"..Pursue Your Enemies!"

Recently, after a hot spell, I noticed some annoying little midges flying around my kitchen, and though I managed to swat a few, the problem continued to prevail..

I remembered the words of David in Psalm 18;

"..I pursued my enemies and overtook them; neither did I turn again til they were consumed.."
(verse 37)

I began speaking the promises of God over the situation;

"..Thank You, Lord, that You always give our enemies into our hands.." (Josh 21 v 44)

"..No weapon formed against me can prosper.." (Isaiah 54 v 17)

Had they all disappeared by the end of the day...NO! (Lol)...in fact, the battle lasted nearly a week during which time, I'd think they were gone, then suddenly a few more would appear here and there..

You see, as soon as we became a Christian we were enlisted in the army of the Lord, whether we like it, or not, and we now have an enemy that fights against us day and night..
(1Peter 5 v 8-10)

So when trouble shows up, we cannot afford to be passive, and the Lord expects us to take up the spiritual weapons He has provided and fight, because all the promises of God are 'yes and amen!'
(2Cor 1 v 19-20)

You may be at your daughter's home and notice some unusual tension between her and her husband, so when you get home you search your bible for the right promises, then pray!

The same if some symptoms of sickness show up. Don't wait for things to get worse before you take up those healing promises, and speak them out over your body.. 

One time I was in the supermarket looking at something on the shelf, and when I turned to walk away, a sharp pain shot through my hip, and suddenly I couldn't walk! I stood for a few seconds wondering what to do, meanwhile, it's amazing the amount of negative thoughts that can flood the mind in a matter of seconds!

"..Oh, now you'll have to go to A&E...probably need a scan..etc..etc!!

I started inwardly praying against the attack, whilst at the same time limping slowly forward. The first few steps were still painful but as I persisted, the pain gradually lessened until I was able to walk as normal..

Years ago, I used to suffer from debilitating migraines, and though they seem to go away, every so often without warning, they would return sometimes for 3 days at a time. The drugs I was taking for the pain contained codeine which also causes drowsiness, so oftentimes, I'd be walking round like a zombie. Though I'd been for prayer at various meetings, it wasn't an instant healing, but I kept believing I'd received it anyway, then kept pushing on through to the victory standing on the promises of God..

It was a number of years before I finally became free..

The same thing with the persistent flu bugs that had plagued me since childhood. It's wonderful when you're prayed for and there's an instant healing, but many times you have to pick up that 'sword of the spirit' and fight! (Ephesians 6 v 17)

Maybe there are some untoward goings on in the office where you work. You notice a colleague being bullied, or perhaps it's the boss who's making everyone's life a misery..

As a Christian, you have the authority of Jesus in your workplace. Do your best to be a blessing and obey the Lord however He leads in the situation...but when you leave work and get into your car...you pray, and you keep praying!

In the meantime, the Lord will be moving. He will either change that person's heart...remove the problem...or remove you, and give you a better job elsewhere!

Also, it seems that 'humility'plays a vital part in our ability to overcome, so we must always be careful to live daily surrendered to the Lord in the word, and in prayer..

Simple 'bravado' is not going to work..
(Psalm 18 v 27  James 4 v 7  1Peter 5 v 6

Meanwhile, as we continue on in our walk with the Lord, winning the battles, we're becoming more confident, and according to Psalm 18 v 34 'He teaches our hands to war' so, we're growing ever stronger and more resilient to face the greater battles that lie ahead..

"..Yet amid all these things, we are more than conquerors..and gain a surpassing victory, through Him Who loved us.."
Romans 8 v 37 (Amp)

"..For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith..

Who is it that is victorious over the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on that fact)"
1John 5 v 4-5 (Amp)


"..For though we walk in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons..

For the weapons of our warfare are not physical weapons of flesh and blood, but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds.."
2Cor 10 v 3-4 (Amp)

See also Ephesians 6 v 10-18

Are You Being Restricted?

For a while now, I've had this condition in my right arm which I can trace back to the end of autumn last year when being a bit too 'over-zealous' working in my mother's garden!

To look at me you'd never guess there was anything amiss as I can do most every daily task required  using this particular arm..

However, the type of movement required when it comes to undressing for bed has caused such intense pain, it has brought tears to my eyes, forcing me to go into all sorts of strange contortions when removing jumpers and underwear..

Well anyway, after three months of this, a couple of weeks ago I decided, enough is enough.

I'd been for prayer a couple of times, 'believing I received' and 'having done all' was still standing in faith for healing...also praying over the arm every day..but now the revelation seemed to be that something further needed to happen in order to gain the breakthrough!

