Walking In Victory Over Oppostion...a topic I believe God allowed particular circumstances in my day yesterday, in my week in general, to lead me to address an area where I believe many of us struggle, certainly I do, and I have by no means arrived at walking in victory over opposition! What I can share are some lessons I've learned along the way, some effective tools to effectively help me in my battle to defeat not the opposition itself, that is out of our control, but the negative, non-productive effect it has on my life and how it hinders me from going forth in all God has called me to do.
If you've followed me in my journey on this blog this week, you certainly know there have been challenges and opposition in my week. For reasons I haven't quite figured out yet, although I have some thoughts, that would be a general theme in my life. As I have mentioned in previous posts this week, I have also received tremendous blessing along the way. What I am saying is that I seem to be one who has to work hard at any small accomplishment, it doesn't happen naturally for me, I'm not particularly exceptional in anything, very much average and need to work hard at even being that! I guess if I evaluated and examined the course of my life, it would be evident that fighting and battling for victory in just about any area of life you can imagine would be something I am quite familiar with. Hence, likely precisely the reason God laid it on my heart to launch a ministry addressing this exact apparent theme of my life.
So how does this thing called opposition rear its ugly head and manifest in our lives? Well, the most recent and relevant example I can share with you pertains to this particular blog and ministry as recent as yesterday. As you would know if you're journeying along with me, my last 2 messages have been legnthy! So it can be pretty discouraging when you have risen early when everything in your body wants to stay in bed just one more hour, and you pour your heart into typing this long message, forcing you to reflect on and share things that are often uncomfortable all in the name of ministry, you finish feeling quite accomplished and the internet goes down with unsaved content! Can anyone relate?! So you cry, fuss, moan, & complain, pull it together and re-write much of what you just spent so much time on that has otherwise gone into cyberspace somewhere, wherever that is! After now writing a legnthy message TWICE, you attempt to post a link on some of your social networks for the sake of getting the message out to people, which would be the purpose, only to be blocked from doing so because someone has apparently reported my blog and ministry as "abusive!"
I would absolutely be lying if I told you that I was uneffected by it. It's hurtful and discouraging, especially when you already hold on to some very influential messages that have been written on your heart and in your mind from a very young age all the way into adult life. Honestly, there were many tears, hurt feelings, and an entire host of all of those things that follow as a result - anger, fear, doubt, vengence, etc. I'm just being very real with you. I then had to attempt to try-out for the Worship Team at our new church last night feeling discouraged from being involved in yet more ministry, hence more opportunity for attack and oppostition, and lacking any amount of self confidence due to the impact and damage this one "small potatoes" event had on my defeated mind. Honestly, I went to bed defeated and discouraged, sharing all of the thoughts about being a failure that were a landmine in the battlefield of my mind with my husband, who is thankfully also my best friend, biggest fan, and greatest encourager.
I believe it was God who woke me out of my sleep at 4 am this morning and prodded me to turn this experience into a message to minister to the hearts and minds of others who handle opposition the way I do. What I can share with you friend, are a few lessons I've learned along the way in this continual battle of my mind. Number (1): You absolutely cannot trust your "feelings!" They change on a circumstantial, moment by moment basis and they will fail you every single time. The best illustration of this I can come up with is this: in relationships, the little habits that were once "cute" when you were all google eyed and "feeling" in love, then down the road become big annoyances. Then life together strikes and disagreements add to annoyances, etc., until some days, you're not necessarily "feeling" in love with this person! Can I share with you something that absolutely rocked my world and transformed my marriage once I grabbed hold of this foreign concept? Love is not a feeling friends, but a choice! That's good news! Just think of the impact this concept could have on marriage, on YOUR marriage, if you CHOSE love rather than relied on FEELING love?!
Number (2): How do you avoid relying upon "feelings?" You must CHOSE TRUTH! What I've learned in life many times the hard way, is that the only truth I can confidently rely upon, that will never fail me, is the truth of God's Word! Get in it, bathe yourself in it, study it, learn it, hide it in your heart so that when the attacks and opposition come, the truth of God's Word that's hidden in your heart is the sword that you engage in the battle with to fight defeat and walk in victory!
Number (3): Understand that your battle is not against flesh and blood, but rather the principalities of this world. I am not trying to "wierd you out" here. The truth of the matter is that we are surrounded by demons and darkness. That is truly where the battle is! It is absolutely turning the devil's world upside down that I am ministering to & sharing the truth of God's Word with those he would rather seek to devour, kill, & destroy. He knows where you are weak and if he can use someone or something to reinforce that in your mind, he can discourage you and cause you to hold back in fear and doubt. I cannot even begin to list the attacks on me, my family, my character, my marriage, my children, my finances, etc., since I launched this ministry. To be honest, I also cant begin to count the number of times I have "felt" like giving up as a result. But I can't. What if...what if there was just one person who's life could be changed and empowered by my sharing? It would be selfish of me to give up just because it was hard to handle the opposition. That one person matters to God! I have no choice but to arm myself with the truth of God's Word, pray for protection and intervention, and then go and do what He's called me to do in confidence that He will give me everything I need for life in victory!
Are you facing opposition today friend? Would this particular season of life seemingly be filled with day to day opposition? Or like me friend, would opposition seem to define the theme of your life? Be encouraged, if I can apply just a few of these principles to help me engage in the battle and walk in victory, anyone can! YOU can too! It's a choice! Chose victory!
