Hello my sweet friends, I am back.....or should I say, I am making my way back to Him........friends, the last weeks have been a huge challenge - I need your prayers tonight, as the enemy has pushed in my fortress of faith and trust - Satan truly schemes his attacks very well.....through people you love and are called to honour...... - it's definitely not easy, to fight the temptations, when your surrounded by negativity and worldliness. I am not blaming the people around me, as they are not the devil, it's just that they can be used by the devil to help to trip you......
Yesterday at church, the sermon was about 'Marks of a Great Church' - based on 1. Corinthians 16:1-24 - and one of the marks is, that we are called to be loving towards one another.....and then our pastor pointed out, what love was not, and two attributes stood out for me: impatient and easily irritated - unfortunately, I have to admit that's me right now.......my parents irritate me greatly and with them I am extremely impatient - yet, that's not fulfilling my calling, to radiate Christ to them......that they would see the light of Christ in me, thus being drawn to Him. What's even worse, is that I am loosing my ground and that I am being pushed out of the reality of Grace, that I seemed to have inhabited and operated out of before they came.
I can't let that happen, too much is at stake.....with their worldly attitude, they are trying to rob me of my peace I had with my children and with life - thankfully I am not doubting the promises of my Heavenly Father anymore, and I am not doubting the ground we gained in regards to my son's achievements.....but it's hard to stay in tune with the Holy Spirit, when the evil Spirit is trying to invade your house. Please pray for me......I do not want to loose more ground than I already have.
Unfortunately, I am not mastering the 'living above my struggles' yet - but through being obedient, when the Holy Spirit woke me up a while ago, and starting to write again, I can already feel, that I am gaining ground and optimism (another mark of a great church btw. :)) regarding my situation.
I have to surrender all to Jesus - I have to admit, that I failed Him greatly with my parents this time.....I let their negativity push me down......, because I tried to convert them myself.....and not let God do the 'How'!!! (remember, I wrote a blog in the fall, that God is in charge of the How and I only have to be obedient in the what and when the Holy Spirit prompts me.....the rest I have to lay down at the feet of the cross. Jesus is the one capable of changing hearts, not me). I am called to be loving to all those I encounter.....and I failed the task. Isn't it a good thing, that I don't have to beat myself up for failing, but that in Christ I can start fresh with each new day - each new moment......His Mercies are new every morning - I get another chance to succeed with each new morning. Thank you, Jesus!!! Thank you my dear Heavenly Father!!! Even if Satan tries to put me down through the criticism of my parents, saying that I have lost it, and that I am doing everything wrong.....
They simply can't see Grace for what it is - yet that's where I belong. Being persecuted for putting your trust in Christ alone, and walking by Faith at all times because this is complete foolishness to those struggling in the natural realm - I get that......unfortunately, even though I know all this, I am still only human, and the arrows shot at me, by those I love dearly, hurt me and made me loose ground and become irritated and impatient, even though I know, it's not them, but the devil trying to defeat me - I have to rejoice over the fact, that I am being persecuted for putting all my trust in Him......I share in the suffering of Christ, and I do so gladly (most of the time) - I know, I am called to live and love above my struggles, stay loving towards them, and let Jesus be in charge of the How!!! Surrender my emotions of being hurt to Jesus, and let Him take over once again. When we were still babies in our faith, we could remove ourselves from the people who dragged us down, even if they were family, but as mature Christians, we have to love them no matter what and stay in the power of Christ resurrected - just like Christ, we have to live above our emotions, and live in His Spirit of Grace and Love - radiating His Peace and the Hope, we received, when we first believed to those around us.
Knowing that the power of Christ resurrected will forever be stronger inside of me, than the power of Satan trying to devour and defeat me. He who is in me, is stronger than he who is in the world. That is the ultimate truth I have to hang onto, nothing more nothing less.
I know, that we are in this together, for we have not yet fully reached Heaven, therefore, my friends, my prayer is for all of us, that we would never doubt the power that raised Jesus from the dead, that this power is alive in us at all times, and that we do not have to fall for the lies of the devil. In Christ we have victory.
Be blessed my friends - Remember: God is with you always, He will never leave nor forsake you - and in the midst of your struggles, He is carrying you through the storm. - We all have a purpose, let's embrace it afresh each morning and commit our lives to Christ over and over again, each time we fall, cause in Christ we can fall forward and start again in the morning, never ever having to submit to the snares of the devil.
Glory to God - In Christ Jesus
Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment