BWEEP! BWEEP!
Have you ever been awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of tornado sirens? If so, you understand the initial heart racing fear as you attempt to grab children, pets, pillows, and hustle to your shelter or safe place.
If you read last week’s post, you know we’ve had violent storms here – Texas-style – where everything is bigger. The day after that post we had a tornado come through at 2:30am. As we sat in the bathroom, listening to the wind howling, the big oak tree tapping on the roof, I happened to glance at my little girl sitting in the bathtub. Her countenance surprised me – peace. The storm didn’t seem to affect her at all. It’s as if she were safe and secure simply being in our presence. In that moment, it’s as if the Lord whispered, “That’s what I want for my children. I want them to know that even though they are walking through storms where the enemy is taunting them and trees of circumstance are beating on their lives, they can have peace and feel secure in My Presence. I AM their shelter in the storm.”
The Aftermath
Driving down the main thoroughfare the next morning, it literally looked like a war zone but only on one side. Visibly, you could see where the tornado touched down. Street signs were ripped off buildings, trees were snapped in half, and a truck overturned. But the other side … well, it remained untouched. A few twigs here and there but nothing significant.
It was the perfect picture of the two choices we have when going through a spiritual storm. We can choose to allow God’s truths to seep into us, finding safe security Him or we can be ripped apart by the enemy’s lies. The choice remains ours.
Isn’t that what the enemy tries to do? He taunts and threatens us with his storms, swirling us into confusion. He tries to snap us by fear, break us by insecurity, overturn us with pride and jealousy, and tear down the labels (signs) God has given us as heirs of the Kingdom. Labels which declare us as chosen, cherished, righteous, crowned with glory and honor. The very labels Christ bought for us are the ones the enemy tries to rip off. Because, if we walk in our true identity and in the power and protection of the Lord, we defeat the enemy rather than walk around defeated.
When Jesus gave the Great Commission, in Matthew 28, He said, “ALL authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore go…”
That’s right, Jesus has been given ALL AUTHORITY, paid for by the cross! So the enemy has ZERO, NONE! The only authority he has is the authority we give him. If we open the doors, the enemy will seep through the smallest crack, wreaking havoc in our lives. The demons believe and shudder (James 2:19), SO WHY DON’T WE?
Why aren’t we storming the enemy’s gates with God’s truth, wrecking his tactics, overthrowing his havoc? You and I were given the authority to trample snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the enemy…Luke 10:19
It’s time we overwhelm the enemy’s lies with our belief in God’s truths. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4
Catch that – OVERCOME – BEATEN, BLOWN AWAY, CONQUERED, OVERTHRONE, DEFEATED, VANQUISHED.
The Enemy knows:
- HIS TIME IS SHORT – He is filled with fury because he knows his time is short. Revelation 12:12
- HE IS CRUSHED – He will crush your head. Genesis 3:15 – The God of peace will soon crush Satan under YOUR feet. Romans 16:20
- STANDS DEFEATED – Having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing or defeating them by the cross. Colossians 2:15
- ALREADY OVERCOME – They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings – and with him will be his called, chosen, and faithful followers. Revelation 17:14
- JUDGED AND CONDEMNED – …because the prince of this world (Satan) now stands condemned. John 16:11
- CAST OUT– …now the prince of this world will be driven out. John 12:31
- RENDERED POWERLESS – …He too shared in their humanity so that by His death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil. Hebrews 2:14-15
- ETERNALLY PUNISHED – And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10
Let that sink in … deep down into your heart. The very things the enemy uses to keep you and I pinned down to our past and overcome by the future actually belong to him. Misery loves company, huh?!
Lord, help us expose the enemy’s lies, his strategies, and plans against us, our families, friends, and your work here on earth. Reveal areas we are weak or vulnerable in so they can be replaced with your covering of strength. Help us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power that we may overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Open our eyes to see those who are with us are more than those who are with the enemy. Let us see the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around us. Let us rise up like might warriors and realize that, in the name of Jesus, we have Heaven’s army behind us. Give us the realization that we can cause devastation to the enemy’s plans, peel back his lies, and wreck his schemes. Thank you for how deep your love is that we can be called children of God. In Jesus mighty name, AMEN!
If you’ve missed the last three posts, you can find them below. Our next series will be picking up our spiritual weapons and waging war on the enemy. Blessings!!
