The Battle In The Mind
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I know that Satan is being allowed to do what he does by God. I also know that those times of Satanic attack are opportunities for me to submit to God, being victorious through Christ, James 4:7. So often, though, I find myself trying to defend myself, or succumbing to the temptation(s) of sin, rather than submitting to God.
When those times come, which they always will until I am out of this body, I am finding that slowly I am paying more attention. This discernment is something for which I have prayed, and only by the grace of God I am receiving. I am noticing the battlefield(s), (which typically starts with my mind), and I have fully realized my complete uselessness outside of Christ's power. It is a true blessing to know that Christ is my defender, but so often I simply react according to the flesh rather than submitting to God that it takes me a while to "snap out of it." By the time I do get back into "reality" I'm needing to ask God's forgiveness, and for His help.
I am hoping that before He puts me in my new body I would have started submitting to Him before giving into all those temptations; many times, they are the same ones, which a little different packaging at times. I want to please my Heavenly Father.
Well, as you can probably notice, today has been one of those days. In fact, it seems like this "day" has been going on for a long time. It only seems that way because Satan keeps attacking with the same thing, subtly, and I keep falling for it every time. Most times I do not even see it coming!
After I prayed to the Lord, He got me into His Word. I was reminded of which direction I needed to be going, who I needed to be following, then He refreshed my soul. I would like to share the refreshment with you as well!
PSALM 90
A prayer of Moses the man of God.
LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
I know that this prayer/psalm was written in the light of the fact of Israel, not the church. However, I took great comfort in seeing the humility that Moses had (from God), and his desire for God's glory to be their blessing. It truly was refreshing to get a better perspective of God and myself.
This was a wonderful message for me, I had "one of those weeks"
ReplyDeletePraying you have a blessed and wonderful joy filled weekend!