Tag: battle

Stand & Fight

Karla Lees
Via Unsplash, Mikhail Odintsov

It has been quite the battle I have been fighting over these past three days. From a spontaneous fire breaking out in a dry load of laundry which had been out of the dryer for over 2 hours, a flare of arthritis in the hand I predominantly type/write with, loved ones about me struggling with illness, depression, loss of loved ones, and aging parents. All while I was waiting to decide on how I was going to respond to a recent invitation.

God clearly confirmed for me which way I should choose in my church service yesterday. Part of which is the renewed determination to stand and fight at His side, to deliberately practice His ways, to intentionally follow His lead.

For the God I serve? He is both daily battling in the spiritual realm for me 24/7, and present walking beside me, equipping me to head into battle with His strength, vision, and weaponry.

This week, I’ll be sharing some of what I am learning about battling as His soldier. I hope it will not only encourage you to know you are not alone, but offer you some insight into new ways He can equip and walk beside you along the way.

One key way I battle is through intentional worship. On my playlist right now is a reminder of who He is and how I can trust Him in whatever battle I am facing.

🎙SCATTER by Pat Barrett

“I don’t need to be afraid of the darkness, I belong to the light. Every shadow’s got to run from the fire coz You own the night. I don’t need to be afraid of the battle when I’m by Your side. I’ve seen the end of this story – You win the fight!

CHORUS: Light the fire in my soul, tell the darkness where to go!

I don’t need to be afraid of the battle when I’m by Your side. Cause I’ve seen the end of this story – You win the fight!

CHORUS: Light the fire in my soul, tell the darkness where to go!

When we praise, when we praise the enemy scatters. In Your name, in Your name strongholds shatter. X2

Tell the spirit of fear he’s gotta go, he’s gotta go.

CHORUS: Light the fire in my soul, tell the darkness where to go!”

Songwriters: Jason Ingram / Patrick Barrett / Steven Furtick

#hopefortheharddays #praiseisaweapon

when our walk can speak louder than our talk

Karla Lees

There are times when the walls are meant to come down, and God wants us to know it is because of who He is, not due to the works of our hands.

Dive into Joshua with me, and take a peek at the battle for Jericho with me today.

In Joshua 6, we meet up with the Israelites outside of heavily fortified Jericho.  First on the list to be overthrown in order to take the Promised Land.

And in verse one, we are informed no one could go in, and no one was getting out.

Now we know that didn’t used to be the case, because two of the spies managed to get in (in Joshua 4) and meet Rahab, who told them how all of Jericho was petrified from hearing about their God.  We can only assume Jericho tightened its security after that encounter.

In Joshua 5, we get confirmation in verse 1 that all the kings in the area heard how God dried up the Jordan for the Israelites to cross and their “hearts melted in fear” as they lost their courage to face them in battle.

Then the weirdest timing I ever heard of for preparing for battle happened in Joshua 5:2.  God instructed Joshua to circumcise the Israelites again.  Which may seem a bit strange, but since they had been wandering for 40 years, the circumcised generation had all passed away, and their children needed it done.

I don’t know about you, but if i had been hearing rumours the town we were set to conquer was petrified of us, I would be wanting to strike while the fear was at its all time high.  Not recover from surgery before war.

But three things happened because of their obedience, which spoke louder than i expected as I continued to read this passage.

  1. God gave the place where they obeyed Him a new name, Gilgal (which means roll), to signify He had rolled away their past in Egypt. (Joshua 5:9)
  2. When they celebrated their first Passover in the new land, the manna stopped the next day. (Joshua 5:10-12)  This confirmed for the people God has given them the Promised Land, as not only their home, but through which He would provide for them.
  3. Joshua had a vision where he confronted a warrior he didn’t recognize, asking if he was for Israel or its enemies. (Joshua 5:13)  The commander of the Lord’s army (Joshua 5:14) replied he had now arrived, and that the ground they were on was holy.  Joshua then asked him what message God had for him.

When we pick up Joshua 6 again in verse 2, I believe we hear the message the commander of God’s army passed on to Joshua in that holy moment.

God was about to deliver Jericho into Israel’s hand through their obedience, not their might.

