The Best Thing

During the daytime, my retired husband often has the living room television turned to a financial news station. As I was doing something in the kitchen, I heard the announcer say to stay tuned, he would give the best thing America could do to fight _____ [a nation currently doing something most disapprove of]. My immediate thought was the best thing is prayer! But, naturally, that wasn't the solution the announcer had to give.

 

Paul in Ephesians 6 reminds us who our real enemies are. So then, if we are not fighting "against any physical enemy … [but] against organizations and powers that are spiritual … against the unseen power that controls this dark world, and spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil"—then the best thing for us to do in our struggle against any enemy is always going to be prayer. (Ephesians 6:12 Phillips)

 

Tony Evans agrees. He wrote, "Doing battle with Satan requires more than a dose of will power. All warfare requires weaponry. Spiritual warfare requires spiritual weaponry."

 

In essence, then, if we are not using the spiritual weaponry given to us but are trying to use our flesh to battle against spiritual enemies, we might as well just throw in the towel now and lay down in defeat. When we use the flesh to battle a spiritual war, we can't win!

 

We need to always keep in mind that our real battle is—as my Thomas Nelson Study Bible commentator bluntly states—"with the demonic beings working through" the flesh and blood opponents we face and that those human beings often are very unaware they are being used. In fact, Jesus told us that there'd even be people who think they are serving God by persecuting His followers (John 16:1-4). Didn't Saul/Paul think that?

 

So, what is comes down to, then, is any battle we or our children face needs to be first of all addressed with prayer

 

That is the best thing.

 

 

Transformed

In traveling to visit my parents, I pass by this vehicle two times each trip, going and returning.

 

As you can see, it no longer "lives." Instead, it stopped "moving," and soon became a planter for any wildlife, plant or animal, to make a home in. It's just a photo op, a curious reminder of days gone by.

 

How did this happen?

 

It lost its power to move forward.

 

 

Prayer in the Name of Jesus is power.  As Christ followers, we abide under the banner of His name. Charles Finney wrote, "Jesus Christ gives you the use of His name. And when you pray in the name of Christ the meaning of it is, that you can prevail just as well as He could Himself, and receive just as much as God’s well beloved Son would if He were to pray Himself for the same things.”

 

Praying mom, that is why, as Fern Nichols wrote, that we must not passively allow Satan the thief to steal, kill, & destroy our loved ones. We must respond with warfare prayers. As mothers, our fervent prayers in the Name of Jesus over our children's lives have the power to keep them moving forward.

 

Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name

He will give you.

John 16:23b (NKJV)

 

Peter wrote that God wants all to come to repentance and not be destroyed. (2 Peter 3:9b) That means, as John wrote, we can be "sure of this, that He will listen to us whenever we ask Him for anything in line with His will. And if we really know He is listening when we talk to Him and make our requests, then we can be sure that He will answer us." (1 John 5:14-15 TLB)

 

My father is a retired mechanic. In his younger days, he would take a car no longer road worthy, fix it up and sell it for a profit.

 

Our God does more than fix up the broken and rusty, He is in the business of transformation.

 

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,

are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,

just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)

 

Don't give up, praying mom, even if your child's life appear to be overcome by "wildlife." Claim God's desire for salvation over his/her life. Keep praying His powerful living Word over him/her. And gather as many others to join you as possible.

 

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah)

he is a new creation (a new creature altogether);

the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away.

Behold, the fresh and new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP)

 

 

 

The Powerful Voice of God

I was listening to a Christian radio station on the car radio one morning when the female announcer read Job 37:5 (from the NLT), "God's voice is glorious in the thunder. We can't even imagine the greatness of his power." Then, she said, "So USE it!"

 

How right on! Her words really had meaning particularly to me as I had just left a meeting with other moms where we praised the Lord using His own voice through His Word and then prayed His voice, His Word, for our children.

 

My voice often is powerless. But, when I pray the Word of the Lord, my voice echoes His. And that makes all the difference.

 

Believe Me when I assure you, most solemnly I tell you,

the time is coming and is here now

when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God

and those who hear it shall live.

John 5:25 (AMP)

Banished Snakes

My second great grandparents, Andrew Stapleton and Bridget O'Connor, immigrated to Canada from Ireland. So, today, St. Patrick's Day, has always had some special significance (even though, I admit, I have sometimes forgotten the wearing of the green).

 

Perhaps he wasn't Irish, but St. Patrick was someone who loved the Irish. Having been forcibly brought to Ireland as a young slave, when he regained his freedom, he soon chose of his own accord to return and bring the freedom of Christ to the Irish.

 

There's a legend told of St. Patrick concerning snakes, that he banished them from the Isle.  But, evidence seems to indicate Ireland really didn't have snakes, of the physical kind, to banish. However, Ireland did have snakes of the spiritual kind. The serpent was highly symbolic to the pagan Druids. And St. Patrick's mission to spread the name of Jesus would have the effect of ousting the "Serpent."

 

“In the light, therefore, of our faith in the Trinity I must make this choice, regardless of danger I must make known the gift of God and everlasting consolation, without fear and frankly I must spread everywhere the name of God so that after my decease I may leave a bequest to my brethren and sons whom I have baptized in the Lord—so many thousands of people.”

