Tag: #strategy for warfare

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Strategies for Success

For the past two mornings, I literally dragged myself out of bed to go meet the Lord at our place of prayer, at our time of prayer. During yesterday’s time of prayer, it seems like I did not have my usual connection with the Lord, but I determined to stay there and give Him the time I had set aside for Him. This morning’s prayer, however, was different. As I knelt, I began to talk to God about a few dreams that I recalled having during the night. Almost immediately He answered back. As I knelt in silence, these are the words I heard. I later called them my “Strategies for Success“.

  1. WATCH WHAT YOU FEED ON:
    You are what you eat. If your daily diet – that which you consume – is made up of mostly carnal, worldly things (songs, movies, literature, social media etc.), you will become carnal and worldly. Your sensitivity will be more honed to things of the flesh than things of the spirit. Monitor your diet. Be sure to be adequately feeding your spirit man daily.
  2. WATCH HOW YOU MANAGE “YOUR” TIME:
    Just as God gave the servants in Matthew 25:15 (AMPC) talents to each in proportion to his own personal ability, He has given to each of us time in proportion to our own personal ability [to handle it]. He expects the same of us as He did of them:
    – Use the ability that I have and be a good steward of the time that was given.
    – Invest my time in things that will give a good return or profit to the kingdom.
    Remember, I will have to give an account, even of the use of “my” time.
  3. BE MINDFUL & INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE:
    – I should not just let life happen and whatever happens I flow with it. I should, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, be dictating to my life what will happen.
    – I should not live my life in a reactive state rather in a proactive state.
    – Ascribe tasks to my time. Every minute of my day should be accounted for. No time should be left for the enemy to shape or inject his will/agenda.
  4. CULTIVATE OBEDIENCE & CONSISTENCY:
    Routines have their place and rewards. They are needed as foundations on which we build.
    Routines help us manage our time, thus managing stress and reduce time stealers in our life. They ensure that attention is given to important tasks, forcing us into a habit of giving our time to the things that are priority. Routines help us to optimize our daily lives.

    Meeting the Lord at our place of prayer and at our time of prayer should become a routine in our lives. It should be the first step in the procedure of how we start our day. If we can develop the habit of meeting the Lord at our place of prayer and at our time of prayer, then the struggle of finding/making time to pray will cease. We will then open room to “hear” and receive frequent impartations from the Lord. PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT!

I encourage you, dear Friends, to give thought to the strategies by which you live your life. Remember, a strategy is a plan of action to achieve a goal. What are your goals? Do you have strategies for their success?

Dear Father, please teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. – Psalms 90:12

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REFLECTION & MEDITATION

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. – Psalms 143:5 (KJV)

I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. – Psalms 77:6 (KJV)

My dear sisters, here is another strategy for victory that the Holy Spirit has been teaching me. It is another weapon that the Father has given us to ensure our success in the battles we will encounter throughout this journey called life. This strategy provides us a source from which we can discover more of who we are and gain resources to fulfill our various assignments here on earth. It is the strategy of Reflection and Meditation.

Reflection = serious thought or consideration; a thought or writing about something, particularly in the past, or what one sees when looking into a mirror or body of water.

Meeting the Lord at my place of prayer and just thinking, seriously and carefully considering something in His Presence is an act of prayer.
– NOT asking or telling, but thinking.
– NOT fretting (being worried or anxious), but thinking.
– NOT complaining (expressing dissatisfaction or annoyance about something), but thinking.

Thinking = reasoning with God; making rational judgments; getting understanding; discerning; seeing God’s mind concerning a thing.

This is what I sometimes experience in my early morning times of communion with the Lord. As I reflect on activities, situations, and circumstances, He gives me discernment and understanding, causing me to make rational judgments about what my subsequent responses or actions should be.

