Tag Archive | fiery darts

Condemnation vs Conviction!

Jan21

So, how do you tell the difference?

I dealt with that question briefly in Chapter Five of my book, Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice

So how do we recognize fiery darts? Examine the effect the “suspicious thought” has on you.  Does it produce confusion, fear, doubt, anger, inferiority, indecisiveness, jealously, or selfishness, for example?  It would be wise to consider where such thoughts could lead.   For example, thoughts of self-sufficiency can lead to a decreased dependency on God.  Thoughts of jealously could lead to revengeful actions.  I’m sure you get the point.  These thoughts are designed for your destruction.  Knowing that sin will certainly proceed from thoughts of this nature, Satan’s plan to destroy us is set in motion. Therefore, if the thought’s natural end is sin, then it is obvious Satan’s fiery darts have been influencing your thinking. p. 33-34

Once I began this study which developed into my book, I gained insight early on into the obvious difference between the two.  Negative thinking when examined using the approach described in the above insert, exposed some types of fiery darts rather easily

But as my skills improved in identifying these rather obvious fiery darts, the more subtle ones began proving to be more difficult. The fiery darts that were getting to me, usually came in the form of self-condemnation.  

I was caught off guard by the fiery darts that would attack me during my prayer time or when contemplating a prayerful thought!

Perhaps I would be pondering a problem or an issue I might be having with another person. Before I realized it thoughts of a self-condemning nature would invade my mind and take over my thinking.  I could not see clearly  how I should deal with the issue or problem I might be pondering because my mind was being diverted by the fiery darts of self-condemnation. 

Consider this:

Satan continues to confuse us as to what is truth and what is a lie. I realized by his taking a bit of truth and wrapping it around a lie, Satan had masterfully manipulated me into considering the corrupted truth and my sensitivity toward the lie lessened with every temptation. p. 20

Do you see how I was being manipulated?

The self-condemning thoughts contained truth about myself.  Therefore, how could I ignore them? Slowly my focus was being diverted from seeking answers on how to deal with the issues or problems I might be having with someone else, to the point that I lost any clarity or insight on how to deal with the problem. It seemed every time I attempted to seek these type of answers, the fiery darts of self-condemnation thwarted my success. 

Keep in mind that conviction brings restoration, a fiery dart brings condemnation. p. 79

Making sense yet?

My own condemnation blinded me from see God’s solutions.

There is a powerful verse that I would like to share with you that is proving to liberate me from this entrapment of self-condemnation.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8:1 NIV

When I am prayerfully seeking answers on how to deal with an issue or problem I might be having with another person, I remember the verse above.  I try hard to remember that God desires for me to receive the answers I am seeking and that condemning me won’t accomplish that.  He has always been able to gently and lovingly convict me of my sin in a non-critical manner and without putting me on the defensive.  I respond to loving conviction and am lifted up; condemnation, on the other hand, only drags me down. 

And therein lies the difference!

The 4 R’s of Fighting Fiery Darts!

Jan6

As I was praying the other day, these thoughts came to my mind.  As I pondered them, I realized I had material for my next Fiery Dart blog post.

RECOGNIZE!

So how do we recognize fiery darts? Examine the effect the “suspicious thought” has on you.  Does it produce confusion, fear, doubt, anger, inferiority, indecisiveness, jealously, or selfishness, for example?  quote from p.33 FD

REJECT!

As soon as you determine that the suspicious thought is a fiery dart, then reject it.  Remember, by allowing it to remain the poison of the fiery dart begins seeping into your mind influencing the formation of negative attitudes and actions. 

REPEAT!

Wield the power found in repeating Isaiah 54:17 immediately, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper…”, so as to prevent the fiery dart thought from imbedding itself into your mind. 

 REPLACE!

Finally, replace the fiery dart thought with a verse or thought of the type mentioned in the following verse. Philippines 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

I hope this little tip serves you well.  And may the fiery darts formed against you not prevail!

God bless!

Fiery Darts for Christmas!

Dec1
Signing books after a speaking engagement at a dear college friend's church!

Signing books after a speaking engagement at a dear college friend’s church!

It seems I am being impressed to be a little more active in promoting the sales of my book.

Therefore, I think I’ll start with the 65 books tucked away in a box in my closet.  The thought struck me that they weren’t doing anybody any good sitting dormant in the dark corner of said closet! ! ! So I did a bit of advertising on my Fiery Darts Facebook page and my personal Facebook page.  And now I have placed an ad on my Fiery Dart blog.

