Proverbs 31 Devotionals

• Mar. 22, 2009 - Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning

As I was cleaning out Rachel's closet yesterday (no small undertaking, let me tell you!), it occurred to me that we could do some "spring cleaning" in our spiritual lives. So often, we go along, doing our "Christian things." We go through all the motions, and we say the right things, but have we really stopped to take a look at our hearts? Jer. 17:9 says that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. It is so easy for my heart to become darkened by sins deceitfulness, and not even realize it. There are so many things to distract me - it just gets buried down deep in my heart, without my even being aware of it.

It's good for us to have those times where we get before the Lord and ask Him to reveal those hidden things in our hearts. If we try to hide those things, or refuse to even look for those hidden things, we are "cherishing sin in our heart." The Word is clear that if we do that, God isn't going to hear our prayers.

Spiritually we can do spring cleaning by remembering the words in Col 3:8-10 that tell us that we MUST rid ourselves of all such things like anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from our lips. We need to be careful not to lie because that is all part of the old practice (the stuff that should be cleaned out already), and we need to be putting on the NEW self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

You have probably all heard the saying that if you haven't worn something for one year that you should get rid of it. We are to be clothing ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. These are garments that we should never be throwing away, but we should be wearing these garments on a daily basis. -- I have to admit, I don't wear patience nearly as often as I should. It's not a comfortable garment for me. It causes me to have to restrain my tongue quite often. That is hard for me at times!

Rom. 13:14 says that we should clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus, not thinking about how to fulfill the desires of our flesh. - Father, help us all to remember that when we get our physical bodies dressed in the morning, that we are to dressing our spiritual bodies too! WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Rom. 6:12 says that we are not to LET sin reign in our mortal bodies. Often, if we have gotten snared by the enemy, it requires a "cleaning." We need to go before Father and confess our sin. We need to renounce it, then tell Satan that we are closing the door which we had opened to him by committing the sin. That is one good cleaning! So often, we think that as long as we confess it, it is over and done with, but in reality, sometimes there is more warfare to do over the situation. That is why God has given us spiritual armor. He gives US the power to close the door on the enemy. It is something that requires action on our part.

Sometimes we go through "guilt trips." Heb. 9:14 says that the blood of Jesus will cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death. Sometimes we need to get "cleaning" and use that product called "The Blood of Jesus" so that we can be free from those guilt trips, which Satan likes to keep putting into our minds.

I find that physical clutter can drive me to the point of absolute frustration. I end up to the point of tears because the more clutter you have, the more of your energy it requires to take care of all of the clutter. It's the same with our spiritual lives. When I harbor unforgiveness, it is like rottenness in my bones. If I don't have my quiet times with God, my attitude is far from what I know Father desires that it would be.

In repentance and rest is your salvation, and in quietness and trust is your strength. (Is. 30:15) As we become still and know that HE is God (Ps. 46:10), He will do that inner cleansing (spring cleaning) on our hearts, and we will feel so refreshed and renewed. Remember - God is for us, not against us. Just as a toddler will often run away when it's time for a bath, sometimes we do the same thing when "Daddy" wants to give us a spiritual bath. Just as you know bathing is good for your children, know that being bathed by the Father is good for YOU!

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• Oct. 31, 2008 - Trick or Treat

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Trick or Treat

The Bible teaches us that Satan is a master schemer. II Cor. 2:11 His goal is to trick us into bondage. That bondage can come in many forms. Unforgiveness can leave us chained to the one we refuse to forgive. Food addictions lead us to being overweight, not to mention the guilt and low self-esteem that is caused by our lack of control in that area. Sexual bondages seem to be rampant in our society. We can be compulsive shoppers, always looking for a fix, only to find that the thrill of it passes so quickly. Being overly concerned about how we look may cause us to look good on the outside, but leave us with unseen chains wrapped around us. Greed has led many people astray and into shackles which seem impossible to loosen. As we fall prey to Satan, I can almost hear him, deviously laughing, shouting, "Trick or treat! I got you!"

The Bible is clear that we are slaves to whatever masters us. II Pet. 2:19. Paul said in I Cor. 6:12 that he would not be mastered by anything. The way that he kept from being mastered was by knowing the truth. It's in that "knowing" that we can be set free. John 8:32

I find it comforting to know that even in bondage, God hasn't deserted us. Ez. 9:9 While we were still sinners (and in bondage), God still loved us enough to send His Son to die for us. Rom. 5:8 That is the best treat we could ever have!

Jesus said in Luke 4:18 that He came to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and to release the oppressed. When He arose from the dead, can't you just hear Him declaring to Satan, "Trick or Treat! I won! I have the final victory!"

