and again that it is for His Glory I live. My prayer is that my little life would make much of Him! I write regularly at Abigail Alleman. If you'd like to read more from this contributor, type her name in the search box on the top right. Sharing this over at these awesome blogs Martha gets kinda bad rap because of her task oriented nature seen in Luke 10 where Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus spending time with Him while Martha fumes about how Mary isn't helping her prepare dinner for the house full of guests. Well, this story seems to overshadow something pretty awesome about Martha, her faith. So I'm gonna brag on the out-shined by her sister lady for a bit. John 11 pins Mary and Martha's differences against each other again, showing Mary to be a feeler and Martha to be a thinker. And the beauty of this story is that Jesus shows Himself in so many ways. Not only does He show Himself to be boss over death but He communicates with the Martha the thinker and feels with Mary the feeler. Jesus makes it obvious that He meets us where we are. But this story is where Martha's faith shines. Her brother, Lazarus just died and her and her sister had asked Jesus to come days earlier. Jesus intentionally stayed in the town He was a couple more days, waiting for Lazarus to die so He could show His awesomeness. Nobody of course understood that. I mean, that's even hard to grasp today, seeing the Lord wait in showing off. Jesus arrives and sweet Martha is the one who goes out to meet Him. Mary doesn't go to Jesus, she stays in her grief and disappointment. Isn't that easy to do. Martha's first words to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that eve now God will give you whatever you ask." How awesome is that! I'm so proud of her. Her brother just died and instead of seeing Jesus as incapable, she does the opposite. It seems she actually knows that Jesus can raise her brother from the dead. Jesus uses it as a teachable moment to give her a secret about His character. Beautiful! But instead of persisting in asking questions, she gets a bit know-it-all and her getting to hear more from Jesus about what He's gonna do stops there. But Martha's faith stays steady and strong even in the hardest of times. She concludes her little conversation with Jesus, "I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." written in the perfect tense indicating a fixed and settled faith, I have believed and will continue to believe. Martha, the task-oriented, thinker is a great example to us of faith. But so often this world offers the example of having faith in our feelings and experiences instead of the truth of God's Word. Reflection Questions If you were in Martha and Mary's shoes, having just lost your brother, how would your faith have been effected? What does that show you your faith is in? This is from a book in the works, Embracing God with the Life You Never Expected; A Devotional on Overlooked Women in the Bible. I will keep you updated when the release is getting close. But till then, I would love your prayers for the Lord to be glorified with it. Thanks! About Laura Laura, the founder of Missional Women is married and has five kids, two of whom are adopted. Laura and her husband have been missionaries to college students for 12 years serving with Master Plan Ministries. Laura is the Staff Women's Development Coordinator and has discipled over 150 girls, led over 30 Bible studies and speaks to college and women's groups. Laura has authored 5 books, including an award winning 12 week Bible Study on First Samuel, Beholding Him, Becoming Missional, Reach; How to Use Your Social Media Influence for the Glory of God, and A Devotional Journey through Judges, a devotional to accompany the free online Bible study at TheBookofJudges.com. You can find her on facebook, twitter,pinterest, youtube, instagram and her author site. If you'd like to read more from this contributor, type her name in the search box on the top right.
Sharing this over at these awesome blogs Get a picture in your mind of someone you think is beautiful. Now think of how she has everything. Her husband loves and respects her, she has a gorgeous house with people who clean it for her. She spends her days shopping and getting whatever she wants without worry. Now imagine her attitude, what is she like? Sweet, generous, funny, gifted and everyone loved her? What kind of friend is she to you? How does she treat other people? There is a lady in Scripture who is a lot like this one we've imagined and today we are going to meet her though we don't know her name. We'll call her Potiphar's wife. Genesis 39 tells her story. Take a second to click and read. She had it all (at least according to the American dream) but even then she still hungered for more. Ecclesiastes says the more we have the more we think we need. I suppose that is why the sweet family in Tanzania Africa, part of the poorest tribe in Africa, was so willing to give me the only bananas they had. Our desire grows for what we are gazing at and Potiphar's wife was gazing at Joseph. James tells us, when desire conceives it gives birth to death. Potiphar's wife is a perfect example. Her desires grew to the point she pursued him, initiated with him and then her marriage, reputation and the blessing God had brought to her and her family was taken away. The blessing on everything they had, home and field would be no longer. To think our desires wont grow when we keep feeding them is a lie. Whatever you feed grows, whether good or bad. We are either feeding the flesh or the Spirit. We don't live in a stand still world. We are either going toward the Lord or away from Him. There is no in between. Have you ever been there? Hungering for more of something the Lord hasn't given you? (What is your Joseph?) You're not alone. Potiphar was there. But not only Potiphar's wife, me too. And every other woman on this planet. We crave. That craving was given to us by the Lord for the Lord. That craving is beautiful when were craving the right things, or the right person. Namely the Lord. He is the only One who will truly fill and satisfy us. Are you feeding the flesh or the Spirit right now in your craving? Are you setting your heart on the Lord or on some other desire? If not the Lord, He's always ready to receive you. To hear you ask Him for strength, to hear you say you want to want Him the most. He is ready to give you all the power and ability necessary if you'll just rely on Him. About LauraLaura, the founder of Missional Women is married and has five kids, two of whom are adopted. Laura and her husband have been missionaries to college students for 12 years serving with Master Plan Ministries. Laura is the Women's Development Coordinator and has discipled over 150 girls, led over 30 Bible studies and speaks to college and women's groups. Laura has authored 5 books, including an award winning 12 week Bible Study on First Samuel, Beholding Him, Becoming Missional, Reach; How to Use Your Social Media Influence for the Glory of God, and A Devotional Journey through Judges, a devotional to accompany the free online Bible study at TheBookofJudges.com. You can find her on facebook,twitter, pinterest, youtube, instagram and her author site. If you'd like to read more from this contributor, type her name in the search box on the top right.