So, my dear readers, here’s the deal with the 65 books still in my possession.  I am making them available for $8 (instead of the $10 original price).  For those of you who live in my area, that’s all the book will cost you. But if I have to mail it to you, then you will need to pay the $3 one time shipping.  But you still save b/c that will come to $11 not $13.

And here’s something new, if you would like for me to come speak at your church or ladies group, I would be willing.  Now that’s a big deal for me, because I have not been overly willing to do public speaking. You wouldn’t believe the fiery darts that have troubled me on that subject!  I have had a few speaking engagements since the publishing of my book, and I’ve breathed a sigh of relief that it was only a few.  But I believe the time has come for me to practice what I preach and even though I feel inadequate (because that’s what the fiery darts are trying to convince me of) I need to  defeat the weapons formed against me and get out there and work a little more energetically at promoting my book.  Why?  So it’s message can get into your hands and your lives can begin benefiting by it.  You need, just as I did, to be set free of the bondage these fiery darts are imposing upon you.

Christmas is coming!

Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice would be a gift that would continue to bring joy and encouragement to its recipient long after Christmas.

It can still be ordered online if you prefer a book to hold in your hands.  But for you Kindle-type readers, remember it is also available for you electronically as well.

Just send me a comment,

if you are in my area and would like to get one or more of the 65 books I have (so sorry but I can only offer a discount for the 65 books I possess!)

or

if you would like for me to mail you one or more of those books 

AND

Merry Christmas Everyone!

What we think determines how we feel. . . or “as a man thinks in his heart so is he.”

Nov3

Ponder this quote from my book:

What we think determines how we feel and what we feel influences our actions.  p. 15, Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice

The mind is constantly thinking.  Everything we see, feel, or touch, influences the thoughts we think.  Thus, how we behave will be determined by what we think.

If there is a troublesome behavior with which you seem to struggle, as a Christian what are you going to do about it?  Do you find yourself saying,

“I just can’t seem to help myself.”

Paul talked about this very thing in the Book of Romans.  He struggled like so-o-o many of us do.  Just read this:

For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Romans 7:19

I feel his pain, don’t you? 

I want to talk to those of us, who find ourselves doing things we really don’t desire to do.  Like, caving in to negative thinking (fiery dart thinking) like the following: (list is just random thoughts that came to mind.)

feeling sorry for ourselves, (blaming others for the problems in our lives)

living an undisciplined life, lack of self-control (you know, eating too much, not having consistent quiet time, giving into temptation, stop going to church),

being unwilling to say no to ourselves, going after what we want when we want it (and always feeling guilty in the process),

believing that we are inferior to others or superior (being blind to our mistakes)

not having confidence in ourselves,

believing what the world says about us and to us, more than believing what God’s Word says on that subject.

Did you know that all of the above are examples of fiery dart thinking?

If we keep giving in to this type of thinking, our futures are in jeopardy.  We will believe things about ourselves that aren’t true. (Prov. 23:7) We will stray from the path God has planned for us and His peace, security, and success  for us becomes seriously threatened. Is that what you want?  Of course not!

Then here’s what I suggest you do!

1. Get your Bible out and open it up.  Start reading it.  Commit to reading just one verse every day.  I suggest, Jeremiah 29:11 for starters. Don’t commit to much more than that.  You don’t want to set yourself up for failure. 

2. Say a one sentence pray.  “Dear God, Guide me.”  That’s enough.  Once again, don’t set yourself up for failure.  You’ve experienced too much of that already.

Start every day, for the next week (or whatever length of time you are comfortable with) , using this verse and prayer.

If you like, let me know what happens.

By the way, when you are sitting with nothing to do, perhaps you would like to read my book.  It will be your training manual on how to overcome negative thinking (fiery dart thinking) referred to in this post. (There’s a 5-step plan on p. 79 you should find interesting.)

I will be praying for you,

Until next post–

Why I can resist the temptation to despair?

Oct14

So much of what is going on in my beloved country today, quite frankly, disturbs me. And were it not for what I read in the Bible, I would despair.  Did you notice that I said, “Were it not for what I read in the Bible. . .”  There’s a verse in Lamentations which gives me the basis for why I can resist the temptation to despair.

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. Lam. 3:22-23

What I would like to share with my readers today applies to those who acknowledge the Bible as the source of Truth and have accepted Christ as their Savior.  