My dear sister, Jesus won that victory for YOU! Whatever bondages you may be struggling with, He is still with you in the midst of it, and He has promised to never leave you, nor forsake you. Don't be ashamed to bring your shackles to Him. He would love nothing more than to set you free. After all, He's already paid the ultimate price for your freedom. Let Him unshackle you today!

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• Oct. 3, 2008 - The Stinging Attack

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The Stinging Attack

Having strange dreams is a common occurrence for me. One night, I was being attacked by bees. As I pondered this weird dream, I realized that what happened in my dream relates to how sin affects our lives.

First, I couldn’t seem to get away from the bees. When I have given in to sin, it follows me, just like the bees in my dream. I cannot seem to escape the guilt for doing wrong. That guilty conscience is with me, whether I am sleeping, working, eating, reading, or trying to have some recreational time. Numbers 32:23 tells us to be sure that our sin will find us. It doesn’t matter what activities I try to hide behind, if I have unconfessed sin, it is going to find me. The only way to escape it is to repent and have my heart sprinkled to cleanse me from that guilty conscience. (Hebrews 10:22)

In my dream, I would try to run into a building, quickly closing the door behind me, so that I could escape the attack of the bees. Yet, they seemed to always find an opening. Sin does the same thing. It gives an opening in our lives to the enemy. (Ephesians 4:27) We need to understand that when we play with sin, there is no fortress that is strong enough for us. For sin will destroy us from the inside out. (Psalm 32:3)

At one point, hundreds of bees attached themselves around my hand, stinging me repeatedly. The pain was so intense that my knees buckled. When we refuse to give up our sin, we will face intense stinging and anguish in our soul. (Psalm 37:7,10)

I was unable to rest when I was being attacked by the bees. When we hold on to our sin, it will keep us from resting in the shelter of our God’s presence. (Psalm 31:20) It is only when we dwell in the shelter of the Most High that we can rest in Him. (Psalm 91:1)

All around me, there were joyful people who were enjoying food and fellowship with one another. Yet, I had no joy because I was being pursued by the bees. When sin has gotten hold of us and continues to chase us, it is hard for us to have a joyful heart because we are literally in a foreign land. (Psalm 137:4) Since we became a new creation when we got saved, whenever we fall back into sin, it is like returning to a foreign land.

When you have found yourself trapped in a cycle of sin, the answer is in confessing your sins. For when we confess them and renounce them, we find mercy. Not only will God take away our sin, but He also takes away the guilt. He is the perfect ointment for the sting of sin.

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• Oct. 3, 2008 - The Other Side

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The Other Side

I love to see the weaknesses in the disciples. It comforts me to see that even though these men walked and talked with the Son of God, they still struggled at times in their faith. They actually saw the miracles of Christ with their own eyes, yet they still grappled with doubts and fears.

In Matthew 14:22, Jesus made the disciples get in a boat and go ahead of Him to the other side. Later, when the boat was buffeted by the wind and waves, they began to get worried. They became even more fearful when they saw what they perceived to be a ghost walking on the water toward them.

In verse 22, there is the implication that when Jesus told them to get in the boat, He would meet them on the other side. Now, this was the Son of God who was speaking. When He said that He would meet them on the other side, they could have complete confidence that it would happen just as Jesus said. Yet, we see them battling a bad case of fear. I have often wondered if the disciples forgot that God said His word would never return void, but would accomplish what He desires. (Isaiah 55:11) Had they remembered that word, I doubt that they would have assaulted with such anxiety that night.

Not only did Jesus meet them on the other side, He went a step further. He came to them while they were being tossed about by the gusting winds.

What storm are you facing? Rest assured that Jesus will not only meet you on the other side of your storm, but He will come and walk with you through the storm.

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• Oct. 3, 2008 - Leaks

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Leaks

When I was growing up, we lived in a house that had a basement. There were cracks in the foundation, so every time we got a heavy rain, there would be water in the basement.

We can have leaks in our own lives. We can have a crack in our spiritual foundation, and not even know it.......until the storm comes. We may have neglected to build a strong foundation, and so when the storms of life roll in, we are like the house built on the sand, and we feel swiftly washed away. (Matthew 7:26-27)

Ephesians 6 gives us some guidelines for building a strong foundation:

1. Realize that our struggle is not against flesh and blood.

2. Put on the armor of God. Know who you are in Christ.

3. Put on the belt of truth. Know God’s truth so that it can set you free.

4. Put on the breastplate of righteousness so that you will act out God’s truth, rather than acting out of your feelings and emotions.

