TOTHEUNTAMEDHEART.

Can we grow together today?

I mean, this post is about to be so unoriginal, a fine mix between you, me, NLT Bible commentary, & Thessalonians. I simply want to lay this down for you, drop the mic, in hopes that you will pick it up.

The conversation starts between my friend & I, who has been struggling over her little family’s faith, wanting nothing more than to plant her family in a church where they can take root. She wants this thing to happen so badly, & he doesn’t understand how to want it with the passion she does because he hasn’t experienced the unreal intimacy & reality of what its like to behold & be held by our loving God.

So she’s sitting across from me, tears dampening her sleeves, telling the story of falling apart & falling back together under the conditions of an equal search to be rooted in Jesus, & how he said yes sure okay & then months later how he’s not so sure. & what do you do when everything you’ve placed your hope on vanishes into thin air?

I told her I thought her marriage was under spiritual attack. Because what devil would focus all his energy on keeping a powerless pew sitter out of a building? Even if its a building where worshippers gather, why would it matter if she was going to make no difference in the kingdom?

Three days later, I’m reading Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians & I read the beginning of chapter three.

“But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you & guard you from the evil one.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:3)

& that was the answer to the question I hadn’t been able to address. The Lord won’t leave you when you make a mistake or have a failing miserably kind of day. He doesn’t give up there. He stays beside us through our failures & trains us through our most difficult moments. He doesn’t give up on us how we give up on ourselves. He isn’t overwhelmed by our bumps, bruises, & blind spots.

When I finished reading, I randomly decided to read the commentary below, something I never ever do. Ever. Seriously.

So what would I find below the verse other than guidelines to prepare you for & help you survive spiritual attacks, reading as follows:

1. Take the threat of spiritual attack seriously.

2. Pray for strength & help from God.

3. Study the Bible to recognize Satan’s style & tactics.

4. Memorize scripture so it will be a source of hep wherever you are.

5. Associate with those who speak the truth.

6. Practice what you are taught by sound spiritual leaders.

I thought these were so incredibly helpful, & I really hope you do, too.
But I’m hoping we don’t have to stop here.
Let’s be number five together, can we?

So what I’d like us to do (this includes all of you) is to touch on two important things after actively writing this down somewhere for yourself.

Satan’s style isn’t usually generic, though sometimes more than one of us battle with the same red flag areas. But I know in my life, he likes to attack the same areas of my life repeatedly, this including finances, difference in opinions of parenting techniques between my husband & I, health/diets, etc. So here’s what I’d like you to do now.

1. Write down these red flag areas in your life that Satan frequently wants to attack. Pray & ask God to bring light to the darkness so that you can see Satan’s patterns. Ask God to alert you when these areas of your life are in players flags are in play so that you can tread with caution.
2. Memorizing scripture comes with knowing scripture. Here’s the part I’d like you all to help us all with. I’m going to ask you to share a verse in the comments that you use under spiritual attack or one that you’re going to start using. If you don’t have one in mind, ask God to help highlight one as your searching on out. Then, I’m asking that you write down the verses shared by verses to memorize so that you can have your own little cheat sheet ready at all times so that we can stand united in Christ, fully prepared to remind the devil of his proper placement— under our feet.

Here’s my verse to share:

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you His peace at all times & in every situation.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:16)

Your turn.