As we study the topic of spiritual warfare in the Bible, we discover just how vulnerable we are to Satan’s attacks. But we also discover the power and protection we have in God. As we consider those things that pertain to our spiritual security, we’re challenged to address those things we can do. But we’re also challenged to address those things that we cannot do.
One of the awarenesses God brought to my attention is that when it comes to ministering to others and trying to meet them where they are, we can spend years trying to convince them of point B, assuming they understand point A. But they have no clue or understanding of point A. And so, initially, I want to consider point A of spiritual warfare and not assume you already know point B. Plus, it may even help us all be better able to teach and minister to others.
Ephesians 6:10-18 is the key text in the Bible when addressing spiritual warfare. But several other verses are necessary to understand before fully being able to understand the Ephesians 6 text.
Whether or not you are mature in the faith, spiritual warfare this is something we’ve all experienced. As a matter of fact, we’re ALWAYS experiencing it.
I pray consistently that God removes the scales from my eyes so that I can see what He wants me to see. And that He opens my ears so that I can hear what I need to hear. I’ve asked God to deliver me from the blind spots of religion and that He anoints me to understand so that I can walk in the power of His Truth. That is my prayer for all of us because I believe that God has given us power through the Holy Spirit to live boldly and courageously in the face of adversity and the enemy.
Let’s define Spiritual Warfare.
What is spiritual warfare?
Fighting against the works of evil forces (things happening in the unseen) spiritual realm that manifest in the physical realm/world.
Realm – kingdom, domain, sphere
So as we consider Spiritual Warfare, we understand that they’re are two opposing worlds, kingdoms, domains or spheres.
I don’t want to perpetuate a mindset or approach of fantasy at all. Because Spiritual warfare is very real. But let’s just consider this in 4 parts.
Characters of Spiritual Warfare
Place of Spiritual Warfare
Plot of Spiritual Warfare
Finale of Spiritual Warfare
Characters
Who are the characters or the individuals that are involved in Spiritual Warfare?
With all of these in mind, we need to also think about what we actually believe about them. Or even if we believe in them at all?
Why?
Some people believe in the god of their imagination, opinions and assumptions. But not necessarily the God of the bible. Some people believe in heaven but they don’t believe in hell. Some believe in angels but not in demons.
But all of these characters have significant roles in Spiritual Warfare.
Be on the lookout as I talk about the role God plays in Spiritual Warfare.
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
THE gospel of Christ will ALWAYS include a call to repentance. Remove repentance, you no longer have THE gospel. You have ANOTHER gospel.
Galatians 1:6-10 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Bible verse about repentance
2 Chronicles 7:14—Then if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and will pray and will seek My face and will turn from their evil ways, then I Myself shall hear from the heavens and will forgive their sins and heal their land.
Ezekiel 18:21–23—But if the wicked returns from all of his sins that he has done and he keeps all of my statutes and he does justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die! All of his transgressions that he committed will not be remembered against him. Through his righteousness that he has done he shall live. Have I delight by any means in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord Yahweh, and not at his turning from his way, so that he lives?
Matthew 3:2 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 3:8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Matthew 3:11 I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 11:20–21 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”
Matthew 12:41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
Matthew 1:15 The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.
Mark 1:4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 6:12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.
Luke 3:3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Luke 3:8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you , God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
Luke 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
Luke 10:13 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
Luke 11:32 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
Luke 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Luke 13:5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Luke 15:7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Luke 15:10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Luke 16:30 And he said, “No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.”
Luke 17:3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
Luke 17:4 And if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, “I repent,” you must forgive him.
Luke 24:47 And that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.
Acts 8:22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Acts 13:24 Before His coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent.
Acts 19:4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the One who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”
Acts 20:21 Testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 5:31 God exalted Him at His right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
Acts 26:20 But declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
Romans 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
2 Corinthians 7:9–10 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
2 Corinthians 12:21 I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.
2 Timothy 2:25 Correcting His opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.
Hebrews 6:6 And then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding Him up to contempt.
