Day 295

It's  Day 295 of  The Red Shoe Project and although I have been in the prayer closet most of the day, I am still sporting my RED shoes, looking and, perhaps more than ever, listening for God.  What will God say today in prayer?  Will He give some divine direction?  Will He grant revelation of the Scriptures?  Perhaps He will share some divine secret...  Or maybe He will give me a glimpse of what the future holds for me... Who knows?  

There's only one way to find out, 

and that's to go into the prayer room 

and shut the door behind me.  

Oh the devil continues to fight me tooth and nail!  He's forever trying to hold me back.  His goal is to keep me  from getting down on my knees and lifting my voice to God.  I can't seem to stop him from catapulting his lies at me.  (By the way, that's the best he's got:  lies and deception.)  BUT...

I've made up my mind...

I'm going in anyways!

And whether He speaks or not -- it doesn't matter.  I've got a job to do!  I've been commissioned.  God said this will be a season of prayer, and that's all there is to it!  Until God says otherwise, that's my assignment.   The devil can throw down all the bombs, missiles and grenades he wants, that's not going to stop me! 

I'm going in!

After awhile, it's not that difficult to recognize the lies of the devil.  He knows my weak spots well and he targets them continuously.  He doesn't go after the stuff that doesn't bother me.  Heck -- we've been tussling for a long time - 30 years now - he knows what to aim for -- BUT,  so do I.  

I've learned that his bombs are like a mine field.  Step here, step there and BOOM! they go off.  But experience has taught me that...

 as long as I stay focused 

on the truths of God's Word, 

those bombs are merely smoke bombs.

They look like the real thing, but they're counterfeit.  Their effect is minimal.  My job is to push through the mine field while lifting up prayer and praises to God simultaneously.  

Okay... so let me stress this point:  The bombs will go off!  They appear to be the real thing!  But, they're fake!  They don't do much of anything, as long as you trust God's Word and forge ahead. 

 If you listen to the lies, you'll fall back, or even worse, you'll stop in your tracks and he'll shred you to pieces.  His lies will overtake you.  You'll retreat with your tail between your legs and that will be the end of it.  

You must make up your mind in advance

that no matter what mines you step on 

you're going to send up the praise 

and prayers to God regardless!

Paul the Apostle had a job to do.  He had just healed a crippled man, but even still...

"Some jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won 

the crowd over.  They stoned Paul and dragged him outside 

the city, thinking he was dead.  But  after the disciples had 

gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city."  

Acts 14:19-20

I love this portion of scripture!  

When things got rough,

Paul pulled himself together

and went back in!

He's our example, and I'm determined to follow his lead.  I'm going to keep going back into the prayer closet again, and again, and again - because that's what God has called me to do!  

I'm going to go in,

get the job done,

and come out again!

And I'm going to keep doing that

day after day after day!

What has God called you to do?  Are you determined to accomplish that -- No matter what?

I'm going for it, in RED shoes!

Gail

Day 294

It's Day 294 of  The Red Shoe Project and I have had my RED sandals on all day.  Well... they're slip-ons, so if you really want to be accurate, they've been on and off many times.  I love that about slip-ons  --  One minute they're on my feet and then when I'm just sitting around, I slip right out of them.  Regardless of their status, you better believe I've been looking for God today.

First things first... This prayer thing is not easy.  The prayer part is awesome, it's the aftermath that's brutal.  Once I'm out of the prayer closet,  that devil is on my tail continuously.  I hate that!  It's a constant battle, but no matter what, I'm not giving in!  I didn't come all this way --  294 days -- to throw the towel in.  No way!  I will pray in the closet and out of the closet, continuously,  to the glory of God!

Perhaps that's why the Apostle Paul said:

"Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

"I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind..."  
"I speak in tongues more than all of you." (1 Corinthians 14:15, 18)

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  Be on the alert,  and always keep on praying for all the saints."  (Ephesians 6:19)

There's something else on my mind that I want to talk about today.  During the worship service, I found myself melting in the presence of God, tears rolling down my cheeks.  It was wonderful!  Peace surrounded me.  God was near.  Do you know what God said to me?

"You don't always have to be so strong, Gail."