This is not contrary to Scripture. In fact, David practiced this form of prayer. He gives us a glimpse of this in both Psalms 143:5 and Psalms 77:6. He tells us that [he] remembered the old days, went over all [the Lord has] done, pondered the ways [the Lord has] worked (Psalms 143:5 MSG). He shares in Psalms 77:6 (NET), I said, “During the night I will remember the song I once sang; I will think very carefully.” I tried to make sense of what was happening.

Meditation = to focus one’s thoughts (on one thing) for a period of time; dedicating a certain amount of time to be mindful about something.

When we talk about reflection, we should think about a mirror. Reflection is about my thoughts – letting them go and having them bounce back to me, giving me insight to my strengths and weaknesses. When I spend time in prayer reflecting, the Holy Spirit/the word, my mirror, reveals what I need to work on or change (what needs refinement in my life) AND what I need to reinforce or guard so as to preserve.

Meditation, on the other hand, allows me to see circumstances (others included) from God’s perspective, therefore informing my plans and decisions. Joshua 1:8 (MSG) says, “Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don’t get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you’re going. And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed.“

Dear friends, in your times of communion with the Father, allow for moments of reflection and meditation. I guarantee you that many of the answers that you have been looking for will be found in this position of prayer.

Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. – AMEN!

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Infected?

As we prayed this morning, I felt directed to pay attention to the state of the spiritual environment. I have learned that indulging in repeated acts (habits) draw or attract the spirits associated with that act. Additionally, things that appear in the physical realm are usually (1) a manifestation of what is occurring in the spiritual realm OR (2) an illusion that the adversary is propagating to deceive many.

In either case, what I see, hear, smell, feel – what I sense in the physical – is connected to an entity in the spiritual realm. So, although my household has been protected so far from the COVID-19 infection, it does not negate that the infection and all things resulting from its effect on the earth are manifesting and have manifested.

I need to look at this virus and its effects so as to trace the spirits that have been unleashed and are actively working in our world at this time:
– UNEMPLOYMENT = lack, poverty, hopelessness/despair, suicide, loss, homelessness;
– SHUT-DOWN = quarantine, shelter-in-place, isolation, separation, loneliness, fear, anxiety, abandonment;
– SICKNESS & DEATHS = sorrow, loss, grief, lostness, doubt, mistrust
– RACIAL PROTESTS = anger, violence, hatred, malice, murder, injustice

As I stop and look, really look, I see how I have taken the state of the spiritual environment for granted. My lack of attention to it has exposed my family and me to spiritual infection.

Masks are being required more and more as a defense against this virus. Countries are pushing for their people to wear masks as their personal protective equipment (PPE). But what spiritual PPE have we put on as a spiritual defense against those spirits that have accompanied the pandemic?

In my studies and subsequent teachings on “Overcoming Emotions”, I realized that our senses as well as our emotions were given to us as organs of perception that will help us navigate and survive in this world. Moreover, we saw that this perception is not just limited to the physical realm but is also connected to the spiritual realm. With the onslaught of issues arising from the effects of this pandemic, our emotions are functioning as God designed them, attempting to convey to us changes in our spiritual environment. They are doing so in an effort to help us navigate and survive this pandemic; to protect and preserve not just our physical lives but our spiritual lives as well.

With this in mind, I ask myself, “Could it be that what I have been feeling these past weeks was me actually sensing activities or pulses in the spiritual realm? Could it be that the symptoms of feeling mentally, emotionally and spiritually faint or tired/fatigued/exhausted are an indication that I have been spiritually exposed?”

If so, I need to QUARANTINE. I need to stay home and monitor my spiritual health. I need to spiritually distance myself from every evil spirit that is seeking to infect me with Lack, Loneliness, Despair, Anxiety, Fear, Anger, Doubt, and every other spirit that is actively working through this pandemic. I need to go to my place of refuge – God – and find shelter under His wings (Psalms 46:1; Psalms 91:1). I need to take the time that I need to be spiritually recovered and be back to full strength again.

