Warriors Arise: August 25, 2023
Matthew 4:10-11 (NKJV) Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
11 Then the devil left Him,
Did you see that? The devil left Him. How many times has the devil left and I think he is still around. It is as if I fight his side of the battle when he leaves. I entertain his temptations long enough that when he finally leaves, I still think he is there. I play and replay what he has said. I might even play both sides of the field. He doesn't even have to say another word. I have become my own worst enemy. I say things much worse than he ever did. I tell myself I can't win. I tell myself I am no good. I tell myself I am not enough. Then I finally realize, it isn't him, he left and the rest was all me.
When Jeuss tells the devil, "Away with you, Satan!…", he leaves. He doesn't stick around. The devil left. We need to realize when the devil leaves. First, we need to tell him to go, but then we need to believe that he left.
We need to recognize when the battle is over and we, being in Christ, won. We do not need to rehearse what the devil said. We do not need to think back over the temptations. I used to not know when the devil left. I would replay over and over the temptations. I would speak terribly to myself, about me. I knew my flaws. I knew where I was weak. The devil only had to get me started seeing my flaws. But God, intervened and told me to stop speaking to myself like that. He told me I was valuable. I mattered to Him. He told me I was capable and strong. He told me I could rise up out of the mire and walk away from the mess. I would argue and tell Him how dirty and sinful I was and He would pour His cleansing waters over me and wash me with the righteousness, the blood of Christ to make me clean. The final kicker that stopped me badmouthing myself was when He told me, "Veridee, I created you. I did not make a mistake. When you speak so terribly to yourself, you are dishonoring Me. You are not believing My ability when I formed you. You are not trusting Me to finish what I began in you. You are the apply of My eye. I delight in You."
Philippians 4:8-9 (NKJV) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
These two verses ring true for you and I. They are not only to be applied when we are thinking about others but they are thinking about ourself.
Think upon whatever is true, what God says about you.
Think upon whatever things are noble about yourself.
Think upon whatever things are just. Be nice to yourself!
Think upon whatever things are pure about you.
Think upon whatever things are lovely about you.
Think upon whatever things are of good report about you.
If there is any virtue, then think of those things. Jesus puts His virtue within you.
If there is anything praiseworthy then think upon those. God is proud of you.
I do understand we are not to become self righteous or arrogant; however, we are not to disqualify the things we have done that bring God glory and honor. Both are wrong. Both misrepresent God. Being arrogant misrepresents God; however, so does denying who we are because of Christ and what He has done in and through us. God doesn't get acknowledged either way.
Philipeans 4:9, challenges me to not only think as verse eight instructs for others but also for myself, when I do, peace will come upon me. Think about applying this after the battle with the devil. After you have told Satan to go, after you have embraced who God has created you to be, after you have stood your ground with the authority God has given you, it is time to allow peace to minister to every part of your being. He wants you and I to be in peace, especially after a battle with the devil.
Father, I ask for You to come and speak to me. I want to know how to apply these verses to my life. I want to get to a place of peace as soon as possible. I want to continue the battle in my mind. I want to know when the devil has left and then celebrate the victory with You. You are my Rock and my Shield. You go before me in battle. You also know when the battle is over. I pray I would not continue the battle. I want to know when it is over and walk in perfect peace in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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