5. Put on your gospel shoes. Learn to walk as a peacemaker, and be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have. (I Peter 3:15)

6. Take up your shield of faith. It will protect you from Satan’s arrows….even those arrows that come through words spoken by people. (Isaiah 54:17)

7. Put on the helmet of salvation so that you are able to take captive every thought, and have the mind of Christ. (II Corinthians 10:5; I Corinthians 2:16)

8. Take the sword of the Spirit with you. We can not always have our Bible with us, so it is important to know what it says. That means we must take time to read the Word, meditate on it, and memorize it. When we face a ‘storm,’ we will not have to worry about leaks because we have the Word stored in our hearts, ready to guide us and protect us.

Do you need to fix some leaky places in your foundation?

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• Oct. 3, 2008 - Digging up Devils

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Digging up Devils

Years ago when my brother was only five or six years old, he was digging in the yard. The neighbor asked him what he was digging for. My brother promptly replied, “Devils.”

It occurred to me that we often go ‘digging for devils.’ One of the primary ways we do so is by listening to the accuser of the brethren. Satan loves to bring up past sins and taunt us with them. He knows that it is a very effective tactic for sending us on a guilt trip. Once we allow our minds to listen to one guilt trip, we tend to ‘dig up more devils’ and we find ourselves in a downward spiral of guilt and shame. We can declare the words of David, “Shame covers my face.” (Psalm 69:7)

We don't need to live our lives plagued with guilt. We are told in First John 1:9 that if we sin, we need to confess it to the Lord. Once we've done that, He faithfully forgives us and cleanses us. We no longer need to carry that guilt because Jesus bore that burden for us.

Satan comes to bring us condemnation through guilt because he knows that condemnation is like an arrow that can mortally wound us. He also knows that as we wallow in guilt and shame, we feel unworthy to reach out to our Father. We need to remember that there is no longer condemnation for us because we are now in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

We have an armor that can help us to stand firm against Satan and his wicked schemes. (Ephesians 6:10-18) So, the next time you feel a guilt trip coming on, instead of ‘digging for devils,’ take those thoughts captive and declare that Jesus already bore that sin and shame for you. Declare to Satan that you refuse to be taken captive again!

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - What's Playing?

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What's Playing?

If someone were able to view what is going through your mind at any given time, what television show would it resemble?

Fear Factor - always fearing what is to come. II Tim. 1:7; Mt. 6:27

Survivor - looking out for number one at all costs, even if it means you must be conniving and deceitful about it. Mk. 4:19; I Pet. 2:1

Jeopardy - planning and thinking of things that could put your spiritual life, your marriage, your family, your church, or your job in jeopardy. James 1:1-13-15

Beat the Clock - always running your schedule through your mind, trying to beat the clock so that you can move on to the next adventure, forgetting to take the time to be still and know that He is God. Ps. 46:10

Who's the Boss? - always playing scenes over in your mind on how you plan to assert yourself over your husband. I Pet. 3:1-6

Judge Judy - playing judge and jury toward other people. Mt. 7:1

Divorce Court - planning a strategy for divorcing your mate. Mal. 2:16; Mt. 19:3; I Cor. 7:11, 27

Temptation Island - what temptations play through your mind? Mt. 6:13, 26:41; I Cor. 10:13

QVC - Are you always planning your next shopping excursion because you are a compulsive shopper? Tit. 2:12

Storm Stories - having the constant trials of life playing over and over, without end. Jas. 1:2; II Pet. 2:9

If someone were able to view the scenes in playing through your mind, would those scenes line up to what Phil. 4:8 tells us? Do you think upon that which is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy? You may think that no one sees, but God sees all things. Do you need to sit before Him, allowing Him to cleanse your heart and mind? Is it time to allow God's Word to saturate your being, causing your mind to be renewed? Rom. 12:2

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - What Masters You?

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What Masters You?

In I Cor. 6:12, Paul says that while everything is permissible for me, not everything is beneficial. He goes on to say that while everything is permissible, he isn't going to be mastered by anything. When I read in II Pet. 2:19 that I am a slave to that which masters me, I feel the Holy Spirit stepping on my toes. My question to you is, "What masters you?"

We aren't to allow things to master us, but we are to master them! It's an issue of using self-control and setting boundaries for things. Self-control refers to restraining our passions and appetites. We live in a world that often does the opposite, giving into excess or being self-indulgent.

How many of us fall into the trap of eating when we are depressed, sad, stressed, mad, or bored. Even when we are in a mood for celebrating, we find ourselves eating! How often do we have an overwhelming craving for chocolate? How many times do we hide the last piece of cake so that we can eat it when no one else is looking? This would fall into the category of being self-indulgent. Do we feel compelled to have caffeine first thing in the morning? Do we keep running to the coffee pot for refills throughout the morning? Are we lacking self-control?

