Lord, make Thyself always present to my mind, and let Thy love fill and rule my soul in all those places, companies, and employments to which Thou callest me. Amen.
~John Wesley
Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. … The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
~ Peter, The rock upon which The Rock has built His Church, in 1 Peter 4
Oh beloved, it is true.
We are those who are in a battle so pitched, that it threatens to tear us apart. Yes, while there are physical and logistical dangers all around us, the problem is far from external. The threat is outside of us, but its intent is to burrow deeply within and to wreak its havoc.
Spiritual forces of wickedness, in heavenly places, know that humans are frail. But, they also know that their enemies are subject to the protection of The L_RD of Hosts. And really, the only hope the forces of evil have, to bring damage is to change how someone thinks about a given situation. And, it they can bring enough damage to the thinking, they can tempt the person to allow a spiritual havoc wreaker to have more movement in their life.
For, if they can get inside the mind…
Thus, in come the assaults.
You aren’t good enough
You are not liked
You are going to lose your job
You can’t make it
Your lusts will destroy you
Your fears will be realized
Nobody Loves you
The Word is not true
Your mission is mistaken
And on, and on, and on, and on…
Can we see it?
The evil one does not just try to come in and distract us. He comes in and tries to actually rape us from the inside. He wants to take everything that is safe and private and whole – and turn it against us. He wants to take the very things that are the best parts of our identity and twist them into that which would cause us pain, and even destruction.
What to do?
He is the Answer, of course.
He has made you worthy
He Loves you with and Everlasting Love
He is your Provider
He will complete the work He has begun in you
He fulfills our inner desires
He will conquer all our fears
We are exceedingly Lovable in Him
His Word does not change, nor can He lie
And the gates of hell cannot stand against our Great Commission.
So, are you feeling those demons trying to bang around in your head? They will. It is one of the primary fields of battle. However, displacing these attempted incursions have little to do with my own effort. These things are only accomplished by a Power greater than the enemy. Him.
Tonight is your night beloved. Time to understand just exactly what is happening in your mind. And time to say no to it. G_d is able to handle things quite well.
Meekness is an unchanging state of mind, which both in honor and dishonor remains the same. Meekness consists in praying sincerely and undisturbedly in the face of afflictions from one’s neighbor. Meekness is a cliff rising from the sea of irritability, against which all the that waves that strive against it break, but which is itself never broken.
~St. John of the Ladder
