You're at War?

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”

We are already at war spiritually. Constantly contending in our minds, we battle over thoughts and emotions which flow through them. The enemy often attacks by bringing up issues from our past. Failures, regrets, wounds, and traumas all have the potential to drag us down into doubt, darkness and despair. Our tremendous challenge is not to respond to these memories with old destructive thought patterns. Our victory lies in responding to these thoughts and feelings.

While we don't necessarily ignore thoughts and feelings from the past, it is vital that we don't allow them to control our souls and emotions, but that we take them captive through prayers and declarations inspired by our spiritual mind.

The battle over past issues is won we  takes authority over their meaning, purpose and definition in our lives with Jesus on the throne of our hearts and minds, everything in our past is brought under His authority and works together for our good!

Camouflage

1 Corinthians 2:10-12 “these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”

I’m fascinated by the way animals camouflage themselves in the wild. There is a fish in the Pacific called the Merlet’s Scorpionfish (Neat name for sure!). Scorpionfish blend perfectly into one particular type of coral. You can be staring at this coral and thinking to yourself, “My, oh my, that’s unique and beautiful,” and you would have no idea you were looking at a fish.

There’s an old phrase that my wife loves to use: “It’s hidden in plain sight.” This refers, of course, to something that is apparently obvious but that people still miss. If you know there is a fish in the photograph of the coral, you’re better able to spot it. It’s still tricky, but, eventually, you’ll see it—because you’ve been tipped off that the fish is there.

The apostle Paul is saying in this verse that the same is true with God. No one knows what’s really going on inside God’s mind unless He tips us off and reveals it through His Word and/or His Spirit.  How does He go about doing that? 

What we need has already been given to us: the Spirit.

Everything you need to live your abundant life you already have. He’s already given it to you. It may be “hidden in plain sight,” but you know it’s there. The Holy Spirit is the Teacher who wants to show it to you.

Encouraging Leader

God has chosen you to lead the way as an Encouraging Leader.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”