Remember Who the Real Enemy Is

“To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:  Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.” Jude 1:1

Father, I thank you that the Deeper Still team is called, sanctified in You and preserved in Jesus Christ.  I pray for mercy, peace, and love to be multiplied to the Deeper Still team.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

If you’ve seen the movie, Catching Fire, you are familiar with the second to last final scene where Katniss Everdeen points her bow and arrow at Finnick.  Her heart is pounding, sweat is pouring.  She is panicked as her psyche assesses the situation.  Finnick, in a defining moment, knowing his life is on the line, shouts the memorable words, “Remember who the real enemy is!”

We too at times may get confused about who our real enemy is.  When we forget who we are truly fighting, we can feel threatened by others in our arena.

 

Ephesians 6:12 admonishes this warning, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

This is God’s way of saying, “Remember who the real enemy is!”

 

There are times when my husband and I may get into a little…ahem… disagreement.  Many times we are more prone to these so called “disagreements” right before a retreat.  I now know that this is a scheme of the enemy and to treat it as such.  My husband is not my enemy. 

When people say things that bump into our happy, rub us the wrong way, or are rude, we need to be alert to the fact that there is a real enemy out there and the clerk at Walmart is not him.

 

We have no business pointing our arrows at fake foes.

In ministry, there are opportunities to get offended.  There may be personality clashes.  We are only human beings on assignment to do the Lord’s work.   It is especially important to remember there is an enemy who would love to bring havoc on the mission field.  We need to keep our shields up and our own arrows down.   There are enough arrows from the enemy without other arrows being slung around. 

People are not our enemy.  Our enemy is not flesh and blood. 

In the movie, Katniss, in a moment of decisiveness, points her arrow away from Finnick.  She then purposely aims at the sky and releases with resolve.  She remembered who the real enemy was. 

Our arrows are prayers aimed to the heavens.  Those arrows are poison to the plots of evil. 

I pray we will remember daily who the real enemy is and aim our arrows at the right target.  

Dressing for Battle

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.  Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. “  1 Peter 5:5 (emphasis added)

Father, I pray for every member of the Deeper Still teams to be clothed with humility.  I pray for Deeper Still to resist the temptations of pride and the flesh and remain humble realizing all things are only done through Your mighty hand and by Your Holy Spirit.  In Jesus’ Almighty and Glorious Name, Amen.

How we dress matters.  We wouldn’t wear a tux to the gym.  We will freeze if we wear a swimsuit in the snow.  Would you wear an evening gown to the grocery store?  Although some wear their pajamas to Walmart, I think we can all agree that no one should! 

The Deeper Still Retreats are no less than a battle zone and every team member is on the front lines.  For centuries, armies have known how to dress for battle.  They know what to wear and what NOT to wear.  Knowing what NOT to wear is equally as important. 

When David fought Goliath, Saul offered him his armor.  David turned it down because he knew it would hinder his ability to fight.  He knew what NOT to wear.  (1 Samuel 17:38)

Pride weighs us down and hinders our ability to fight.  The Lord says to clothe ourselves with humility.  That suggests to me that we need to be sure we put it on continually.  We need to lay down the things that easily entangle us so we can run the race with endurance (Hebrews 12:1).  Pride will definitely entangle.

 

This is a battle.  Not only do we need to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6), but we also need to clothe ourselves with humility.  One of the enemies most deadly weapons in ministry is pride.  We have to be willing to lay down our pride and subdue our fleshly tendencies.  There are lives hanging in the balance.  This isn’t play time, it is real combat. 

We would be wise to take Peter’s advice in 1 Peter 5:8-9a:

“Be sober, be vigilant…your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion…Resist him.”

   

We resist the enemy when we take off pride and put on humility.  Humility is a weapon that enables the the grace of God to perfect, establish, strengthen and settle (1 Peter 5:9b).  It isn’t an option, being willing to submit to God and others humbly is a necessity. 

Humility is a vital part of our battle attire. 

So even if you might go into Walmart wearing PJs , by ALL means don’t go into a spiritual war zone dressed in pride. 

It's Not About Competing, but Completing

“Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.  And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake.  Be at peace among yourselves.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11-12

Dear Lord, I pray that the Deeper Still teams across the nation and world would comfort each other and edify one another.  I pray for unity and for the team members to honor those they serve along side.  I pray for the team to honor and esteem highly in love those who have been called to lead and for the teams to be at peace among themselves. I pray against any kind of spirit of comparison or disunity. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Last year when I served alongside Angela Braker at the Central Illinois retreat, Angela and I went together to pray through the rooms where the participants coming to the retreat would stay.  I will never forget one of the things she prayed that day.  She prayed against a spirit of comparison.

Let’s be honest.  We all do it.  We all have compared ourselves to others at one point in time. In fact, we probably did it today.  Social media contributes to comparison being only a click away as we are bombarded with fiction portraying perfect families, flattering selfies (that only took 50 times to conjure the most complimentary photo), and all the while we check to see if we have as many “likes” as the person next on the scroll.

Comparison is a killer.  It undermines unity.  It offends friends.  It hinders the work of the Lord.

Comparison focuses on self.  The Lord wants us to focus on Him and others.  The Lord spoke this to my spirit about two months ago.

IT’S NOT ABOUT COMPETING.  IT’S ABOUT COMPLETING.

The Lord has gifted each of us with unique gifts, talents and abilities.  He hand-picked the treasures He placed inside of us for His Kingdom purposes.  Only He knows exactly what we need to fulfill His call and He promises that He has equipped us with the tools required (Hebrews 13:21).

