Photo / Edit ~ Lisa Stokoe

“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me.”  Micah 7:8 

I awoke with an awful dream.. Seems the enemy messes with my mind as I am off guard and asleep.  He inserts ideas that haunt me.  He messes with my mind and fires his cannon of artillery to light my mind a blaze with doubt, confusion and condemnation.  He works over time and is willing to get up at the early morning hours to be sure to start my day with confusing thoughts.

I stumbled out of bed, untangled myself from the web of dangerous thoughts and wandered to the kitchen.  Opening my eyes with coffee, getting ready to open my mind to the Word of God and begin the gentle stream of cleansing!   The, oh so necessary cleansing from the silt of filth, the silt of lies, the debris of confusion that got dumped there as I lay in my bed.   An innocent victim doing nothing but resting my body and mind from the battle of the precious day.

I plead with The Lord… Is this ever going to stop? Why do I have to continually battle with such a wicked foe?  Why can’t I just be free of all the thoughts that seem to perpetually rob me of my value, my joy?

It seems the enemy has a strategic battle plan, masterly put together from past experiences of my life.  He knows the perfect time to use his familiar old tactics to bring me mentally to my knees.  Just as I begin to feel victory over a situation in my life, or over a well worn negative thought pattern… Bam!  He dances his dreams in my unguarded mind and I begin the sunlight morning with memories of old, failures of past or told stories untrue!

Rather than slipping out of bed with a stride in my step and anticipation for a wonderful new day… I stumble out of bed, as if to be dressed in layers and layers of unwanted garments.  So heavy is the fog in my mind that I can barely see past the eerie dim forest of lies and confusion that begin the backdrop of my day… making it past the kitchen to my devotion meeting place, is a long, hard, painstaking task.

On this morning, I crawl as if to save my life, I grunt and groan the entire way… When I finally reach my destination and slouch down, I am already worn out from the first 10 minutes of this dreary day.

I look… my Bible rests beside me, almost breathing with me.  I see my tablet also… a thought hiccups in my mind… “Tablet, grab the tablet!”  How easy and so alluring is the idea of just relaxing instead with my social media crowd?  The noise of their chatter might drown out the negative thoughts bouncing off the sides of my skull, which seem to hit in rapid succession like a pin ball machines.  This idea of just listening to others talk rather than hearing this inward noise is so tempting!  So falsely assuring of my escape.

I remember this path, as one I have ventured before when a different morning started this similar way.  I stop and consider where it took me.  As if to rewind a familiar movie… I see the screen in my memories eye.  Watching… it only proves to lead me deeper into the enemy’s den.

I remember the banners staggered down the newsfeed that seems to scream at me in a hissing tone… “See… look how everyone else’s lives are so perfect!”   Searching and searching as I scrolled down … silently hoping for someone to dare to post that her day began like mine.  Down and down I go.  The further I streamed, the more and more the enemy grabbed tighter to the reins of my mind, sinking his teeth in for the bite that killed the joy of my day!  Oh… how I longed for someone to lay aside the portrait of their created perfection and say what was haunting them.

I hear the thoughts as this worn out movie continues to play… Is it just me who started this way?  Is everyone else’s life seriously so perfect?  Well, except for those crazy few who spew day in and day out their perpetual dysfunction?  This morning, I feel more close to the crazy camp than the happy posters!  I felt annoyed with the pretense. I popped off in my mind, yet almost audible.  Come on people… is there anyone out there in cyber space who struggles to make it through the trails of their day?  Anyone, except crazy so and so!  The answer whispers back at me, nope, its only you!  But, without too much judgment, I was reminded as I flipped to my own wall… That I too, appeared the same as they, with my own portrait I paint, by my selective posts.

Grateful for the rewind, this morning, I chose to refuse the powerful pull of my media tools.  Instead I open the living, breathing medicine box for my mind, which sits next to me and appears to be pulsating with hope! As I pry into it with purpose, it is then, in that moment, the dark subsides, and the fog rolls away.  I see the beam of light hit my being as if to awaken me with delight.

In a moment… The coach roaches placed in my mind from the early dawn, scurrying at the first sight of light and race away as if to be harmed by the brightness of His glorious light!  I take in a deep breath and release in a long slow ahhh… The direction of my day has been changed!  Victory has been won! I made it to my first morning stop!  I begin dressing myself with the appropriate attire for this given day, being equipped with all the necessary tools needed.

I am reminded once again… regardless of what anyone else may think about me, or what I may think myself.  Regardless of the rejection I sometimes feel.  Regardless of whether a select few approve of me.  Regardless of my failures, my quirkiness, my disappointments, my achievements and even my desired unmet aspirations.  Regardless of anything that might presently or momently harass me…

The Spirit of God speaks through the deceit and I remember, yet again…  I am a child of the King!  I belong to a Royal Priesthood.  I have purpose and value.  I have a plan prepared before me by the Holy One.  My name, (my name!) is written in the Lambs Book of Life!

Each promise hits my mind and light begins to separate the fog from the trees.  I begin to saturate myself in Romans 8.Photo / Edit ~ Lisa Stokoe

… “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” (NAS v. 1)

I continue to scroll down further and as I wade in the truths, I begin to undress some of the heavy & undesirable garments I left bed with this morning and redress with some well-worn favorites of mine.  Particular scriptures seem to jump at me to take notice.

… “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” (v.6)

… “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (v. 14)

… “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (v. 15)

… “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.” (v. 16)

… “And if children, heirs also, heirs with God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” (v. 17)

… “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?” (v. 24)

… “But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” (v. 25)

He reminds me of my freedom from bondage.  My adoption!  Of whom and what family I  belong.  Hope peaks through with brilliant rays of Son light.   More, give me more, my mind leaps!

… “In the same way the Spirit also helps with our weakness; For we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words;”  (v.26) 

… “And He who searches the heart knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (v. 27)

… “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (v. 28)

… “What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who is against us?” (v. 31)

… “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?  God is the one who justifies.” (v. 33)

… “Who is the one who condemns?  Christ, Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” (v. 34)

… “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (v. 35)

… “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” (v. 37)

… “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (v. 38-39)

He speaks to me.  Come; lets navigate this tricky terrain together and I will lead you through the trees, the fog, through the web of lies and deceit the enemy lays as traps before you.  Not only this day, but you whole life through.  With My protection and guiding, You will not be fooled by the tricks of the enemy … for he is very crafty.  So venture onward and forward and hold on to Me, my “little Christ” soldier.  Victory is yours!   Photo / Edit ~ Lisa Stokoe

A morning like today required more than one morsel!

1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)  “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)  “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of The Lord, and their righteousness is from Me, Says The Lord.”

Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Galatians 6:9 (NKJV)  “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)  “But those who hope in The Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Psalm 62:8 (NKJV)  “Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”  ~ Selah