GET READY FOR A BATTLE!!!

Jeremiah 46:3-4  "'Present arms! March to the front!  Harness the horses! Up in the saddles! Battle formation! Helmets on, spears sharpened, armor in place!' 

This world is going crazy, isn't it?  At least it sounds and looks like it if you pay attention to the news reports.  Wars, riots, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and all sorts of atrocities are happening all over the world.  Newspapers and TV news reports are filled with disaster and disaster.  We are blown away into a state of fear waiting for the next shoe to drop.   We walk around in fear for our lives and our thoughts are filled with dread and dome.  Our uncertain futures give us cause to worry and fret about what might happen.  We plan strategies for future events.  We stock pile water and food just in case.  We prepare in advance for an uncertain future and we fall into a state of despair as we contemplate what is headed our way.  I have seen it  people's eyes and I have heard it out people's mouths.  Scared and worried is the way some of us live on a daily basis.  The sort of funny thing is that these same things have been happening ever since the world began.  "But lately it's gotten worse."  Are you kidding me? Read the Old Testament!  We have it made compared to those times.  The thing that I realized the other day was this;  we hear about these things the second they happen.  Everyone has cell phones and internet right at their fingertips.  Within an instant we can a video of a hurricane as it hits Hawaii.  We instantly see images of the riots is Missouri.  We instantly see the images of war.  Years ago we never heard about a lot of this stuff because it took days or weeks to go over video what was happening and then bring it back to the studio to actually get it on the air.  How long did it take us to find our what Hitler was doing to the Jews in WWII?    

We fill our minds with the possibilities of things to come and miss out on the here and now.  I am guilty of watching hours of news broadcasts when a catastrophe hits, why?  I don't understand why that stuff is so freaking fascinating to me.  I battle the urge to turn on CNN or Fox to find out what's going on instead of just doing what I need to do, put on the armor of God.  Instead of watching all that garbage, which is usually sensationalized anyway, I need to get out my Bible and read it.  Listen people we are in a battle and if we are not careful we will end up concentrating to much on the problems and not enough time on the problem solver, God!  I know Satan loves the fact that we can instantly see the problems he is causing all over the world.  He loves to see the posts all over Facebook about all the controversies and all the political unrest.  He loves to see us filled with fear and worry.  It makes him feel so great when the current events divide us as a nation.  It thrills him to cause all this turmoil and we fall for it hook, line and sinker.  Families get divided, friendships are destroyed and churches even become target for his wickedness.   

We are being targeted and if we are not prepared in advance for these battles, we will lose the fight.  Personally I have not been as prepared as I use to be.  I let down my defenses and have been attacked at the very core of my being.  Like I said the other day, I have been feeling out of sorts lately.   There was just something that kept bugging me for about 3 weeks.  I felt defeated, deflated and beaten down.  I can't put my finger on any one thing that happened or was said that affected me, I just felt down.  Nothing seemed to be able to pull me out of this slump.  Then at my lowest point, I surrendered again.  "God I don't understand what is going on here.  What are you trying to tell me or show me?  I need your help!  Go ahead and be really honest with me, I can take it."  For a few days, I heard nothing.  Then today I opened the Bible on my computer and this verse popped up.  "My dear Satan is battling for your soul.  You have not been prepared and fallen as a victim.  Get back to my word and back to your studies!  You have to be prepared.  Of you don't it may get worse.  Put on my armor and get ready for battle,"  

 My friends we are all headed for a battle!  Not a physical battle, a spiritual battle and Satan will use anyone and anything to get our attention.  If we are not prepared, we will suffer losses.  I know for me the only way to prepare for a spiritual battle, I need to dive into God's Word and pray.  I need to get over myself and concentrate on what God tells me to do.  When I do that, I can withstand any battle Satan throws my way.  When I don't, I end up like I have been the last 3 weeks.  Jesus Christ died for me to have and enjoy my life and the only way for me to fully enjoy this life is surrender my life to Him.   Every morning, every evening, every second of every day I am constantly surrendering my life to Him.  It is only through Jesus that I can fight Satan and win.  The only way for me to truly know Jesus is read the Bible and pray.  You see Jesus has already fought Satan and won, so only He can guide us on our daily battles with Satan.  

Today I will put on the full armor of God by reading His word and praying.  I will also surrender my life to Jesus Christ so that He can guide me in the battle.  May this restore my strength and renew my faith and rebuild my armor, in Jesus name I pray, amen!