Here was the message:  March the army around the city once a day for 6 days. Have 7 priests carry their trumpets ahead of the ark, at the front of the procession. Have them blow their trumpets, but stay silent. On the 7th day, march around Jericho seven times.  Then, when you hear the trumpets sound a long blast, everyone shout loudly. Then the walls will collapse, and you can take the city. (Joshua 5:2-5)

This might sound more than a little crazy to you and I, but don’t forget who God gave this message to.

Joshua saw Moses come off the mountain with the 10 Commandments God Himself inscribed in rock.  Manna & quail fell 6 days a week from heaven. Their clothing & shoes never wore out, despite 40 years of wear and tear. God’s Presence was visible to His people. The crossing of the Red Sea & the Jordan. Joshua might even have seen the plagues on Egypt.

There is no word telling us that Joshua took a moment to think it over, or was apprehensive at all about God’s instruction.

In Joshua 5:6-15, Joshua instructed the army to follow His directions. When the final trumpet blast sounded in verse 16, he commanded the army to shout, for God has given them the city but to give all inside of it to the Lord, save Rahab and those in her house.

In Joshua 5:20-25, we see Israel obeying.

Israel won this mighty battle because they walked as God commanded them to. Even when it might have brought them derision across the land as the days went on and they only walked around Jericho’s outside, without saying a word save for the trumpets’ sound.  Even when those walls must have looked indestructible, and solid as they kept walking about it.

They kept their feet on the path God had for them, and let their actions speak His ways loud and clear.

Their worship was their obedience.

There are times when the walls we are facing will not come down except through His might, and our obedience to follow His instructions, no matter how strange they may be.

For His ways are beyond ours, and we don’t see the whole picture clearly.  We don’t always know all the players involved in the battle, but God does.  We may not need to know everything that is going on, but He knows.

Our walk speaks louder than our talk when it is God speaking through our obedience.

I have walls ahead of me.  God isn’t finished with me yet, so I know the road up ahead for me to move into the fullness He has planned for me will not be all smooth sailing, or an easy jaunt.

But I am not facing these walls on my own.  Even if some of them may have been of my own making.

God will overcome them as I bring them to Him, and follow His lead to see them fall.

His might, His power, His holiness, Him in all His majestic gloriousness is more than a match for any wall standing against Him or His children.

On the other side of that wall, Israel discovered the wild might of their God battling for them in a way they might never have discovered had they not put one foot behind the other and walked out their part.

Today, you and I have the same opportunity.

For the same God desires to set us free of the walls of our own making, and to bring down the obstacles hindering us from where He desires for us to be.

Spend some time with Him. Ask Him what your part is to seeing the walls within and in front of you coming down. Listen for Holy Spirit’s guidance.  Confirm what you hear.

Once you know it was His voice?

Whatever He tells you to do, do it.

And watch Him show Himself strong as He battles for you, Beloved!

PicsArt_11-23-11.59.34

 

Do you overcome your problems or do you let them overcome you?

Karla Lees

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Some people are overcome by problems. Others overcome problems. -Max Lucado

Which kind of people are you?

Do you sink down overcome when things get tough or do you rise to overcome?

Everything could overcome you if you let it, for this is an amazing world full of both wonder and wildness.

Full of people who can rub us the wrong way, situations which are designed to topple us by an almost unseen enemy, and full of the God of wonders – all at the same time.

Which are you allowing your focus to be fixed upon? The created or the Creator?

We can overcome anything when we know:

1. Who we are.

We are the Beloved of Christ. We are the apple of His eye, the delight of His heart, the Bride He longs for.  We are His family, the ones He free back Home, made whole and set on fire to share the wonder of our newness with the world around us.

2. Who to turn to.

The God of all Creation, over all things made and unseen, this God is not a hands off type being who rules without any consideration for anyone other than Himself.

All He does for His Beloved flows out of the love He has for her.

For you and for me.

He promises so many times in the Scriptures He is with us, becuase He knows how often we may need that reminder when the hard times come.

Because of Him, we can overcome.

The end of the story of humanity has already been recorded and written for all to read, learn and believe.

God wins, the enemy doesn’t.

God overcomes, forever and ever!

We too can overcome when we invite Him to battle for us.

It doesn’t matter what you are facing, but whose face you are focused upon….

You can look to yourself to overcome, but we all know deep down we are only able to handle so much on our own.

You can keep your eyes fixed on the enemy’s moves, and become overworked as you stand in fear.

