FIGHT

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

 

Sorry I missed you yesterday.  Spent the day in Highland County where GOD and his ‘church’ are most certainly ENGAGING the FIGHT!

 

Sunday, my Pastor, Mark Brooks EXHORTED, and I mean EXHORTED the gathering to FIGHT!  Noting that far too often we are a passive lot, choosing to avoid rather than advance.  And while he didn’t quite wrap his talk in the time allotted, the POINT was clear!  We are in A FIGHT and it is being waged on a stage that we often “don’t see”.

this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk – Ephesians 6:12 (V).

 

I found Mark’s exhortation timely. Why?

Late last week another 20 folks were lost in a 24-hour period to fentanyl overdose in our area.

Because of the constant assault experienced by many of the ministries I serve and engage who are doing their best to keep things like this from happening but are taxed and underfunded.

 

Friends, I see this “underworld” in action almost every day.  The average age of first engagement for human trafficking victims and drug experimentation is 13 years old.  And it is often done through the seemingly benign portal of the smartphone.

Today 190 people will succumb to their addiction in the U.S. by paying the ultimate price.  Today a 150-billion-dollar industry buying and selling PEOPLE like merchandise hums in the shadows.

Not to mention the LIE that is being crafted and the web that is being weaved to lure us all, especially kids, to the fraud that is “medical” marijuana.

 

Deception is everywhere.

 

The enemy takes our hurts and introduces counterfeit pain relief and relationships to soothe.  He twists our traumas and weaponizes them against us resulting in …uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community…Galatians 5:21 (MSG)

 

Neither Paul nor Mark are OVERSTATING the challenge we are in!  It is REAL and it is RELENTLESS.  But WE CAN CONQUER IT!! Remember friends, …no weapon (physical or spiritual) turned against you will succeed.  You WILL silence every voice raised up to accuse you.  These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord…Isaiah 54:17 (NLT)

 

We must fight!

I know I must.  If I don’t, old behaviors, bad decisions, temptations, and sin set up camp in my heart and mind quickly and intensely.

You too?

Today, can I encourage you, encourage us, to “keep fighting”?  To armor up. (Ephesians 6:10-17) And, “Take God at His Word – because winning the battle doesn't require physical brawn, but spiritual brains!” (Okoro)

 

 

 

 

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE