We win...

As a believer, I always know that "the battle has been won..." but that doesn't still mean we won't face trials of all shapes and sizes. Having just exited a season of trial, I know that the enemy is ready and willing to fire shots at me at any given time.

As I learned on Sunday as I listened to my pastor's sermon on the battle at hand between heaven and sin, (Satan) it made me realize this: Yes! The final battle is won..."There was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought back. But, he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven..." Rev. 12:7-9

However, Satan is still fighting as long as we are on earth, his ultimate goal in his attacks is to turn our eyes from Jesus. So whatever you are facing in your life, if it is causing you to turn your eyes away from your true Savior, or simply focus your attention on something earthly for a time (trial, pain, or even joys of earth) then you are most likely being "gently" attacked by the great deceiver. He is the master at this game, the master at making you simply "forget" about Christ long enough to get you down. He masks himself as good, and in doing so, the evil goes unnoticed until we are far from Him. Bringing my baby home has been wonderful, but time slips away each day so quickly and my time that I had with the Lord is shorter than it was before babies arrival, I recognize my hearts desire is to be with my Lord as much as possible, but the enemy can attack me with time challenges too! So, I keep my eyes alert, looking, praying and searching for wisdom to have the strength of Lord to see Satan's attacks, and run to Jesus when they hit.

Even though I know the final battle is won, I still feel the hits the enemy throws at me to try and waver my gaze from the Lord's and make me falter.

If I give in to any one of those attacks, a falter can lead to a sin....and sin draws us away from Christ. No-one is perfect, and we all sin, but our hearts stay more on the path of Christ as we resist the devil, and cling to His hands.

I find myself clinging a lot lately, fear is never far from my mind, and the enemy has been working over time on me ever since my new baby entered the world...isn't that just like the enemy to do this? To try and steal joy from one of God's most joyous times? The gift of life is to be celebrated, praising the Lord for that gift, but when I am shaking in fear from thoughts the enemy places on my mind, and I choose to stay in that place of fear, then God is not praised, and my heart is now burdened.

Do you see how crafty this enemy is? That is why we are told in Ephesians 6 to be on our guard, to put on the armor of Christ to protect ourselves. The battle is everywhere, and we need not look to far until we the temptations of the evil one. He is fighting in over-drive, in subtle ways, hoping to go unnoticed by us so that he can do his deceitful work in turning our eyes from Christ. Do not remove your armor, do not lay it down, for when you do a arrow of deceit will pierce your back, and by the time you realize you've been hit, sin may have already taken hold of your mind....

Even if a sin has taken over, and you realize this, it's never too late to say to the Lord.."Forgive me, make me strong in you..."

So I ask you friends...are you on your guard? Are you watchful, mindful, and aware of the enemy and his desires to make you fall? Are you praying for protection? Are you surrounding yourself with His goodness to ward off the attacks of the evil one? If the answer is no...then run to the word! Find the answers throughout His book and clothe yourself once more in the armor of Christ. In the end, Christ wins. Satan looses, but the end is not here yet, and the battle wages on, so get your tools ready to ward of the attacks that most certainly come, and will most likely come when you are least expecting them. (this is how the deceiver works!)

So whether it is rain or sun that has taken your eyes off of Him, it does not matter, the solution is the same, clothe yourself with Him who saves, and the enemy will not stand a chance!