Hebrews 12:17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
Revelation 2:16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
Revelation 2:21–22 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works.
Revelation 3:3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.
Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Revelation 9:20–21 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Revelation 16:9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
Revelation 16:11 And cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
Recently, I attended a Bible class where we studied Psalms 23 for the entire month. The teacher asked many questions to prepare us for the study. He wanted us to reconnect to a time of hardship we’d experienced.
He then made a statement that I struggled to receive. He said, “It’s ok to be angry with God.” He’s not the first I’ve heard say this. But each time I hear it, there’s something in me that just can’t accept this.
As I consider who I am and who God is, I’m reminded that we were created for God. God wasn’t created for us. When our perception of either is not aligned with how God reveals Himself and us in scripture, we end up thinking too highly of ourselves and not highly enough of God. This is one of Satan’s traps to discredit God in the eyes of people.
As we hold up Truth about God and ourselves in light of suffering, it helps us accept and understand the necessity of suffering for God’s children.
Jesus, Himself, said that He learned obedience by the things He suffered.
He was sinless. We are not. How much more would we need to suffer in order to learn obedience, when we’ve actually been disobedient?
Believe that even in your suffering, God will cause all things to work together for your good. (Romans 8:28) This is why it’s so important to pursue humility. Pride will provoke a spirit of entitlement in us. Yes. We can expect blessings from God. He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. But pride will cause us to believe we actually deserve those blessings. We don’t. It makes us forget what we really do deserve even on our best Holy Ghost filled day – the wrath of God.
For those that reject God, they will suffer in this life. And they will suffer for eternity after this life. But all suffering is temporary for the child of God.
When we experience suffering of any kind, we have to be especially watchful of our hearts. When life gets hard, not only do we struggle emotionally, but we also become more vulnerable to sin.
Job comes to mind. He responded to suffering in a way that we can learn some very valuable lessons from.
The Bible says that Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. He’s a real person with real emotions. So are we. There’s nothing wrong with responding emotionally when we’re hit with suffering.
Job grieved.
In addition to grieving, Job worshiped. It says that he fell to the ground in worship. I don’t believe he fell to the ground to worship. I believe Job was so emotionally distraught that he collapsed to the ground in distress. But there was something that Job realized or remembered about God and himself while he was down there. (This goes back to what I said earlier…how we perceive God and ourselves play a major role in how we respond to suffering.)
Job said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
First, he acknowledged something about himself. He said he had nothing when he came into the world and he’ll have nothing when he leaves. Job is grieving because of his great loss. But he doesn’t respond with anger. He doesn’t accuse God of doing anything wrong. He acknowledges that God gives and takes away.
Job is letting us know that everything received in life is a blessing from God. It’s not a transfer of ownership. It’s an assignment of stewardship. God gave it and He can take it away. It belongs to Him anyway.
The Bible says, “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”
If we’re angry with God, it’s a strong possibility that our perception of ourselves and our perception of God is not aligned with Truth. Satan wants to discredit God. And he wants us to do the same. He knows tempting us in anger against God will accomplish that. Before we doubt God, we should doubt our doubt. The fact that God doesn’t make mistakes is not a cliche’. It’s true!
Understanding this, Job says “may the name of the Lord be praised.”
Even though God took away, He did no wrong. He took back what He had given. The enemy is trying really hard to program our thinking in ways that will cause us to reject God and His will for our lives.
As difficult as loss of any kind can be, we must seek to have the mind of Jesus. Not my will, but Yours be done.
Like Job, in spite of loss, tears, grief, sorrow and suffering, we will praise the Lord. “In all this, we will not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”
What do you believe Jesus is calling you to or out of? Struggle? Hardship? Pain? This demonically influenced world will have you believing that all God wants to do is give you your best life here. It’s all about how you prosper here. That’s not what it’s about. The Bible says, “What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?”
God’s invitation is for us to come out of darkness, out of our sin and to be joined with Him, in the Light of righteousness. Our sin and darkness can’t mix with the Light of God. This is why Jesus came. He is our way to God. If you accept God’s invitation through fellowship with Jesus, you gain access to all spiritual blessings. And that includes eternal life.
Satan doesn’t want us to believe that heaven and hell exists. Neither does he want us to believe in God and Jesus. But the Word says, “Let God be true and every man be a liar.”
All of us are benefactors in this life of God’s blessings. (Even when we experience hardship and suffering) However, hell is to be eternally separated from God — No light. No blessing. Just pain and torture forever. Every person on this earth will have to answer to God. We all need to be saved from the penalty of our sin. Jesus came to make this possible. He came to pay the debt we owed for our sins. This makes it possible for us to become His children. But He won’t force us into fellowship with Him.
The world wants us to believe that we’re all heaven bound just because of the way we feel or the way we think. Jesus is the Way to heaven. God already determined Him to be the Way – the only way. It’s dangerous and self-destructive to reject God and The truth of His Word.
God’s love is not like man’s love. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus didn’t wait for us to acknowledge Him as Lord or to love or honor Him before He chose to give His life on our behalf. We should have all have to hang on a cross for our own sin. This is a God kind of love! It was not based on reciprocity. Jesus loves us and gave His life in our place in spite of us. We did nothing to deserve it, but because He loves us so much and He desired to do His Father’s will, He did what we could not do for ourselves. He saves us from sin, Satan and even ourselves. But we have to make a decision to accept this awesome gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. There is no other way.
My prayer for us all is that God removes the scales from our eyes that we may see. That He opens our ears that we may hear. And that He opens our hearts that we may receive.
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
John 14:66 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit..
Matthew 11:20-24
20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: 21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Philippians 4:4-8 4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
When we read these verses, it gives us a list of things we need to do if we’re going to enter in the peace of God and into the presence of the God of peace. Just reading these verses won’t get you peace. But doing what these verses say will.
So here’s the checklist when you need the peace of God.
“Rejoice in the Lord always” Rejoice means to be glad. This is not an adjective. It’s a verb. It means to delight in, to be conscious of and to experience God’s grace. This is an attitude check.
“Let your gentleness be evident to all” This is spiritual discipline. In other words, make sure you continue to conduct yourself as a child of God. This is a behavior check.
“Do not be anxious about anything” This word anxious, means distracted; drawn in opposite directions. This is a focus check.
“In every situation, by prayer” Make sure you are talking “to” God and not “at” Him. Make sure you’re connected with His presence. Make sure you’re intentionally seeking Him, His face. Make sure you have an expectation for God to respond. This is an intention check.
“and by petition” This is a heart-felt supplication and request arising out of deep personal need. We know what we want from God. But do we know what we need from Him?) Do we know what really matters? (priority check) with thanksgiving. This is a gratitude, humility and pride check
Notice that all of these things require us to have a specific heart posture. This is not just about what you say to God. It’s about the heart behind what we say to Him.
This heart posture is what the enemy wants to bully us out of. He doesn’t want us to delight in God’s grace. He doesn’t want us to conduct ourselves in a holy way. He doesn’t want us to be focused or intentional. He wants us to be prideful and to seek sufficiency within ourselves.
This is why when we’re having a hard time walking in faith, we don’t have the best attitudes. We don’t behave righteously. We’re focused on the wrong things. Our prayer lives are weak or self-absorbed. And we lack humility.
The verse says once you get your heart in the right place, now you can present your requests to God.
Why do you think it’s important to have your heart in the right place when requesting something from God?
James 4:3,7 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
So when I do my part, God does His. He ushers us into a place of peace. Our part requires discipline and temperance. And then, God does for us what we can’t do for ourselves. That is to bring us into a place of peace.
