bittersweet reminders

about 3 years ago, were sailing in some pretty rough seas.

waves crashed in on every side

and there nobody who could really help.
a frightening experience with just us and God. 

He seemed to let the afflictions persist so that, I suspect, our faith could be refined.

Thankfully, God eventually commanded our oceans to calm,

our enemies were defeated and things finally settled down.

Several days ago,

  I was musing about those days, thankful that they were over.
I was grateful for lessons leaned and the journey walked  since then
and I was thankful that our once small faith was now bold and mighty.
Feeling a bit invincible, i was looking forward to the future.

But yesterday,

 the taste of those bitter days came back 

and the fear and panic threatened to grip me.

 i scrambled back to the Word, fell on my knees and, as a child does,

prayed for rescue and refuge.

Well, today

peace has flooded our souls and the waves seemed to have subsided.

Pondering all of this now,

if i could draw one lesson from the past 24 hours
. . . 

we need to be ready in season and out for trials and tribulations
 by always cultivating a right relationship with God.
For the sake our our call to work in the kingdom,
we need to be striving to live in paths and ways that are holy and righteous
. . . 

 not give the enemy a foothold to any cranny of our heart.

I think that . . .

when one's mind is full of the world's music, stories and worldviews,
well, it's just natural to think one is also part of this world. 

but the trouble with that is,
we are not self controlled, alert nor ready to pray. 

the reality of who we are in Christ becomes foggy . .
one seems to foget their authority
and one can loose their footing in the Word. 
we are unprepared for the battle.

i was meditating today on Jesus' prayer for the disciples in John 17: 16-19:

"my prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of this world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."

as i read this, i realised : 

Jesus knew who he was and to whom he belonged.

"God help us always be reminded of who we are, so that when trials and tribuations come, we may know whose we are."

Gathering my scattered thoughts again!

i have discovered once again that as christians we need to strive to love Jesus with all our hearts.
that way, we live in constant remembrance of who we are and to whom we belong.
everywhere we walk,
 our light and the kingdom of God breaks into this sick, dark and fallen world.

Our purpose in Christ is restored,
and we do everything on purpose.
all the accusations of the enemy will fall to the ground. 

Jesus was victorious in his heart and mind battles 

because He knew God intimately.

and was consumed in time constantly spent with God.

 we can't see God without holiness.
we can't know God when our hearts are full of compromise, apathy, laziness.
we may see glimpses of Him,
but we will never behold his beauty in all it's fullness.
without holiness, you forget about God, your mind gets fuzzy 

pretty soon, one walks down unknown paths and unchartered territory.

then,

when the trials and torments come

you can't draw out your sword,

my, you've forgotten where you are, what is right and what is wrong!
 you've forgotten how long you've been here for and how you even got here.

the enemy is taunting you,

and the scriptures which will slay him are blurring in the back of your mind

oh christian,

 we need an atmosphere where we are constantly in tune 

with Him, His voice, His purposes.

a lifestyle where the default meditations of our heart

are prayer and thanksgiving

instead of just the radio and tv.

when we drive, when we are sitting around the house, when we are cooking.

this is not about doctrine,
this is not about how to do church,
this is about daily relationship with Christ.
Treasure it above all else!
 

The enemy will flee.

Christian mediate on Him and you will be victorious.
remember that you are

called to a higher calling than what this world offers

we are not passive recipeints to the world's curse

we are overcomers, victorious children of God

living in the inheretance of God's glorious peace

no weapon that is formed against us shall prosper

every evil was disarmed and made a public spectacle of at the cross

now evil stands judged

you don't need to put up with it's assaults!

behold, Christ has defeated evil

and will one day, Christ will come again to finish the war

Hallelujah