Tag Archive | 2 Corinthians 10:3-4

The Weapon of Prayer…

Nov19

In my last post I referred to the necessity of storing up God’s truths from Scripture. In doing so, we have access to the mighty weapons 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 makes reference to. I want to extend that thought here and give some practical thoughts on prayer. I may break down what I have learned over the years and spread it out into several posts. This will be a work in progress. So, let’s see what develops!

In my twilight years, prayer has added purpose to my existence. The retirement years, empty nest and grand-parenting context of my life has altered my perspective. I now feel compelled to stand in the gap, to advocate for my family in prayer. The societal/media environment my children are having to raise their children in currently clouds the Truth. The battles they fight today are on a level of great intensity.

Additionally, I am often stunned by the misinformation permeating all the various forms of media we are exposed to. This onslaught has desensitized us all as to what is truth. If we can’t recognize truth, and I’m referring to God’s truth, then we can be easily deceived and manipulated by the enemy. To prevent that, we must spend time with God in prayer and His word in order to become familiar with what is True. Then take that Truth and apply it to ourselves and those we pray for. Only God’s truth can expose the lies of the enemy.

Therefore, I now begin every day spending time with God in prayer and in His word. Each day after opening my prayers with praise, I lift up my family’s needs. The biggest bulk of my quiet moments with God involves praying for my children, their spouses, my grandchildren, and my grandchildren’s future spouses. (Years ago, as our children were born, my husband and I began praying for their future spouses. We have continued this practice with our grandchildren.)

Then, each day of the week is designated for various groups of people: i.e.,missionaries, our national and state leaders, and news concerning them, countries in conflict, persecuted Christians, plus needs of friends and extended family. This list is organic and changes as particular needs arise. Also, I feed the prayer requests I notice from social and news media into my prayer notebook, as well.

Lastly, I end my prayers with petitions for God’s Spirit to be poured out upon the earth. I feel the urgency to pray for revival because according to the Bible we are in the last days prior to Jesus’ return. Then I close with verses regarding God’s faithfulness.

We will communicate more about prayer next post. Until then, be diligent in your search for truth.

Casual Christianity?

Nov5

Ever since World War II, there has been a steady decline in Christianity. In the 1960’s there was social upheaval, the sexual revolution, and a questioning of institutions. That fueled a greater withdrawal. And the steady decline continued.

In the meantime, our claim of being a Christian nation slowly faded. Sadly, it was accepted that we just weren’t what we use to be. We settled for a casual attitude in displaying our faith. It became much more acceptable to lower our aim. Living a committed Christian life wasn’t necessary anymore. Gradually, attending church or reading our Bibles grew less important. Life just got in the way and left little room to include a sincere faith walk with God. But have we stopped to consider the repercussions of such a choice?

A whole list of Pandora’s box lifestyles have emerged: same sex marriage, abortion, transgenderism, hyper individualism, rebellious and disrespectful behavior towards parents or any authority figure, cohabitation as opposed to marriage, and so much more.(btw, Ever read 2 Timothy 3:2-4?)

So I would ask, is the price we paid to have the freedom (or should I say license) to do what we wanted to do without the inconvenience of having someone speak against it given us the happiness we were seeking? Apparently not! For Psychology Today reports that Americans are not a very happy group of people.

But someone was happy about all of this. The enemy’s gloating laughter echoes throughout the country, in homes, in churches, in our schools, our places of business, the halls of government. Yet take heart my dear readers, for his seemingly incessant attacks can be thwarted. His glee can be diminished. How? By the power of God within us! Read on!

When we return to the realization that we need God. That we need to spend time with Him in prayer and His word. That’s the core weapon that we have access to. The mighty weapon that can tear down the strongholds of human reasoning and destroy false assumptions of the enemy’s fiery darts. And leaning into the Truth that God within us is greater than the enemy in the world. By remembering that God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a strong mind. And by fearlessly planting our feet of faith into whatever situation we find ourselves. By unashamedly proclaiming who we are in Christ. (Like I’m thrilled to be witnessing in the public arena these recent days.) By focusing on the mighty works of God in creation and in history, proving He can do anything. Starting by bringing individuals back to their senses.

Now is the time to draw upon the power of His might as is referred to in Ephesians 6:10, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might.” Only God’s strength can successfully stand against the spiritual forces that entice and manipulate us to be casual about our faith.