Holy Spirit, You are ever-working, ever-active. You know just how to get our attention and how to lead and guide us into our truth, that is, the truth we need for today. You are my parakletos indeed – the One who walks alongside me as my Help. May I connect with you once more in the place of prayer and find strength for the battle. May Your all-sufficient grace be realized in me as I fight for my survival and that of my family. May I walk with the sight of the Spirit, knowing that my steps are ordered by You. – AMEN!

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Left Wide Open

Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel. – Joshua 8:17 (NIV)

More and more lately, as the Lord speaks to me, He keeps on reminding me about the FIGHT. He cautions me not to forget who I am and whose I am. He admonishes me to be on guard. Today, I was reminded of this once again when I re-read this journal entry from 2 years ago. I pray it is a blessing to you, as you stay positioned in the The Fight.

On Friday morning, I read Joshua 8 as my devotional and, one verse in particular stood out to me – verse 17. It pointed out that all the men of Ai left the city open and pursued after Israel. As I read the full account , two thoughts penetrated my mind: LEFT WIDE OPEN and DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!

As I pondered on both thoughts, I heard that we must constantly be reminded that we are in a war. Although we often forget this fact, our adversary does not. As such, he is always strategizing against us. One such strategy is SETTING AN AMBUSH against our city; against our dwelling space. An ambush is a surprise attack on someone from a concealed position. Let’s read the account to see how this was executed:

Joshua 8: 4- 7 (NIV) –“Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert. 5 I and all those with me will advance on the city, and when the men come out against us, as they did before, we will flee from them. 6 They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are running away from us as they did before.’ So when we flee from them, 7 you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. 13 So the soldiers took up their positions—with the main camp to the north of the city and the ambush to the west of it. That night Joshua went into the valley. 14 When the king of Ai saw this, he and all the men of the city hurried out early in the morning to meet Israel in battle at a certain place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set against him behind the city.

STEPS OUR ADVERSARY TAKES IN AN AMBUSH AGAINST US:
1. He sends something that would lure (draw) us away from our “city”: our place of security, protection, or refuge. Something that seems like an attack but it’s just a distraction.
2. He gives us a false sense of security or victory.
3. He gets our attention fixed on the pursuit.
4. He causes us to be in a hurry to achieve, to rush out without first doing the proper reconnaissance, not realizing that an ambush has been set.

Scripture teaches us that we are to be on guard. 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV) states, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” One of the things that ensures that we are not left open or vulnerable is prayer.

When life’s cares, joys, pains, schedules, etc. come in the way of my prayer life, I am as that city, left wide open.

When I stop being vigilant in prayer, stop being cautious in my daily interactions, and become relaxed spiritually, I am left wide open.

Prayerlessness makes me vulnerable to the enemy.

Prayerlessness weakens and eventually removes my cover/protection and exposes me to the deception of the enemy.

Prayerlessness is evidence that I have let down my guard.

Friends, if you and those who are a part of your space are going to remain protected, you need to guard against leaving your “city” wide open. Do not be ignorant of the devices of the adversary. Remember who you are. You have been called to and anointed to fight. You are `ezer – an agent of the kingdom heaven empowered as a military ally to fight on behalf of the citizens of this kingdom. Remember, even when it seems as if nothing is happening, the fight is still on. DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN and DON’T BE FOUND WIDE OPEN!

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I HAVE an ‘ezer!

The month of June 2020 is a momentous month for me. It is a month in which I celebrate two anniversaries: my 7th year anniversary of migrating to the USA and my 1-year anniversary of the launching of ‘ezerwatchers. Celebrating any kind of anniversary causes one to reflect; to look back at where you came from and where you are currently. Consequently, upon reflecting on both, I could only come to one conclusion: Through it all, I had and still have an ‘ezer. This fact is especially significant to me today because of what I am about to face.

In my first blog post for 2020 – New Year, New Training – I wrote, “For me, this new year – this start of a new decade – is another opportunity to become more skillful in warfare; the kind of warfare which, at its roots, is about listening to and obeying God’s commands. With this year comes new training for battles for which I lack experience.”

