Part 2 of 3

My friend, you know your own heart and what you’ve been through. Are there things you’re scared to even speak out loud? Proverbs 14:10 tells us, "Each heart knows its own bitterness..." These are areas the enemy would like to use for foolishness in your life. How he would love to see us make a fool of ourselves and a mockery of our salvation. He will tempt us over and over again using this same old tried-and-true tactic! Left alone in the secret places of our hearts, these areas of weakness offer ample opportunity for doubt and fear to flourish. Satan would have us feel alone and isolated – as though we were the only person ever to have these kinds of questions, doubts, failures, weaknesses, or hurts. He would love for us think that, if we were really a Christian, we wouldn't be having these kinds of struggles.

Look at what 2 Cor. 4:7-9 says to the Christian:

"…we have this treasure in jars of clay
to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair..."

Did you know that we can be walking faithfully with Christ, with hearts that are wholeheartedly and sincerely devoted to Him, yet still be hard-pressed and even perplexed?

It won't always be this way. First Peter 1:6 says, "though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." Every crisis has an end. However, there will be seasons of oppression like this. These seasons will come and go, but we don't have to be "crushed" by them. We don't have to live in "despair." Satan will try to oppress us in an area where we are weak, during these seasons. He will try to make us lose confidence in our relationship with the Lord. He is the one who causes us to cross the line from being "hard-pressed" to being "crushed" - from being "perplexed" (not seeing things clearly) to being in "despair" (losing our confidence). Satan loves that! He is the one who causes us to cross the line. But we don't have to take it! We can tattle on him. We can go to God and tell Him what's going on. And while we're at it, Proverbs 2:1-5 says we can "call out for insight" and "cry aloud for understanding."

Satan will try any scheme to get us across that line, but we don't have to take his junk. We possess the strength that will keep us from crossing the line. Our strength is in the Lord! Second Thessalonians 3:3 tells us that the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen us and protect us from the evil one. Go to God and cry out! And keep on praying and crying out because, during seasons like this, you are in eminent danger.

I've heard people say you shouldn't have to pray over and over about the same thing. But I have found, in my own life, that I often have to wrestle with something, like Jacob did, before I get the blessing from it - before I get a peace about it. And believe me, peace is a BLESSING when you've been wrestling!

To be continued...

© Tammie 2005

Posted by Tammie at 10:17 PM