Satan Makes it Personal but We Can Turn it Around Together
Originally I wanted to title this piece “When you know the truth, but you're not believing it” but this didn't express what I meant accurately enough. So why do I even mention it? This was how I was feeling the morning I began writing this piece.I was thinking about the post I’d read by Brian Maisch: Have You Ever Heard The Devil Say “It Doesn’t Matter?” [False, it Matters!] Though I was in agreement, Satan was using this lie on me anyways and I was still believing it. Why? I don't know. I was asking myself this question too.
Satan's Sneaky and He's Calculating
Satan doesn't just lie He custom fits His lies. I don't know if we’ve all been fed the lie that our effort doesn't matter, but I do know that he’ll hit us where we’re weakest.Because he’s been around the block a few times, he knows what to look for. He not only sees our weakness, he also sees when we’re at our weakest.For me, I’m not very confident. Actually I’m quite insecure. When I joined the DailyPS community and began reading posts, Satan started nattering. My thoughts? Wow these people can write. They're far better writers than I am and what they share is interesting (I know, I know, don't compare yourself to others right? That one's on me, but the enemy knows me well, so it spiraled from there.)
I felt that God was leading me to be a contributing writer for DailyPS, but suddenly I had the thought, “I'm not qualified to be here!”
I started sinking, and I became discouraged. Guess what? The following day when I logged into Facebook someone had posted this: God qualifies the unqualified. (Oh yeah.) The encouragement didn't stop there. Why? God works through people. He wanted to keep me moving, and He knew that I needed the reassurance that He was with me.
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NIV)
We Turn Things Around By Knowing our Enemy
If nobody wrote or spoke about what God put on their hearts, we’d all be stuck in our lies. What if we started to believe them? One of my weaknesses is that I always focus on results. I can't see if what I write will have any impact. Making a difference matters to me. If I don't feel I’m making any difference at all I begin to feel useless.
Related Post: Where Does Your Confirmation Come From?
When I feel useless Satan tries to convince me that I'm just a waste of space. This is when the battle begins, and it usually ends with me feeling exhausted and tired of the battle.
Sometimes the Encourager needs Encouragement
I love being an encourager, but sometimes the encourager in me needs encouragement. That's what really sparked this piece. I woke up deflated, exhausted and depressed. I was desperate for something to pick me back up. When you’ve been going through your trials for a long time, every battle seems far more difficult. When you’ve been knocked down enough times, getting back up is a real challenge.I never know what will pick me back up. Some days it might be a song. Other days it might be Scripture. My husband may be the source God uses, or it may even come from the words of a fellow writer. Things are also accumulative. What I mean by this is that I’ll remember what one person wrote, and then somebody else will add to it. Before I know it, my perspective changes and that fog begins to lift once again. This is how this piece was written on a day when I just wasn't feeling it.
There is Strength in Numbers
There's a reason that unity and community is so important. When we come together we not only learn more about our Creator, we also learn more about our enemy. We testify with Christ’s authority in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” 2 Corinthians 2:11 NIVWe also help one another to win the battle. When the Isrealites were fighting the amalikites, Moses held his staff up. As long as his staff was raised, the Isrealites were winning, but Moses grew tired and needed assistance.We all can lose strength. What happened to Moses? When Moses' arms grew tired, Aaron and Hur brought a stone for him to sit on, they stood there beside him and held up his arms, holding them steady until the sun went down, and Joshua was able to defeat the Amalekites. (Exodus 17:12-14) When others step up to the plate and do the job that God has given them to do they help others to win the battle.
It Really Does Matter
For me, I was believing that what I write doesn't really matter, but as I searched for something to pick me back up, I found myself reading posts. Whatever job God gives you serves a purpose and it makes a difference.Keep doing what you're doing. I thank you for doing it. We can win the battle together through the grace of God who gives us everything we need for every good work. Believe it!
“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV