One thing the narrator said in this video that really got me was when he was talking of the prey... "It is to do battle once again with their eternal enemy." In this video, the lion never gave up his chase; not until his target was on the ground facing death.
Before Christmas a close friend of mine and her family endured the unthinkable. In the middle of the early hours of a Sunday morning my friend and her husband were awakened by the voices and flashlights of policemen piercing the darkness and their dreams. They were told that a 16 year old girl had reported an intruder.
They would later learn that their 16 yr old daughter was woke up to a man standing above her.
She prayed.
He left.
Thinking something horrible had happened to her family she escaped through her bedroom window, ran to a neighbors home and called for help.
When her parents turned out the lights that night they had no idea that in a few hours an intruder would let himself in through a window and hover over their sleeping beauty.
I found myself getting so mad when I thought of this because it gave me such a clear visual of what the enemy does in our lives. He finds a weak spot and lets himself in.
1 Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Before he boldly let himself into their home my friends' college son, who was home for Christmas, had seen him lurking next to the garage when he came home from a night out with friends. The guy took off running so her son thought he had scared him away for good.
John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
With boldness in each quiet step, the intruder returned.
In the book I'm reading by Charles Stanley called When the Enemy Strikes he says You will never fully eliminate the devil's temptation from your life. No matter how mature you may become spiritually, he still has access to you. The devil does not give up stalking you, especially if you are a Christian.
Just like Satan, just like the lion in the video...our friends' intruder did not give up.
He comes to steal...that night their daughter was robbed of feeling secure in her own home.
He comes to kill...a family that loves Jesus could be torn apart, relationships killed if they don't rely on Jesus Christ at all times. My friend's family is intact because of Jesus Christ.
He comes to destroy...a young innocent 16 year olds' life has forever been changed in one night. May God be glorified through her pain and questions. May He restore in each family member every piece of stolen ground the enemy took that night.
Are some verses in the Bible just not meant for me? In Ephesians 6 we are told to put on the full armor of God. Does that mean me....or am I a seasoned enough Christian that I can I pick and choose which verses to apply to my life?
Since this has happened to my friend and her family I have slowly become more aware of the words penned in the Bible years ago and know these words are alive and meant for us TODAY warning us of our enemy. It's funny how we know these things and still choose to do life our way...you know, the messy way.
I look at my teen daughter's growing belly...pregnant. Twice in one year. Showing up with black eyes from the "dad" of Amiyah and this little one due in June.
WHAT part of the warning in 1 Peter am I not taking seriously? If my daughter was the one being chased in that video instead of a hyena, would I just sit and watch the attack happen?? No, I'd be on my knees ahead of the chase to prevent her from becoming the lion's meal of choice. I'd memorize scripture and put on the full armour of God so that when the attacks happen I can rightfully tap into the Almighty One and let Him fight the battle.
This enemy of ours...he is so real and he is not going to stop the attacks so we best get our noses in God's Word and listen to what He tells us to do. Not just pick out the pretty verses, the ones that don't have required participation in order to see change. If I want to draw closer to God then I better draw near to Him and the only way I'm going to do that is to read His Word and do His Word. Live out what I read.
I have to ask myself as I examine my own heart and life...HOW MUCH MORE LELIA?
How much more ground are you going to give to the enemy?
How much more freedom on the playground of life are you going to give this bully...the one that hates your children? The one that wants to destroy your marriage with outsiders.
How much more?
Got to put on the full armour. It's just a must, because walking out the door without Jesus Christ before me I have no chance. My family has no chance. This battle...it's real.
My friend loves her kids and there is no way she would knowingly allow a stranger to come into her home and hover over them. Her and her husband would have never turned out the lights to go to bed knowing that someone was going to come inside and invade their lives. Everything within my friend would have fought for what she loves.
If you are a Christian then everyday you have an enemy stalking you...just waiting outside by the garage for the perfect time to make himself real in your life.
He looks for the easy entrance...when we are not in the Word...when we are not praying.
He hovers over our loved ones or ourselves...he steals, kills and destroys whatever he can.
