Spiritual Warfare

     Boys seem to naturally love to play war-themed games, don't they?  Sticks and even fingers inevitably turn to guns.  Around our house, the boys are just as likely to turn to full-body wrestling. With seven boys in the house (I have to include the adult boys in this! 😁), it is a constant chore to referee these wrestling matches.  Their energy is never ending, and their imagination is always rolling!

    Another battle is constantly raging around us.  It is entirely real. This is not a figment of our imagination.  There is a battle for our souls and the souls of our children.  Each one of us has this battle raging within us every hour of every day.  This is a spiritual battle that is always taking place in our hearts for control of our minds and bodies.  These attacks are led by the Evil One, himself.  

    As my children grow, I love those times when their minds are captivated by something of true value.  Recently we have had a few conversations regarding spiritual warfare. When I asked how we battle the forces of evil, it brought me such comfort that the answer was immediate: "Through prayer and Scripture."  If my children are confident in the battle, equipped to fight, they will be victorious.  

       As my children come to grips with the reality of spiritual warfare, worry begins creep in.  You can see it on their faces.  They even verbalize it.  It is beautiful to see that dissapate as we discover that this battle already has a victor!!  Jesus has already defeated the Evil One.  He gives us His power, as children of God to conquer the temptations, fears and doubts that are placed in our minds by the forces of Satan.  When we have the armor of God, there is no evil that can overtake us.  

     As parents, it is my privilege and joy to come along beside my child (who is also my brother or sister in the faith) and fight along side of them.  I can always be confident that prayers of Scripture are the right weapon, no matter what the battle is at that particular moment.  This week, my prayer is Psalm 121:

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

    where does my help come from?

2 

My help comes from the Lord,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 

He will not let your foot slip—

    he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 

indeed, he who watches over Israel

    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 

The Lord watches over you—

    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

6 

the sun will not harm you by day,

    nor the moon by night.

7 

The Lord will keep you from all harm—

    he will watch over your life;

8 

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

    both now and forevermore.

    What a beautiful reminder of where our confidence and faith lies.  The LORD is our helper and our defender.  In our own power, we will lose the battle.  The war is already won, however! If we allow our Saviour to fight for us, He will lead us to victory through each and every battle.  He protects and leads us throughout the fray. 
    Do we have any role in this? Our responsibility is to be ready to use the defenses Christ has given us. We are to be prepared with the Armor of God as described in Ephesians 6.  God instructs us to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ in 2 Corinthians 10:5. The more we understand and remain close to our Commander, the more victories we will see. We gain courage to fight boldly as we watch and experience His protection and defense.
    Praying that we will experience spiritual victory this week!

💓Heather Sparks💓