Who I Belong To (Part Two)

"....Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."

Deuteronomy 20:3-4

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(If you have not yet read "Who I Belong To Part One", feel free to head over and check it out so you know what's going on!)

As I was saying....

When I heard the voice of the young woman who was being spiritually oppressed, something inside of me rose up and within that minute, I was driving as fast as I could to where she was, running straight into a war zone I knew of only vaguely (and lest you think I'm boasting in my own strength, I had none of my own to boast of. That was God inside of me). I will not go through the whole story at this time, but no one could doubt that we were dealing with demons. And in that time, a miracle happened: I was not afraid. I looked right into the face of the same kind of forces that had such hold over my life for so long, and there was not an ounce of terror in me. The Lord caused some sort of bravery to be born in me right in those moments. And so we prayed for her and won. The demons trembled and then left. I was happy for the her, yes, but I walked out of that house and for the first time ever, felt victory.

However, that wasn't the end. The battle did not end there, and I did not expect it to. You see, the Enemy of our souls hates it when he has been found out. He despises when the light is turned on, when we fear not, and when we begin to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). And he is persistent.

I battle still at night. In fact, one of my biggest fights was on my way home from a job at 2am a few weeks ago. Total darkness filled the car. In every way. I won't elaborate, but I have never experienced it so tangibly (while I was driving. Totally safe). My first instinct? Fear. But we fight not with our instincts. We fight when we remind our hearts that even demons tremble with fear when we fight with the power of the Lord. So what did I do? I smiled. And then I laughed. And then I said, "I know where you belong, and I know Who I belong to. I'm not afraid". And so I sang. And I prayed. And the whole way home, I thanked God for victory. Even as my knees shook ever so slightly, I remembered Who I belong to and that the Enemy cannot take me away.

(Just a side-note: As I was looking through my past notes tonight from church, I came across a word that God had given me that I had almost forgotten. As I reflected on these times, He said, "I have been working for your victory over fear for years. Beginning with the Shadows". Interesting how in the times we feel utterly and bitterly alone, He is preparing us for a greater, encompassing glory which we would not have previously believed.)

My friend, listen to me. I was controlled by depression, anxiety, and fear. These were the backstory to every thought, every decision, every perception. And they are all lies. We are under the blood of Jesus. He cares for us and nothing can take us from His hand. So, any fear is a lie. My enemies came against me at my weakest times and I pleaded for others to fight where I felt I could not take up my own armor. I therefore allowed myself, even if unknowingly, to be defeated by lies. How dishonoring to the Gospel.

Jesus did not come and die, He did not endure shame, He did not endure the wrath of God and Man so that we could be defeated by the very enemies that are paralyzed by the mention of His name.

"Be strong and courageous...." (Joshua 1:9)

God is good. He would not give us a command and not equip us to carry it out. Through Christ you have victory over your enemies, whether they are pride, lust, fear, or any situation you are thrown into. But you must be willing to pick up your sword and defeat it. I may face adversity that threatens to consume me, but I do not have time to mess around and be overcome. I have a job to do. And so do you.

Your prayers have power. I learned that well in the stories I just told you. So pray and believe it.

God's word is like a lamp (Psalm 119:105). And it's sharper than any sword (Hebrews 4:12). So memorize it and speak it into whatever you face.

The Lord is your defender and He fights also because He loves you (Deuteronomy 1:29-31). So remember you never have to walk through your circumstance by yourself or carry it alone (2 Peter 5:7).

If you are a Christian, you have the power of Christ in you. Never dishonor His sacrifice by hiding under your blankets. He loves you too much.