As painful as the memory of that night is to my friend, I know that God is going to continue to produce nothing but holiness in her. I have seen Jesus so loud in her life before and after that night and I know He is not finished with her or her family.
As painful as the memory of that night is to my friend, I know that God is going to continue to produce nothing but holiness in her. I have seen Jesus so loud in her life before and after that night and I know He is not finished with her or her family.
God is good...God is great and He is Who I want to live for.
These last few weeks I feel I have not only had my guard down, I feel I've given the enemy a written invitation into my life. My Bible collected dust and my heart has been covered in the cobwebs from living apart from God. Last night on a trip to the Christian bookstore to buy Alivia her valentine's cards for her class party I bought and started a Bible study called
"He Is My All; Living in the Truth of God's Love for Me"
by Debbie Alsdorf. 
Just flipping through it, I was all excited so I text my dear friend Pam from In His Graces to tell her to keep it in mind for her next personal study. Day 1 was awesome and I'm trusting that God will reveal a whole new side of Himself to me through the next 10 weeks. I just pray I cooperate. This world is so easy to get distracted by. No matter what distraction I fall for though, I believe that God knows my hearts' true desire is for Him to be My All.
Lord Jesus~
May we be alert and put on our full armour every morning so that we may live out a life that you are so evident in that the blind will see nothing but You in us.
I love You sweet Jesus and You know I've told you a million times I think You are wasting your time on me and yet...
you never give up or leave me. Your love for me is such a mystery but I know I need more of You.
May I be as faithful to You as You are to this unfaithful and undeserving mess of a woman.
I love & adore You, my precious King.
Amen...
Make Jesus your daily pursuit my dear friends, because I am living proof that if He is not #1 in your life, then at the end of your day you will have exactly what you started your day with...
absolutely nothing.
Love you much,
With everything else going on this week, I'm just going to try to read your posts' from
Yes to God Tuesday and will share my thoughts on chapter 6 next week along with
chapter 7: Calm Down: I Have Stilled and Quieted My Soul
22 comments:
All I can say is thank you, Lelia...
You had me at every word. I was on the edge just soaking it all up. What you say is so very true...it's so very scary too...the enemy will never let go of us...he will never stop tempting us. However, we do have such power at our finger tips. We have all the power we could ever need; we only need to tap into it. Cling to the Power Source. As you said draw near to Him and He will draw near to us (James 4:8).
I probably need to add a personal study but with the online and Thursday small group study, I've just not.
You've been on my mind a lot...I know now it is because God is putting you there.
Please call, email, text any time you need to be wrapped up in immediate prayer. Like I did you three weeks ago.
Love ya,
Paula
Dearest Lelia, I need to step up my vigilance with the enemy. You write how he hates our children; yes he does. Even my precious nearly 5 year old asleep in the next room. He is placing in her fears and hurts about being separated from her mummy, and it breaks my heart, so this is a reminder that I need to pray over her and ask God to provide the protection she needs emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. My prayers go out for your friend and her family, especially her daughter. And my prayers go out for your daughter too. I pray that her heart will gain the strength it needs to confidentally release herself from the bondage of her very unhealthy relationship with the 'dad' of her children. May she catch of glimpse of the precious love that God provides. I also pray for her safety when she is with this man. And I also pray for you, Gene, your children and baby Amiyah. Love you, Paula xo
Lelia,
You are an amazing woman. I love how God touches your heart. I love watching you respond. He sees your desire to honor Him with your life. You are a delight to Him. Not because you do all the right things all the time... just because you are His. He made you to love you.
You are His beauty!
Love your heart!
Hugs from Georgia
Julie
Lelia, this is powerful.
Shortly after we arrived in China, my husband traveled out of the country for some training and I was left with our infant son. I woke up one night to the same thing...a man entered my room with a knife and began going through my wardrobe and personal belongings. Long story short, by the grace of God, I and my son were spared. But we had been watched and targeted at that moment of weakness.
It was very traumatic and I struggled with deep anger and distrust for awhile until the Lord showed me who the REAL enemy was, who wanted to steal my witness and my reason for being there. It is a serious matter, one we can forget about until things like this remind us. Thanks for that.