As I read God’s Word, The Bible, (and I make a daily practice of it. Not because I feel obligated to so that I can call myself an obedient Christian, but because the Word’s I read there, provide me with the strength I MUST have to face my daily struggles  without giving up in despair and sinking into depression.)

The lessons that teach me how to recognize fiery darts and how to counter their attack have become even more relevant as I listen to current news and read post exposing the ugliness spreading all across our land from coast to coast.

Maybe there was a time when we could bury our heads in the sand with the hope that by the time we lifted our heads the trouble would have passed.  But not today!  We must be aggressive in prayer and become active in reclaiming the ground WE gave over. Remember as Christians we have been given a mandate from God: 

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.2 Chronicles 7:14:

And before I go any further, did you notice this verse was directed to people who are called by God’s name?  That means Christians, you know!

Why is it Christians can face what is going on in our country and not despair? Lots of reasons, actually, but here’s a few:

  1. God said in the Bible that the day would come when evil would be called good, and good would be called evil.
  •  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; Isaiah 5:20

2.  And God warned us in His Word about the perils of the last days.

  • But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived 2Timothy 3:13 

3.  We are also warned:

  • There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 

And the further we distance ourselves from God’s Word (and the less we speak to Him in prayer), the less familiar we become with the ‘right’ way.  We become victimized by the lies of fiery darts and we can no longer recognize Truth. We begin to believe lies. I mean REALLY believe! Does that describe anybody in Washington that you know of?

So when we see the evil in the headlines being reported as good and vice versa, we can go to God’s Word for an explanation.  Why is that important to know?  Because knowing this keeps us from being blind sighted and puts us on our guard.

Because we are knowledgeable of the warnings God gives to us, we are also alerted to the fact that God has prepared a way for us to be overcomes.  Here’s a few to lift your spirits and protect you from despair.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and  petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippines 4:6-7

no weapon forged against you will prevail, Isaiah 54:17

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7

My personal favorite:

Trust in the Lord and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit your way to the Lord trust in Him, and He will act, making your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like the noonday. Psalm 37:3-6

Yes, the fiery darts will tempt us to be fearful and fill us with despair.  But for those of us who take to heart the contrasting Truths in God’s Word we can resist this temptation with:

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.Psalm 42:5

If you desire to become more equipped to recognize fiery darts and how to successfully wield the power of God’s Word against them, then please become more informed by reading my book:

Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice

God does not want you to be unhappy or to suffer.

Sep7

The title of this post contains two powerful fiery darts that when working in tandem produce a force so powerful that few can withstand it.  Sadly even Christians, (especially those who have been desensitized to God’s Truth), fall prey to the deceptive destruction of this wicked duo!

Folks, I’m convinced, the world (and desensitized Christians), have a misconception of suffering.  I think I can figure out why the world doesn’t understand suffering but why Christians?

Here’s my explanation!

Before Satan can be successful with the use of fiery darts, he must do a little groundwork.  As I mentioned in the latter part of Chapter Two, in order for us to be desensitized toward the lies of fiery darts, we must have our understanding of the Truths of Scripture diminished.  By tempting us to spend little time in God’s Word, our ability to recognize the lies of fiery darts is equally diminished if we give in to that temptation.  In the place of God’s Truth, the world’s concept of truth begins to define our thinking. p. 23, Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice

Okay, in a nutshell!

Christians don’t read and study their Bibles enough!

And because they don’t read and study their Bibles enough, they can be more easily persuaded that their goal in life is to be happy (with as little suffering as possible).  But no one lives this life without experiencing suffering–no one.  So where did we get the idea that we aren’t suppose to suffer?

When the world’s concept of truth trumps God’s Word in people’s minds (and I’m talking about church going people) then their minds become a target for fiery dart thinking. Thinking that keeps us from understanding that it’s not the suffering that’s the problem.  It’s how we react to suffering that is the problem!

When we begin to grow unhappy in a relationship, say a marriage, then fiery dart thinking will tempt us to justifying leaving the marriage.  For instance, the following thoughts are typical of the line of reasoning your thoughts might take:

“God doesn’t want me to be miserable.  Staying in this marriage makes me miserable, and that’s not good for my children.  If I could be happier with someone else then my children would be better off.”

Our world today tells us that if you aren’t happy in your relationship then the most logical and best solution is to break it off.  And since that is what most want to hear, it’s embraced as Truth.  But you know what the Truth is here?  Read this:

There is a way that seems right to a man,But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12

I’m pretty sure that the root of our problem lies on p. 67 of Fiery Dart: Satan’s Weapon of Choice.