Stronger for the struggle…

Jan14

2025 only 14 days old is already proving to be a tough year to handle. The wildfires in California, the turmoil in the Middle East, and Europe provide a bleak backdrop of expectations for the rest of the year. Other contributors such as the drastic increase in religious persecution, and the moral upheaval not just here in America but throughout the globe give cause for concern. And there’s oh so much more we have to contend with. Just watching the news reveals a world spiraling out of control.

The enemy seeming to have the upper hand is manipulating and deceiving individuals into believing and acting on the lies he feeds them. Our society has lost its senses actually. Senses about what is right and what is wrong. So much so that even sometimes Christians are confused regarding these issues. Why is this?

Could it be due to our inconsistency and/or neglect in the simple but powerful act of opening our Bibles to find out what God has to say about the choices we make? And when that void of life sustaining information runs low, the enemy stands all too ready to substitute his lies for God’s truths.

Now back to my first paragraph. We have deteriorated to a such a state that our perspective about it all doesn’t include even a flavoring of God’s word. We feebly attempt to solve our problems on our own because we aren’t even sure God exists anyway. And look where that has gotten us?

Nevertheless, in God we have hope? For God has the power and it’s His will to take the very thing that Satan meant for bad and turn it into good. The foremost example of this is the crucifixion of Jesus. For because of Jesus’ horrible death and suffering, followed by His glorious resurrection, all who believe in Him can’t be defeated by anyone or anything on this earth. Therefore, the aftermath of the enemy’s attacks will find us stronger for the struggle. So take heart and hope!

Are we using the wrong weapons?

Jun30

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, NLT)

Instead of the belt of truth, they fight with manipulation.
Instead of the breastplate of righteousness, they fight with the image of success.
Instead of the shoes of the gospel, they fight with smooth words.
Instead of the shield of faith, they fight with the perception of power.
Instead of the helmet of salvation, they fight with lording over authority.
Instead of the sword of the Spirit, they fight with human schemes and programs.https://enduringword.com/weapons-of-our-warfare/

It troubles me deeply as I watch people, especially Christians, suffering (without realizing they are suffering) from the effects of Satan’s manipulation. They don’t recognize their lack of desire to spend time with God in prayer and His word, is nothing more than a subtle attack of the enemy. An attack to keep them ignorant of the true weapons with which we can find the answers to the suffering and problems we all endure.

When problems arise, we will grab the weapons with which we are most familiar. If we are only familiar with the weapons of the world (like the ones mentioned above) lasting solutions or victory, or peace, or freedom, etc. will always evade us. .

Worldly weapons are fueled by human reasoning and false assumptions. Take a look at the church as a whole. Consider the human reasoning and false assumptions infilterating too many of them today. No real victory is achieved, only continual deterioration. Just what the enemy has in mind.

ONLY by becoming familiar with the weapons God has given us (again through spending time with God in prayer and His word) will we be wise to the enemy’s deception and manipulation. ONLY there can we find the answers to solve our problems.

So let’s examine ourselves. When problems, and suffering, enter upon the battlefield of our lives what weapons do we grab first? Do we turn to a verse in Scripture that will expose the true problem and solution? Do the weapons we choose actually resolve the situation or only prolong it?

Let’s be real here. Daily we are being attacked by the enemy. Therefore, daily we need to learn which weapons we should be choosing, and therefore have the wrong weapons exposed.

Faith Must Grow!

Jan20

Teach me to believe that all degrees of mercy arise from several degrees of prayer, that when faith is begun it is imperfect and must grow,… quote from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

Is our faith growing?

I think the answers to the above questions can be revealed by the following comparison.

When a baby is born it’s expected that growth and development will follow. Let’s say the child starts off healthy and with a nourishing milk diet the expected growth and development ensues. Wonderful, we are off to an encouraging beginning. Yet soon the child needs to transition from milk to solid foods. If the transition isn’t made and the child remains on a milk diet, then healthy growth will be arrested.

That’s exactly the analogy that is made in the following Bible verses:

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.Hebrews 5:12-14

Though, we have been born into God’s family, far too many of us are still on a spiritual milk diet.

Troubles happen and when they do, we find our milk diet insufficient to provide us with the strength and wisdom we need. So we default to whatever source is handy. At which point the enemy enters to begin his deception. As a result our ability to recognizes the enemy’s lies has been seriously compromised.

This is where seeds of deception take root. Our desire to spend time in prayer and God’s word slowly deteriorates. Not being familiar with God’s truth, we filter out thoughts, attitudes, and actions through false assumptions and human reasoning.

Daily spending time in God’s word and prayer is the same as eating a healthy diet for those who desire to be healthy spiritually. But our enemy has convinced us that isn’t required and we can get along just fine without that consistent discipline. Remaining in the milk stage of our growth for too long, we can easily be convinced of such lies (fiery darts, remember).

