Friday, May 31, 2013

The Devil ALMOST got me!

The Devil almost got a "win" yesterday.  I was on day 35 of my cycle (I usually have a 36 day cycle) and I wasn't having my typical PMS symptoms that I normally begin to have on day 28.  Needless to say, until yesterday, I was VERY excited!!  Not because I "thought" I was pregnant but the symptoms I normally have are indicators that I am not ovulating.  I had been praising God and sharing with everyone my "success in the process" story...that is until the symptoms arrived yesterday.  I wasn't "devastated" but I was disappointed and while I didn't lose faith that his promises would be fulfilled, I did take my focus off the "unseen" and I began to concentrate, think about and focus on my thoughts, feelings, and natural circumstances.  This is NEVER a good place.  The Devil begins to whisper thoughts of doubts when you take your focus off God and His Word.  But the Holy Spirit quietly whispered, "What are you doing?  Has your cycle started yet?" I knew at that moment I had to quit looking at the "natural" because it can all change in a split second...nothing is impossible with God and I know that it is pleasing to Him if I continue to hold true to His Word and see the "unseen".

This picture was then brought to my mind...


   What if my breakthrough is just right around the corner?  What if the devil is throwing these "symptoms" at my way just to see if I will "waver/doubt" so that he can turn to God and say..."SEE!  She isn't faithful!"  At that moment I told the Devil he wont win...he has won before but today he can move on to someone else because I wont live by what I see, I wont live by what I feel.

I was reminded of this scripture:  Hebrews 10:35-36 (NIV) says, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."

I grabbed a dry erase marker and wrote on our bathroom mirror two things:  "I will not live by what I see!  I will not live by what I feel!"   and   Luke 1:45 "Blessed is she who has believed the Lord will fulfill His promise to her!"  

Yesterday was a struggle...but I didn't give up and I kept God's Word in my heart and on my lips.  If I hadn't, I would have fallen back into doubt which is not pleasing to God and without faith, it is impossible to please God.  Just like I want to please my earthly daddy....I want to please my heavenly daddy too.  

Team Elisha/God:  2    
Team Devil:  0

Can You SEE the UNSEEN?



Can you SEE the UNSEEN?

2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”


In order to see the “unseen” we need to use our “spiritual eyes”…which is our faith.

·        Faith has VISION!  It has vision because it SEE’s and KNOWS the end result of what you are hoping for even if your natural circumstances say something different. 

·        Faith is not based on what you CAN or CANNOT see or feel.  It is not based upon what you can or cannot do by your own natural ability.  It is ONLY based upon trusting God and knowing that He will fulfill His promises  Therefore, it is not a “blind leap” because its foundation is real, true, and solid.

"If I showed you the title to my vehicle you would believe I owned it, even if you could not see the vehicle.  God’s Word is the title deed to all the things promised to us.  Just because we don’t see them yet doesn’t mean they are not prepared for us in the spiritual realm and waiting to be delivered to us." Joyce Meyer Change Your Words, Change Your Life

·        We need to walk with our “spiritual eyes” and see the “unseen”.  The spiritual (our faith and God’s power) can change the natural in a split second.  The key is to attach yourself to the Word of God and act out your faith without doubting or giving up when the thoughts, of unbelief, feelings, or symptoms  attack you. 

 
SEE it and RUN with it!

·        Habakkuk 2:2 (ESV) says, “And the Lord said to me, “Write the vision, make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.”
  

  1. Write the Promises of God on something as a reminder/act of faith 
  2.  Run with it!  Run is an action verb—when you read it—don’t just do “nothing” by walking away or forgetting about it; but take action by exercising your faith!  *Meditate * the Promise, speak positive words about your situation, and thank God/Praise God for fulfillment of the promise even if you can’t “see” it in the natural yet). 
*Meditate means to:  roll over and over in the mind, to mutter, converse aloud with oneself, or declare something

Tonight during our meeting we wrote our "vision" on tablets.  We are going to put it somewhere we can see it daily and "RUN" with it by speaking it aloud, meditating on it, and thanking/praising God for it even though we can't see it in the natural---yet. 

QUESTION:  Why is it important to have faith or for me to “run” with your vision/exercise your faith?  Isn’t God’s Word enough?

Answer:  

Hebrews 3:12-4:2tells the story of how the children of Israel did not enter into the land that was already promised to them, because of their unbelief.  The land was already promised to them, just as healing, peace, children, health, prosperity is already promised to you, all they had to do was believe God and enter into the land.  However, they did not choose to believe and see the unseen, but rather chose to focus on what they could see in the natural circumstances. 

Joshua and Caleb, on the other hand did believe God, and because of their faith they were able to enter the land that was promised to ALL of God’s people. 

 Just because God has promised you something does not mean you “automatically” get it.  You need to receive His promises through meditating on God’s Word and putting your faith into action. 

Take away thought: 

  •    Keep your focus on God at all times.  There will be times when you are challenged to let go of  God’s Word and not see the “unseen” because what you see in the natural might appear too overwhelming, or the fears, doubts, or disappointments seem bigger than God.  It is in these moments you need to exercise your faith and meditate on God’s Word.  Don’t give into the devil’s lies and schemes.


Also, quit living by what you see and feel and continue to “do” the Word by acting on what you believe you have received according to what Jesus purchased on the cross.