In that post, I also asked the questions, “What battle experience(s) am I lacking? What has God allowed to remain in my life from the previous year(s) that would give me the necessary training and experience so that I can become more fit for and skilled in warfare?What “enemy” has been left in my life for testing and proving; to know whether I would listen and obey the commands of the Lord?”

I concluded that, although I may have entered a new year, there will still be some old, remaining, or leftover things that I will have to deal with for my betterment. The Holy Spirit was impressing upon me to be careful not to offer wasted prayers, rebuking and cancelling the very things that the Lord has ordained for my growth and development.

At the time that I penned those words, I had no idea that six months later, in June, I would be taking a surgery for a health condition that I had been battling for some time. As I woke this morning and thought… six days away, I heard, this is an opportunity to not only SEE God as my ‘ezer, but EXPERIENCE Him as the true epitome, true prototype, of who and what an ‘ezer ought to be.

I was reminded of Genesis 2:18. Adam was alone. It was not good for him to be alone so, God made a help suitable for him. God made him an ‘ezer. As much as my husband, my children, and my mother are walking through this battle with me, I need an ‘ezer: one who can HELP in ways that they cannot. Just as Adam could not find a suitable helper (‘ezer) and God made him one, even so God is my ‘ezer in this season of warfare.

Motivated by this thought, I reached for my study tools at my bedside and began to dig deeper into this concept of ‘ezer. I was reminded that ‘ezer ( a noun) was derived from the verb ‘azar which means to surround, that is to protect or aid. Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon states of ‘azar – The primary idea lies in girding, surrounding, hence defending. It is used of an ally in war (1 Kings 20:16) and means to be helped (Psalms 28:7), especially by God (2 Chronicles 26:15; 1Chronicles 5:20) “and they were helped against them,” i.e. God gave them the victory.

When I think of undergoing general anesthesia and the whole surgical procedure, I embrace this idea of girding and surrounding. According to Israelbiblicalstudies.com, “to gird does not mean just to fasten, but to encircle and make safe. It comes from the root word that means to lock up, as in a city that is encircled by a wall.”  I find comfort in knowing that even though I will be under anesthesia, in a medically-induced coma, I have an ‘ezer who will encircle me and keep me safe. Although I will be unconscious, hence unaware of and unable to participate in this battle for my life, while I am asleep, there is one who will shield me and fight for me.

2 Chronicles 32:8 says, “With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help [‘azar] us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”  In this battle, I am growing in the strategy of warfare called Resting in God’s words.

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee [‘azar]; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

I go into this surgery knowing, believing, that God is my ‘ezer and that God will ‘azar me. He is my helper, my ally in this battle for my health. He will surround me; be all around me, enclose me on all sides. He will lock me in and keep me safe as a walled city. The end result is that God will cause me to conquer this enemy because, I have an ‘ezer.

I do not know what battle you may be facing today; what obstacle you are finding difficult to surmount. What I do know is that you have an ‘ezer. You do not have to face this battle alone. God is your help and, if you can just rest in His words, you will see the deliverance from the sword of your adversary.

Pray with me: My Father and My God, please help me to rest in your words so that I can experience you in a personal way during this time of difficulty. Cause me to lean on you as my ‘ezer, my present help and comforter. May I find in you the support I need to carry me through and over this ordeal. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DIG DEEPER:
Prayer Room: From one ‘ezer to another

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SCENT MANAGEMENT

My second daughter turned 14 years old over this past weekend. As I watched her enjoy her birthday celebrations, I was reminded of her as a newborn infant, clutching to only me at first, rooting for my breast. Her actions were that of one who could detect the unique signature odor of her mother and rested in the comfort and trust which that scent represented.

I woke this morning being instructed by the Holy Spirit. As I slowly awoke, I heard the statements:
• “Sin multiplies.”
• “Sin carries a stench.”
• “Unclean spirits are attracted to that scent.”
• “Sin, when it is full blown, leads to death.”