Do we avidly search the library, looking for a new romance novel, needing it like a drug addict needs a fix? Are we news junkies, always needing the TV turned on to a news channel? Do we find ourselves adjusting our schedule so that we can watch Oprah or Dr. Phil? Do we adjust our schedules so that we can read the Word or talk to Father? Are we being self-indulgent in some areas, while lacking the self-control to spend time doing what really is important and of eternal value?

What about bargain hunting? It's never a bad thing to get a good value for your money, but when you don't need the items that you got for a bargain, are you really getting a bargain or a bondage? It's not only wasting your time, your money, and your energy, but now it's adding clutter to your life.

Prov. 25:28 tells us that a (wo)man who lacks self-control is like a city with broken down walls. In the O.T. times, the walls were the security around the city. They were a strong fortress, protecting the people from their enemies. Self-control is our fortress. If we walk in self-control, it will keep us safe from bondages and snares of the enemy.

In Ez. 26:7-14, it gives some descriptive words about the walls being broken down. The results were a city that was ravaged, sieged, trampled upon, and their wealth and goods were plundered. When we allow a passion for reading romance novels to master us, our homes can look ravaged because we have failed to be taking care of them. When we don't know when to stop shopping and stay home, our wealth is plundered. When we don't master our eating habits, all of that excess sugar in our bodies can leave us feeling as if we have been trampled upon.

In Ps. 119:37, it says to turn my eyes from worthless things. We may need to pray this every day, just so that we stay focused on what is truly important. It may help keep us from being mastered by things.

In. Ps. 16:6, it says that the boundaries have fallen for me in pleasant places. We often need to set boundaries for ourselves. The boundary may be to simply write down a list of what items we need, and pray for God to help us stay focused on getting only those items while we are shopping. We may need to go out of our way to stay away from the mall. It may be as simple as making a covenant to not look at the ads in the Sunday paper. Those are a lure to the mall. I know in my own life, I can be totally content with what I have, but if I pick up the flyers that are in the Sunday paper, I suddenly find about five things that I feel I must have. I have learned to quit looking at them.

If you are struggling with being mastered in any areas, I want to encourage you with these words: In Phil. 4:19 we see that God is able to meet ALL of our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. If you have been mastered by something, then He promises in His Word that He is able to meet that need. Jesus came to set the captives free. (Lk. 4:18)

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• Oct. 1, 2008 - Guard Duty

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Guard Duty

We find a command in Prov. 4:23 to guard our hearts because it is the wellspring, or abundant supply, of life. In the CEV, it says that we should guard our thoughts because they are the source of true life. Indeed, when we take the time to meditate on God's Word, it gives life to our spirit. In the negative, when we think upon negative things, it can zap us of any positive outlook, causing us to be negative. We will wind up in a bad mood, and our spirit will reek of a terrible stench to all who have the sad misfortune of meeting us on those days.

In Mt. 12:34, Jesus tells us that it's from the abundance in our heart that our mouth will speak. What kind of abundance is in your heart? In verse 35, Jesus tells us that a good man will bring up good from the treasure stored within him, but an evil man will bring up the evil that is stored within him. If we are honest, we will admit that we all have times when evil comes out of us. But, how did it get there when we are Christians? Eph. 4:26-27 tells us that one way we let evil in is by letting the sun go down on our wrath. The next verse tells us that we shouldn't give the devil a foothold.

Any soldier who has been in Iraq could tell you that in guard duty, you have to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. Mt. 10:16. The soldiers are in areas where there are many civilians. They want to be harmless where innocent civilians are concerned, but they know that there are enemies lurking among the civilians. As Christians, we need to be on active guard duty. Even among people whom we consider friends, there can be an enemy lurking. That is why Paul addressed the issue of factions and discord within the church in Gal. 5:20. James was speaking to the church when he mentioned the quarrels and fights that were taking place in James 4:2. I find it interesting to note that just a a few verses later, in verse seven, he mentions resisting the devil. It looks to me like the Christians went AWOL from guard duty, only to give Satan a foothold through their bickering. Have any of us gone AWOL?

Here are some keys to avoid going AWOL from spiritual guard duty:

Col. 4:2 Be watchful and thankful. Pay attention to areas of your life where you are growing lax. Learn to cultivate a thankful attitude. When we give in to complaining and murmuring, we open ourselves up to the enemy's attacks. Just look at what the Israelites faced when they grumbled in the wilderness.

