Armour

P 3099 Make room – clear away the debris!

/ DVH

Today I want to look at a few verses in Isaiah. “Thunder in the desert! “Prepare for God’s arrival! Make the road straight and smooth, a highway fit for our God. Fill in the valleys, level off the hills, Smooth out the ruts, clear out the rocks. Then God’s bright glory will shine and everyone will see it. Yes. Just as God has said.” Isaiah 40:3-5. Does this sound like action to you? It does to me! I truly don’t think that prayer is the only activity required when you are working with Him to build a highway in your heart for Him to walk on. Part of our job description is to clear away any debris, as well as let the Holy Spirit guide us into making the roads in our lives clear for Him – we must personally choose to engage and …participate.

Hubby and I have had the opportunity to learn a little bit about highway repairs etc. It is a careful, clearing away of what has been left that does not belong there, then the old road itself can be removed, or repaired. Like the scripture says highways work better when they are obstacle free and smooth! My hubby loves these unexpected stops — he happily talks to the workers. We’ve even given away lemonade on hot days. It seems that road building is hot, boring, and repetitive but necessary work – like the work we need to do in our own lives so the King can use OUR LIVES as His highway! We are not demolition crews, we are restorers of the breach. We build streets for others to live in!

I think this world is standing, on tippy-toes at the very edge of something that is so important, so necessary to what comes next, we cannot imagine it. Almighty God is about to do something extraordinary … but I believe He is waiting for US to voluntarily engage with Him. He’s a good good Father, He won’t make us participate but He needs us to be battle-ready. Sadly, it seems to me that many of us look more like couch-potatoes, while others are so engaged with their own business, they haven’t got any time for His. The Lord has His own timing, and it is an error to think OUR timing takes priority over His. However, if we happen to be spiritually sleeping it is so much easier for the enemy to take us out. We need to be ever-ready, standing with our armour on, ready to ‘GO’ when He says ‘GO!’ 

How can we personally participate in what comes next, if we rely on other people to hear Him and wait for them to tell us what to do? All our enemy has to do then, is to take the leaders out. We must engage in the road building process — individually and corporately. It is time for the Body of Christ to realise we are not on some jolly little outing Sunday by Sunday — we live in a spiritual war zone. War zones need road repairs, so help can get to those who need it. At this point in time other people are being killed off all over the place, while we merrily just go about our own personal daily business. My bible says — HIS business IS my business.

Bear with me please, I am not actually changing the subject  – I simply want to further illustrate my point. Our dog is a labradoodle. She’s a totally loveable, good-natured, over-excitable, 13 year old air-head who wouldn’t bite a soul. She still thinks she’s a puppy! She doesn’t walk, she bounces. If you wave her favourite toy about she will jump up and down to play. Her tail constantly goes like a helicopter blade.

Our pooch just burst into the room where I am typing and she was doing her usual morning routine … with the brain … without the brain. Galloping about trying to jump up and down to get hubby’s attention. Hubby quietly put his hand on her head and then he said one word: “Heel!” She jumped up in the air nearly did a somersault, switched sides and sat down looking up at him. What happened? HER MASTER SPOKE. 

Right now, I am not sure the Body of Christ could hear the Lord if He thundered at us – we are so distracted by the cares and worries of this life. If we wait for all those things to disappear first, then the next sound we will hear will be a trumpet from heaven! I know what it is like to be incapacitated, and weak – however, I’d rather focus on what Jesus wants from me, today. It’s about our focus, not the tasks. We can still get ordinary things done and get to know and trust Him … all at the same time. We simply need to make everything Jesus’ business! He wants to build highways through the desert and wildernesses in us, and around us.

Don’t worry about qualifying, the Lord doesn’t need expertise, He has heavenly armies that stand ready at any given moment. Instead He needs our willingness to engage. We all need to choose to be activated. If Jesus needed human expertise I could name heaps of people who qualify for that kind of work because they are smarter than me. Nowadays practically everyone I know is smarter than me! We must turn to the Lord automatically, like my pooch. Let.Him.Lead.You.

Father God will always have our back. And even if we have to do a somersault in mid-air to come down on the Lord’s side – we both know that is the right place! With our eyes lifted UP waiting for His next command. Let us choose to obey Him, and let the Holy Spirit build a highway for the King in our hearts. He will clear away any debris. Once before, long ago, there was no room for Jesus – He ended up in an outdoor building. Let’s not do that again! Bye.👋

P 2865 Changing our thinking is deliberate.

/ DVH

I wanted to write about one of the ways I’ve learnt I can keep continually walking with the Holy Spirit…“Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honourable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising Him always.”  Philippians 4:8. 

The question we need to ask ourselves today is this — what actually occupies our thoughts? Often we are fixated on our day, focussing on what comes next … but if we choose to, we can turn that way of thinking into … “What are You going to do with all this stuff today Lord?”  It’s about focus. Giving the Holy Spirit our day, reminding ourselves of why we are here, means letting Him into our thoughts, and when or if we forget, and worry or leave Him out, we take the time to repent. Wonder of wonders, He always does it!! He is so amazing!! Thank you Jesus.

