What are you afraid of? Heights, water, clowns, dogs, zombies? If we are honest, we can all think of at least one thing that we fear. While some items on that list might sound silly to you, to others those fears are real. We, as believers in Jesus Christ, have an enemy and while that might sound silly to those who don’t share our faith, he is real and his power can be scary.
Satan is at work to destroy us and our belief in God. What would be the most efficient way to make this happen? In order to hurt us and scare us the most, he goes after our families. Makes sense, doesn’t it? That’s where we hold our hearts and love and trust. Those are the people who mean the most to us, so if he can get to them…he can get to us.
His attack on the family is having a ripple effect that is causing problems in schools, elevating the crime rate, causing marital problems, etc., and when you are in the midst of any of those issues, it’s easier to doubt God, and that will eventually weaken our faith if it isn’t stopped.
How can we stop it? Prayer
Prayer is powerful. We fight back with prayer: unceasing, unrelenting prayer. Don’t underestimate this powerful weapon. We may not see the results when we want them or how we want them, but God hears our cries and answers them in His own time and in His own way.
Paul prayed relentlessly. Here is a guy that prayed without ceasing. He was chained to a guard every second when he was in prison, but he prayed, preached and wrote letters to several churches encouraging them to be joyful in all circumstances, and not to let their guard down because the enemy is real. His prayers changed people. His prayers saved lives. His letters continue to lead people to Jesus and show them the way to salvation.
You might not be in a literal prison like Paul was, but you might feel like you’re serving some sort of prison sentence. That can be heavy to carry, and you don’t know where to begin to pray and ask for help. Even when you feel like that, God knows your heart and He is faithful to His promises. Just cry out and tell Him that you don’t know how to express yourself, but you want to reach out to Him.
When you begin to get frustrated with the waiting, ask yourself what your situation would be like if you weren’t praying about it? Look carefully and find little answers that will encourage you to keep on. Take an active role in preventing Satan’s influence on your family. Take a walk through your house. Ask God to protect each window, doorway, and room. Ask Him to bless your home and to protect anyone who enters. Thank Him for fighting for you! He is a mighty tower!
God expects us to fight against evil, by HIS power, but also through our gifts and abilities. He has gifted us to be lights in darkness. Look for opportunities to shine light into the darkness and bring clarity to confusion. We are told to pray without ceasing, and we can call on His name all day. He is the victory! We are never to give up for our God will fight for us.
Passages to Ponder:
Nehemiah 4:14- Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your homes.
John 17:15- I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.
Psalm 55:17-18— Morning, noon, and night I cry out in distress, and the Lord hears my voice. He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me.
Contributors: Karen Bromby, Tammy Holtzapfel, Michele Killion, Maria Kucharczuk, Kim McClure and Shawna Nelson
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