I Tim. 4:16 admonishes us to watch our life and doctrine closely. To do this, we must be diligent to be in the Word, absorbing it so that we aren't carried away by every wind of doctrine. Eph. 4:14. Even on Christian TV, there are times where things are spoken that aren't scriptural. If we don't get ourselves filled with the Word, we won't be able to discern the difference. We should be like the Bereans in Acts 17, who searched the scriptures, looking to make sure that what Paul said was true.

Phil. 4:7 tells us to pray with thanksgiving, giving all of our requests to God, then He will guard our hearts and minds.

Ps. 141:3 Ask the Lord to set a guard over your mouth.

Mk. 13:33; I Cor. 16:13 Be on guard, standing firm in your faith.

Lk. 12:37 tells us that it's good for the servant whom Christ finds watching when He returns. This isn't a passive watching, but it's very active. Thinking again to soldiers who are on guard duty, they use surveillance, and they are vigilant and aware. Being on guard duty means to attend to or to concentrate. They are active in watching out for any attacks of the enemy. These are all active words, rather than passive.

May our Lord Jesus find each one of us active in watching and awaiting His soon return.

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• Oct. 1, 2008 - Body Building

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Body Building

There is a lot of focus on taking care of our physical bodies these days. It seems that body building is the current fad right now, with new gyms popping up everywhere.

As Christians, we are also called to be body building. We are told in Ephesians 6:10 to be strong in the Lord. A few verses later, it mentions how we wrestle against spiritual forces in heavenly realms. One who is weak isn't going to be very good at wrestling.

My brother is a fire fighter. He has told me how heavy the gear is that they must wear when they are putting out a fire. If they don't stay in shape, it's very hard for them to handle moving around with an extra fifty or sixty pounds added to their own body weight. It's the same with us -- we are required to put on the armor of God. If we don't keep ourselves spiritually fit, we won't be able to handle carrying the armor.

We are commanded to put on the belt of truth. This requires that we 'work out,' meditating and memorizing scripture so that we know the truth of God's Word. To have the breastplate of righteousness in place, we must work to make sure that we are continually walking in a righteous fashion. If we slip and sin, we need to repent quickly, keeping ourselves 'spiritually fit' for the times when we are called to wrestle. We must have our gospel shoes on, ready to share God's peace and good news. It takes a lot of hard work to continually be at peace with others.

Moving on to the helmet of salvation, which protects our thinking, we must work hard to renew our minds. (Rom. 12) In Phil. 4, we are told to think upon those things which are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, or praiseworthy. To do these things, it requires diligent body building on our part.

We are told to hold up the shield of faith, but if we aren't faithful to 'body build' our faith, where will our faith be when we need it the most?

We are to work out our own salvation, (Phil. 2:10) and train ourselves to be godly. (II Tim. 4:7) This implies that Sunday morning and Wednesday evening services aren't enough 'training' for us. If we only eat two meals a week, we aren't going to be very strong. It's the same in the spiritual realm. If we only 'eat' of the Word twice a week, we won't be building up our spiritual muscles very well.

Colossians 1:22-23 tells us that God has reconciled us by Christ's death to be holy and blameless in His sight IF we continue in our faith, established and firm. Many times you will see how the diligent work of a body builder has resulted in some very firm muscles. We are to be firm and not easily moved in our faith. To reach that point means that we need to do a lot of work on our inner (wo)man.

To strengthen our physical bodies, we have to go into a strength-training program. The more we continue to work out, the stronger we will be. Col. 2:6-7 tells us to continue to live in Christ, rooted and built up, strengthened in our faith.

Peter tells us that God has given us what we need to escape the corruption in the world. (II Pet. 1:4) He goes on to inform us that we need to make every effort to add to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. Peter tells us that if we possess these qualities in an increasing measure, they'll keep us from becoming unproductive in our knowledge of the Lord. In verse 10, he tells us that if we do these things we will never fall. Why? Because we have been faithful in our body building and we have become a strong and virtuous warrior for our Lord, strengthened and ready for battle.

Excuse me now as I prepare to do my daily body building.

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• Oct. 1, 2008 - POWs

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POWs

In reading the Word, we quickly discover that we are in a war. Our spirit daily wars against our flesh. We war against principalities and powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph. 6:12)

Of all the wars I fight in my Christian walk, I have found that the war against my thoughts is one of the most intense battles I face.

We are always thinking about something. Our mind has this incredible capability to drift. Before we know it, we are thinking about someone who offended us, then setting out a very fleshly plan to put them in their place, or get even with them. If our husband has ticked us off, we may start mulling over the idea of giving him the silent treatment. After all, look at how many times he's done that to us! If we begin to rehearse all of our tasks for the week, it can cause our stomach to become knotted up because our thinking quickly turns to worrying and fretting. If our mind starts to ponder on the news of all of the terrorists plans, we may be setting ourselves up for panic attacks. What can we do?

