REDIRECT YOUR FOCUS – JESUS KNOWS
We all go through difficult times as Christians. We are challenged . . . we are spiritually attacked . . . Enemy spies/plants interfere as much as possible against God and His plans for us, etc. God has been doing a work in me over the past several years to recognize that “pounces imposed by people” are actually Enemy attacks. Ultimately, people are not to blame. According to Ephesians 6, our battle is not against people (flesh and blood). I knew this scripture, but it didn’t hit home until the end of 2012.
When people “come at us,” our first instinct is that “they” are the problem. How mean they are. How they aren’t living for God, even if they profess to be a Christian. Nope. The Enemy is behind EVERY assault against EVERY Believer. It is the Enemy who convinces/uses others to attack us, stunt our spiritual growth, nullify our blessings, tear apart our families, damage friendships, etc. It is not the PEOPLE who are to blame. It “feels” like it’s the people, but it’s the Enemy. More proof that we cannot live by our “feelings,” because our feelings change from moment to moment. God’s Word is the ONLY constant in our lives – it NEVER changes.
Throughout my life, my most vulnerable area for Satan’s attacks is relationships. Like many of us who have plenty of empathy for others, I have been used and hurt by people over and over. Satan uses our hurts to change our focus from JESUS to those people who have hurt us. The Enemy likes this spiritual warfare tactic, because we can fight with the PEOPLE until we are blue in the face. The end result is that THE ENEMY IS STILL WORKING. HE IS STILL ACTIVELY ATTACKING US! Why? Because we blame and fight people when it is the Enemy who is the perpetrator!!! So, the Enemy is sitting back in his fiery Lazy Boy watching us figuratively beat the snot out of people who only did what the Enemy manipulated them to do. We don't even realize the Enemy has engaged us in Battle; and he's engaged us when he knows we are directing our attack against others instead of him!!! The people are nothing more than Satan’s pawns. WOW!!
Jesus’ last words on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” God gave me this word: Jesus didn’t, but could have been focusing on all the hurt:
1. Jesus was betrayed by his friends (how would that make you feel?),
2. Jesus was wrongly accused and sentenced to death (how would that make you feel?),
3. Jesus was scourged by soldiers even though He was innocent (how would that make you feel?),
4. Jesus was chosen to be crucified instead of a criminal worthy of death (how would that make you
feel?),
5. Jesus was mocked as He hung on the cross (how would that make you feel?),
6. Jesus was given vinegar instead of water to drink (how would that make you feel?), and
7. Jesus suffered and died for doing no wrong (how would that make you feel?).
Is it coming into clearer focus Warriors? Jesus DID NOT FOCUS on all the hurt—HE FOCUSED ON LOVING THOSE WHO HAD CAUSED HIM PAIN! He knew it was the Enemy behind it all. I’m pretty sure I would have been recounting each and every hurt . . . over and over in fact. Jesus is Incredible!!
We are easy prey for the Enemy if we’ve been continually emotionally wounded. So be alert and ready for his attacks!!! They will undoubtedly come. We can forgive but, unlike God, we are unable to forget. It’s the memories the Enemy uses to bring us back to the pain over and over. I have trouble with it and I confess that to ALL of you.
Here the word God gave me [warning—here I go using “you” and not “we”]:
Jesus suffered and felt what YOU feel. Jesus knows YOUR pain. Jesus knows YOUR hurt. Jesus knows how much it hurts when friends/family betray YOU. Jesus knows what it feels like to have people pursue you for no just cause. Jesus knows what it feels like when people want to see YOU fail.
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WARRIORS, JESUS KNOWS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE!!
ONE MORE TIME . . . JESUS KNOWS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE!!
Your friends might sympathize with your pain, but Jesus UNDERSTANDS. When we hurt . . . when circumstances overwhelm us, we must keep our eyes on Jesus who went through JUST what we are going through and MORE. We must understand and BELIEVE that we’re not fighting those who impose the hurt; our Battle is with the Enemy not flesh and blood! That’s what the Enemy doesn’t want us to know.
Ephesians 6:12 KJV "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
God’s Word (the Living Word of God=Yeshua/Jesus) gives us the answer: keep your eyes on Him and love and pray for that person who has hurt you . . . forgive and do good to those who you perceive as your earthly enemies. In so doing, we render the Enemy’s attempts useless! Redirect your focus from circumstances and/or your hurts to Jesus and on the eternal reward that is waiting for you. It will
REDIRECT YOUR FOCUS FROM YOUR HURTS TO JESUS AND ON LOVING THE PEOPLE and it will be worth it ALL one day! AMEN!!!
Fighting to Render the Enemy’s Attacks USELESS!
Delann Conrad
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