St. Patrick

 

When you think about it, God was doing through St. Patrick what the Apostle Paul said in Romans 16:20 that He said He would do—crush Satan under the feet of Christ's followers. As St. Patrick "spread everywhere the name of God," the serpent's hold on the Irish was slowly being crushed.

 

All this was the fruit of an intimate relationship with His Savior. He wrote, "The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same."

 

Another historical legend, Johnny Appleseed, planted seeds wherever he went that grew apple trees. St. Patrick planted the name of Jesus that grew followers of the Lord.

 

The latter is what we as moms most desire—the name of Jesus planted in our children so that they grow into mature followers of Jesus Christ.

 

One scripture we pray over our children is Matthew 5:48, asking the Lord, as the Amplified Bible translates the verse, that they be perfect (growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity), as their heavenly Father is perfect.

 

For our children who have as yet not given themselves to their Savior, we pray that the Lord would open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to the power of God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and receive a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus. (From Acts 26:18)

 

That was St. Patrick's heart's desire—to overthrow the power of Satan who held a grip on the people of Ireland. So we celebrate a man of God who "banished snakes" from the green isle.

 

 

Principles of Warfare

The Thomas Nelson Study Bible titles Deuteronomy 20, "Principles of Warfare." Moses was preparing the Israelites for their near future when they would enter the promised land and by command of the Lord drive out or destroy its current occupants.

Moses began by reminding the people that the presence of the Lord their God would go with them. His presence is more powerful than all the horses, chariots and soldiers the enemy can muster up.

 

He told them—

 

Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

Deuteronomy 20:3b-4

 

The Lord our God is our Divine Warrior, "a man of war." (Exodus 15:3 NKJ)

 

Horses and chariots may be what the world trusts, but the people of the Lord trust the name of their God. He is the One who answers them in the day of trouble and comes to their defense, sending help from His sanctuary to strengthen them with His right hand. (Psalm 20)

 

Just as He went with the Israelites, He goes with us. Only we have the advantage of Him being in us.

 

This is a real advantage since our battles are not done with the weapons of the flesh. Our battles are spiritual. Our weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, spoken in prayer. Just think—it is that same sharp sword that Jesus Christ will use to strike the nations when heaven opens and He appears riding a white horse with the armies of heaven behind Him!

 

The question is—do we believe it?

 

Or do our hearts faint from fear? Or do we tremble in terror?

 

The principle of warfare that makes the difference is the opposite of fear. It is faith.

 

It is time to pick up our sword and trust in the name of the Lord our God, our Divine Warrior and Commander in Chief. It is time to move forward to drive out and destroy the enemy who is after the hearts, minds, and souls of our children.

 

So we pray for our children with the same passion that David used to plead for himself—

 

Awake and rise to ________’s defense! Contend for ________, my God and Lord.

From Psalm 35:23

 

No enemy—nothing—has the power to thwart our God.

 

Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?

Who is like You, glorious in holiness,

Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

The Lord shall reign forever and ever.

Exodus 15:11, 18 (NKJ)

 

 

The question is—do we believe it?

 

May we leave the place of fear and go forward in faith.

 

 

Loose Boards and Collapsing Walls

We often travel by, actually through, this farm when we make a trip to visit my parents. On one side of the highway is the house and on the other is the barn. The south end of the barn has seen some hard weather. The wall has weakened and boards are becoming unattached to each other and to the side walls. It looks as if a strong gust would weaken it enough to cause it to collapse. Then, as you drive by, you see the other sides of the barn, especially the opposite end, appear normal.

Appear is a key word here. When one wall is about to collapse, it can't but not affect the others—especially the roof that covers the whole building. That one weakened wall allows the weather and other things in that can distress the whole structure.

 

Since we live in an agricultural corner of our state, we see a lot of these barns, many in different stages of collapse. Just recently, we drove by one being held up in one corner by a crane. And yesterday, we drove by one that had collapsed around last summer's hay. We could see on one end where the farmer had been trying to salvage some for his cattle.

 

You'd think the owners of these barns would take preventative action at the sign of the first weak board. But, just like a lot of us, farmers have a lot on their "to do" lists and procrastination brings on the inevitable.

 

[Photo from Internet posting on Pinterest]

 

We moms can have "to do" lists longer than our arms. True?

 

When Fern Nichols was spurred by the Lord to begin the ministry of Moms in Prayer International, she said, "I was busy being productive in many wonderful things, but I wasn't doing the best thing—spending consistent prayer time with my Heavenly Father." She testifies that God in His grace, allowed her to see that her priorities were not right. (Moms in Prayer International Booklet)

 

It is all about priorities and living wisely. It is about paying attention to loose boards and keeping walls strong.

 

Remember Nehemiah? He had great sorrow when he learned that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down leaving his people in great distress and reproach. Without the walls, the city was open to the enemy, defenseless. (Nehemiah 1) But he didn't stay in sorrow or just add it to his long "to do" list. He acted. The rubble and brokenness were removed and the walls were rebuilt.