Sharing this over at these awesome blogs The hour has come. Jesus is to be betrayed by Judas, and the time Christ has remaining in His human body on earth will prove more painful with every hour. Thought they still don’t understand it all fully, Jesus has prepared His disciples for the hours pending. He’s preached everything they need to hear. He’s promised great things to come. There is only one last thing he must do before Judas and his murderous gang arrive. Pray. There is much about this remarkable prayer for us to pay attention to, including who He prayed for. Jesus prayed for me. He prayed for you, too. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word …” John 17:20 ESV What Jesus Prayed for Me 1. Unity. “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” John 17:11 ESV Jesus knew that the wheels were about to fall off the bus for the disciples, and quickly. With their world shattered, and their Teacher gone, they would need a new unity to rally around. Jesus asks for them to be kept through the strong name of God. He knew I would need that same source of strength. Regardless of my circumstances, I too can find a wholeness and unity through the strong name of My God. 2. Protection. “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” John 17:15 ESV How often my prayers are centered around the removal of my difficult circumstances. Instead, Jesus gives me the example to pray not for the extraction of surrounding evil, but to plead for God’s protection through all the evil one throws my way. 3. Holiness. “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17 ESV This small prayer packs a punch. I am to be set apart in this world, holy in thought and action, with a readiness to follow in the footsteps of Christ. I cannot make myself holy on my own. It is a work of God, and one He has chosen to accomplish through the truth I find in the Bible. Why do I ever think I can get by on my own? My efforts are worthless without the power of the Holy Spirit and the mind-renewing work of His Word. Jesus knew I would desperately and continually need time in God’s Word to live a life set apart for God. Why Jesus Prayed for Me “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world … so that the world may believe …” John 17:18 ESV In the moments to come, I will take my next breaths for a reason—because God allows it. Life is fleeting. I am not promised tomorrow. So if God, in His infinite wisdom and grace, allows me to continue living this life, it is for a great purpose. Jesus prayed that I might be unified with God and His people, protected from the evil one, and set apart to live a holy life for a reason; God’s glory is yet to be displayed in the heart of every man. I’m glad we have this prayer recorded in the Scriptures. It gives me much hope for good things to come, helps me see my God-given purpose in life, and provides a model for how to pray for myself and others. Questions to ponder:
About KatieGrace-clinger. Truth-speaker. Pastor's wife. Mommy of 3. As a Bible study writer, retreat speaker, and local women's ministry leader, Katie is passionate about equipping others to walk intimately with God for a lifetime. Katie currently serves as the Social Media Specialist and Community Manager for Flourish.me, a ministry of the North American Mission Board to ministry wives. Learn more about Katie on her website KatieOrr.me. Sharing this over at these awesome blogs
I have found myself pondering on Deuteronomy 6:4-9. “The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” It is comforting to know that the opportunity to teach the word of God is spread throughout the day but also precisely the reason, why I find this challenging. So how do I go about this in my mundane daily life? “..When you sit at home...” Sitting at our home may look like having family dinner, doing homework, daily reading etc. Some of these tasks meet with resistance and ungratefulness. For example, instead of saying,”You just need to do your homework; period. “It helps my kids if I say, “God has given us learning privileges through great school and teachers. Would it be wise to ignore them or should we be good steward of God’s gifts to us and be thankful for the privileges?” “..When you walk along the road.. “ Nature walk presents unique opportunity to talk about God’s creation and His sovereignty. Acorns, ant mounds, speckled leaves by the side of road often make our talking points. Being said that we spend decent amount of time driving. Driving affords me a captive audience in my backseat. We start the drive by taking turns praying. Changing vista brings curiosity, admiration, and inquisitiveness. Questions such as, “Why do we have to care for poor by the side of road?” or “Why you should not be annoying your brother/sister next to you?” are brief moments to teach about God’s kindness and love towards us and our need to model the same. “..lie down..get up..” I spend small individual time with each of my two children before they go to sleep. Lying down in the bed is the time when I have found them most relaxed and also most opened. Recounting the day full of activities often present the scenarios to make them see the need of Godly discernment and making God honoring choices every day. “..Tie them as symbol...” My rule of thumb to make my kids memorize the scripture is first to memorize it