I not only heard the statements but saw scripture references simultaneously: Genesis 6; Genesis 4; Romans 6; James 1. So I hopped out of bed, grabbed my study tools and, with the memory of my daughter as an infant and those 4 statements as my focal points, went to studying. I found out something very important: spirits are attracted by the spiritual odor I exude. My scent attracts and repels. Managing my spiritual scent then is another strategy of spiritual warfare.

In my research, I found out that each person has a distinct odor, a natural scent called their signature odor. For newborn infants, though they can’t recognize their mother by sight, their highly sensitive sense of smell causes them to recognize their mother by her natural scent, by her signature odor. I also discovered that my infant becomes so familiar with my scent that she can even detect the difference, in odor, between my breast milk and that of another mother’s. This is why mothers of newborn infants are often cautioned against wearing strong scents such as perfumes or fragrance skin products. The baby’s sense of smell is so sensitive that strong scents/odors can become overwhelming and interfere with their sense of taste.

Wanting to understand what the Spirit was teaching me, I delved further into my research on body odor. You see, I have learned from the word and from experience that the natural, physical world mirrors the spiritual world in some ways. If we exude scents/odors from our bodies from which others can detect and extract accurate information, then our spirits also exude scents/odors from which other spirits can detect and extract accurate information about our condition or state. Our body odor can inform a sensitive or highly trained individual of various body conditions (like problems with specific organs, hormonal changes, disorders), choices (like diet), emotional state, and life stages.

As I thought on this and its parallel in the spiritual realm, I was reminded of the fact that not only am I an ‘ezer, a watcher, but I am also being watched and being targeted. After all, I am in a war. Just as I am studying warfare, so that I would not be ignorant of my adversary’s devices, even so he is studying me as prey (1 Peter 5:8). The clues I give, through the scents my spirit exude, inform that predator of my state. Then he chooses whether to retreat or attack.

But this doesn’t only apply to me. It applies to everyone, even my children who may not be as skilled in the warfare as I am. I thought of my 14-year old daughter, her current stage in life and her hormonal shifts which will likely affect her emotional state. I thought of what “odor” she may be emitting spiritually that may get the attention and “favor” of unwanted spirits. I pictured them, just like the beast who crouched at Cain’s door, waiting for a foothold to enter in and master/overpower him (Genesis 4:5-7).

I thought, “For the sake of my children, I need to manage my spiritual scent so that my children’s spirit can always locate my unique, signature odor AND find that place of safety, comfort and rest.” I cannot afford for my scent to be masked by the cares and stresses of life, lest they would not be able to find their ezer warrior that God has assigned to them for their “help”. For their sake, I must manage my scent so that I do not attract unwanted attention and cause them to have to fight unnecessary battles.

This Mother’s Day 2020, I want to encourage you, as an ezer warrior for your family, to manage your scent. Don’t let your children or those entrusted in your care smell the stench of anxiety or fear exuding from you. Don’t let the cares of life so overwhelm and overcharge you that your environment becomes a beacon for unclean spirits. Fill your space with the aroma of sacrificial praise and sacrificial worship. Attract the presence and favor of God and repel the crouching and stalking of the adversary. This Mother’s Day reproduce for your children the first gift they got from you, after birth, the gift of your scent.

DIG DEEPER:
Bible Study: What’s that Smell?

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LOOK UP!

