In God's Time

First of all I have found time tonight to write because my sweet husband has made me promise that three night this week I would let him watch his Miami Heat play the Celtics. Begrudgingly I said yes the first night but then realized it really wasn't that big of a deal since I am so wiped out from the beach every evening. Driving back to our hotel last night from Charleston this song came on the radio. I had just received a text from another friend that she was pregnant! Of course I was super duper excited for her but then I found myself asking God when was it going to happen for us again!? This song explains God's answer to me so well. He will provide his blessing in his time NOT my time. I was then reassured of this thought this morning when one of my good friends called me. I have realized throughout this process of the miscarriage the blessings of true friendships that god has given me and how thankful I am that these friends understand that this is a process and have been there when I needed them but have given me the space I have needed as well. I am a heal it now, fix it now kind of person. I don't like things lingering over my head. With healing though I have realized it is okay that it is taking me time to get through everything and sort it all out in my heart. I also have been blessed to have people who have been through the same PROCESS and can share the other end of the story to help me through. My friend today told me to read Ephesians 6:11 The Armor of God. At first I kind of rolled my eyes because I have heard that verse a million times! But I read it anyways and oh my goodness did it take on a total different meaning in my life.

I posted an excerpt from a devotional I found and I thought it was pretty remarkable:

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

The first element of our armor is the Belt of Truth. How wonderful would it be if we actually secured this around our waist, wrapping ourselves with God's promises in our daily lives? God considers deception to be an abomination. In Proverbs 6, He tells us that a “lying tongue” is detestable to Him. We are therefore exhorted to "put on truth" for our own sanctification and deliverance, as well as for the benefit of those to whom we witness. What would happen if we just decided to do this... to speak only truthful words to ourselves and others, and to secure our position in the truthful promises of our King rather than believe the lies of the enemy? We would be free indeed! Freedom to look at ourselves, our future, our capabilities, our existence in an entirely new way. This is not news to be put aside or forgotten. This is all part of the GOOD NEWS that must be told and re-told... studied and memorized... sought after and lived every single day - for all eternity!

As Christians, we must be confident in what God has promised to us. His truth assures us that God is good. We are royalty and children of the King of Kings. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. True beauty is a reflection of who we are in Jesus because all things become new and perfect in Him. There is no greater love than the love of our Father in Heaven. The Lord will provide and take care of us because He treasures us over all other creation. We were lost but are now found. And most importantly.... nothing.... NOTHING can separate us from the love of our Father!!!

Ladies, secure that belt and believe these promises. Put your whole trust in the ONE who is faithful, constant, righteous and holy. No matter what happens in your life - remember that those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior have been redeemed and belong only to God. Satan does not have ANY authority over us! So, measure and evaluate what comes your way by these guidelines: (1) Everything that is good is from God and is TRUE; (2) Everything that is not good is of the devil and is a LIE. (3) If you find yourself in a situation that is not good - WAKE UP, GIVE IT TO GOD, AND TRUST YOUR KING! (4) If you feel yourself reverting to old belief systems that tear you down - WAKE UP, GIVE IT TO GOD, AND TRUST YOUR KING! (5) No matter how many issues Satan throws your way with the intent to convince you that you are "less" or that God is unfaithful... DO NOT BELIEVE SATAN'S LIES! WAKE UP! GIVE IT TO GOD! TRUST YOUR KING!

Tighten that belt strap and BELIEVE THE PROMISES OF YOUR KING!

Now think of the Breastplate of Righteousness mentioned in Ephesians 6. This is our uniform, our badge of power and authority. If we were just some random person trying to direct traffic in the street, it is likely that many commuters would ignore our direction and just drive on by. However, once we put on the police uniform our claim to authority changes. Why? Because now we are displaying a power and authority that is bigger than our own. The same is true against Satan. Without God's authority backing us, Satan will run over people like a semi-truck. However, for those of us who believe in Jesus and have accepted Him as Savior, we can dress ourselves in the authority and power that He holds. We wear the uniform that is covered by the Blood of the Lamb... the standard for all that is holy and upright. Since we have chosen to live under His authority, we are protected by His authority.

It is very important to understand that our commitment for righteousness must be modeled after Christ. It is a daily sacrifice and ongoing devotion to seek out and follow Jesus' example in striving to live a sinless and holy life. To do this, we must daily put aside our selfish desires and instead clothe ourselves with His power and authority. We must not overlook that the breastplate is intended to protect our vital organs while in battle. With the protective boundaries it provides, our hearts are able to enjoy our Almighty Father's love without fear of being wounded. Our lungs are able to breathe in our Comforter's peace without gasping or being suffocated. Our stomachs are able to digest God's Word without the gall of being exasperated.

The Bible says in Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."

Ladies, we must hunger and thirst for righteousness the same way we look for food to nourish our bodies every day. It must be a regular part of our daily routine to seek out Christ and follow His example. To be full, and to hold authority against the devil, we must clothe ourselves in the righteous and purifying blood of Jesus! We must represent Him and not ourselves. In Christ, we represent the authority of God Almighty. By His Holy Name we are covered!!!

This devotional was taken from The Devoted Woman which is a Christian Women's Network committed to encourage and pray for one another to walk daily in fellowship with Jesus Christ. I encourage you to visit their blog at http://thedevotedwomanfreshflowers.blogspot.com. It is pretty awesome:)