There’s just you and God in this plane. Of course, God is in the pilot seat. You’re in the passenger seat. Not only is God in the plane, but He is the airplane and the entire course.
He’s the run way/starting place. He is the way, the Truth and life.
He’s the wings/elevation. He will lift you up.
He’s the engine. He gives you life. He’s the gasoline.
He is the reason you live, you move and have your very being.
He’s the exterior body of the plane. He formed you in your mother’s womb.
He’s the navigation system. He directs your steps.
He’s the windows you see through. He removes the scales from your eyes that you might see.
He’s the electrical system. He looks at your heart.
He’s the seat that you’re sitting in. He is the place of rest.
He’s the fire extinguisher. He is a very present help in the time of trouble.
He’s even the parachute. He will catch you when you fall.
He’s the black box. He ALWAYS know where you are and when you’ve been.
He’s every part of the plane.He’s the destination/the landing strip.
Acts 17:28 In Him we live, we move and we have our very being.
In this two-passenger airplane, God gives you operating rights, entrusting that you’ll honor His presence. He says, even though I’m your everything, I’m giving you free will to steward this plane and everything in it and about it. Even though I’m your everything, I won’t force you to honor me, do what I want you to do or go where I want you to go.But I want you to understand a few very important things about Me.
I want you to Love Me.
Not love the airplane. Not love where I can take you in this airplane. Not love the things I do for you. But love Me.
Matthew 22:37 … “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command.
I’m a jealous God.
I didn’t create you for you to be about everything and everybody except Me. I created you for Myself.
Deut. 4:24 “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God”.
Exodus 34:14 “For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”
Light has no fellowship with darkness.
I can’t and won’t dwell in darkness. If you choose to live in darkness/in sin, understand that I won’t be there with you.
Darkness opposes and rejects My presence and My light.
1 John 1:5 NIV This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.
2 Corinthians 6:14 NIV Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
In other words, God has standards for our relationship with Him. We don’t get to decide these things.
Jeremiah 10:23 KJV O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Understanding that we need God for everything, it’s a wise and smart thing to allow Him to tell us what to do. Especially in our relationship with Him. Because every bit of our journey in this life will be determined by our willingness or unwillingness to let Him do just that — tell us what to do.
The God of heaven is not bound or limited by process. All He has to do is speak and it will be. But He allows and uses process to:
*Afford His children opportunities to exercise the faith they profess. What would be the purpose of being required to have something that you never needed to use? Faith isn’t faith until it’s exercised.
*To prepare us to behold His glory – Yeah, you need to know that God did that. It didn’t just fall out of the sky. It has nothing to do with the universe, chance or luck. It was God! You can be amazed but don’t be shocked. God is more than able. And nothing is too hard for Him.
*And to glorify Himself – The greater the gory, the greater the glory. God can be glorified in the valley just like He can be glorified on the mountaintops. We are the “thru”. God is the “to”. God gets His glory THRU us. But all the glory belongs TO God.
You better believe, it doesn’t take all that for God to do what He does in the lives of His children. God doesn’t need process. We do.
God doesn’t have to “show up and show out”. He is not limited or bound by location and/or time. He’s magnificent all by Himself. He doesn’t have to do anything. All He has to do is BE! He is the Great I Am!
He is everywhere at the same time. And He is who He is, all of the time, wether we recognize it or not.
So while we’re waiting on Him to “show up”, He’s waiting on us to recognize that He’s already there.
He’s already there!
So…. Way too many of us are trusting processes, but not trusting God. It’s not about trusting the process. It’s about trusting The God of the process!
One of the most profound and important questions I was asked as a single woman was “Are you available?” When I considered this question for myself, I realized that it had way more weight than simply answering if I was in a committed relationship. As a matter of fact, I realized that being able to respond to this question wasn’t only determined if I was in or not in a committed relationship.
Although you may desire a relationship or believe you’re ready for one, it doesn’t mean that you are ready. What makes you available is not just your current relationship status or a strong desire for one. Where you are mentally, emotionally and spiritually are all significant in if you’re available or not.
