Don't Let Up!!!

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

Today's Passage: 1 Samuel chapter 11
Memory Verse> Ephesians 4: 27

When you feel the scratchiness in your throat especially during this time of year, and the fact that you have to keep blowing your nose and wiping your eyes to get the water out of them, you know well what's going on. We're in the midst of the Florida "cold-one-minute, warm-the- next" season that causes our bodies to be more susceptible to colds. Now, I certainly don't have time to get into the scientific reasons why this occurs, but we just know that an invasion is imminent. At that moment, we don't go to the store and buy over-the- counter drugs that make us weaker and more vulnerable to the viruses that have already made their way in, do we? Certainly not. We immediately kick into protection mode, doing things that will HELP our immune system do its job rather than hurt.

I,for one, being a person that has to use my voice at least three times during the week, cannot afford to be completely down with a cold, which turns into other things like laryngitis. So I begin to pile on the Vitamin C, make a point to keep my body covered, drink warmer liquids, and suck on throat lozenges. I don't let up for one minute, because doing so could mean not being able to do the thing I love so much: minister to God's people in song. So, as I've become older and wiser, I am learning not to take the cold symptoms lightly by putting off doing those things, or only doing them for a while and then stopping.

The point of all this is that we've already established how cunning and relentless the enemy is at trying to get in and taking over our entire existence. For this reason, when we identify thoughts in our lives that do not belong, it's a great idea to bind them. But we can't stop there. We must completely NEUTRALIZE them, rendering them completely useless and incapable of getting free and letting in others like it. Binding is just a temporary process that tells the enemy to be still for that moment. But in order for him to be totally defeated in that area, he must see that we have totally fallen out of agreement with his presence there. We cannot SAY, "devil, I bind you from bringing me that lustful thought" -- which works for that second because we're made in God's image-- then give in to getting the phone number, or allow ourselves to go to that website where we can continue to see those images. That's the foothold that causes the thought to become action, which then becomes a pattern that crystallizes into habits that can't be broken.

Saints, hear this and settle in your hearts this truth: our enemy will NEVER give up trying to destroy us. He will not quit, and he doesn't care what he uses, as long as he's got access into our lives and uses that thing to take us out. Remember: the ultimate plan is to destroy the will of God for our lives. If he can use food, he will. If he can use lack of self-control in whom we allow around us, he will. If he can deceive us into thinking it's just a harmless little indulgence, he's got us. WE are the ones who must block him access and recognize the "symptoms" he uses, bind him, AND neutralize him by tagging those things for death (but that's the next blog). Right now, I need to get to work taking down every foothold I've given the enemy to take over. Are you coming?

Prayer: father, You are so faithful. You've given us everything we need to be victorious over the enemy in the areas of our struggles. You just need us to be in agreement with Your way of accomplishing that victory. I submit to You now, declaring that no longer will I make excuses for my struggles, but close every door of access to the enemy and depend on You for my deliverance. I declare submission over the readers, hearers and doers of Your Word today. In Jesus' mighty Name, Amen.