UNDER ATTACK, BUT ALSO UNDER THE BLOOD!
UNDER ATTACK, BUT ALSO UNDER THE BLOOD!
This year has certainly been an unusual and challenging one for many millions of people worldwide, all instigated by the debilitating and deadly pandemic, Covid 19. Most countries economies have been adversely affected by the strain and pressure put on them by no longer being able to trade and travel freely as was done previously.
On a personal level, our family have also been affected by Australia’s economic recession, during which thousands of businesses were forced to either close down or to make staff redundant, and my husband Michael was stood down from piloting in April, and is now in his eighth month of not flying.
The tight financial squeeze has been felt but even in these tough times we both felt such a prompting by the Holy Spirit to start tithing off the little we did have.
God has been so good and so faithful to us through this area of putting Him first and giving Him our full trust.
We have testimony after testimony of His hand on and over our lives with unexpected and unanticipated breakthrough in this very short time of giving back to God what belongs to Him with our first fruits (money).
We have walked in a closer relationship in our marriage, our house sold ‘off the market’ during Stage 4 of lockdown here in Melbourne (a truely incredible story of Gods hand moving in His timing not ours), Michael was offered a temporary 8 week job at Bunnings packing Click and Collect orders, and there have been so many more abundant blessings since we chose to step into full obedience to God.
However, with all these incredible blessings, we very soon noticed that our children were being subject to severe attacks by our adversary the devil.
In the past 2 months alone, between our oldest two boys they’ve had a fractured elbow, severely cracked the back of his head open, was bitten by a bull ant (yes from poking a stick in its nest), fell head first into a contaminated river, a broken collarbone (went to take off on his bike, lost his footing and fell over (so in to the hospital we went), then 3.5 weeks later he tripped, landed chin first and re broke the same collarbone, only days later was bitten by a spider in bed at 1am and had an allergic reaction, plus there have been several more minor incidents.
On my fourth trip of driving one or other of our boys to the Emergency Department I began to get really angry with the devil for causing our boys so much harm, and I thought, “How dare he!!”
I felt a real attack on our family as we had stepped into obedience.
The mother lion in me rose up wanting to protect my cubs from anymore danger and harm. I delved into Gods word and was drawn to these two scriptures:
Luke 10:19 (Amplified) Listen carefully: I have given you authority (that you now posses) to tread on serpents and scorpions, and (the ability to exercise authority) over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will (in any way) harm you.
Ephesians 6:11-20 (Amplified) Put on the full armour of God (for His precepts are like the splendid armour of a heavily-armed solider), so that you may be able to (successfully) stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood (contending only with physical opponents), but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this (present) darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.
Therefore, put on the complete armour of God, so that you will be able to (successfully) resist and stand your ground in the evil day (of danger), and having done everything (that the crisis demands), to stand firm (in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious.
So stand firm and hold your ground, HAVING TIGHTENED THE WIDE BAND OF TRUTH (personal integrity, moral courage) AROUND YOUR WAIST and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (an upright heart), and having strapped on YOUR FEET THE GOSPEL OF PEACE IN PREPARATION (to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness to produced by the good news).
Above all, lift up the (protective) shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
With all prayer and petition pray (with specific requests) at all times (on every occasion and in every season) in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition (interceding in prayer) for all God’s people.
And pray for me, that words may be given to me when I open my mouth, to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news (of salvation), for which I am an ambassador in chains. And pray that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly and courageously, as I should.
I have radically changed the way in which I pray for, and over, my children after coming under such fierce attack.
We must not shrink back during battles as we are under and covered by the blood of Jesus.
The world is a battlefield, day by day, hour by hour, we face spiritual war and a real enemy at work. He wants nothing more than to bring defeat, for his aim is to steal, kill and destroy.
I have gone from praying timid prayers to firing up every single morning and praying the armour of God over my children as we enter into each new day.
I encourage you to lean into God even more and pray the armour of God over your children as well as declaring that they are covered by the blood of Jesus.
I have the following faith statements printed out and displayed on our fridge, so I pray and declare this every morning at the breakfast table before we send them out to their daytime activities to cover them in the precious blood of Jesus.
Jesus, today we put on our helmet of Salvation.
Please protect our mind from any bad thoughts and help us focus on things that are good. Please protect our eyes and keep them always looking to you.
We put on the Breastplate of Righteousness.
Please guard our hearts, make everything that comes in and out of our hearts good to you. Help our hearts be open to you and be led by the Holy Spirit.
We put on the belt of Truth.
Help us love the truth. Love to tell the truth and hear the truth. Lord make us more like you. Let truth keep us from telling or listening to lies.
We put on the gospel shoes of Readiness.
Everywhere we go Lord, help us bring peace. Help us be peaceful. Guide what we do and where we go. Prepare us to tell other people about you.
We take and hold up the Shield of Faith.
Build a strong faith in us. With faith, all things are possible to him who believes. Mark 9:23
Protect us from any attacks from the enemy.
We pick up the Sword of the Spirit.
Put your word in our hearts. Lead us and guide us so we are good in all we do.
Let Your Word change our character.
Give us boldness and knowledge to love and defend others.
In the name of Jesus we all pray.
AMEN!!!
My prayer for all of you reading this, whether you’re a parent, a carer, a grandparent, a soon to be parent, is to pray, pray, pray and pray some more.
Isaiah 54:17 (Amplified) No weapon that is formed against you will succeed.
We have an incredible, living and loving God who has given us dominion and authority here on earth to conquer and live a victorious life through Him!