We are told in II. Corinthians 10:5 that we have the power to demolish all arguments and pretensions that go against God's ways and enter our minds. We are to take them captive. In other words, any wrong, untrue, ungodly thoughts need to become our POWs. When we take them captive, we are to treat them in the most inhumane way, starving them and letting them die of thirst.

To be a good soldier, we not only need a good offense, but a good defense. Once we use our defense to take POWs, we must go on the offensive. It is critical to have a plan in place, ready to be put into action. For our thoughts, our best plan is to have God's Word hidden in our heart so that we have His powerful, life-changing truths deep within us.

When thoughts of what terrorists may do assail us, we can tell ourselves that we don't need to fret because of evil men, for they will soon wither. (Ps. 37:1) When we begin to rehearse what we want to say to the one who offended us, we can remind ourselves that we are to love our enemy and pray for them. (Mt. 5:44) When our mind wants to rehearse the list of perceived wrongs by our husband, we can remind ourselves that love doesn't keep a record of wrongs. (I Cor. 13:5) When we begin to feel overwhelmed by the multitude of errands, tasks, meetings, and appointments that must be done this week, we can tell ourselves to commit our ways to the Lord because God will establish our thoughts. (Pr. 16:3) We can pray, trusting in God, leaning on Him, and acknowledging Him, knowing that He will make our path straight. (Pr. 3:5-6) We can ask God for wisdom to help us see if there are some things on our list that we need to just let go for now. (Jas. 1:5)

We don't have to let our thoughts take us captive and make us their POW We are to be the ones taking POWs. How about you? Do you need to change tactics and begin to capture some POWs?

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• Oct. 1, 2008 - Pit Bull Attack

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Pit Bull Attack

Several years ago, while I was pushing my daughter in her stroller and enjoying a leisurely walk with my mother, I was attacked by a pit bull. I was minding my own business, and without warning, I suddenly feel a pit bull jumping on me. Isn’t that how Satan works? He watches, just waiting for when you are carefree and unaware of his presence, and suddenly, without warning, he attacks. He gets his teeth in you, and much like a pit bull, he doesn’t want to let go.

When I went to the Emergency Room, they cleansed and bandaged my wound, and gave me after-care instructions on how to treat the wound. When we’ve been spiritually wounded, our Great Physician can pour the soothing oil of the Holy Spirit to bring healing, and He gives us after-care instructions in His Word.

The doctor told me that trying to stitch a dog bite would really increase my chances of getting a nasty infection. Having decided against stitches, I was left with two huge, oozing places on my leg. The wounds oozed nasty looking stuff for several weeks following the attack. When we’ve been hurt by someone, and we fail to take it to the Lord and leave it with Him, we also ooze. It can ooze forth in cynical, bitter comments. It can ooze out in a rage of anger. It can ooze from our countenance. If we take it to the cross, God can replace the poisonous oozing with the healing balm of Gilead.

A dog’s bite is very dirty, so the doctor prescribed a strong antibiotic for me. It helped to curb any further risks of infection. One type of spiritual infection that many of us face is that of harboring unforgiveness. When Satan comes as a pit bull, ready to latch onto us with unforgiveness, our antibiotic may simply be telling our self, “I choose to forgive.” Just as we may need to take an antibiotic several times a day, we may also need to repeat several times a day that we choose to forgive, rather than hold a grudge.

There were days when I didn’t want to do the extra care that having this big gash on my leg required. Yet I chose to do it in spite of my feelings. It’s the same way when we’ve been wronged. Many times we may wake up and we don’t feel like granting forgiveness, but we need to make the choice to do it anyway.

Another thing the doctor told me to do while on the antibiotics was to take a heating pad and place it on the wound at least twice a day, for twenty minutes each time. The heat would help draw the antibiotic to the wounded area, helping it to heal quicker. It’s the same when we are dealing with a wound -- whether the wound was inflicted by someone else, or as a result of our own sin. If we stay in passionate pursuit of God, keeping ourselves hot, rather than lukewarm or cold, it will allow us to heal more quickly. It will give Satan less of a foothold in our life where he can latch on like a pit bull.

The pit bull bit me on the outer side of my leg, right where it bends at the knee. The wound kept trying to heal, but whenever I’d bend my leg, it would break open the scab. We do the same thing when we’ve been hurt. God tries to heal it, but we start rehashing the situation with anyone who will listen, and we tear open the wound again and again.

