Attacked

If he gets the upper hand and kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I get the upper hand and kill him, you’ll all become our slaves and serve us. ~ 1 Samuel 17:9 MSG

At 17, I was diagnosed with endometriosis, which isn’t deadly, but painful and incurable. In 8 years, I had 4 surgeries and several different medications, the side-effects of which wreaked havoc on my body. But in 2006, I was told I was healed and had to walk it out. I believed, but walking was harder than believing.  I remember standing in the bathroom almost hourly, rebuking the enemy and claiming my healing. But after several months, I realized I didn’t notice the pain anymore. I walked in power and healing for 9 years, quickly rebuking the enemy if he tried to steal my healing through his lies.

But things that come easily when you’re well-rested take a lot of extra effort when you’re exhausted. And that’s when the enemy ramps up his attacks. First he steals your power and authority by attacking your identity. And then he kills your will to fight by attacking your strength. If your body is weak but your mind is strong because your thoughts are held captive and made obedient to Christ, your response to the enemy’s attacks is to defend and fight back. But if both your body and mind are weak, there aren’t automatic responses to the enemy’s attacks.

Last May, I started experiencing pains similar to endometriosis. By July, I started believing that maybe it had come back. From May to August, I remembered how hard I had to fight to gain the victory the first time around and I wasn’t sure I had strength enough to do it again. But then Holy Spirit said it was time to decide: was I going to pick up my weapons and fight or was I going to allow the enemy to win.

God has given us the weapons of His Word, prayer, and praise. When we pray God’s Word and then praise Him in advance for the victory, God’s empowering presence falls upon us. First you’re encouraged to pick up your shield of faith and block the enemy’s attacks. As you continue to press in, you pick up your sword of the Spirit and defend yourself from the enemy’s advance. And before you know it, you’ve begun wielding your sword, defeating the enemy in your life and in the lives of others.

1 John 5:4 says God’s children overcome the world, gaining victory through our faith. We are His sons and daughters and it is time for us to decide: will we pick up our weapons and fight?

©Heather Potts 2016