Consider the following to assess where you are.
Are you available?
Part 1
Stop placing yourself on hold for a maybe. Maybe he’ll want more. Maybe he won’t. I’m a firm believer in the fact that if a man wants you, he’ll do something to make his intentions clear. But you have to make sure that you’re honest, wise and discerning if he wants you or just access to you. You have to understand that you being a good catch won’t make a man’s pursuit of you honorable. He has to come with his own honor, independent of you. In other words, your goodness won’t make him good. And just because you can have a good time with him, doesn’t mean you can build a good life with him. I must be brutally honest, as I reflect on my own past. Sometimes, we create our own relational misfortunes by trying to be the right one for the wrong one. You fully understand the plan that God has for you (even when you keep veering off the path to do your own thing your own way). And instead of you being all in God’s way, you straddle the fence trying to hold onto the benefits of God and a piece of the world at the same time. Tip-toeing into the world to find love, then try to drag him to God to fix him and your relationship when there’s trouble in paradise. And you find out again, that oil and water still don’t mix. God’s way is right.
Part 2
Have you assessed your baggage? Are you healed or free from past experiences? Will the new man have to be punished for what the old man did? I do believe that some past failed relationships can create a degree of relational (and sometimes, personal) insecurities. The new man can be instrumental in helping you heal and regain a sense of security. But he’s not responsible for your healing. That’s your responsibility. You should already be on a healing journey before you enter into a new relationship. And way too often, instead of us waiting on God, we move ahead and get into relationships that will further exploit our previous brokenness. And this habitual, irresponsible cycle pulls you further out of God’s will. It numbs you emotionally and conditions you to keep attaching yourself to “Mr. Right Now” because something is better than nothing. You’ll keep settling for company at the expense of commitment. And you’ll settle for a commitment at the expense of a covenant.
Part 3
Are you still tied to being available for “him” when he’s only expressed interest, but has yet to really invest in you? Who is “him”? “Him” is that dude that you really want to be The One, even though you know he’s toxic. And if he’s not necessarily toxic, he’s done nothing worthwhile to have your attention the way he does. But for some reason, a part of you just can’t keep him off your mind. This reminds me of the song by Jasmine Sullivan, I’m In Love With Someone Else. She’s telling the right man that she’s not available for him, because she’s in love with the wrong man. She admits that he feeds her flesh, but starves her soul. Jasmine knew he wasn’t good for her. She was honest about it. But many women aren’t. Too many have convinced themselves that the man they want is good for them. Not because he is, but because that’s what she has to convince herself of to keep him in her life. This is why some of us need to check our appetites. You can’t keep eating a junk food diet expecting to get the nutrition that you need to be healthy. Most won’t have a “Jasmine” conversation with the right man or even with themselves. But you have a “Jasmine” heart. You’re being led and deceived by your own unhealthy appetites for love, affection and attention. And you’re unable to discern what’s good for you because you’re in our flesh. I learned this the hard way. For myself, I could not have chosen a healthy man because I wasn’t a healthy woman. My flesh had me sick. And I thought it was the man that was making me sick. Nope! I was already sick. Those bad relationships and toxic men just exposed that I was sick.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
All of us probably have been in a place where our hearts were so heavy, we couldn’t really even pray for ourselves. There were times when you were able to muster up the energy, you would approach God to pray and you found yourself speechless. You were numb in your thoughts. No real focus. You just sat. And then sometimes, all you could do was cry.
There’s a song that says, “I lay awake at night. I have to cry sometimes. I have to moan sometimes.”
I’ve been there.
During one season of my life, all within a few months time, I had lost my mom to cancer. I lost my job. And I had permanently separated from my husband, who was a drug addict. I felt like I was a walking mummy. I was numb to say the least. It was like I was having an outer body experience. It was like I was watching my life from the outside as a spectator.
