Yikes! It's Day 293 of The Red Shoe Project and here I am, standing firm, in my RED shoes, with my shield of faith lifted high! It has been a challenging day to say the least. The enemy has been shooting his arrows
in my direction continuously.
But just as God's Word says, I have...
" Taken up the shield of faith
with which I can extinguish
all the the flaming arrows."
Ephesians 6:16
That shield of faith snuffs out the flames. It removes the sting. It eliminates the arrow's destructive ability! All that's left is a little smoke.
I've noticed that the enemy's modus operandi hasn't changed a bit since the beginning of time. He's a trickster, a cheat, a deceiver, a fraud, a rogue and a scoundrel. He tricked Eve in the garden and He attempts to do the same to you and me every day. What is it that he does? He talks... and he tries his best to draw you into the conversation.
"Did God really say
You must not eat
from any tree
in the garden?"
Watch out! Don't fall for it! He's a sly one! If you can avoid the conversation altogether, you're ahead of the game.
First, he just gets you to listen. He throws out phrases that "kind of" sound right. Then he snags your emotions. He hooks you with words and pictures that beat you down. They make you feel like a loser -- That everyone is out to get you -- That you're not really hearing from God. Then he offers up a variety of suggestions that he guarantees will produce a better outcome for you. He's got a bit of a silver tongue, so it's best not to even get to this point. Otherwise, you'll find yourself eating the apple and regretting it!
That's the secret! We all know his game. He's a liar and a deciever! His tactics never change. We've played and lost time after time, year after year. Isn't it time to turn the tables? Nobody says you have to play! When the invitation comes, you need to shut him down right up front. As the old spiritual says...
"Shut the door!
Keep out the devil!"
The challenge here is that he is relentless. He'll keep beckoning -- calling to you, until he gets your attention. Here's three steps for shutting him down on the spot.
1. Call him out! "In the name of Jesus, I bind you, you demon spirit and cast you down. You will not speak, in Jesus Name. Remove yourself from my presence -- I command it!" Say it loud and say it like you mean it! Say it two or three times if necessary. You'll be surprised. This really works!
2. Rebut the enemy's lies using God's Word. Jesus himself did this, during his forty days in the wilderness. When the enemy throws a lie at you, you counter it with an opposing truth from God's Word and the lie is extinguished. Keep in mind, however, you have entered into conversation. Don't tarry there. Make it a point to snuff out an arrow or two and move on!
3. You can choose what conversations you listen to. Shut the door on him, lock it and get busy on something else. If you stay idle or intrigued, he'll shout to you through the door. So you need to get your mind busy.
This is the perfect time for a
Praise and Prayer Party!
If your mind is focused on praising God or talking to God, there's no room for anything else. You've successfully shut the door!
Do one, or all three if necessary!
Praising His Name for the Victory!
In Red shoes,
Gail