myself. It gives me freedom to ask them to recite it anywhere. For visual reminder, we have used nifty chalkboards and fancy post-in notes at places where kids are sure to visit, such as bathroom, sink, mirrors, and bedroom. Reading above if you think even for a moment that I have it figured out in order, let me confess, I have not. I struggle to keep up with this every day. Why you ask? Short answer is, I am a rebellious sinner and so are my kids. The words that I am trying to teach my children, I struggle to live by it consistently due to my inherent sin nature. Let me admit to you, I do not wish my children to ever look for a role model in me. Through my imperfection and failings, I want to point them to Jesus. I want my kids to know that He delights in using weak jar of clay like their mother for His glory. I take comfort in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "But he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. God affords us opportunities to teach our children about Him every day. Are you seeking to turn your mundane moments to missional? About NiveNive was born and raised in India. She has a degree in Civil engineering but she decided that developing software is much more fun, so she taught herself programming. Nive has been married for about a decade to her husband, Randy, a software architect. They are very blessed to live in the beautiful Texas hill country with their two kids. Born and raised as Hindu and redeemed by love of Christ a few years ago, Nive has a heart for culture and desire to make her redeemer known. She loves to cook, has a penchant for handmade crafty things and teaches her kids to serve in the community. You can find her food blogging athandfulofjoy and serving at playdate with a purpose. Sharing this over at these awesome blogs Thank you for joining me as I take a deeper look at what has been traditionally called ‘spiritual warfare’. If you missed Part 1 :: Three Problems to Overcome, you can read it here. So, how can we step into a fuller, deeper understanding of Spiritual Warfare? Here are Three Essential Battles we need to understand. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ~ Ephesians 2:1-3 1) The Flesh : Spiritual Warfare involves daily, moment to moment battle against our own flesh. It no longer is our master when we are alive in Christ as the rest of this passage illustrates, yet the on-going struggles of our lives as we wear frail humanity are real. We need to recognize that the effects are insidious in the hollows or our minds and bodies as well as the desires and motives of our hearts. Knowing this and taking comfort from a Reigning Redeemer, Christ, who is exalted in the Heavens and lives to make intercession for us, keeps us soft, humble, reflective and in desperate need of our Savior. 2) The World : All around us there is a coursing current that is seeking to pull us into its vortex. It is also entwined in the structures of every nation and culture. In the West, there are strongholds of materialism, busyness, achievement and many more that wage war against Christ-followers. We need to know our world. To look at it through the lens of citizens of the Kingdom of God where all of our hopes point, and embrace our exile on this earth. Every time that we choose generosity over greed, love over hate, humility over pride, the kingdom of darkness is pushed back and we walk in victory to the glory of Christ. 3) The Devil : “The Prince of the power of the air” is real. He employs armies of darkness to promote death and hatred. His desire is to consume all that is good. He wants to keep us in fear of death. He crouches as a roaring lion seeking whom to devour and wants to sift us out of God’s hands as wheat. These passages are to strengthen us to fight. The battle at its hideous, grotesque core is an Enemy who wants to destroy all that is good in our lives. And the more passion and desire we have to make Christ known, the deeper his hatred of us, because he ultimately hates the Glory of God. So, in the end, as we seek to understand Spiritual Warfare, we must know how to battle in each area. We also need to see that the darkness within and without works together under one Destroyer. But, we are not to be discouraged. No. The Holy Spirit longs to be our guide. He desires to lead us to a deeper dependence upon our God and Savior who has gone before and gives us everything we need to know the victory that is all because of Him and all for Him. About AbbyI am wife to a wonderful man, mama to three precious now-little-but-soon-will-not-be loves. Each born in a different place--two states including 2 states and 2 countries. I am a farm girl who found her heart in the city. I can now claim fluency in 3 languages :: English, Spanish & Hungarian.This combined with the all-too-true 'mommy brain' explains much regarding my mental state most days;) I am a sojourner longing for Home. Yet, in my messy and broken, I embrace the moments given with all I have. I am seeking, praying, and learning again and again that it is for His Glory I live. My prayer is that my little life would make much of Him! I write regularly at Abigail Alleman. If you'd like to read more from this contributor, type her name in the search box on the top right. Sharing this over at these awesome blogs |
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