Or you can fix your eyes on God’s loving face. Cry out to Him, the One who is able to do all things, make the miraculous happen in the blink of an eye, sends His angels to protect you, covers you in the blood of Jesus and indwells you by the Holy Presence of God Himself, Holy Spirit.

When we begin to feel overwhelmed, fall to your knees.
Not because you are admitting defeat, but to show the enemy you refuse to bend the knee to any other than God Himself.

Ask Him to invade the situation with all He has for you to make it through, not only to endure but to overcome in His strength.

Then stand in that strength, the strength of His might, and walk over and through those problems.

Because you know He’s got you covered.

And because He is with you, you will overcome.

If the waves seem too high today, the debt load crushing or the relationship too far gone for human intervention, He is waiting for you to welcome Him into your problems.

He delights, as any good father does, in helping His children, in showering blessings on His Beloved.

With Him at your side, you will overcome.

step behind to move forward

Karla Lees

Most of us like to lead.
To be in control, to make the decisions, to head up the charge.

As Christians, we need to let go of our desire to lead, and learn to follow.

There is only One Head of the church, and His Name is Jesus.
He laid down His life in order to restore & love her, us. The one He adores.

Not only has He physically earned the right to lead, it is His birthright as the Son. 

The Father has Jesus sitting at His right hand & sharing the throne of Heaven.

Jesus waged the first major battle for His Bride, and came out victorious.

With a battle equipped and ready leader in our corner, why do we struggle so with allowing Him to lead?

Because we forget.

We forget He made us exquisitely complicated & meticulously  detailed to plan by His hand.

We forget He made all things, knows all things, and rules over all.

We forget He has plans for us to prosper, overcome & have a great future.

We forget He is with us, every single moment, intimately a part of our lives when we are His.

God came with the ability to lead hardwired into all He does, based upon His mighty strength, never failing wisdom, and His loving sacrificially servant heart.

We don’t.

Oh some of us have leadership abilities and wonderful talents.  In the Kingdom, He is to lead the way.

We are to follow Him home.

The road ahead will have pitfalls, gains, heartbreak, blessings, pain, joy, and road blocks.

We cannot navigate on our own if we want to make it through victorious.

For the part we cannot always see in full, He walks confidently aware of with the authority He was meant to wear.

The battle is not only waged earth, but in the spiritual realm as well.

Without the head of Heaven fighting for us, we will be damaged, wounded and defeated by the enemy.  Not because God isn’t almighty & capable to defeat him, but because we refused to let God lead.

When we go into the battle without our Shield & Warrior, we become an easy target for enemy snipers.

In Ephesians, we are reminded that most of our weaponry is defensive, made for our protection. 

Our main weapons?

Listening for instruction.
Putting on our armor.
Obeying His commands.
Following where He goes before us.

The only weapons we are to actively use are prayer & Word: both as led by the Spirit, who does all things proclaiming the Lordship of the Son & honoring the plans & Name of the Father.

The Father is the strategist.
The Son is the Warrior.
The Spirit is the Messenger.

We are to live out the message that Jesus saves.

We are to follow where He leads.

We are to remain in Him.

His part is to protect, instruct & guide us to live the lives He desires for each of us.

It is hard to acknowledge you are not meant to be on the front lines 24/7. Because we always think where the visible action is is where we want to be.

Without the reconnaissance of satellites, millions more of our military could walk into unnecessary ambushes & to their deaths.

It’s because of the bigger picture, both the overview complete with the details, which the information gatherers collect, that they are able to know where to head for safety, or where to go to avoid the ambushes & stay on target.

The planning makes the most of the data taken in, and the use of the might at hand as it aims to defeat the enemy.

When we know where best to go & how to fight, the battle is more easily won.

The Father is our satellite,
Jesus is our weapon,
Holy Spirit is the data transmitter.

We are meant to tune in, and follow as God leads.

Some of the battle being fought around us is handled by His angels.  Some through our prayers.

The one common denominator, which leave the enemy quaking in His boots is Jesus.

The One who defeated death & broke the chains forever has already tossed the enemy out of Heaven, and shown Himself the Eternal Victor.

One of the only strategies the enemy has left is to deceive us that we can successfully fight without our Victor.

Take a moment, and acknowledge to Him how much you like to be in control. (Don’t worry, I am repeating this out loud right alongside you! You are not alone.)
Tell Him you want to lay down your right to lead, and invite the One who reigns to take the reins of your life. Pour out your heart and all the burdens you have before Him.  Allow Him to comfort & strengthen you. Put on your custom fitting armor, and get ready for His battle cry to go to war on your behalf. 