So, standing there yet again in my bedroom bracing myself to undress, I suddenly remembered talk of a 'battle-cry'.

This is apparently what brave warriors do when charging towards the enemy. So anyway, with renewed determination, I set about undressing as normal..this time pushing through, without the usual contortions and at the same time, yelling out as loud as I could!

It wasn't exactly 'Geronimo' but did come from deep down in my guts..

Did it still hurt? Yes it did...lol..but ever since then, there's been a definite lessening of pain as, little by little, I am able to move the arm more easily each day..

So how about you? Are you in a place of some sort of 'restriction' in your life?'

It could be a physical problem like mine...or mental...emotional? Or maybe certain circumstances seem to be hemming you in..

Well whatever it is, the Good New is, the Lord wants you to advance out of it...because there is a purpose, and a destiny to fulfil!

In Psalm 23 we see that 'the Lord is our Shepherd' and in verse 4 of the Amplified Version, says how we can 'walk 'through' (not remain in) the deep sunless valley of the shadow of death..'

God's will for us is to advance and to walk out of our dark situation guided by Him to the other side, and all we have to do is seek Him daily for wisdom as we go..allowing Him to be our Shepherd..

Psalm 119 v 105 tells us; 'Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path..'

And in the Gospel of John we are assured of Him being our Counsellor, Comforter, Helper, Strengthener, and Standby...not to mention; 'a very present Help in time of trouble!'
Chapter 14 v 16 and 26 also Psalm 46  (Amp)

And He is waiting to be consulted!

"..but if I go away, I will send Him to you (to be in close fellowship with you).
John 14 v 7 (Amp)

Meanwhile, here are some more 'overcoming' stories;

I've had a DVD sitting on my shelf bought for me by my daughter  ('Breathe') for about a year now. Because I knew it would be emotionally harrowing I'd been waiting to be in the right frame of mind..

Well finally, yesterday, I watched this true story about a couple who, around the time of the birth of their little boy, the husband (Robin Cavendish) aged only 28, was suddenly stricken with the polio virus..

Laying there in a hospital bed paralyzed from the neck down, he could breathe only with a mechanical ventilator and just wanted to die. But his wife would not allow it.
Instead she asked what she could do for him.
He replied;

"..Get me out of here!"

So now came the battle with the head consultant who would not allow such a thing saying that Robin would last only days away from the protective care of the hospital..

I will never forget this young man's response;

Rather than remain in the stagnancy of that hospital bed, he made up his mind to accept the risk of dying..'

Well, he ended up living another 36 years, making him a medical phenomenon as one of the longest-living polio survivors in Great Britain.

He also became a tireless advocate for disabled people, helping to develop numerous devices to provide independence to paralyzed people..

Another encouraging story;

Years ago, I read the testimony of a big black American football player who broke his neck during a game and was told he would never walk again..

However, he found out about a God Who heals, and one day whilst sitting in his wheel chair, decided to try and stand..

With all of his might, he heaved himself to his feet and stood for about 2 seconds before falling back into his chair..

He then reasoned that if he was able to stand for 2 seconds, he could stand for 3..and then 4..and then 5...and that's how he eventually left his chair...little by little..refusing to be restricted!

Finally, you've surely heard about Arthur Blessitt, the amazing man of God who is known for taking the Cross around the world?

Well, not long after the Lord commissioned him to go, Arthur found himself on a hospital bed after being told he had an embolism in his body that, if he were to move, could travel to his heart and kill him..

Laying there, he earnestly sought the Lord as to what was going on, and what should he do?

He suddenly realised that he'd already been told what to do! Then rising from his bed, he went...and has been going ever since..

"..It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.."
Galatians 5 v 1

"..The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army;
He makes my feet like hind's feet and will make me to walk (not to stand still in terror, but to walk) and make spiritual progress upon my high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility.."
Habakkuk 3 v 19 (Amp)

"..The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me (the Anointed One, the Messiah) to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor;
He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed (who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity).
Luke 4 v 18 (Amp)

"Be strong in the Lord (be empowered through your union with Him) draw your strength from Him (that strength which His boundless might provides).
Ephesians 6 v 10 (Amp)

"..For by You I can run through a troop, and by my God, I can leap over a wall.."
Psalm 18 v 29 (Amp)

"..He makes my feet like hind's feet, able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble. He sets me securely upon my high places..
He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.."
Psalm 18 v 33-34 (Amp)

Be encouraged! x