Excerpt from my prayer journal on 3/18/2020
I awoke this morning and laid in bed thinking about my day ahead. Today marks the first day that I will be teaching from home because of school closure due to the COVID-19 outbreak. School closures, social distancing, discretionary travel, cancellation of events, scarcity in the supermarkets, etc…. The list of the many things that are arresting our attention goes on and on, and we find ourselves distracted from our walk of faith.
As I lay in bed, several passages of scriptures came to mind. The first was Luke 21:26, 28 – Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:… And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

I thought about what Jesus said our response should be during times like these: LOOK UP and LIFT UP YOUR HEADS. So I hopped out of bed, grabbed my study gear and began to research what exactly was meant by those two phrases. I discovered that the former phrase (LOOK UP) refers to a change in attitude, while the latter ( LIFT UP YOUR HEAD) refers to a change in focus.
As I meditated on what I was discovering, I realized that the Spirit of God was counseling me so that I could experience victory during this season of pandemic. He was drawing my attention to the strategy Jesus had given almost two thousand years ago; a strategy that would not only ensure my survival but my victory.
Guard against distraction….DO NOT BE DISTRACTED!!

When men’s hearts’ begin to fail them for fear, that is a sign that we need to implement a new strategy.
CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE!
CHANGE YOUR FOCUS!
Your redemption is near!

Heavenly Father, please help me not to sorrow and wallow in Fear as the world is doing now. Help me not to allow Fear and all of the bad news to draw my attention away from what you expect of me. Teach me how to change my attitude and my focus and give me the strength to follow through on both, in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

DIG DEEPER:
1. Bible Study: Unbend
2. Prayer Room: Lord Guard My Focus (2)

YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO REVISIT:
The Bible Study Series – Change of Focus, Change of Perspective
Blog Post – It Might Just Be an Illusion!
Bible Study – Maintaining Focus


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New Year, New Training

This week has been a week of new year’s resolutions and goals for many. As I move around, I hear some speaking of this year as a time of newness and a fresh start. Others view it as an opportunity to start over or to attempt some things again. For me, this new year – this start of a new decade – is another opportunity to become more skillful in warfare; the kind of warfare which, at its roots, is about listening to and obeying God’s commands. With this year comes new training for battles for which I lack experience.

On New Year’s Day, on our way back from a 3-night revival service in Florida, I came across a passage of scripture that grabbed my attention. I later returned to the passage and dug deeper into it, so I could understand what the Holy Spirit wanted to disclose to me. The passage reads as follows:

Judges 3: 1-4 (NIV) These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan  (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience):  the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath.  They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.

This passage indicates a few things that called for my consideration:

  1. Warfare is taught.
  2. The teaching of or training in warfare is initiated and facilitated by God.
  3. Battle experience is necessary to develop skill in warfare.
  4. It is imperative that those who have not had previous battle experience be taught warfare.

Upon consideration, I began to ask myself a few questions, in light of the upcoming year:

  1. What battle experience(s) am I lacking?
  2. What has God allowed to remain in my life from the previous year(s) that would give me the necessary training and experience so that I can become more fit for and skilled in warfare?
  3. What “enemy” has been left in my life for testing and proving; to know whether I would listen and obey the commands of the Lord?

I concluded that, although I may have entered a new year, there will still be some old, remaining, or leftover things that I will have to deal with for my betterment. The Holy Spirit was impressing upon me to be careful not to offer wasted prayers, rebuking and cancelling the very things that the Lord has ordained for my growth and development. He cautioned me that, no matter how many people I hear declaring all newness, remember that all things will not be made new just because it is a new year. However, I must be mindful that those things which are not assigned to be made new, are essential for the perfection of my warfare.

Consequently, I look forward in anticipation to the upcoming new training that God has designed for me. I do not fool myself into thinking that it will be a walk in the park. I know that I will have some challenging moments and may even fail some of the lessons and accompanying tests. Nevertheless, I surrender to the training God has chosen for me and expect that, if I tarry, by the end of this year, I will be more skillful and experienced in warfare.  I would have gained more ground for the kingdom.

Therefore, I go forth this year joining with the psalmist David, declaring, “Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle” – Psalms 144:1 (NKJV). Will you join me in God’s School of Warfare?

DIG DEEPER:
Bible Study – The Greatest Teacher of Warfare

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Time for a Check-up!

I can’t believe it! The end of the first quarter of the school year here in Berkeley County, South Carolina is fast approaching. I am in the process of entering grades in my gradebook, because report cards will soon be due. The grades represent what the students were able to achieve or learn this quarter and give some indication to areas where they may need extra help or support.

While I am in this mode of thought, I can’t help but think about my spiritual report card, particularly my report in regards to my prayer life, and consequently my warfare. As I meditate on this, two passages of scriptures come to mind.

The first was recorded by the writer of Hebrews where he makes mention of a “report” as well. He states, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report….  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, ….” (Hebrews 11: 1-2, 39)

The second was written by Paul in his letter to the Corinthian church. It was not specifically speaking about a “report” but was encouraging the believers to do some self-examination or self-assessment. This is what he said, according to 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 in the Message translation: “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it.”

The latter passage was referring to assessing oneself to determine whether or not they are in the faith. Tonight, I am taking heed to this advice and applying it to my prayer life. I am encouraged to take some time out for personal assessment, that is, self-reflection, and self-evaluation. The objective is to determine my areas of strengths and weaknesses, so that I can wage a good warfare (1 Timothy 1:18).

Would you join me as I pull out my ezerWatchers Checklist as my measuring tool and invite the Holy Spirit to be my Evaluator who will reveal and lead me into truth? Consider these indicators/descriptors with me.

Which number best describes your skill level for each statement?
1-Never  2-Rarely  3–Seldom  4-Often 5-Always

  1. I pray according to the will of God.
    – I research God’s word as it pertains to the situation. ________
    – I gather information about the issue/situation before praying.  _________
    – I accept the truth about the information gathered. ________
    – I seek God’s will regarding the situation. ________
  2. I am aware of when I may be contrary or opposed to the will of God.
    – I am honest about my feelings regarding the issue/situation.  ________
    – I war against my contrary will. _______
    – There are times when I war against my intellect. _______
    – I am aware of the distractions in my internal and external environment.  _________
    – I research God’s word as it pertains to distractions in my internal and external environment. ________
  3. I engage in prayer in different dimensions.
    – I pray prayers of confession as it pertains to my perceptions. ________
    – I pray prayers of submission as it pertains to my emotions. ________
    – I use different forms/types of prayer. _______
    – I have a strategy for overcoming these distractions in my internal and external environment. ________
  4. My prayers are led by the Holy Spirit.
    – My spiritual sight is corrected through the lens of my prayer. _________
    – My prayers are guided by my spiritual sight and not my perceptions. ________
    – My prayers are guided by my spiritual sight and not my emotions. ________
    – My prayers are led by the Holy Spirit, proactive – not just reactive. _______
    – I use a weapon in which I am skilled during prayer. ________
  5. Although I pray any and everywhere and at any time, I have routines associated with my communication with God.
    – I have a set place in my home where I meet with God. ________
    – I know the primary channel of communication through which God communes with me. _________
    – I have set times in my daily schedule when I meet with God. _______

So what did your results reveal?
In which of the 5 categories did you see more strengths? In which did you see more weaknesses?
Revisit 2 Corinthians 13: 5-6 (MSG) – “Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, …. If you fail the test, do something about it.”

I borrow this excerpt from The Art of War by Sun-Tzu: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself, but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. Knowing the enemy enables you to take the offensive, knowing yourself enables you to stand on the defensive.”

Getting regular check-ups through self-reflection and self-evaluation positions us for victory in the war.

DIG DEEPER –  For more information on:

1. Praying according to the will of God, check out
– Lord, Please Guard My Focus (1);
– Strategy for Warfare (2)

2. Being aware of when I may be contrary or opposed to the will of God, check out
– Lord, Please Guard My Focus (2);
– It Might Just Be an Illusion;
– The Woman & The Serpent (2);
– Change of Focus = Change of Perspective

3. Engaging in prayer in different dimensions, check out
– Warfare Against Fear;
– Warfare for My Children;
– Warfare: Obedience Conquers Fear;
– Be Rid of The “Thorns”

4. Being Led by the Spirit in Prayer, check out –
A Cry for Discernment;

5. Routines associated with my communication with God, check out –
– Tactical Position: Listen Up!

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CARRIERS: Make That Right Connection!

If you look at me, you would never know it, but I am a carrier of the sickle cell disease (SCD). I have inherited one sickle cell gene from my mother and a normal gene from my father, so I have what they call the sickle cell trait (SCT). For the most part, I do not have any of the symptoms of SCD, but I can pass the trait on to my children. One of my three biological children have inherited SCT and now has the potential of passing it on to her children.

Of my mother’s three biological children, I am the only one who inherited a sickle cell gene. I am the only carrier. When she was pregnant with me, she was not knowledgeable of the fact that she had the SCD. However, her lack of knowledge did not prevent her from passing that gene to me. Without her knowledge and without her permission, that gene was passed on. Why? Because she is a carrier. Now I am a carrier and my eldest daughter is also a carrier.

If you are reading this, then you are a carrier. In fact, God has designed every living organism to be a carrier. None of us can begin to comprehend all that we are carrying. The possibilities are infinite but materialization of what we are carrying become evident when we make connections. Our connections determine the physical expressions or observable characteristics of what we are carrying.

My father does not have any sickle genes. If he had married a woman who also did not have any sickle genes, then he would never have produced a child with SCT. On the other hand, if my mother had married a man with SCD, like herself, then all of her children would have had SCD.

The physical expressions or observable characteristics of what we are carrying are dependent on our connections. The connection can be physical, like a marital connection or a business connection. On the other hand, the connection can be spiritual, like connecting with the Holy Spirit.

Abraham understood that God had separated him and had chosen his lineage to be the carriers of the Promised Seed. So, when it was time for his son Isaac to be connected to a wife, Abraham was sure to let God handpick that connection. We can think of other connections:

  1. David, whose connection to some vagabond men described as in distress, in debt, and discontented, produce his mighty men of valor, renowned in scripture (1 Samuel 22:2)
  2. Naomi and Ruth, whose connection produced a faithful daughter of the God of Israel.
  3. Paul and Timothy, whose connection transformed a timid young man into a bold bishop of the church of Ephesus.
  4. Aquila, Priscila and Apollos, whose connection produced a mighty evangelist for the kingdom.

Of all the connections we can have, the Holy Spirit is the one that we should first pursue to see the manifestation of the will of God. Scripture teaches of the role of the Holy Spirit in bringing revelation to us of those things that God has already prepared for us when He created us as his workmanship; those things that we are carrying buried within us. The word of the Lord declares in

1 Corinthians 2: 6-11 (TPT)
However, there is a wisdom that we continually speak of when we are among the spiritually mature. It’s wisdom that didn’t originate in this present age, nor did it come from the rulers of this age who are in the process of being dethroned. 

Instead, we continually speak of this wonderful wisdom that comes from God, hidden before now in a mystery. It is his secret plan, destined before the ages, to bring us into glory.

None of the rulers of this present world order understood it, for if they had, they never would have crucified the Lord of shining glory.

This is why the Scriptures say: Things never discovered or heard of before, things beyond our ability to imagine – these are the many things God has in store for all his lovers.

But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit. Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things.

After all, who can really see into a person’s heart and know his hidden impulses except for that person’s spirit? So it is with God. His thoughts and secrets are only fully understood by his Spirit, the Spirit of God.

Ephesians 2:10 (TPT) – We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!

Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV) – For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

When you make the right connections and create environments conducive to growth, i.e. conducive to the activity of God, you would be amazed at the change that can be effected in the earth. When we connect with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, we create such an environment and are then able to birth forth the things that God has ordained us to.

Would you make that right connection today?

DIG DEEPER:
1. Devotional: What are you carrying?
2. Bible Study: CARRIERS: Authorized Transportation Agents