Later on, I came to appreciate that numbness. I felt like God had Divinely orchestrated a mental and emotional numbing or disconnect to keep me sane and to keep me going in that season.
I believe that if I actually had to feel to the fullest, everything that I was going through during that time, I could have seriously had some type of mental or emotional breakdown.
At that time, one of my elders asked me if I needed anything. I told him, “Too much to say. If I told you what I needed, you’d take off running.” That was the end of that conversation.
I felt like I needed so much that I couldn’t even bring myself to ask him for anything. Because honestly, I didn’t even know what I needed.
And I found myself in the same place when it came to God. How can I bring myself to ask God for so much? How could I ask Him for anything not even knowing what I needed?
I mean…I knew I needed something. I knew I needed a lot. But I was so heavy in my spirit that I couldn’t even think straight long enough to figure out what I needed.
This is why we can appreciate the text.
It says that we don’t even know what to pray for.
So God, in His infinite wisdom knew that we would struggle and find ourselves having a difficult time at the foot of the cross just to open our hearts to God. If it wasn’t because of heaviness, it would be because of our ignorance or immaturity. We just wouldn’t know what we ought to be praying for.
The foot of the cross….this should be our place of refuge and surrender. We should be able to lay it all out as authentic as we can be. The foot of the cross is supposed to be our safe place. This is where we get naked and unashamed in the presence of God.
But when life hits us, the enemy will paralyze us in our human frailty. And this flesh we live in will shackle us and consume our thoughts. And we find ourselves unable to pray for ourselves or pray at all – our minds clouded with defeat, stress, worry or whatever it is that has us unable to pray.
This is why the bible teaches in Proverbs 4:23 More than anything you guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it.
The enemy knows that there is power in the prayers of faith of a child of God. Our prayers call down heaven’s intervention and God’s power.
This is why Satan attacks our ability to pray. Because it’s no longer about our strength. But it then becomes about the strength of the all powerful God of heaven.
You know for the longest, I had allowed myself to buy into the idea that I had to be strong at all times. There’s no place for weakness. Especially as a woman. But especially as a child of God.
But what God did for me was show me that sometimes life will throw some stuff at you that you can not bear.
Of course, this contradicts what so many of us have heard. We hear that God won’t put more on us than we can bear. But this actually contradicts what the Bible teaches.
2 Corinthians 12:9 says that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. His grace is sufficient. It’s enough.
In other words, we don’t have to be strong when we learn to abide in the strength of God. God will be our strength.
Why would God be our strength? Because He knows that we weren’t built or made to be able to handle it all. There are just some things that are too heavy for us to carry. Otherwise, we wouldn’t need Him. God created us to need Him.
Look what Paul said concerning their suffering in 2 Corinthians 1:8
…we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life.
They were suffering to the degree that they wanted to die or they thought they were going to die.
The comfort of God met them exactly where they were in their despair.
But even in our suffering and despair, God is intentional.
2 Corinthians 1:9
Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead…
The Word is showing us that our weaknesses are Divinely orchestrated circumstances that God affords us opportunities to trust Him.
So when we find ourselves in this place of weakness, despair, hopelessness with no words, unable to pray, the Holy Spirit says “I got you covered. I’m praying for you when you can’t pray for yourself. And I’m praying for those things you don’t even know you should be praying for.”
We don’t have to pray eloquent, impressive prayers to get God’s attention. Our pain gets God’s attention.
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
God hears our groans. He hears the pain. He hears the concerns. He hears the desperation. He hears the depths of our hearts that we haven’t even been able to discover, understand or express. He hears the groans no one else hears or knows about.
Even when we are able to pray eloquent and what we would consider a powerful, mighty prayer to God, we still don’t know the depths or the magnitude of what we need to be praying for. This is why God graces us and the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf.
The Word groans in Romans 8:26 means sighing, especially brought on by circumstances creating great pressure.
