So quickly... I forget... the war... the on-going battle... for soul... heart... mind...
I forget... I'm following a crucified Savior...
There was a time... I said No... to the way He walked... the hard road... the via delorosa... the "path of sorrow"... self-crucifixion... self-denial...
I saw where it headed... when others said following Jesus was great... all I saw was a cross... a pummeling... a death... not really a way I wanted to go...
Now... on the other side of faith... I see the reason... some of the mystery revealed... Light in the dark... the valley of the shadow of death... destroyed... by His self-sacrifice of love...
I've tried to exercise my freedom... to surrender... serve... in love... but the flesh... the young woman who did not like the looks of that road... seeing pain and difficulties... at times... still wants to be heard...
Lord... the Spirit is willing... but the flesh is weak...
Keep me in prayer... focused on You...
Your glorious riches... are not here... but in heaven...
Remind me... I'm walking through a war... on mission...
Help me stay on task... alert... to the enemy... at all times...
Remind me... to only rest... fully armored...
with You... a wall of flame... surrounding...
I'm reminded... He is the Lord of Hosts... the Lord of a great army...
The Lord of Heaven's Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.
Psalm 46:7 NLT
This army does not just include heavenly beings... those unseen in the spirit realm... but His people... Believers... they make up a large part of His great army... one that fights not with weapons of this world... but with weapons of divine power...
songs of praise...
prayer...
thanksgiving...
These are the weapons we wield... in a war that wages daily... moment by moment...
To be a Believer is to be a warrior... on call 24/7... to praise... pray... and give thanks... to the Lord of Hosts...
When this focus is lost... when the vision shifts to self... its comforts... desires... plans... the hard gets harder... and I find myself blind-sided... surprised... perturbed... by the lack of ease...
Why...? When Jesus Himself... struggled... with hard... do I think it should be easy for me...?
In the life which Christ led upon earth, obedience was a solemn reality. The dark and awful power that led man to revolt from his God, came upon Him too, to tempt Him. To Him as man its offers of self-gratification were not matters of indifference; to refuse them, He had to fast and pray. He spoke very distinctly of not seeking to do His own will, as a surrender He had continually to make. He made the keeping of the Father's commandments the distinct object of His life, and so abode in His love.
--- Andrew Murray on Prayer, Abide in Christ (emphasis added)Jesus... He had to fast and pray... be alert... in order to stay in tune with the Father... abiding in His love... through obedience...
Pick up the weapon of prayer... keep focused... on Reality... the one that is only found in Christ...
Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of ] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).
Ephesians 6:18 Amp
Having been blind-sided recently... with hard... anger flaring... self-consciousness... strangling compassion... I seek a new sense of rest... one that does not indulge self... but keeps an eye open... a heart alert... for hard...
What about you...? have you been blind-sided lately...? where was your focus...?
What can you do to stay focused... on the Reality... at hand...?
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