After we have lived a hit and miss life for so long, we can’t see that there is a better way to live life. Because our growth has been stunted, we are unaware of our desperate condition. We aren’t even aware that a better life exists. A growing faith equals a better life.

Moving forward though trials persist

Apr13

   

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Trials and Temptations

     2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

    Once we grasp the truth that God has a plan for our lives, (and that hopefully happens early on) we begin to move forward in that plan. As we exercise our faith muscles, our faith increases in strength. The more mature our faith grows, the wiser we become.  The expectation is that we would move forward consistently as our faith develops. 

     Our new nature, given to us at our spiritual birth, desires to please God. Yet, we will always struggle with our old nature always wanting its way.  Trials come and trials go, but with every one our character is improved upon. 

     But what about those trials that refuse to ‘go away’? They perhaps contain the strongest of life lessons.  You know, those every day trials that prevent us from living life victoriously. 

     Trials of this nature usually involve learning how to get along with others.  Nothing we say or do brings improvement in them or the relationship. Instead of growing wiser and resolving the situation, despair sets in. Satan manipulates and deceives our flesh, our old nature. Lying to us about what is wrong and setting our focus on ourselves. 

     We are primed to become distracted by human reasoning and false assumptions. Without realizing it, we have become influenced by Satan to do his will.   We get mired down in these kinds of trials with every lie cast upon us by the enemy. We take on the attitude that nothing is going to change and spiritual growth and/or pleasing God fades into the mist. Blindness rules on both sides of the equation.

     Perhaps accepting things the way they are in these situations may be the best way to move forward through them. By moving on we leave it up to God to make changes in His timing and will. Forgiving and accepting permits us to throw off the shackles of judgement and condemnation. The liberty to breathe free is ours to claim by the power of God’s word. This sort of example, is a lifeline for those  searching for comfort in their own stubborn trials .

     So, when trials persist without bringing the desired solution, there is still a way to move forward. Moving forward is possible but it takes a mindset that requires a high level of trust in God. A trust that even though the desired solution has not been realized, our confidence that God is in control and is working out His plan remains steadfast.

 Remember: God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are higher than ours.

He ALWAYS knows what is best.

Seasons of Attack

Feb22

   No matter what season of life we may find ourselves, Satan knows exactly how to attack. Unwittingly, we succumb to the lies of fiery darts (for lack of time spent in prayer and bible study). Lies that tempt us to accept the stresses and strains of every seasons of life as, “Well, that’s just the way it is!” We don’t recognize them for the fiery darts they are. For example:

Spring

   Growing up in a Christian home, accepting Christ at nine, growing in my commitment to God. Reaching a turning point at 21…life took an abrupt turn and my relationship with God got a lot more personal.

Yet, fiery darts took advantage of my immaturity. 

Summer

   Being a young wife, wrapping up college, moving away from home, focusing my energies and thoughts on marriage, school, and living this new life! New home, new church, new college, new surroundings, no family…it wasn’t easy to maintain a consistent walk with God.

   I fondly remember those younger years as a mother of four. Always busy, running from one activity to another. Life was packed full with church events, caring for children, home, marriage. It didn’t leave time for much else.

Fiery darts found an entry as I began to be distracted from focusing on God.

Autumn

   Children growing up, the nest starts emptying. Transition after transition throws obstacles in my way. Becoming a bit bewildered about how to handle life. Some problems have hung around so long, it’s a strong temptation to just become resigned to them. 

The fiery darts reflect a life too busy to sit at Jesus feet. Thoughts of confusion, frustration, and doubt coupled with fear tend  to rule my thinking. 

Winter

   Because of my age there are troubling concerns. Will my health hold out. Will I be able to make it financially? And as children move away (taking my grandchildren with them), loneliness begins to stalk me. Then there are some problems stubbornly hanging around with no solution in sight. And searching for a new purpose can be a bit daunting!

The fiery darts are defined by the fear and doubt lurking behind every troubling thought.

   In looking back on my journey, I have often pondered why it took so many years for me to reach the path that led out of the darkness of my negative thinking. I may never know the answer to that question. But I do know that while my journey was lengthy, so were the lessons I learned. pp 14-15 FD’s 3rd edition.

*      *      *

   Please don’t wait until the autumn of your life as I did, to have Satan’s attack plan exposed. Start learning it now, teach it to your children, grandchildren! 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 holds the key as to where to begin:

3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. NLT