The Struggle Is Real (Part 2)

Good morning to you.  Get that cup of coffee, hot tea, or lemon water, and settle in for some words of encouragement before you get dressed for the day.  Speaking of getting dressed, I’m finding it hard to get comfortable in my clothes.  The struggle is real, but Jesus (the living word) is even more so.

So have you ever put anything on and it made you feel so uncomfortable that it was a distraction?

I Samuel 22:38-39  NIV

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.  David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.

“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.

What is Your Struggle?

As we can see in 1 Samuel, David had that issue, but his struggle was related to wearing heavy manmade armor – that would be uncomfortable no matter how well it fit.  And, it was related to going to war. In light of this, one thing you should be aware of, and that is this – there is a battle going on for your life, and I’m not talking about in the physical realm.  This story of David and Goliath was an Old Testament shadow of what we are up against in the spiritual realm.

I want to share what my mentor shared with me not too long ago. It’s from the book, Utmost for His Highest, and it’s pretty deep.

Do You Really, Really Know Him?

Wow, if there was ever a time to be connected with Jesus in your every-day-walking-around-kind-of-life, it is now.  If there was ever a time for longing to know Him more, it is now.  For to know Him is to be amazed by Him, awed by Him, protected by Him, loved by Him, and become more like who you were created to be.  

Apart from Him, you are not who you really are.  Want to see who you really are? Then ‘really’ get to know Him. If you’ve not drawn close to Him, you’ve not seen anything yet!

The Protector, and more…

There are many names He goes by, and one is Jehovah Nissi, the Lord is my Banner.  Jesus is our rallying point, our protector.  If we ever, and we always do, need a Protector, a Banner, it is now.  I don’t know if many realize this, but what is going on in our country, and this world, is simply all-out spiritual warfare being manifested.

See the blog post on Developing World Overcoming Faith.

Exodus 17:15-16  NASB

And Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is My Banner; and he said, “Because the Lord has sworn, the Lord will have war against Amalek from generation to generation.”

So do you have your armor on?  Are you standing with and acknowledging Jehovah Nissi?  Most of us are familiar with the following verses:

Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

The Physical Realm Comes Out of the Spiritual Realm

You see, we are not talking about physical armor, though that might not be a bad idea depending on where you live or where you are going.  But we are talking about walking with and in the protective presence of Jesus.  Angels are in a battle on our behalf, battling in the heavenly realms against the forces of this world, against demons and principalities who are coming to kill, steal, and destroy any likeness of God that they can find.

I Peter 5:8  NASB

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Satan is So Defeated & Desperate He Resorts to Ridiculousness

There are many things that to most of us seem utterly ridiculous. I won’t use any examples, but folks are serious about today’s issues, and the devil just sits back and laughs.  He laughs because the devil is very familiar with the image of God, so much so that he was thrown out of heaven for being so perfect that it all went to his head and he thought he could become God. 

So now he hates God, anything that resembles God.  This includes me and you because we are created in God’s image.

God’s Image In You

So be encouraged.  Be encouraged that you are created in God’s image.  And, be encouraged that He walks with you daily.  Then be encouraged that He is not just some made-up figure that we play pretend but He is more real than what we see and experience in our limited 3D world.  Be encouraged that His love and protection are real.

The devil is “like” a roaring lion.  He is the one who pretends.  He is not a roaring lion.  But if he can get you to jump, then he’s got you.  Know who Jesus is and then no enemy can overcome you.

Challenge of the Week

No matter your challenges or what people say, walk in the power (speaking life from the word of God) and walk in the protection of the word of God. The struggle is real, but remember Jesus is the living word of God…so again, that’s you literally walking with Him!  So be it.