He doesn’t give us all the same gifts.  He gives us each what is needed to complete a beautiful picture as we work together as the body of Christ to advance the Kingdom of God.

Also, we are all at different places along this journey.  We may have similar giftings, but some of us have only been walking and operating in our gifts for a short time and others have been practicing using their gifts for years.  No one would compare a beginning piano player with an accomplished pianist.  We all know it takes years of experience, practice, and learning. 

Comparison is a game as old as Eve (Genesis 3:4).  The enemy knows this tactic works to create division, confusion, and jealousy.

1 Thessalonians 5:11-12 exhorts us to comfort, edify, and recognize those who labor among us and to esteem highly in love those over us.  We need each other.  We can’t do this thing on our own.   The last line of the verse sums up the result of completing rather than competing…Peace.

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

“Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”  John 15:13

Father, we praise You that Jesus loves us so much that He laid down His life for us.  Father, thank you for so great a love we cannot even comprehend.  Thank you that because of Your selfless act of kindness, the penalty of our sin has been paid and we are free. We know mother’s day can be difficult for the abortion wounded.  Lord, we pray for your loving balm to soften and bring healing to hearts wounded by abortion.  Bring them revelation regarding their God-given name --Mother.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Mother’s Day is drawing near.  For some, this is a beautiful time to rejoice and celebrate mothers and all the ways they have given up their own lives for their children. For others, this may be a difficult time for a variety of reasons.  For the abortion wounded, it can be heart wrenching. 

 

The story I want to share today is a beautiful story of life.

Sheppard Tucker, a Deeper Still team member who is also on staff at Deeper Still, so graciously offered to share a story of selfless love.  It is the story of her mother and how she was willing to lay down her life for her. 

We honor your mother today, Sheppard, and all the mothers (biological, spiritual, and relational) who lay down their own lives for their children and others daily. 

Here is Sheppard’s story:

Thankful for my Mom today on Mother’s Day who chose life for me although doctors told her she might have had the chance to save her own life by aborting me. She chose not to take more treatment for her cancer and lost her battle at the age of 28, when I was a year old.

My mom faithfully carried me in her safe, protective and nurturing womb all while battling lymphosarcoma. I don't know a lot about her, but I do know she completely fulfilled her role as mother on this earth by pouring all that she had into me - and from others who speak of her amazing spirit that blessed and nurtured everyone she came in contact with. I really hope and pray I get to meet her face to face one day….

On this 2015 Mother's Day weekend, I am thankful for all of the amazing Mothers God has provided in my life from infancy until now. I so appreciate all that have stood by me, encouraged, challenged, disciplined, (wink) and loved me like a mother would over the years. I am so grateful for each one of you and the way you have been wonderful examples that continue to shape my life. 

One of the things we affirm in women who come to the Deeper Still retreats is their role of mothering. All women are called to mother on this earth. We can mother not only our own children, but other's children, and yes, even our sisters and brothers in Christ. There are many orphans in the world, some of which might even have a mother and a father in the picture, but are spiritual or emotional orphans, not getting what they need- because for whatever reason the parent simply does not have it to give. We can each reach out and mother the orphans of the world- with something as simple as a smile, a touch, or at other times by pouring all we've got in to the lives of those the Lord puts in our path who need a mother's heart and attention in some way. He is the great expander of our hearts as we love others with the same love and grace He has given to us in our times of need.

“There is no greater love than this…”

Happy Mother’s Day Everyone!!! 

This is a picture of Sheppard’s mom and grandmother.  Sheppard is on her grandmother’s lap.  Her grandmother is the one who raised her after her mother passed away.  We honor her as well. Thank you Sheppard for sharing your beautiful story of love today.  

Walking in Newness

“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”  Colossians 2:8-10

Father, we thank you and praise you for the completing work you did last weekend at the Deeper Still Retreat.  We thank you that the participants are made complete in you.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

The world claims to have answers.  The world claims to have truth.   Pro-choice groups even claim a false hope in stating that there are no long term effects from having an abortion.  These claims are all full of empty deceit. 

Abortion creates holes in a person that nothing in this world can fill.  The participants come in broken pieces and with missing pieces desperate for wholeness.  Christ is the only answer. 

My father has been in the hospital for the last couple of weeks.  He had a knee replacement.  He needed his knee replaced because it was missing.  His knee was completely gone!  He now has a new knee, but his body needs times to adjust to the change.  Psychologically, he is accustomed to not having a knee.  He needs to renew his mind to recognize and embrace his new ability to walk and new wholeness.   The physical therapist uses tools such as walkers and stabilizers to help him adjust and use his new knee until he is secure enough in his newfound wholeness to walk on his own.

The same is true for the abortion wounded heart.  They come to the retreats missing pieces.  Only there is no earthly physician who can repair or replace what is missing.  The wear and tear of life has depleted.  They are broken.  They have searched the world’s methods to find wholeness.  But, any worldly method is temporal at best and destructive at worst.

 

Christ is the only One who can bring wholeness, mend and repair.  He is the only One who can replace what is missing and make new.  All else is a counterfeit.  All else is empty deceit. 

The participants received a wholeness that only Christ can bring.  It may take some time for them to adjust to being whole and embrace their new ability to walk in freedom. 

Lord, we thank you that they do not walk alone.  Lord we thank you that through your word, you continue to renew their minds and that you send other believers alongside them to help stabilize them as they learn to walk in newfound freedom.  Amen.