(Guest submittal by Sis. Sarah Marsh)
I was talking to my mom recently about the good thoughts she’s been getting out of messages preached back home, and one in particular stuck out to me. Sis. Holly Prince was talking about your spiritual fights and said “are you going into battle with your sword up or to your side?” Then I woke up one morning with the story of Scrooge on my mind, where he had the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future visit him to ultimately teach him a lesson. A question to ponder: how are you fighting your “ghosts” of past, present, and future?
Many of the saints deal with “ghosts” of their past, the devil reminds them time and again of the things they did in sin or maybe even situations that left a negative impact on your life. How do you react to Satan when he brings up these thoughts? Do you quickly cast him aside, or do you let yourself linger? What about when he brings up things you did that maybe you didn’t repent over because you forgot, and he says you aren’t saved anymore? Philippians 3:14-15 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Run to the devil, sword in hand, and give him this scriptural blow to get him to flee.
There are present persecutions we deal with depending on our stage in life that Satan will use to put fear in us. Persecutions from family members, school peers, coworkers, or maybe even random people you see out and about. It may be a snide remark, laughing at how you dress, sneering about your belief. Remember, Jesus was tempted and persecuted like we are yet he didn’t sin, and we don’t have to either. The Bible even says that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (II Timothy 3:12). But no matter the persecution we face, Psalm 9:10 reminds us that God has not forsaken those that put their trust in him, and he won’t forsake you in your time of need.
I dare say all of us have dealt with fears of the future. Do any of the following questions sound familiar to you?
how will I be able to pay this bill?
what would I do if my husband/wife died before me?
what should I do about work?
What I thought was God’s will for my life isn’t working out as I thought it should. Where do I go from here?
Will my family be able to eat next week?
And I’m sure there are many, many more questions that I could add in here, but insert your own or what the devil has plagued you with. If we don’t cast these fears aside, they can bring our emotional state down to the point we can’t come to this fight with our swords up. Remember scriptures like Hebrews 12:1 and Psalm 37:3-5 to bring you through these thoughts and fears and rest your faith and trust that God sees more than we can see, and he’s got your future all figured out.
No matter what you’re facing spiritually, emotionally, or temporally, remember that God and our swords (the Bible) are here to help us through! God will not leave you if you don’t leave him, so when the devil comes to bring up your fears, think of these or other favorite scriptures to bring you through the trial.
Hebrews 4:15-16 "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."