To The Enemy of My Soul

I was inspired to do this in service Sunday morning.

I hesitated even still though...just call me a little bit chicken! I became more concerned about what you (my friends and visitors) might say, versus what what God might say... silly me!

The last 12 months have been very challenging. The last 6 months even more so. Don't be alarmed. We really are all doing very well. Everyday life brings each of us, every inidivudal it's own challenges. Sometimes it begins to be wearisome. WHEN that happens - you MUST stand strong - DIG in, Praise Loud, Pray Hard and Love MORE!

Enemy, you are here by put on notice:

You have no place in my family. (we were bought with a price - we are not our own)

No place, not in my life, my husband's or my children's.

For every bad thing you can accuse me of, God has a more powerful truth in answer.

When you come against me with discouragement and fearful thoughts, just so you know, you simply drive me further into God's Word, His sweet presence and you become even more doomed to fail.

When you say I can't sing the words to that praise song, because things look pretty bad right now, that would be hypocrisy - I say, I will sing even louder, I will praise from the bottom of my heart, I will worship from the depths of my soul.

When you say that we have been unsuccessful in passing our faith on to our children, I say, that wasn't what we were ever doing. In case you didn't know this, we have trained them each in the ways of the Lord, who is the author and finisher of their faith (yup! They get their very own! Each person has their OWN faith). He is faithful to complete the good work He began in them...I think I can trust Him. Yeah. Once again, you loose!

There is nothing you can come against us with that is greater than the power of God which is at work on our behalf. There is nothing you have to offer in the way of opposition which can counteract the presence of the Greater One Who lives within me! Within my husband, within our sons! The more pressure you bring, the sweeter the fruit He will produce from our lives...bring it! I ain't skeered of you! I'm too thrilled with My Lord, too thrilled to be able to say that my sons, my husband, myself - we all have our names written in The Lamb's Book of Life. Too grateful to know that since God be for me, for us, who can be against us? No One! Surely not you!

When you use someone to gossip about me or my family, all you do is cause that person to be prayed for. As a result they end up better off than they were before the incident. So do I. I do not have to explain myself or my family. God is our vindicator.

Conflict that you bring - is my friend - God works out greatness in our lives when you attempt it.

Everytime you push us to be quiet, to backdown, to blend in - God reminds us to cry aloud, to stand firm, to stand out!

May I remind you what happened to Job? May I remind you of Paul & Silas? May I remind you of Gesthamene? How about that empty tomb? That wonderful Sweet Savior who stormed the gates of hell - you know the same one who took the sting of death away? The One who reigns on high, Who reigns in my heart...

I'm sorry - did you say something? I can't hear you -I am listening to my Father, I'm singing to Him, and He is encouraging me.

SING, O barren one, you who did not bear;

break forth into singing and cry aloud,

you who did not travail with child!

For the [spiritual] children of the desolate one will be more

than the children of the married wife, says the Lord
Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;

spare not; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes,
For you will spread abroad to the right hand and to the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Fear not, for you shall not be ashamed; neither be confounded and depressed, for you shall not be put to shame. For you shall forget the shame of your youth, and you shall not [seriously] remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.
For your Maker is your Husband--the Lord of hosts is His name--and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth He is called.
For the Lord has called you like a woman forsaken, grieved in spirit, and heartsore--even a wife [wooed and won] in youth, when she is [later] refused and scorned, says your God.
For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion and mercy I will gather you [to Me] again.
In a little burst of wrath I hid My face from you for a moment, but with age-enduring love and kindness I will have compassion and mercy on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer.
For this is like the days of Noah to Me; as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you.
For though the mountains should depart and the hills be shaken or removed, yet My love and kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace and completeness be removed, says the Lord, Who has compassion on you.
O you afflicted [city], storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in fair colors [in antimony to enhance their brilliance] and lay your foundations with sapphires.
And I will make your windows and pinnacles of [sparkling] agates or rubies, and your gates of [shining] carbuncles, and all your walls [of your enclosures] of precious stones.
And all your [spiritual] children shall be disciples [taught by the Lord and obedient to His will], and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children.
You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God's will and order): you shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
Behold, they may gather together and stir up strife, but it is not from Me. Whoever stirs up strife against you shall fall and surrender to you.
Behold, I have created the smith who blows on the fire of coals and who produces a weapon for its purpose; and I have created the devastator to destroy.
But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.

Isaiah 54 (Amplified Bible)