If you've followed me in my journey on this blog this week, you certainly know there have been challenges and opposition in my week. For reasons I haven't quite figured out yet, although I have some thoughts, that would be a general theme in my life. As I have mentioned in previous posts this week, I have also received tremendous blessing along the way. What I am saying is that I seem to be one who has to work hard at any small accomplishment, it doesn't happen naturally for me, I'm not particularly exceptional in anything, very much average and need to work hard at even being that! I guess if I evaluated and examined the course of my life, it would be evident that fighting and battling for victory in just about any area of life you can imagine would be something I am quite familiar with. Hence, likely precisely the reason God laid it on my heart to launch a ministry addressing this exact apparent theme of my life.
So how does this thing called opposition rear its ugly head and manifest in our lives? Well, the most recent and relevant example I can share with you pertains to this particular blog and ministry as recent as yesterday. As you would know if you're journeying along with me, my last 2 messages have been legnthy! So it can be pretty discouraging when you have risen early when everything in your body wants to stay in bed just one more hour, and you pour your heart into typing this long message, forcing you to reflect on and share things that are often uncomfortable all in the name of ministry, you finish feeling quite accomplished and the internet goes down with unsaved content! Can anyone relate?! So you cry, fuss, moan, & complain, pull it together and re-write much of what you just spent so much time on that has otherwise gone into cyberspace somewhere, wherever that is! After now writing a legnthy message TWICE, you attempt to post a link on some of your social networks for the sake of getting the message out to people, which would be the purpose, only to be blocked from doing so because someone has apparently reported my blog and ministry as "abusive!"
I would absolutely be lying if I told you that I was uneffected by it. It's hurtful and discouraging, especially when you already hold on to some very influential messages that have been written on your heart and in your mind from a very young age all the way into adult life. Honestly, there were many tears, hurt feelings, and an entire host of all of those things that follow as a result - anger, fear, doubt, vengence, etc. I'm just being very real with you. I then had to attempt to try-out for the Worship Team at our new church last night feeling discouraged from being involved in yet more ministry, hence more opportunity for attack and oppostition, and lacking any amount of self confidence due to the impact and damage this one "small potatoes" event had on my defeated mind. Honestly, I went to bed defeated and discouraged, sharing all of the thoughts about being a failure that were a landmine in the battlefield of my mind with my husband, who is thankfully also my best friend, biggest fan, and greatest encourager.
I believe it was God who woke me out of my sleep at 4 am this morning and prodded me to turn this experience into a message to minister to the hearts and minds of others who handle opposition the way I do. What I can share with you friend, are a few lessons I've learned along the way in this continual battle of my mind. Number (1): You absolutely cannot trust your "feelings!" They change on a circumstantial, moment by moment basis and they will fail you every single time. The best illustration of this I can come up with is this: in relationships, the little habits that were once "cute" when you were all google eyed and "feeling" in love, then down the road become big annoyances. Then life together strikes and disagreements add to annoyances, etc., until some days, you're not necessarily "feeling" in love with this person! Can I share with you something that absolutely rocked my world and transformed my marriage once I grabbed hold of this foreign concept? Love is not a feeling friends, but a choice! That's good news! Just think of the impact this concept could have on marriage, on YOUR marriage, if you CHOSE love rather than relied on FEELING love?!
Number (2): How do you avoid relying upon "feelings?" You must CHOSE TRUTH! What I've learned in life many times the hard way, is that the only truth I can confidently rely upon, that will never fail me, is the truth of God's Word! Get in it, bathe yourself in it, study it, learn it, hide it in your heart so that when the attacks and opposition come, the truth of God's Word that's hidden in your heart is the sword that you engage in the battle with to fight defeat and walk in victory!
Number (3): Understand that your battle is not against flesh and blood, but rather the principalities of this world. I am not trying to "wierd you out" here. The truth of the matter is that we are surrounded by demons and darkness. That is truly where the battle is! It is absolutely turning the devil's world upside down that I am ministering to & sharing the truth of God's Word with those he would rather seek to devour, kill, & destroy. He knows where you are weak and if he can use someone or something to reinforce that in your mind, he can discourage you and cause you to hold back in fear and doubt. I cannot even begin to list the attacks on me, my family, my character, my marriage, my children, my finances, etc., since I launched this ministry. To be honest, I also cant begin to count the number of times I have "felt" like giving up as a result. But I can't. What if...what if there was just one person who's life could be changed and empowered by my sharing? It would be selfish of me to give up just because it was hard to handle the opposition. That one person matters to God! I have no choice but to arm myself with the truth of God's Word, pray for protection and intervention, and then go and do what He's called me to do in confidence that He will give me everything I need for life in victory!
Are you facing opposition today friend? Would this particular season of life seemingly be filled with day to day opposition? Or like me friend, would opposition seem to define the theme of your life? Be encouraged, if I can apply just a few of these principles to help me engage in the battle and walk in victory, anyone can! YOU can too! It's a choice! Chose victory!
Jen,
ReplyDeleteI'm one of your biggest fans! At times, I feel as though you are talking directly to me! Keep doing what you're doing & don't let opposition get you down! I look forward to your next post...love ya!
Mandi
Mandi - I KNOW that you are absolutely one of my biggest fans!! I know that I can always count on you to like or comment on something I post either on here or FB and it always brings a smile to my face! You have no idea how much it means to me and motivates me to keep going even when it's hard! If 1 person spends eternity in heaven rather than hell, if 1 person contemplating suicide regains hope, if one marriage is saved, if one child is trained up in the way he should go, if one teen is spared from going wayward, if one discouraged stay at home mom feels like her job isn't important or isolated, etc., then it is all totally worth it! And just knowing that even if you were not only one of my biggest fans but even if you were my ONLY fan, knowing it's making a difference in your life inspires me to persevere! Love ya right back!!
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