A Loving Reminder: Take Captive Every Thought

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV)

                            

This world is a noisy place. It's so easy to get wrapped up in all the 'he said', 'she said' we hear throughout the day. We base our beauty and our importance on what the culture says is beautiful, and how many likes we get on social medias. We fill our minds with junk from songs we listen to, and images we see. Even when the music stops and the images are long gone they remain in our thoughts. They become one with us, we eventually start acting out what we see and what we hear. 

Worse is listening to those who are suppose to love and protect us talk us down. I've had to ask myself why is it easier to focus on the things the world says than it is to focus on the things God says about us? Why is it easy to believe when someone says we are worthless, but it's difficult to believe that the Word of our creator says "We are fearfully and wonderfully made;" (Psalm 139:14 NIV)

Lovelies we must take our thoughts captive. We must start filling our thoughts with uplifting, Godly things. We should take inventory on what we feed on throughout the day, and make the necessary changes. 

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4:23 NLT)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8 NIV)

Father, I come boldly before your throne, thanking you and praising you for your unfailing love. I am fully aware that we are in a constant spiritual war. I thank you Father that you have equipped us with the divine power to demolish strongholds! (2 Corinthians 10:4). I choose to put on your full armor. The armor that is especially designed for us, for times such as these. I stand firm with the belt of truth, my breastplate of righteousness, my feet fitted with readiness, my shield of faith, my helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit -Your Word! (Ephesians 6:10-18) Father I lift up my lovelies whom may have put their guard down, those lovelies who are tired, who are walking hopeless, and faithless. I ask you Lord that You intercede on their behalf. Send a legion of angels to protect them. Cover their minds. Remove all things that are not of you! Father take over, take control, take over their thoughts, their hearts, their soul. Meet them exactly where they are. Reveal yourself to them in such a way that there be no doubt that You are the Great I Am! Restore their soul so all who know them will know that You are God! In your powerful name, Jesus! 

A Loving Reminder: Stand Guard

A Loving Reminder: 

But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” (Nehemiah 4:9, 13, 14 NIV)

I recall having a conversation with a loving sister in Christ about how hard life is. One thing she said still resonates in me. She said "Life is hard, but life without God is harder". I think often how much I run in prayer to God for refuge throughout my day, for myself and for others, and then I started to think of those who don't truly know, understand, or believe in the power of the one who created them. The power of the awesome God who fights for us and our homes. 

Lovelies, one thing is for certain, threats will come. They come in all shapes and forms, and sometimes they come disguised. We must remain united and diligent about being on guard daily through prayer and intersession, to meet the threats that come to us daily. 

But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:36 ESV)

Father, thank you for the reminder that you are the Great and Awesome God that fights for us and our families. I ask that you give us the strength and stamina to be on guard day and night in prayer, not only for ourselves but for each other. Let us meditate on your promises from morning to night, that when the heaviness of the world falls on our shoulders that we be able to withstand it through your grace. In your precious name, Jesus, Amen! 

A Loving Reminder: The Intercessor

A Loving Reminder: 

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27 NIV)

Lovelies, sometimes there are moments where we find ourselves to be in such pain be it emotional or physical, be it for yourself or for a loved one, that you find it difficult to utter words into a prayer. 

I recall one time during an alter call being led by the spirit to pray for a sister I love dearly, whom I know was struggling. She was not at the alter for prayer, she was simply standing alone in the front row, and with the intentions of praying for her to encourage her, I gravitated towards her, but I could not utter a word I just groaned. God is amazing! The alter call was not in any way related to her struggle but she was certainly in need of prayer. The beauty of this all is that not a single word would came out my mouth, but I knew in my heart that God understood the groans. The Spirit stepped in immediately and interceded on her behalf according to God's will instead of me praying from my heart what I thought my sister needed.

 

Father, thank You for your word says that in our weakness your spirit intercedes for us through wordless groans. What a beautiful thought that in the very midst of our darkness You are there interceding for us. You know our needs better than we know them ourselves. I come on behalf of myself and your lovelies, asking that you reveal yourself to us in each of our situations, whatever they may be. Father that You search and know our hearts when we come to you so broken that we have no words to piece together into a prayer. Cover us from the crown of our heads to our toes, rushing to us and interceding for us according to Your Will over our lives. Your word says that you never leave us nor forsake us. Thank you for your unfailing love.

Thank you for being our provider in time of need.

Thank you for being our Intercessor, our one and only true mediator.

In your precious, name I pray this Jesus, Amen