Who's Your Enemy?

Um, wow!  Hello!  It's been a long time!  I'm not even sure if I remember how to put a subject and verb together these days.  I don't have a real good reason for my absence but that's OK because the whole three of you who read this blog won't care either way.  Hi mom!  *grin* 

It's weird, but somehow along the journey of life these days, I feel like I might have lost my voice.  Does that ever happen to you?  What's crazy is nothing monumental has to happen for me to feel like that.  It just happens.  Life can be moving along just fabulously and just like that, you can feel like you've been kicked in the teeth.  Perhaps someone hurt your feelings.  Maybe it was just an unexpected glance that came your way.  Or maybe you're just not feeling your best.  You're tired more.  Maybe you've put on a few pounds.  I can relate to almost all of those.  Feelings are a funny thing.  For some of us, nothing terrible has to happen to make us feel terrible.  What's worse is when we feel sad and have no explanation for feeling sad.  Now, not only are we feeling sad, but we are also feeling guilty for not having a valid excuse to feel sad.  It's maddening, truly.

No matter if you're a spiritual person or if you even believe in the after life, I think you would agree with me that sometimes you start thinking and believing things you may not have thought or believed before.  Those thoughts and beliefs even have a voice and you can recall a time, perhaps, when you didn't hear such a voice.  With each passing day, that voice gets louder and louder and the things the voice says contradict everything you once believed about yourself.  Does that ever happen to you?

Well, I am a spiritual person and I believe that voice represents the enemy in our lives.  My enemy may look and sound different from your enemy, but the point remains the same...we have an enemy.  My enemy likes to convince me of how replaceable I am, how reject-able I am, how stupid I am.  My enemy likes to have me think I have no friends, and since my own flesh and blood had no problems completely walking out of my life sooner or later, so will my husband, and so will my kids.  My enemy likes to tell me how fat I am, how oily my skin is, and loves to point out my newest wrinkles and areas of cellulite.  My enemy tells me I'll never be pretty no matter how much exercise I do or make-up I purchase.  My enemy even tells me I'm a terrible mom for working away from home and I'm a terrible employee for wanting to be at home.  Does this ever happen to you?

I realized this morning that my enemy is only allowed to speak these things to me as much as I allow him.  And each time I allow my enemy to speak to me, I leave little to no room for Truth to speak and dwell and consume.  Because after so much time, my enemy, if I'm not careful, will just move right in.  And I'll act as though my enemy has lived there since the beginning.  That voice of Truth will become harder and harder to hear, because I love for my enemy to scream at me.  He's much more effective when he screams.  He knows I'll listen and with each comment, I become weaker and weaker.  Does this ever happen to you?

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, THERE is liberty."

Truth is bigger than my enemy.  And Truth is bigger than your enemy.  Truth desires to speak to me and speak to you.  Truth wants to live inside of me and live inside of you.  But at some point, we have to give Truth the power He deserves and tell our enemy to flee in Truth's name. 

Do that with me, will you? 

Truth says we have been fearfully and wonderfully made.  Truth says we were born with purpose and for a purpose.  Truth says there are no accidents, no mistakes when it comes to our lives.  Truth says we will not be put to shame when we put our hope in Truth.  Truth says, "Let me guide you and teach you."  Truth forgets the sins of our youth, He forgets our rebellious ways.  According to Truth's love for us, He remembers us and knows us by name.  When we keep our eyes and our focus on Truth, Truth frees us from our traps.  Truth is gracious and loving toward us.  Truth sets us free from our anguish.  Truth guards our lives, rescues us and protects us. 

Did you know that?

My Truth is my Hope and my Hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ.  He can be your Truth and your Hope, too.  All you have to do is ask.