This was so powerful! The enemy is out there lurking and prowling. We must have on the full armor always!
I will continue to keep your darling girl in my prayers. The thought of having someone that she is so close to hurt her that way just sickens me. I will pray for a hedge of protection around her and the baby and for our loving Father to give you and Gene the wisdom and strength that you need.
Love you!
Susan
I know that being in your position with your daughter is the last thing you want, but I'm telling you, when you speak, it is riveting because you are in a battle--THE battle, and the hair on our necks is standing up. You are victorious, Lelia.
What you wrote is so easy to forget in the day to day but it shouldn't be!!!
thanks!
I'm not always on my knees,standing againist the enemy. At times I get comfortable in my spritiual ways.
I needed this,this was powerful!
love and hugs~Tammy
Thank you so much for writing what you did. Wow ! I just had a dream about lions, I guess this a warning God gave me to step it up a noch. And I have.... the video put the extra touch in there. Thanks! Kim
Hmmm. You know our sermon last week was all about putting on the armour of God. Don't get me wrong, I listened, mostly attentively, but your post has made me realise that I let my guard down waaaaaay too often. I can't depend on my guard. I need the full armour of the Lord.
Thankyou.
Dear Lelia,
I bought "When the Enemy Strikes" several months back and you just reminded me I haven't finished reading it...I just found it on my bookshelf and realized I'd only read about half of it... I can't remember how I got distracted and didn't finish it, but I am going to start over tonight and read it all the way through. You are so right about us dropping our guard when we are not in prayer and in the word for ourselves and our loved ones. The enemy lulls us to sleep and distracts us with the world, I pray that we all stay on the alert, and I will be praying for you and your family, especially your oldest daughter right now!
love you!
Kelly
Very powerful Lelia. I love your heart and your honesty.
The enemy knows our weaknesses so well. He is always ready to attack. Thank you so much for the reminder that I need to step up my "protection" and my guard.
Praying for your family,
Lynn
Great words Lelia! And oh so true. Thank you for the reminder to once again stay close to Him! I'm praying for your friend and her family. Looks like another good study, I will make note of that!
Blessings,
Jill
Amen to everything you shared. Satan is good at ambushing us and catching us unawares so we need to constantly be on guard and to be vigilent in praying for protection over our loved ones.
I don't know how I found your blog but you touched my heart so deeply, you will never know. Thank you so much for sharing your heart.
I think satan is in panic mode with all of us serving and ministering in this blog world and in our communities. GOOD!
Our God is so much greater and that is what we have to cling to when we think about who evil satan is.
Have a sweet valentine friend!!
In His Graces~Pamela
My hubby is needing me to go somewhere with him so I don't have time to read this post right now, but it looks so good. I'll be back after while.
Thank you for the birthday wish...I really appreciate it.
It was a great day!
Love,
Valerie
Hi Lelia,
This is my first time visiting your blog. What a powerful video AND post. We do indeed have an enemy who prowls around, seeking whom he may devour.
I'm so grateful that God is greater, and the blood of Jesus covers us.
Thank you for an honest, heart-felt post.
Blessings to you.
"You will never fully eliminate the devil's temptation from your life. No matter how mature you may become spiritually, he still has access to you. The devil does not give up stalking you, especially if you are a Christian."
When I read that, I actually felt fear...fear because I too sometimes let my guard down. Forget to "study" God's Word like I should, pray like I should....
Thank you....
~Beth
Oh Lelia,
Thank God for protecting your friend's daughter... and what a reminder tonight of the battle we're in.
I know and believe with all my heart in the power of prayer, and God's been teaching me the power in praying His word outloud.
Recently, I started getting really slack in my bible reading and then time would get away from me and before I knew it the day went by and I hadn't read a word. :( Which only gave the enemy more ways to attack me. Thanks for reminding me tonight, and sharing that story.
I am so curious about the bible study you're starting. I'm so happy you're enjoying it and I pray God uses it to encourage and build you even stronger in faith.
God bless you Lelia,
Lea
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