Pray, listen obey, repeat.
Move out remaining under His protection, as He leads you to move.
Fall into step behind Him to safely move forward.
Let Him make the way safe before You.
Keep vigilant, and watch Him do what He does best- fight for the one He loves.
You.

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God is …invincible

Karla Lees

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We like to think of God like Superman….but He doesn’t have an Achilles heel or a weakness for kryptonite.

He is invincible.

When we walk with Him like David did, we can take down the giants we come to face in our lives.

Notice in 1 Samuel 17 that David mentions several instances where God helped him defeat lion(s) and bear(s).  

Because it’s not only one instance where we will encounter situations beyond the norm, is it?!

David taped in to the strength beyond his own when He stood up against Goliath, and defeated him as God lead him to.

Because when we walk in obedience as He leads, He directs our weaponry to hit the intended mark.

For the battle truly belongs to the Lord, and He will never be defeated.

I have struggled for the past 24 hours with a very painful issue with my foot. 

God reminded me that the plan He has for me will come to pass, and to not be discouraged as I wait for His lead.

He is with me.

His plans always come to fruition.

He wins the battle against evil.

Maybe you too needed to be reminded God is invincible. 

He is in control and aware of all things.

He is the Master Craftsman, and is intimately familiar with our inner most beings.

Nothing, absolutely nothing happens that He is unaware of and trying to resolve for His best.

Absolutely all things are possible in, through and because of Him, for He is the Mighty, Holy, Majestic, Uncreated One.
Who was, is and is to come, forevermore.

Our Hero is not a human based superhero with human flaws and weaknesses.

He is, and will always be, invincible!!!

armor up

Karla Lees

God is stirring something in His daughters today….can you sense it?

He is calling us, His Bride, to band together & intercede, cry out for the ones we love.

The enemy strategy is to take us down, however he can.

God defeats him by linking us together with His power & love, and strengthening us to endure the onslaught, to protect one another as He defends us and battles for us.

Each of my loved ones is battling right now, as am I.

Whether physical, mental, emotional or spiritual, this world we are temporarily living in wants nothing more than for us to throw in the towel and give up.

We were meant to give up, but not in defeat.

We are meant to give up fighting for ourselves and allow Him to fight for & through us.

When the Maker of all things wants to defend us, we need to step back & allow Him to do so.

When we try to go into battle improperly prepared, we end up wounded & weary.

When we fail to cover one another in prayer, lifting each other up to the One who is able to do all things & anything, we end up easy targets.

Holy Spirit is whispering to allow Him to guide your thoughts towards prayer.

Jesus is waiting for you to accept His covering, the blood of the Lamb which conquers all sin.

God is pacing as He waits for you to let lose the cry which will launch Him into battle on your behalf.

We have been made in His image. which is why we get stirred up with the desire to battle. But this battleground is not one we were meant to step onto alone.

For we only see things dimly, but God sees the entire action plan.

He knows we need weaponry, and He provides them as outlined in Ephesians 6.

He becomes our armor when we prepare ourselves as He directs…

Truth: we are to wear truth like a belt, which helps hold us together.

Righteousness: He is our breastplate, the One who makes us pure & Holy because we are now His.

These two protect the core of who we are: His Beloved.

Gospel of Peace: these shoes are go everywhere shoes, relying on God to guide us as we step.  Knowing He is with us calms our fears & fills us with peace.ise can proclaim the good news about our Prince of Peace when we step as He directs, avoiding unexpected landmines of doubt & chaos.

The next two pieces of armor serve to help us in our defense:

Faith: our belief in the God we follow serves as our shield.  The truth of who He is cannot protect us if we don’t cling to it & use it as our protective shield when the enemy darts attempt to strike.

Salvation: our position in God family is to be our new mindset. We are His, forever, because we have accepted Jesus’ gift of being made anew & right with God.  We are to wear this helmet not only to protect us, but identify us as His.

The last part of our armor is the most powerful weapon we could ever use, need or desire:

His Word: The very power of God Himself is interwoven with His Word, the Bible.  We are to use this mighty weapon as His Spirit guides us to: strategically, purposefully and prayerfully.

Prayer is the key to our armor working together.  Asking God to protect us & equip us for the skirmish at hand, seeking His play by play as to the action we are to take with each step. 