Father God sometimes whispers this to me: “Are you sure you want to keep that attitude?” I’ve had to pull up, and grab my thoughts back, many MANY times. Honesty with God and yourself, is really important. Dismissing any niggly thoughts, or giving yourself permission to say stuff that is best not said – is a slippery slide. Sometimes the Lord puts His finger on something very gently, and says something like: “Are you sure you want to go down that road?” Now it becomes my choice. It can’t be an accident that I went the wrong way – because He’s just warned me about that road! 

If I get cranky about my difficulties and circumstances, then sometimes my answer might be: “Can I just be here for five minutes?” Of course we both know that I won’t be there for five minutes … I’ll get stuck in my cranky or fear for three days and then wonder where the Holy Spirit went!! It has taken me a long time to see that at that moment if I ask Him to help me to choose the right way, He will. That’s because His strength is made perfect at that exact moment of my weakness!

If something disastrous or unforeseen happens, sometimes I panic, and  I will probably blame myself or someone else … even if I don’t do it out loud, I’ll do it in my head. Bad move – one thought leads to another!! That’s when the Holy Spirit reminds me that I don’t have to go through ANY valley alone – my choice in those moments is essential. I need His Ways not mine.

The secret to getting through the hard times is to continually handover the situation to the Him and leave it with Him, by letting go of worry and problem-solving. Why not put the One Who knows everything, in charge? I turn away from problem solving and anxiety and deliberately turn my focus to Him. And every time those thoughts come up again, I compare them to the Bible and check that stuff out with what it says. If it doesn’t line up, then I throw it away. That’s what taking thoughts captive means.

After that I always ask Jesus what He thinks. That answer can take a while, because I’ve learnt the Lord is constantly stretching our faith in His goodness. It is a huge mistake to pay attention to the dreadful pictures that the other guy paints in your mind of what the eventual outcome will be. This is when fear raises its nasty head. It is good to name the fear, because it helps to know what you are fighting. Tell the Lord you know it is fear and ask Him how to deal with it – He guides me through things one step at a time. 

Here’s an interesting thought — the Person who needs to know the answers to our difficulties is the Lord – and He already knows. Look through the Bible and find one time when He said: ”I don’t know what to do about that!” … It didn’t happen! After doing everything I’ve mentioned above, I do whatever He tells me to do, then like Ephesians 6:13 says — I STAND. I commit to standing until I see what He wants me to see. I might learn something about me or about Him. Like I said, changing our thinking is deliberate – it’s about focus. Bye. 👋

P 2424 This is His way.

/ DVH

“So I kneel humbly in awe before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the perfect Father of every father and child in heaven and on the earth. And I pray that He would unveil within you the unlimited riches of His glory and favour until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with His divine might and explosive power.Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of His love will become the very source and root of your life. 

Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is His love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!” Ephesians 3:14-19 TPT.

We don’t do the things that Jesus did or the things He asks us to do simply because He needs our hands and feet. We are not His robots, or even His portable advertising!  Christians do what they do to be obedient and their obedience expresses their loving devotion to Him. But at the same time the more we walk with Him in that obedience, the more we will see and experience His incredible Love for us. This is the very heart of these wonderful verses in Ephesians 3.

His love for us, as well as in us, these things are the riches we’ve been promised. Forget gold, silver and precious stones, His love is beyond price! And His Loving heart is toward us. He is like that King, Ahasuerus, who adored his wife, so he held out his sceptre toward Esther even when she  disobeyed the rules of his kingdom. God’s heart reaches toward us, to relieve us of our burdens and to help us with life’s difficulties. There are days when others do not like me or my company, but those days, those feelings, don’t reflect Him. Nothing will alter His love toward me. That is a huge gift. In those moments, I simply must believe what He says, not how I feel.

Years ago on ancient TV in the 1950s, we had an ad in this country for a man’s hair product, called Brylcreem. Its motto was “a little dab’ll do ya.” Father God’s love is NOT like Brylcreem! It is not mingy, or space-saving or economical! Christ’s sacrificial love sustains this universe and beyond. Despite what the scientists say, if God withdrew His loving favour from mankind the stars would fall out of the sky. Read the book of Revelation! You will see written there what happens when His boundless Love is withdrawn from the earth. His love is the incredibly powerful force that holds this world, including us, together.

The more we use our faith by being obedient, the more His love expands within us, until it becomes the very centre of our lives. Slowly His love transforms and replaces any imperfect human love we have that may have done damage to our hearts. Some of our responses are not sin – pain causes reactions too. However, the knowledge of His love is expanded in our hearts as we watch Him touch other people’s lives through us. 

