From: em
Date: Tue May  6 04:58:12 EDT 2008
Subject: It's 2 am and I don't know what to name this.

I was writing to a friend of mine about one of the most interesting things in my life ever and I wanted to tell you my villagers about it to. So here goes. Don't let me lose you in the intro. "Thanks for the note you sent last week. Encouraging!!! Speaking of which, I urge you to stand up and FIGHT against the attack of discouragement that is coming against you. May I speak boldly out of how I've been fighting for myself? This the SPIRITUAL WARFARE I've been doing over and over and over, like a workout and a training and a joy. I have been asking God to help see the battle and fight boldly. And when I recognize where there is specific demonic attack I make that attacker be silent and go the the feet of Christ Jesus simply by commanding it to do so in the name of Jesus Christ and believing His name has that power and I've been given the authority to wield it.. But this rigorous victorious life changing SPIRITUAL BATTLE I've been doing has mostly been the following. I've been taking time to identify (with Julie or Russ or another good friend) the specific doubts/lies I'm buying into which open me up to whatever temptation--like discouragement, being anxious about something, shutting down, being angry--that I have going on in any given moment. I've been confessing and repenting of my specific unbelief (Hebrews defines sin as unbelief). I've been STANDING UP and FIGHTING EVERY TIME (almost every time) discouragement comes knowing. Or fear, or greed or anxiety or rage or self-pity or shamedness or discontent. This is how I've been doing it (using Ephesians 6 as a guide.) It's wonderful, this coming so much more alive with Jesus, and becoming the woman I wanted to me. Getting to love Him with all my heart. I FIGHT by putting on the belt of truth by CHOOSING to believe the specific truth that contradicts whatever lie I'm believing at the time. I FIGHT by putting on the breastplate of righteousness by CHOOSING to believe I are righteous RIGHT NOW by Christ's blood, even if I am in the midst of sinning. I'm remembering some lines from a song I wrote called "Clean" which God has used to speak to me many a time: "All it takes is an "I'm sorry" from your heart---your sin is GONE. I've carried it far, far away. Let's go out and play." I've been given Christ's righteousness. I FIGHT by putting on hope as a helmet (where does that Scripture come from?), the helmet of salvation by pleading the name and blood of Jesus over myself ( Revelations), Mom, The Shack sounds interesting. Can you tell me the premise of the book by hiding in Him as in a strong fortress, by choosing utter dependence on God for even the next breathe and by taking every thought captive and making it square up with what TRUE and TRUSTING and LOVING or kicking it back out of your mind, by basically making each thought agree with how God feels about things or rejecting that thought. I FIGHT by taking up my shield of faith ACTIVELY. by seizing the day by owning the truth and acting as though God really is WHO and HOW He says He is and as though I am who He says I am (that is, SO LOVED' and righteous and hidden in Christ and so forth) and by praying for others as well as for myself with the same certainty of what's true. That is, aggressively praying asking for what I know from Scripture is His will and thanking Him as though I've already seen Him do it because of 1st John 5: 14, 15 and asking earnestly and believeingly for my longings for myself and others and the world because of 1st John 3:22 I FIGHT by taking time to read and meditate on the Scripture God leads me to (as I know you are an example to me in doing) and TAKING UP THAT SWORD and praying Scripture boldly for others as well. I FIGHT and it feels good to take ownership of my life and to humble my all before Christ Jesus and God and to REALLY LIVE. I think I've been walking around bent over spiritually for a long time. I'm glad I don't have to do that. Choice is beautiful, isn't? JESUS is beautiful. I'm rambling. But He's just so good. And BELIEVING FEELS SO GOOD!!!!

Edit this blog
Write a response

---

Write a blog