And we are not only to pray for our our protection, but those of our fellow saints, as we stay alert & proactive waiting for our instructions.

If you take a closer look at our armor, you too can see it is mainly defensive pieces we have been given. That was deliberate.

God Himself wants to be our defender, our strong tower & Fortress.  Our covering, safety & hiding place.

He is 100% concerned about our security, all the time, as His Beloved.

He knows our adversary best, for He created him, which we tend to lose sight of during the battles when we get too focused on what is coming against us than Who is defending us.

We are to be on the defense, because God Himself leads the charge against the enemy.

We are to strike only when He commands us to, for He alone is head of this army.

We are to join together in prayer: for our loved ones, our friends, our coworkers, our neighbors, joining our armor together for greater defense.

When we do so, then link up with Heaven, all things become possible when God is in command.

We know how the battle ultimately ends, and we know how we are best to stand…in His corner, secure in the knowledge of whose we are, and Who is in control over all.

It’s time to armor up, Beloved.

Not only will it help keep us safe, but it has been custom designed for us by our Bridegroom to work perfectly as we use it the way He directs us to!

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for the best

Karla Lees

No weapon that can hurt you has ever been forged.
Any accuser who takes you to court will be dismissed as a liar.
This is what God’s servants can expect.
I’ll see to it that everything works out for the best.

 -God’s Decree, Isaiah 54:17

God Himself has told us what to expect in the battle days ahead.

There is no weapon forged or fashioned that can ever separate us from Him, nor that will defeat us.

But how is this possible when I have ____________ afflicting me right now, you may ask?

Our physical bodies are not eternal, only our spirit is.

And when we are His, He’s got our spirit covered & surrounded with His.

So the garment we all wear, our body, may get hurt in the flack of battle.

But that part of us that is most precious is safe in His care, when we hide ourselves in His embrace, His Stronghold, in Him.

The accuser of the brethren? He is known for who he really is, a liar. There is no wool he can pull over God’s eyes to trick Him.  God knows his true nature, and will always expose him as the liar he is.

God’s plan, His best for us, His children?

It will always come to pass when God is in control of the world, which He always is.

The enemy may have won ground, but that ground always was, always is, and always will be His.

The One who made all things will never give up on His plans being fulfilled, its not in His nature to give up.

He continues to speak His truth into our Spirit, to give us hope when all we can see is dim or shrouded in uncertainty:

I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, give you a hope & a future.

All things work together for My good.

You can do all things in My strength.

You are never alone, I am always with you.

May our spirits remind us of the truths God plants within us to help us through the hard times, and may we never cease to keep our eyes on our Protector & Lover of our souls, no matter what is surrounding us.

He’s got us, He will never leave us,and all things will work together for our best. For He has promised it, and declared it to be!

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Sunday Psalm: Safe Haven

Karla Lees

worrying & working
my fingers to the bone
only leads to exhaustion,
and hiding myself within
only leads to frustration.
You have better in store
for me
than that,
Your Spirit reminds me.

Your love
offers a portal of rest.
A safe haven in my storms,
a refuge in the midst of the battles that try to ensnare me,
a home where i am always welcome.
Always & forever.

You calm the storm
raging inside of me
when I come to You,
my safe haven.

You don’t just love me
in a heart adoration devoted overwhelmingly for you kind of way, but in a “Come away with me, my love, and find peace no matter the season, shelter in the storms, in my embrace literally” active kind of love.

Love does.

Your love is real,
and You want to move on my behalf.

Calmer of the storms
swirling inside of me
and all around me,
You invite me to pull
into Your harbor,
anchor myself in You
and find peace, rest
for my soul.

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#hopeinHisPresence

GREATER

Karla Lees

This morning, I drove my eldest to the train station as she headed off to school. And again today for the third day in a row, this song came on the radio station we usually listen to.

The cool thing, we didn’t drive at the same times…so that led me to believe God was trying to get my attention. I heard You, Lord.

So, today I am going to share the overall lyrics of the song Greater by Mercy Me one paragraph at a time, and then ask God what He has to say to me about it. Note: The song lyrics are bolded, and will be credited at the bottom of the blog, along with a link to the Mercy Me video 🙂

Bring your tired, bring your shame. Bring your guilt, bring your pain.
Don’t you know that’s not your name?
You will always be much more to me.

I tend to label myself, don’t I God?
But my name is Beloved, Redeemed.

