If you feel like you are fighting a battle alone right now, tell someone you trust and allow that person to pray for you. They told me they understood what I was going through, and gave me hope to know I would get through that difficult season. When I shared my heart with other sisters in Christ that day, they reinforced one of the most comforting truths: They told me I wasn’t alone. ![]() He made us because he wanted to live in relationship with us, and in the same way, he wants us to live in thriving relationships with other believers. God himself is a triune being – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is where the enemy’s tactics thrive, because we were created for community. And for the past year, most of us have been more isolated than normal. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” ( James 4:7 NIV) By resisting your enemy’s advance, you will send a clear message, and he will flee. Raise your victory flag, even if it feels like you’re still in the thick of an attack. Let’s not allow him to claim territory that was bought by the blood of our Redeemer. When we fear the devil, we expend energy in a war Jesus already won. Nothing we face in our daily lives escapes his notice. He won’t allow us to walk through waters without equipping us for the conditions. To defeat the enemy’s schemes, we need to remember one key truth: The One who is in us is greater than he who is in the world ( 1 John 4:4). ![]() And our actions often speak for themselves. He can’t read our minds, but is an observer of actions over time. While the enemy and his army do have power here on earth, it is limited. We give in to a temptation and are quick to declare, “The devil made me do it!” Or we name him as the cause of all of life’s problems. Sometimes, we give the enemy too much power. Let’s claim the truth that God is for us, and walk like we believe it. Let’s make the choice that leads to life. If we’re walking through a particularly heavy season, it may be a moment by moment process, but it’s always worth it. When we get up each morning, we must commit to taking every thought captive and submitting it to God. We have a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who counsels us and encourages us during our time of need.īut our decision to submit to God’s truth isn’t one that can be made once in a lifetime, once a month, or only during the times we face adversity. And you know that? God did not leave us to fight alone. We combat the lies of the one who wants to distract us, thwart our purpose on earth, and discourage us. We make the decision to keep our minds focused on the truths of God. What does our armor consist of? The Word of God, worship and prayer. We make a choice to armor ourselves against the enemy’s attacks, so we are ready when they come. We take a step in the realm of the natural so that God can do what only he can. Even though the act of carrying your mat is forbidden on the Sabbath, Jesus wants this man to do the possible so that he can do the impossible. Instead of asking the same question again, Jesus gives the man a task: take up your mat and walk. But he never answers Jesus’ question, which is a simple yes or no. ![]() Others go ahead of him before he can get to it. “When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’” ( John 5:6 NIV)Īt this point, the man makes excuses about why he can’t get to the healing water. One exception is where Jesus heals the blind man at the Pool of Bethesda, and even here we see Jesus ask the man a telling question: Their movement toward him is an active step of faith. ![]() In nearly every miracle story in the Bible, we see people moving toward Jesus or bringing someone to him. Jesus wants us to be active participants in our spiritual healing.
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