The Fight


I am reading this amazing book and although it is taking all of my brain power and challenging me to read better, it has opened my eyes to a new side of Spiritual Warfare. I have only gone through the first 25 pages or so and I am already seeing things that happen in prayer and battle that is so common. I am seeing things that can be portrayed as trivial and are in reality things that can lead us away from the throne room one little inch at a time. I like this quote in it by C.S. Lewis, "At the very least, they can be persuaded that the bodily position makes no difference to their prayers; for they constantly forget, what you must always remember, that they are animals and that whatever their bodies do affects their souls. Its funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds; in reality our best work is done by keeping things out." (The Screwtape Letters) This is such an amazing way to look at prayer. That we can be so focused on not being in a physical position to pray then we get distracted. I know that it is easier to bow the body than it is to bow the heart but when you bow the body alot of times the heart will follow.
My dad told a story once of a dream he had about a demon that looked just like the one on this cover. He said it was a beautiful morning and everything looked amazing. He remembered looking outside our back window and seeing this little thing sitting on the back fence and looking at him. He said that it was almost a cat looking animal, which was the best way to describe it. Then he went about doing his routine when all of a sudden he looked up to see that thing had now gotten off the fence and come into the back yard. He still thought nothing of it until he realized that creature had now come to the back door. Well he continued as this creature entered the house and sat in the front room by the screen door. He proceeded upstairs to do the budget and to check on things as he noticed this thing getting closer and more aggresive as it got close. Eventually without reacting to this thing it got close and started to pull on his pant leg, as he ignored the creature that gave it more room in his life for complacency. Eventually in his dream he became at the mercy of this creature and it got more aggressive and more fierce as time passed until he had my dad laying on the ground totally having to surrender to this Creature.
I tell you this as a way for you to catch and realize how slick, and fast Satan is at sneaking in literally, "The back door" and that we allow him to when we don't put up any fight at all. I know that alot of times we think, me included, that we don't need to fight or stay on our guard ALL the time, just when things look ABSOLUTELY necessary. Well I count every second of every day NECESSARY! I believe that we need to fight even when we don't think we have any fight left in us because that is when you cover ground. I know that isn't easy and I know that it is never fun to fight when you feel down but you are called to in season and out of season. Remember that to do nothing is fighting too, just for the wrong side. There are only TWO options to fight for and complacency is fighting as an enemy of God. You don't have an opt out option, its either for God or against Him. I choose to fight for him because I don't want to be against him. That is one of the best tools that Satan has to make you think that doing nothing keeps you out of the fight. I would convince you of that too if I was your enemy. Keep it up Mighty warrior, and fight so that you don't get taken as a complacency casualty. Fight with all you have. FIGHT!!!

Comments

Sarah Markley said…
Thanks for the encouragement, Tamara! I've heard you tell your dad's dream before - wild!
July 3, 2008 at 3:16 PM
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