My husband came in the house with a shocked look on his face, “We’ve been robbed,” he said.
“What do you mean?” My heart seemed to skip a few beats.
“I walked out to the truck and the back window was broken, everything of value was taken and the contents from the glove box and console were thrown everywhere. It looked like a bomb went off inside,” he explained.
Fear infiltrated my mind as I visualized the thief in our driveway…just a few feet from our home…a short distance from our boys who were sleeping in their rooms. I really didn’t want to let my mind go there.
I prayed, “Thank you, God, it could have been so much worse.”
The next night I picked up some fast food burgers for our family and within a couple of hours my husband went into anaphylaxis. The definition of Anaphylaxis is: a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death. It typically causes more than one of the following: an itchy rash, throat or tongue swelling, shortness of breath, vomiting, lightheadedness, and low blood pressure.
It was one of the scariest nights of our lives. I was praying…pleading…with God for His mercy on my husband, Jerod. He eventually came through it, feeling depleted and worn down.
Again: Thank you, God, it could have been so much worse.
The next day we received a call from the Assisted Living Home where my in-laws live. Jerod’s Dad had fallen again. Not only that, he had to be quarantined for the 2nd time due to C-Diff. It’s hard to explain, but an intense guilt engulfed us; how could we have prevented this?
Would the bad news ever stop?
But then again: Thank you God, it could have been so much worse.
That week the hits kept on coming. During all of the big things, a million little things flew at us like fiery darts. However, I will spare you the melancholy details. One thing was certain: there was no way to fight the onslaught on our own.
The enemy was attacking us as we entered into new territory. We had begun stepping way out of our comfort zone to share Christ with unbelievers in the business world. See, it’s one thing to share Jesus at church, at Christian oriented events, or on social media, but it’s a whole other thing to share Him in the marketplace with skeptics, atheists, agnostics and the apathetic. It was requiring a new level of faith and boldness in us. Nevertheless the opportunities were there and the Lord was calling.
Man, it’s so much easier to just keep out of it. Lay low. Keep quiet.
Or is it?
I don’t think we would have any true peace if we shut the door on God’s call.
Here’s the thing, when we carry the light into the darkness, the enemy comes to snuff us out. He comes to kill, steal and destroy us (John 10:10). But Jesus came to give us life and to the full! The enemy cannot win; the light will certainly chase the darkness away.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5
“The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1
Our enemy will do his best to discourage us and defeat us, but his ploys cannot hold up to the power, majesty and breathtaking light of the presence of our God!
Satan may “sift us like wheat,” but what is left when the attack is over is the best of us.
When we continually worship God through the spiritual attacks, we prepare for God to do what only He can do. He fights for us in the heavenly realms and wins the battle! We experienced a very rough period of attacks, but it was worth it for the end result of knowing people’s lives and their eternity were forever changed!
If you are experiencing spiritual warfare, I sympathize and feel for you. It is painful, but I encourage you to put on the full armor of God and worship Him like you’ve never worshipped Him before…and just watch what He will do! There’s no devil in hell that can defeat you when you trust God to fight the battle for you!
Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and shaving put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, praying for all the saints.