And everyone else out there
needs to hear this message too:
Stop labeling yourself
with the negative,
stick to the positive.
God does!

Every day I wrestle with the voices
that keep telling me I’m not right,
but that’s alright….

God, You know
i struggle with
staying grounded in You
instead of what I do.
But that is no surprise to You,
is it God?

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‘Cause I hear a voice
and He calls me redeemed,
when others say I’ll never be enough.
And greater is the One living inside of me than he who is living in the world.
In the world, in the world.
And greater is the One living inside of me than he who is living in the world

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God, You continually call to me and speak my real name.
I am enough because of You, and You are SO much greater than the one living in the world….
coz he too is Your creation,
which makes You Greater!

Bring your doubts, bring your fears.
Bring your hurt, bring your tears.
There’ll be no condemnation here
You are holy, righteous and redeemed.

It doesn’t matter what I bring to You. Not only can I safely be real before You, You continue to speak out how You see me: holy, righteous, redeemed, forgiven.

Every time I fall, there’ll be those who will call me a mistake- well that’s ok….

Long term, it doesn’t matter if other people think I am a mistake, or call me names. Because what You think of me matters for eternity!

There’ll be days I lose the battle
Grace says that it doesn’t matter
‘Cause the cross already won the war
He’s Greater, He’s Greater!

I won’t do everything right or perfectly, nor win every day.
Your grace says no big deal, because You already made everything right on the cross.
You win, every time.
You are the Greatist, Lord!

I am learning
to run freely
Understanding
just how He sees me
and it makes me
love Him more & more
He’s Greater, He’s Greater!

God, thank You to teaching me
I can run free
when I accept how You see me.
My heart & spirit
jump with gratitude.
You truly are
the GREATEST thing
to happen to me,
and to everyone
who meets you!

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Greater written by songwriters:
Bart Millard, Mike Scheuchzer, Robby Shaffer, Barry Graul,
David Arthur Garcia, Nathan Cochran, Ben Glover.

Hey, if you need a morning pick me up song to remind you who He is and how He sees you, I would recommend you watch the video below, buy the song or CD, and for an extra boost of God Greatness, watch the story behind the song.

Greater video by Mercy Me

MercyMe “Greater” Story Behind The Song – YouTube

The 3 ways rest can keep us safe

Karla Lees

Did you know that not getting enough rest is bad for you beyond how it affects your body?

There are three key reasons why rest is one of the components to our overall well-being, besides the benefits physically.

1. Rest denies the enemy from affecting our soul.

It appears that rest is one of our main defenses against the enemy.
Resting in God allows Him to be our defender, as outlined in:
Psalm 91

While we rest in Him, He battles for us, and will win:

God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Romans 16:20 NIV/ESV

Our souls are protected when we rest in God.

2. Rest restricts the emotional attack against us.
When we keep ourselves from becoming anxious, and give things over to God when we are upset or concerned, we align our hearts up with the rest we have in our soul & body.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

Matthew 11:28-30

Maintaining our emotional rest not only shields us from the enemy’s attempts to send fiery darts to harm us, it allows us to walk in the rhythms of His grace. Our faith & trust in Him becomes our shield.

3. Rest restrains the mind from speculation.
When we keep our focus on God, and through His Word, worship & time in His Presence, we get to closely know the God we love, we are building a solid foundation of fact in our minds. Knowing His lavish love for us and memorizing His Word are how our mind can find rest through the storms and from the distracted thoughts the enemy likes to subtly shoot our way… “God couldn’t forgive you for that!” “nobody will love you when they hear what you did” etc.
Knowing His Word & resting in the truth contained there is protection for our minds, the helmet of salvation.

Final Thoughts:
God our Warrior battles for us.
Placing our faith & trust in Him helps shield our emotions.
Spending time with Him, our Truth, protects our minds from attack.

Resting in Him, when added to taking care of our bodies by getting enough physical rest, is our strongest defense against the enemy’s schemes.

But more than that, as we get to know God more & more, and draw closer to Him no matter the season we are in, He offers rest that encompasses our whole being as we seek Him every step of every day.

We were never designed to find rest on our own, but through God, who is both the rest we seek & holding out the rest we need for every part of us in His loving hands.

I am not missing out on that offer of all encompassing rest!

*All quotes in black bold font are from: Graham Cooke, The Practice of Rest