We have nothing to Fear!
Two weeks ago, Leighann and I wrote to you concerning the reality of the battle we are fighting! I hope you read and pondered our blog post and you’ve had the opportunity to listen to the first two podcasts of our summer series – “Five Smooth Stones.”
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Jacque Garner, Leighann McCoy, and I are passionate about women living saturated in the Word of God and prepared to fight the battle against our greatest foe. We discussed in our post and on the podcast concerning the reality of the battle. This week we begin talking about why we have nothing to fear and how to engage the enemy and win!
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We can and will defeat the enemy as we utilize the tools found in the Word of God. Putting on the armor of God daily from Ephesians 6 and then realizing this very real fact: “Spiritual warfare is not so much about demon possession, territorial spirits, or generational bondage as it is overcoming Satan’s lies and deceits in your own life.” Leighann and I agree with Jerry Rankin, who made that statement in his book Spiritual Warfare: The Battle for God’s Glory. Satan is a liar! “Satan is a liar and the Father of lies” (John 8:44).
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Satan is a subtle—not blatant—liar. His motivation is deception. He longs to deceive you with half-truths and shortcuts. Ron Hutchcraft said this about Satan and his lies:
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He writes: “The devil’s basic strategy is really pretty simple: get you obsessed with the prize you might get, so you’re blind to the trap you’re walking into. He’ll convince you that it’s “just this once,” “just a little,” “it won’t hurt.” Lies—all lies. Jesus exposed the devil when He said he is the “father of lies” and “there is no truth in him” (John 8:44). He is, as Jesus said, the “thief” who comes only to “steal, kill and destroy.” You will not ultimately get what he seems to be offering—the satisfaction, the life, the excitement, the relief. “It’s just Satan’s bait to take you captive and ruin everything he can in your life. But he’ll promise you anything to get you to walk into his trap.”
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Repeat out loud with Leighann and me: “Satan is a liar!”
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If Satan could deceive Eve in a perfect environment, do not think he won’t try to deceive you and me as well!
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Our battle is not with sin itself but with the temptation of particular sin. Our flesh gets in the way EVERY day! I love what Leighann writes and quotes concerning our flesh.
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“The flesh is not synonymous with our physical bodies. Before they sinned, Adam and Eve paraded around the garden in their birthday suits unashamed. It was only after they experienced the shame of their sin that they felt the need to cover up. Their physical bodies were just as clean, beautiful, and “right” before God as they had been before. But their minds (thinking) and hearts (feeling) were stained by sin. The flesh is that part of us that behaves independently of God from within our thoughts (minds) and attitudes (hearts). While our physical bodies are natural, earthly, and destined to decay, they are neither good nor bad. They are merely the “earth suits” that transport us about while we’re living here.
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In Jennifer Kennedy Dean’s Bible study, The Life-Changing Power in the Blood of Christ, she teaches a powerful truth regarding the flesh. Her truth is the basis of the following discussion of the flesh. Your flesh is any point at which you’re not allowing the Spirit life to flow through you. Your flesh is in operation when you are in command rather than the Spirit of Christ in you. God is determined to “flush the flesh “out of you. He does this by allowing you crucifixion moments.”
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And so as we begin our third week. We use the imagery of 5 smooth stones taken from David and Goliath (I Samuel 17). This past week, we unpacked “The Stone of Contentment” in Episode 2; we will take a look at “The Stone of Confidence” – Episode 3 this week. We invite you to subscribe to “Coffee Chats with Diane Nix” so that you will not miss one of the episodes this summer! Our hope and prayer is for you to prepare and learn to battle well!
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Praying you are enjoying the summer!
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Love, Diane