While we were away this time, because of a series of God-ordained events, we managed to give an older cleaning lady a keychain. Her face seemed hardened by age and life, she was tiny but she looked tough. Scary even! But the Lord said to bless her, so we did. And the most amazing thing happened. Her face cracked open, and she looked just like a happy little child. Transformation happened right in front of our eyes. She danced up and down on the spot. This keychain was the most delicate one I have ever made. I probably would not have given her that particular one – my own judgment of how she looked would have gotten in the way! 

None of us know how hardened anyone else can become inside and out, because this life can deal each one of us terrible blows. In order to go on, human beings put on protective armour. That armour often changes our outward appearance, and at the same time it can alter what comes out of our mouths! Just like a barking dog that is scared of a stranger – we can become vicious and mean. But Father God’s love goes right around our disguises and touches hearts. Then we have the privilege of seeing someone else the way He designed them, that utterly transforms both parties, and opens their eyes to new possibilities. 

The bible says:  “perfect love casts out all fear…” The reality is, if we are afraid, it is not enough to just know this verse, that’s simply words. We need to know the heart of the One Who is speaking love over us. Watching Him work in the lives of the people around us opens our eyes to how incredible His love is. It seems upside down to think that in order to get love, we will have to give away Love. But that is His Way. It’s the way of faith. His way forward is for us to learn LOVE. 👋🏻

P 2230 Our shield is our protection.

/ DVH

“But You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” Psalms 3:3 NIV. “But in the depths of my heart I truly know that you, Yahweh, have become my Shield; You take me and surround me with Yourself. Your glory covers me continually. You lift high my head.” Psalms 3:3 TPT.“Above all, carry the shield of faith so that you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. ..” Ephesians 5:16-18.

Using our faith is using our shield – whether it is for protection from attacks, or we are attacking our enemy, the shield of faith is an essential piece of spiritual equipment. I was taught to put on the whole armour of God as a younger Christian. So I faithfully prayed that I would somehow, by osmosis, have all that equipment, if I just said those verses in Ephesians 5 out loud every day. 😳 In the past my problem was that I wasn’t actually using my faith – I was using the scripture like an incantation.

That had a positive side, it meant I actually memorised all that scripture!  I had the theory, but not the practical. For this armour to work in our lives we desperately need the practical. We all have w-a-y too much theory.  God’s word is practical.  In order to use this shield, we need to keep it next to us on our arm, and live aware of it. I shouldn’t have to hunt about for my shield – it belongs on my left arm. The sword of the Spirit is in my right hand. When something bad comes toward me that shield is the first thing that needs to go up, followed by the Word of God out of my mouth. 

Everything else in that list of weapons in Ephesians depends on my shield. It REMAINS on my arm.  It is a metaphoric shield, but a very REAL STANCE. I stand in the position before God that Jesus died to give me!  And I use self-talk to remind myself of what He did for me – I bring that up from the well of scripture I’ve hidden inside me. Personally, I paraphrase those scriptures all the time!  Like I said it is not an incantation but a relationship with SomeOne Who helps me. I am also using my shield whenever I pray, ‘help, help,’ because I’m looking to Him to come to my aid and help me. This shield is always about USING my faith that He will look after me and help me.

It is an offensive weapon not just a defensive one. Faith is about the way we regard our relationship with Almighty God – it’s about sonship, who He says WE ARE to Him. The shield of faith is also the defensive weapon we use to repel the enemy’s darts of accusation, bitterness, confusion, resentment, sorrow, slander etc. This means we’ve made a quality decision to rely upon His Word and not our feelings or man-made solutions to any situation that attack us. 

Misunderstanding of the way to use God’s word has been the downfall of many God-fearing Christians. They don’t understand how to USE the Bible as a shield.  Reading and agreeing with it is the BEGINNING, but we have to go past the beginning into the practical – by applying what it says to the way we think and act. That’s called renewing your mind. So a verse comes into my mind and that becomes my faith sword to use against the stuff that is swirling about inside and outside. I use it until the attack stops, but I don’t put it down. My faith shield stays on my ARM ready to use.

Every other piece of armour in Ephesians relies upon using our shield – our faith. EG: I get an opportunity to talk about how much I love Jesus and so I tell the other person what I know about Him. That’s the shoes of the Gospel of peace. Those shoes bring peace, because His Gospel is all about peace with God. They help us walk through our days. Maybe I let some bad situation bubble away, instead of going to the other person to fix it. Now I have let my sin go from my mouth or thoughts, into my heart. That means I don’t have my breastplate of righteousness on, anymore – because it covers my heart. Repent and fix it. Nothing is worth losing that breastplate. People have lost their salvation because they didn’t look after their breastplate. 

Our faith is the overall spiritual protection we use to shield us from all the enemy’s fiery darts. We don’t just say this stuff or agree with it  – we live this way. And if we forget, then we repent, fix it  and go back to living that way again. It takes practice. A soldier has to practice how to learn to accurately shoot a rifle. The shield of faith is a learned process that we refuse to give up because our faith is the protection God has given us against the stuff that happens in this life – it helps us MOVE FORWARD.  👋🏻