Remember the groaning of children of Israel when they were enslaved by Egypt.
Exodus 2:24-25
24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.
God gave attention to their oppression.
It says that:
God heard
God saw
God knew
This is the same God that we serve today.
God hears the pain you can’t express.
God sees every detail of what you’re going through – even better than you can see.
God knows everything you’ve been through, you’re going through, and what you’ve yet to go through.
God hears. God sees. And God knows. And the Holy Spirit is praying for you.
He’s not just praying that God gives you relief or deliverance.
He’s praying in accordance with the will of God.
The Spirit and Jesus are one in the same.
Jesus prayed, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou will be done.
Matthew 26:39
See when we pray for ourselves, sometimes, we just want the pain to go away. We just want God to say yes. But that may not be what keeps us in the will of God.
Jesus and the Holy Spirit understands that remaining in God’s will is more important than eliminating our pain.
This can be a hard pill to swallow. So this begs us to develop an understanding, desire and appreciation for God’s will over our own.
In His will is where victory is no matter how things turn out.
So we can trust that God will deliver us IN the storm or He’ll deliver us BY the storm.
Isn’t it good to know that whether God pulls us out or not that we have an advocate, a Comforter praying for us.
I imagine that He’s praying for us like Jesus prayed for Peter.
Luke 22:32 I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail.
God understands that life can get pretty tough. He knows that sometimes we want to throw in the towel and give up.
Remember this: that you’re already a victor in Christ Jesus. You don’t have to fight to win. You’ve already won. You’re just waiting on your reward.
Look at the text. Look at what the Holy Spirit is doing for us.
Romans 8:26-27
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
He helps us.
He intercedes for us.
He searches our hearts.
These are promises to the children of God. He helps those in Christ. He intercedes for His children. Those that don’t belong to Christ don’t have this benefit.
So if you’re not a child of God, you have a decision to make. Are you going to continue to live your life, that’s guaranteed to cause you pain, without the covering of the Holy Spirit – without being in Christ?
Or will you decide to live in Christ and gain access to this spiritual blessing among many more?
For those that are in Christ, but struggling to pray during your storm, hold on.
Hebrews 10:36
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
God hears the sighs no one hears. He loves you. Heaven is cheering for you.
So it’s ok if you only groan. God knows the depths of your heart and cares for you.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
This is one of my favorite bible verses, particularly, when my faith is being challenged by struggle or hardship. It reminds me that whatever issue I’m facing will benefit me in some way. It helps me embrace the struggle as an opportunity to grow in my walk with the Lord.
But there’s something significant about this verse that I have to keep in mind at all times. That is the “love” factor. It says that all things will work together for good for those that love God.
So I have to take a step back from this verse to see if I even qualify as a recipient of the promise of this verse.
Do I love God?
Well… love in this verse is not emotionalism. It’s not the fluffy feelings l get when I think about the goodness of God.
This love means actively doing what the Lord says. It’s embracing God’s will (choosing His choices) and obeying them through His power.
So now as I consider this verse, I must ask myself “Am I obeying God?” “Am I embracing God’s will?”
Can I expect all things to work for my good if I’m not obeying God and embracing His will?
Look what Jesus says in John 14:15.
“If you love Me, obey My commandments.“
Jesus lets us know that there is definitive, recognizable evidence of our love for Him.
He didn’t say that the evidence is our church attendance, our praise for Him or our testimonies about Him. He didn’t say it was how much money we put in the collection plate or how loud we shout on Sundays. (although you may have heard this on any given Sunday. “If you love the Lord, stand to your feet…. clap your hands. Or whatever physical expression of love you’re encouraged to do)
Jesus says if we love Him we will obey His commandments.
So now as I consider Romans 8:28, I understand that God will cause everything to work together for my good as a direct result of my obedience to Him.
If God causes things to work together for my good when I’m obedient, He can very much cause them to work against me when I’m disobedient.
BeyondSeeLevel 