 

What walls are falling or have fallen in your child's life?

 

It's time to take action. Stop the enemy from coming in to take down the whole structure. Arise and rebuild. PRAY!

 

The God of heaven Himself will prosper us;

therefore we His servants will arise and build.

Nehemiah 2:20 (NKJV)

 

 

 

Not Polaroid Photos

Are you old enough to remember Polaroid cameras? Or, maybe you even still have one. I had one similar to this.

 

They were so fascinating to use. You'd snap the photograph, pull out the instant film, and right before your eyes slowly but surely the subject of your picture would become visible. No trip to the drug store and waiting days for film to be developed before you could see the results.

 

Ron Hutchcraft reminds us that people aren't like Polaroid pictures. "They don't usually develop right away. You have to wait to see what impression you have made. And while you're waiting it's easy to give up, because you don't see any impression."

 

In essence, people are like the film we had to drop off at the store to be turned in to photographs. This is so true of our children, praying moms. We have to "drop off" our children before the throne of the Lord and wait for Him to develop them into the men and women He designed them to be. We have to wait for the harvest of our prayers to become visible.

 

Ron wrote that God has guaranteed a harvest to those who don’t quit. Actually, it was Paul who wrote it, inspired by the Holy Spirit.

 

May we never tire of doing what is good and right before our Lord

because in His season we shall bring in a great harvest

if we can just persist.

Galatians 6:9 (VOICE)

In essence, this is what the psalmist wrote, "Let those who plant with tears reap the harvest with joyful shouts." (Psalm 126:5 CEB) Aren't our prayers often planted with tears because our hearts are so passionate for our children? And, not only for them, but the Holy Spirit has given us a passion for their classmates and for their teachers.

 

Even so, as Matthew Henry wrote, there "is in all of us too great a proneness to [growing weary]; we are very apt to flag and tire in duty, yea to fall off from it." He added that if we grow weary and withdraw, we would miss the great reward which will be such "an abundant recompence for all our pains and constancy."

 

Therefore, I echo Paul's words to the Corinthians to you, praying moms, that since it is through God's mercy that we have this ministry of prayer, don't lose heart. Continue to sow generously so that you will reap a generous harvest--"an abundant recompence." (2 Corinthians 4:1; 9:6)

 

 

Father, I praise You as the Developer of our children. I ask that we as their moms will engage persistently in the ministry of prayer You have given to us. Grant us favor. Strengthen us to not get discouraged, spiritless, or despondent with fear. Uphold us so we do not faint with weariness and exhaustion. May we as moms who believe in coming together in one accord prayer also stir each other up to raising our voices before Your throne with constancy on behalf of our children. In the Name of our Intercessor, Jesus, amen.

 

Doing Whatever It Takes

Ron Hutchcraft wrote, "When someone you love is in trouble, you do whatever it takes to rescue them."

 

Do you have a child that needs rescued? What are you willing to do? Whatever it takes?

 

According to Ron, that means the high probability of rearranging your life, canceling some meetings, sacrificing some personal preferences, and limiting your commitments. Fern Nichols likens it to scraping some things off your plate.

 

Why?

 

In order to do what is necessary to rescue someone, you have to apply the correct life-saving tactic. In the case of spiritual rescue, the primary thing is prayer. This is because we are fighting an unseen enemy AND because it is the Lord that turns hearts. So, prayer is the strategic tool to use. And, prayer, serious committed prayer, involves the use of time.

 

Taking time to pray is a deliberate action of removing that time from some other activity. And making time to pray is an intentional action of planning ahead to have that time set aside unconditionally. That is what an intercessor chooses to do to be a part of the rescue of another.

Our culture has too much to offer, too many good choices—for us and for our kids. And as mothers, often what involves our kids means our own personal involvement. We quickly find our "plate" stacked high.

 

For example, I can't not count the number of soccer games I attended when my children were young, and that's just the games. Who knows how much time was given to practices?

 

But, what if we as moms scrape off our plate just one soccer practice a week to spend that time in prayer with other moms for our children? What if?

 

The enemy is REAL. He is serious about the business of making sure our children do not have their names written in the Book of Life. How serious are we?

 

The lives of those we love depend on our prayers. What are we willing to do? Whatever it takes?

 

Fern Nichols, Founder and President of Moms in Prayer International, wrote that "if we recognize the line and cross over it to be intercessors, God will move heaven and earth to answer our prayers, and we will begin to see great victories and Satan's defeat. Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint on her knees, for he knows he has no power against our prayers that are prayed according to God's will."

 

The enemy knows the power of our prayers. He can read.

 

And another angel came and stood over the altar. He had a golden censer, and he was given very much incense (fragrant spices and gums which exhale perfume when burned), that he might mingle it with the prayers of all the people of God (the saints) upon the golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the incense (the perfume) arose in the presence of God, with the prayers of the people of God (the saints), from the hand of the angel. So the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and cast it upon the earth. Then there followed peals of thunder and loud rumblings and blasts and noises, and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

Revelation 8:3-5 (AMP)

 

What would happen if we did whatever it took?