He's said that to me a few times.  Funny thing is, I didn't think I was trying to be strong.  I wonder if I  clothe myself each day with some sort of strength -- toughness -- shield of protection and I'm not even aware of it.  Is that possible?

Remember the blog on "The Holy Ghost Hug?"  (Day 275)  When that woman was holding me in her arms praying for me, I felt like a layer of something melted right off me.  God spoke those same words to me then.  The scary thing is...   Without that layer of protection, I am vulnerable.  I don't know if I like that!    But that day, God caught me off guard.   I felt safe at The Bonfire.  I felt safe in my friend's custody -- in her arms --  actually,  in God's arms.

vulnerable - susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm.

I know that in the natural, we unconsciously put up walls of protection in life, but I'm reminded that although walls keep out what we are afraid of, they can sometimes keep out God as well.  Do you know what I'm saying?  When we shield our heart from the world -- when we say, "No one can come in here!" -- sometimes God gets locked out as well.  We don't mean to lock Him out, but we do it all the same.  

Of course I know that God can break through any obstacle.  But I also know that the Holy Spirit doesn't work that way.  He doesn't barge into our hearts!  Nope!  He's a melter -- He melts things away in His Love.  I bet that's what He did that day, and that's what He did today!

I talked with my friend Jim after church today.  He announced to me,  "I got a breakthrough today! During the worship, God peeled off another layer."   Sound like the same thing!

I've got to wonder, with all this spiritual warfare going on, with all this armor of God, etc. etc.  can I let down my guard, even for a moment? 

The Lord assured me that when 

I'm in His Presence, I am safe. 

So I shall make that a part of my prayer practice from this day on.  I will ask the Lord to melt away barriers that are self-made and I will trust Him to cover me.  I can't tell you that I understand that completely, but I know it's right.  I don't want to be protected by some inadequate covering that I've developed myself, when God is offering something of much greater quality.  I shall trust Him on this!  Yes!  I shall.

"I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you 

with power through His Spirit in your inner being 

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." 

Ephesians 3:16  

And so I have left the altar a little lighter, yet more protected all the same -- by Him.  "He is my refuge and my strength."  (Psalm 46:1)

    

I love this closing...

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."  Ephesians 3:20-21

And that is exactly why I trust Him with this -- with me -- with my very  heart.  Because with what little I do understand in this matter, I know that He knows I just want to give it all up for Him!  I just want what He wants.  I just want to be who He has called me to be.  And I don't want to get in the way of that happening.  He's the only one that can take my life and elevate it to a level that I could never have dreamed of. 

Take my life and give me Jesus!

In Red shoes, 

Gail

Day 293

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

Day 292

This 292nd Day of  The Red Shoe Project has been a day of  Prayer.  It's not that I don't have anything to say,  I've just said it all to God.   I found myself a comfortable chair, sat in His presence and went down my list of family and friends who need Divine Assistance.

It dawned on me how easy it is not to pray for people.  How often could I have lifted up a prayer for this one or that one and didn't?  More often than not, I have thought that my meager words to God would be inconsequential.  Where would I find the words to fill up a respectable amount of time given in prayer for a friend?  With that mindset,  I chose nothing, when I could have just said, "Lord, Please help my friend."  That would have sufficed.  

Today it seemed so easy praying for this one and that -  asking God to help here and there - to touch lives, save souls, and bring about healing to those in need.  I just sat there dishing up one request after another as if God were my guest for tea.

"Please try this, won't You?" 

"Could you help with that?"  

"You're the only one I can talk to about such a thing! " 

"Oh Lord, would You pay a visit to my friend?"

Today I have been subservient to The Lord.  I have sat in His presence, listened to His voice and followed His directions.  Even when I found it necessary to accomplish some menial tasks, I found myself whispering prayers continuously.  

The peace of God surrounds me.  I shall read and pray some more before going to bed.  How surreal.  Shall this one day become my new normal?  It's like floating down the lazy river... yet somehow I have this strange feeling that the enemy of my soul is not pleased.  What havoc have I created in his world?  God only knows.  And if that be the case, let there be more days like this.  Amen.

"For though we live in the world,

we do not wage war as the world does.

The weapons we fight with 

are not the weapons of the world.

On the contrary, they have divine power

to demolish strongholds!"

1 Corinthians 10:3-4

Praying in RED shoes, 

Gail