Because of the Adamic Curse everything in this world serves our flesh.  Therefore, relationships will exist to serve our wants and needs.  This is why the fiery dart that “marriage exists to make us happy” is so powerful.

BUT HOLD ON, THAT’S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG,

READ ON: (As Mr. Bennett says)

Something basic to living life as a Christian must be nailed down here before we can successfully move forward.  The purpose for which we exist is to be conformed into the image of Christ. Colossians 3:9-10: “Do not lie to one another, for you have taken off the old self with its habits and have put on the new self. This is the new being which God, its Creator, is constantly renewing in his own image, in order to bring you to a full knowledge of himself.” (Good News Bible)

That means that everything and every relationship in our experience exists to serve the purpose of conforming us into God’s image in order to bring us into a full knowledge of Himself.  As we become more like Christ, we are going to grow into a fuller knowledge of God.

         So, how does the purpose for which we are to exist relate to the purpose of marriage?  In the book entitled, Sacred Marriage, by Gary Thomas, an intriguing question is asked, “What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?” pp. 67-68, Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice

READ ON:

Therefore, if marriage is designed to make us holy, then that involves conforming us into the image of Christ.  But how is that accomplished?  Scripture answers this question by pointing out that marriage is a picture of the relationship between Christ and His Church.  Ephesians 5:25-26, p. 68, Fiery Darts

READ ON:

The husband, then, is to love his wife using the way in which Christ loved the church as his blueprint and the wife is to respect her husband using the church’s submission to Christ as her blueprint.  The sanctification process, that is the process of making us holy, is the motivation for the husband to love his wife and the wife to respect her husband. When you see yourself and your spouse as objects of sanctification then how you treat each other will be defined by that understanding. p. 69, Fiery Darts

There’s a lot more in my book on this subject but honestly when I read Gary Thomas’s book, I confess the concept of the purpose of marriage to make us holy was news to me! ! ! ! !  But folks, it makes sense.  A lot of sense.

Have you ever thought, “I’m not happy anymore in this marriage (relationship),” and began contemplating ending the relationship?  Perhaps, you should read the rest of my book!

All things Work Together for Good!

Aug2

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. – Rom. 8:28

There they go!

There they go!

A Present Background!

My daughter and her husband are on a cruise celebrating their 10th year anniversary and my husband and I have the privilege to travel to their home so that we could take care of their 3 children, (8 yr. old girl, 7 yr old boy, 3 year old girl).  I use the word privilege deliberately because to my husband and I anytime God makes it possible for us to spend time with our grandchildren we consider that a profound privilege.  

A Little Past Background!

Years ago, when I struggled with God in releasing my children to Him, my mind was bombarded with a fearsome fiery dart.  “If you release your children to God, He might call them to live far, far away from you!”  At the time I couldn’t bear that thought.  Yet, deep within my soul, I knew it was something I had to do.  I couldn’t run from it and I couldn’t hide from it.  I couldn’t live in denial and ignoring this calling from God, would in no way dismiss my obligation to obey God. 

So, by the grace of God, (and I mean ONLY by the grace of God) I lifted my children up to Him with a trembling heart and promised that I would teach my children to obey and serve God–being comforted by the thought that:

The safest place on earth, is in the center of God’s will.

I did ask God for a favor, however.  I asked Him that if His plans for any of my children involved planting their lives in a place far away from me, that God would make it possible for me to travel to where ever they were to spend time with them.   I didn’t demand this or make this conditional.  For I confessed to God that I would do this hard thing, no matter what!  But I would be more than grateful if I could live in the hope that He would make this possible.  And as you might expect, that is exactly what God has done.

My daughter lives  in Florida, so the fact that God provided us the means to purchase airline tickets to go and be with them is just proof positive that He continues to be tender to my request of all those years ago.  God is indeed faithful.

Now, back to the present!

My husband drove our daughter & son-in-law to the port about an hour’s drive from their house to board their cruise ship and in getting there, our daughter discovered she did not have her driver’s license.  (Panic time!)  Which obviously meant that with no picture id she would not be allowed to board the ship!

I got a phone call from them asking me to check the printer to see if her license was still there.  Sure enough, there it was, along with two insurance cards.  There was nothing to do but to contact my husband and tell him he would have to turn right around and go back to where he had been.  Ugh!  (Problem was, he wasn’t answering his phone so the temptation to freak out was intensifying.)  But everyone held on to their trust that God would work this out and resisted the fiery darts that were attempting to undermine our trust.