I was not only dealing with physical problems from this attack, but I was also having nightmares. As soon as I’d close my eyes, I would see that dog, ready to jump at me again. It was horrifying to deal with it every night. On top of that, my daughter, who was only two years old at the time, would awaken if she heard a dog barking. She would jump out of bed, run down the hall, screaming and crying with fear because she was afraid that the dog was coming to get her. Even though the dog attacked me, she was with me, and she was affected by it. When we are attacked spiritually, chances are high that it will affect those around us.

After the scab had healed, I was left with two nasty-looking scars. In an effort to lessen the scarring, the doctor had me wear a silicone patch, often used on burn victims, to minimize their scarring. The patch is sticky on one side, so it’s supposed to adhere to the skin. Being that my scars were right where my leg bends, I had to wrap an Ace bandage around my leg to hold it in place. Sometimes God has to wrap us up as well. When we’ve been attacked by Satan, or when God decides that it’s time for us to deal with some of our own scars, God will shelter us in the shadow of His wings. Sometimes He may even be forced to remove us from a place of ministry for a while, yet He continues to lovingly cover us with His wings. All the while, He is tenderly ministering to us, even when we may be totally unaware of what He is doing. We may not realize what all has transpired until many months later, or until God chooses to reveal it to us.

After the wound finally closed up, and the scab went away, many people assumed that I was healed. Yet I knew better. I was the one who had pain whenever I’d try to sleep on my left side. I was the one who would cry out in pain if Rachel would come running to me and wrap her arms around that leg. I finally went to see a specialist about it. He told me that I needed surgery to help get rid of what was hiding in there -- scar tissue. Before I would get better, I was going to have to endure some more pain. It’s the same with us in a spiritual sense. Many times God will get us to a place in our lives where we have to deal with things that we’ve tried to hide. He may need to use a spiritual knife to cut away some flesh that doesn’t belong there, or to remove some scar tissue from us. Yes, it hurts to undergo a knife, but it’s sure worth it! While the spiritual knife will hurt us, it will never harm us.

This whole process of trying to get completely healed not only took many months, but it was costly, and we had no insurance to pay for it. However, if you are finding yourself in need of treatment for a spiritual ‘pit bull attack,’ Jesus has already paid the bill for you. Go ahead and get treatment!

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• Oct. 1, 2008 - Terrorist Attacks

Posted in Warfare

Terrorist Attacks

When we hear the term 'terrorists,' most of us will think back to the terrifying events of September 11, 2001. We weren't doing anything to warrant such a vicious and unexpected attack, and it became very clear in the days following the attack that it was a very strategic one. It was carefully planned to have the utmost impact.

I remember discussing the idea of starting this Internet ministry with a dear friend. I was wanting her thoughts and any wisdom she had to share. Her husband quickly mentioned that I should be on guard against attacks of the enemy. After much prayer and input from other close confidantes, I launched this ministry and was amazed at how fast it took off and began to flourish. I kept watching for an attack, yet none seemed to be coming. Finally, I became lax about being watchful for the enemy's attacks. Satan caught my laxness and launched a vicious attack against me and my family. A spiritual terrorist had invaded my home, and I was completely unprepared for the war in which I found myself fighting.

It started slowly -- we discovered those nasty carpenter ants had invaded our home. Shortly after we began treating that, a tornado went directly over our home. Thankfully, it didn't touch down until it has passed over us. I breathed a sigh of relief and my heart was turned to praising God over and over for His watchful care and protection.

Suddenly, within a period of about three weeks, Rachel developed a chronic cough that not only was untreatable with codeine, but we discovered after two sleepless nights that codeine was a stimulant to her system, rather than a suppressant. My husband has faced a myriad of problems with his job -- nothing really big, but rather, those little things that tend to nag at you, destroying your sense of peace and order. Nevertheless, it's been quite trying for all of us. Then the car had some major repairs. When I went to pick up the car, it never even made it home! Thus, more costly repairs followed the very next day.

The 'straw that broke the camel's back' for me was Mother's Day weekend. That is a very emotional weekend for me, being that I miscarried my first baby only a few weeks before Mother's Day. Even with as thankful as I am to have Rachel, there will always be the memory of my first Mother's Day, spent with a heart that was grieving, dreams that had been shattered. This same weekend, Dean made some critical comments to me that really wounded me. I was an emotional wreck anyway (but he didn't realize that), and then when adding to my fragile state-of-mind that words of affirmation is my primary love language, you can understand why his words were so hurtful. Anyone who thrives on words of affirmation is crushed when someone is critical of them. Any criticisms must be spoken gently, and with much love. Instead of having an enjoyable weekend, I spent the entire day crying.

Not realizing that a spiritual terrorist attack was underway, I began to listen to the lies of the enemy. I'm sure that many of you have heard these kinds of lies coming from Satan:

--You have no business teaching other women when it's obvious your husband isn't happy with the way you are taking care of things here.

-- And to think that you were thinking of yourself as one who is becoming a Proverbs 31 lady! You're not even close!

-- Who are you to teach others about submission when your husband thinks you do a terrible job in that area?

-- You do a poor job of showing biblical love to your family, yet you think you have something to do teach others! Get real -- you can't do ANYTHING right!

-- You are a terrible housekeeper, a terrible mother, a terrible wife, a terrible Christian! Who are trying to kid?

In actuality, my husband's words had absolutely nothing to do with being loving, submissive, caring, or with the ministry to which God has called me. His words had nothing do with the kind of wife and mother I am. Satan had taken one little hurtful comment from my husband and twisted it to unleash an awful terrorist attack upon my thinking.

Thankfully, the Lord spoke to me and asked me what I knew about my husband's character. Here are some of the things He asked me:

-- Is he usually a cruel man?

-- Is he rude to me or others?

-- Did he have a habit of belittling me or others?

-- Would he ever purposely say something that he knew would deeply hurt me?

-- If he knew that I was grieving over the miscarriage, would he have spoken something that could have hurt me so badly?

The answer to all of these questions was 'NO!'

Next, the Lord gently reminded me that I had recently mailed out the devotions about how He'd set me free from a violent temper. He reminded me of the many responses I received after writing about my own struggles. Suddenly, I realized that without even knowing what I was doing, I had launched a terrorist attack on the forces of hell, and now they were fighting back. It became crystal clear to me why on Mother's Day weekend my husband spoke something that hurt me so badly. Satan saw my frame of mind, and he used my husband's words to try to get me to give up on everything. What better way to attack a woman whose desire is to be a virtuous, godly, submissive, loving, and respectful wife? What better way than to attack a stay-at-home mom -- attack her in a way that makes her feel that she can't do anything right, and that even her own husband doesn't appreciate her!

Stay-at-home moms expect that the world won't value or appreciate them for the sacrifices they make, or for the job they do in raising up a godly generation. What we don't expect is to hear criticisms (valid or not) from our husband!

The Lord had given me a clear picture of Satan's terrorist attack against me. (II Cor. 2:11) Now it was my turn to stand against those schemes. (Eph. 6:11) I quickly went to Psalm 91 and declared every promise there for my household. I began to pray more strategic prayers, using missiles filled with the blood of Jesus to stop the scud missiles of spiritual darkness in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 6:12) I began to mentally put on the armor of God (Eph. 6:13), being especially mindful of the helmet of salvation to protect my thinking -- making sure that my thoughts lined up to the truth, and not thinking upon those things which came from the Father of Lies. (Jn. 8:44)

I wish that I could tell you that this terrorist attack from Satan was over. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with attacks, even in a physical sense. Rachel had a pinched nerve in her neck just last week, not to mention several stomachaches. I have been hit physically in a couple of ways recently. The onslaught does continue, but I'm using my greatest weapons -- prayer, quoting the Word, and fighting back through the power and authority I've been given through Jesus Christ.

So, here's a breakdown of how to handle it when we are hit with a terrorist attack:

1. Don't ever quit being on guard against the enemy for yourself, or for your family.

2. Realize that Mother's Day is a great weekend for Satan to attack you. Satan doesn't want you to realize the impact you have on your children and your husband! If you have times of the year that are exceptionally emotional times for you, warn your family ahead of time that you may be especially emotional. Ask them to try to be mindful of your raw emotions, and to grant some extra grace to you during those times.

3. When something happens between you and your husband, don't listen to all of that twisted conversation that comes directly from Satan. Rather, repeat to yourself what you know to be true about your husband.

4. Speak the Word over yourself and your family on a consistent basis. It will help to alleviate those terrorist attacks, and the attacks that do still come will be lessened if you are filled up with the Word of God.

5. Talk to a trusted friend who can help pray you through. Keep in mind - I'm not talking about calling her up and 'husband bashing.' I'm talking about mentioning some of the concerns you have, listening for some insights from her, and agreeing in prayer together.

6. Ask God what He is trying to teach you when you go through spiritual attacks and trials. This pleases God to know that you aren't so consumed with your problems that you can't keep looking for Him to show you some awesome lessons. Then, wait in expectation to see how He answers you! I can personally testify to being in total awe of some of the things God has shown me when I have asked Him what He's trying to teach me. In fact, this message was born out of that kind of prayer.

Sister, are you dressed for war?

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