Damaged
Good Morning Girls! We have been looking at a few of the "devils devices" over the last week or two. The devil uses these different forms of attack (sometimes subtle, sometimes blatant) in the hopes that at a minimum he will cause you to stumble; and if things go his way, you will lose faith altogether.
My prayer is that the more we become aware of these devices, the less likely we will be to fall into one of them.
The Lord brought us many examples, all starting with the letter "D"- perhaps to make it easier for our busy minds to remember! Todays' word is.........
Damaged: impairment of the usefulness or value of; harm
Here's the way I see it- or at least looking back this is the way it seems to go for me. The enemy uses all of the other "D" words: the disappointment, disqualification, deception, discouragement, debilitation- he uses them all with the ultimate desire of getting us to go against that which we believe.
In other words, we find ourselves so disappointed, discouraged, debilitated (in any combination) that we start questioning the Truth we have previously held on to. Sometimes we question, other times the enemy brings us the questions and doubt.
It's the same device he used in the garden and it is still working for him today.
"Are you sure you have the favor of God? It certainly doesn't look that way does it? I mean if God really loved you like they keep saying would he let this situation go on and on like it has? Would he hear you cries for help and just turn the other way? Surely he CAN fix it....but he's not. Why do you think that it? Maybe you should just "think" about some of these things for awhile."
So you start thinking (big mistake). And you start seeing that there is some truth to these thoughts. After all, it is true that God can do anything.....so why isn't he? You keep hearing that God loves you no matter what. You keep hearing that he has great plans for you, that he never leaves you or forsakes you. You keep hearing these things......but you are not feeling these things......and you certainly are not seeing these things........maybe these "things" are not truth after all.
I may as well do my "own thing".............
Your "own thing" is anything contrary to what you know in your heart to be true (or at least once knew in your heart to be true). It can come in the form of acting against the standard of living you believed God had set before you (participating in activities you know are not right for you). Or maybe you find yourself saying to others "I don't know if I believe that anymore" (and not in the healthy I am seeking revelation on this, but more like the it doesn't look that way for me so I don't think it's true kind of way). It may be where you start finding fault with your Pastor, or church in general. You may even start checking out some of these New Age cheeky styles of faith....they sure seem a lot happier over there in never never land.........
Whatever your "thing" is, you suddenly find yourself doing it.
And then the devil throws his knock out punch:
"Woah! You go Girl! Wow! Never thought I would see you doing (or thinking) that! I thought that part of you was gone....but look!....she's back! Well if you weren't disqualified before you certainly are now! I mean I was just messing with you- I didn't think you would really fall for it. Wow! I mean, I thought you knew better than that! Wow! God must really be disappointed in you. It was one thing when you didn't know any better......but this....this is really, I mean really bad. I mean, look at you......
You Are DAMAGED!!!!"
Remember the definition of damaged? Impairment of the usefulness or value.
The devil wants you to believe that you are damaged goods. He uses all his other devices to get you to act against what you believe and then he turns around and accuses you of no longer having value or being useful to God.
The Good News is God specializes in the damaged! He loves the broken and broken hearted. He loves them dearly and calls them Beloved!
It is critical for you and your faith that you remember and trust this truth. If you don't, you will end up tangled in tomorrow's device.....and it's a painful place to be......
Psalm 51:16-17 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. YOu do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Love, Grace, and a damage free day to you all-
Jen
My prayer is that the more we become aware of these devices, the less likely we will be to fall into one of them.
The Lord brought us many examples, all starting with the letter "D"- perhaps to make it easier for our busy minds to remember! Todays' word is.........
Damaged: impairment of the usefulness or value of; harm
Here's the way I see it- or at least looking back this is the way it seems to go for me. The enemy uses all of the other "D" words: the disappointment, disqualification, deception, discouragement, debilitation- he uses them all with the ultimate desire of getting us to go against that which we believe.
In other words, we find ourselves so disappointed, discouraged, debilitated (in any combination) that we start questioning the Truth we have previously held on to. Sometimes we question, other times the enemy brings us the questions and doubt.
It's the same device he used in the garden and it is still working for him today.
"Are you sure you have the favor of God? It certainly doesn't look that way does it? I mean if God really loved you like they keep saying would he let this situation go on and on like it has? Would he hear you cries for help and just turn the other way? Surely he CAN fix it....but he's not. Why do you think that it? Maybe you should just "think" about some of these things for awhile."
So you start thinking (big mistake). And you start seeing that there is some truth to these thoughts. After all, it is true that God can do anything.....so why isn't he? You keep hearing that God loves you no matter what. You keep hearing that he has great plans for you, that he never leaves you or forsakes you. You keep hearing these things......but you are not feeling these things......and you certainly are not seeing these things........maybe these "things" are not truth after all.
I may as well do my "own thing".............
Your "own thing" is anything contrary to what you know in your heart to be true (or at least once knew in your heart to be true). It can come in the form of acting against the standard of living you believed God had set before you (participating in activities you know are not right for you). Or maybe you find yourself saying to others "I don't know if I believe that anymore" (and not in the healthy I am seeking revelation on this, but more like the it doesn't look that way for me so I don't think it's true kind of way). It may be where you start finding fault with your Pastor, or church in general. You may even start checking out some of these New Age cheeky styles of faith....they sure seem a lot happier over there in never never land.........
Whatever your "thing" is, you suddenly find yourself doing it.
And then the devil throws his knock out punch:
"Woah! You go Girl! Wow! Never thought I would see you doing (or thinking) that! I thought that part of you was gone....but look!....she's back! Well if you weren't disqualified before you certainly are now! I mean I was just messing with you- I didn't think you would really fall for it. Wow! I mean, I thought you knew better than that! Wow! God must really be disappointed in you. It was one thing when you didn't know any better......but this....this is really, I mean really bad. I mean, look at you......
You Are DAMAGED!!!!"
Remember the definition of damaged? Impairment of the usefulness or value.
The devil wants you to believe that you are damaged goods. He uses all his other devices to get you to act against what you believe and then he turns around and accuses you of no longer having value or being useful to God.
The Good News is God specializes in the damaged! He loves the broken and broken hearted. He loves them dearly and calls them Beloved!
It is critical for you and your faith that you remember and trust this truth. If you don't, you will end up tangled in tomorrow's device.....and it's a painful place to be......
Psalm 51:16-17 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. YOu do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Love, Grace, and a damage free day to you all-
Jen
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