Finally, my husband answered his phone and it was decided that when he got back to the house, the kids and I  (along with the 3 important cards) would jump in the car with him and we would all return to the port-of-call so we could hand over the forgotten cards.

So how did this all work out for the good?

We had talked about the children being able to see their parents off at the ship, but decided that wasn’t practical. (Not enough room in the car)  Yet, because of the present dilemma, the kids were able to see the cruise ship their parents would be on (note the picture above).  

Another tidbit of interest is that had not my daughter and son-in-law left as early as they did, we wouldn’t have been able to get the driver’s license to them in time and the trip would have been spoiled.

As I prayed with my grandchildren that night, I thanked God for the opportunity we all had to witness how God took something that was not so good and turn it into good for all.  (Just like He said in Romans 8:28)

Isn’t it awesome to be a Christian!

Truth = Genuine Freedom!

Jul5
Proud of my country's flag!

Proud of my country’s flag!

Today my country is 237 years old.

Two hundred and thirty-seven years ago today, a bunch of ordinary men got together and did something extraordinary and here’s how they went about it:

Before they signed the Declaration of Independence, they went to church for four hours. Then they went to the hall and prayed an hour before they signed it. Several ministers were involved in the decree for independence.

These men knew that freedom wasn’t license to do whatever you wanted to do. They knew that TRUE freedom came through Faith, with Morality, Law, Education, and Liberty, based on Christian values and principals and steeped in the love of God. (Matrix of Liberty)

Our country’s forefathers were fresh from prayer and sacrifice as they signed that Declaration of Independence.  Therefore, the fiery darts had little chance to interfere with or manipulate their attitudes and/or actions.  Most of those men were Christians and I dare say ALL of them respected the Word of God.  Men like this didn’t give the fiery darts much room to mess with their minds.

But through the years this has changed.  No longer is America led by men and women who have a healthy respect for God and His Word.  Many don’t even believe He exists.  Personal agendas trump God’s agenda more often than not. How did we get from 1776 to 2013 and wind up so far from the principals we were founded on?

There are so many ideologies floating around in the halls of our leadership, and each one of them proclaim they want freedom.  Yep, you heard me freedom!  BUT it’s not freedom they really want.  Their freedom is just the fiery dart of license dressed up to look like freedom.  The enemy is so-o-o cleaver, I’m sad to say, and many of us have fallen prey to his deceptions.   

But we do have hope!  Our land can be healed.  It will require something rather dramatic of us, though.

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

 

This is what is all boils down to:

We need to humble ourselves

Pray

Seek God

Turn from our wicked ways

And there’s something  quite significant as to whom this verse is directed:

My People

(That’s Christians, people)

No fiery dart will tell you to start solving our country’s problems by humbling ourselves in prayer, seek God, and repent!  Nope, it will tell you to demand your rights, deny God, assert yourselves and don’t you dare call it ‘wicked’ (even if God does).  And if anyone comes against you for that, then the fiery darts will convince you that whatever you have to do to shut them up is acceptable.  Do you know why they think like that?

I think the Bible nailed it in the following verse.

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Isaiah 5:20

So, fellow Christians we have our mandate.  Don’t expect those who have rejected God to start acting right.  It’s not going to happen.  It’s not their fault our country has strayed so far away from our beginnings, for they are just acting as people like them have always acted.  We allowed it by not standing up for the principals our country was founded on.  We got away from God’s Word, and the further we drifted the cloudier truth became.  

We must get back into God’s Word and allow His Truth to dictate our attitude and actions.  Our country was founded and built upon the Truths of God.  Therefore, no other truths will produce what God’s Truth produces, 

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Romans 8:32

Then and Now!

Jun18

THEN

As I gaze in thought upon my life prior to my lessons concerning fiery darts, I stand amazed at God’s guidance since those pivotal days.  Often, I find myself comparing the life I lived then with the life I live now.

During those ‘prior’ days, on various occasions depression would reach out and grab me, almost pulling me under.  Negative thinking, which I now recognize as fiery darts, dictated my attitudes,emotions, and actions.  I was a people pleaser and my bent toward negative thinking convinced me that not too many people in my life were very pleased with me.  Unfortunately, it seemed to me that there was abundance of evidence which confirmed my suspicions.  Thus, I spiraled downwards too many times.

Yet, during those days there were two constants in my life that prevented me from hitting bottom–my young children and my faith in God.  My children were small and I never doubted that I pleased them.  They were my constant reassurance that I was needed and loved.  And, although I did not seek out God’s truths of scriptures as I should have, God was constantly sending me messages which reminded me that He loved and accepted me.

It seemed that just when I needed His assurance the most, He would send me a lifeline (and often it was via my children or through a special word from God).  Often, all I could do was to cry out to God for His help and plead with Him not to forsake me (you see fiery darts had planted a serious seed of doubt in that regard). My strength was so deficient.   But because God was faithful to His child, I endured and the day finally came when my instruction on fiery darts began and slowly but surely so did my healing.

AND NOW?

You might think that the problems I endured prior to my fiery dart training no longer trouble my life.  If you thought that you’d be mistaken.  For I am still troubled by fiery dart thinking and some of those same troubles back then, still exist.  Yet, I can claim that though those problems still linger, these are blessed days for me.

How is that possible?

My fiery dart training has taught and continues to secure my freedom.  Learning to recognize a negative thought as a fiery dart and how NOT to permit it to rule my thoughts, attitudes, and actions is probably the greatest source of my victory.  Oh, I still have mighty struggles with fiery darts but they don’t have the power to rule me as they did before.  And that’s the clincher!

Fiery Darts do not rule me now:

And therefore, manipulate me to act and think in ways that would undermine my faith and attempt to pull me back into bondage.

Here are a few verses from The Bible that are powerful in depleting the power of fiery dart thinking:

James 4:7, “Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper;”

Philippines 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”

That last verse I have recently discovered is super damaging to fiery dart thinking.  Fill you head with thoughts that are of the nature described in this verse and there just won’t be room for fiery darts to hang around.

So your next step?

Get your hands on my book:  Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice.  I have copies I can sell you (if you want me to mail you one) and it’s available online (try amazon.com and you can get it on Kindle too!)

How does one honor Mother’s Day in a blog that focuses on negative thinking?

May11

 

Well, I’ve been thinking about that and it can be done.  But it will require a journey back in time, a time in my early twenties. (I am 64 now so that’s 40 something years ago.  Can anyone really remember back that far?)

Like many 20 year olds I was straining at the bit to discover what I was to be doing with my life.  I had my own ideas about what I wanted to do and often those ideas were in direct conflict with my parent’s ideas.  But look, I was in my 20’s and I didn’t necessarily have to agree with my parent’s ideas, right?  I had the right to speak my mind for I was an adult, (that was my thinking).

It was during this ‘testing of my wings’ time that I began to experience conflict with my mother.  For she had ways that I was quite judgmental of, so now and then I would confront her about those.  (For they were quite irritating to me, you see)  As you might expect, those confrontations usually ended in tears and hurtful words.  Slowly, through my own misguided attempts to point out to my mom areas where I thought she needed to make some changes, a wall began to form.

Then at age 21 I had an encounter with God that dramatically transformed my thinking–especially about the conflict between my mother and me.

As I grew in my devotion to God, He helped me to understand and see my mother in a clearer light.  He pointed out to me that to honor Him I would need to honor my mother.  And one of the ways I could do that was to stop trying to conform her into an image of my own making.

I felt very strongly that God was pointing out to me back then to accept my mother just the way she was.  I was to resist any attempt to point out changes I felt she needed to make.  Slowly that wall that I had constructed between us began to crumble.

So what’s the connection between fiery darts and what took place in my life  over 40 years ago?

I now know that my thinking back then was characteristic of a fiery dart attack.  All those common sense thoughts that convinced me my mother needed to be corrected were fiery darts aimed at damaging the relationship between she and I.

But when I allowed God’s Word to influence my thinking then my actions and attitudes towards my mother became more accepting.  So much so that those things which use to irritate me simply didn’t bother me anymore.

Even though I wasn’t wise to the particulars of Satan’s scheme to attack me with fiery darts, God was.  And because I was so saturated with God’s Truths, I was able to benefit from the wisdom of those Truths as I applied them to the struggling relationship I had with my mother.

As I listened and learned from God how to honor and show respect for my mother, our relationship steadily improved.  Now that I’m 64 and my mother is 90, I find that my admiration for her continues to increase.  I’m convinced that the relationship we have enjoyed through the years since that time in my 20’s is the by-product of a mother who was faithful to love (and forgive) and a daughter who chose to cooperate with God as He taught her how to honor and respect her mother.

Years later, as I absorbed less and less of God’s Word, I unknowingly allowed Satan to set me on a path of destruction.  But the unfailing love of God intervened and well you can read all about my rescue in Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice.