I'd been hearing the lie for several days. "He's dead, Sherry!" "He's dead!" I knew this would be coming; this heavy spiritual warfare that could absolutely incapacitate me, make me useless for God's purposes in my life if I would let it. When my youngest son announced one day that he would be spending the summer hitchhiking to Alaska with a friend, I knew that this would come.
My God knew it too. My God knew that I needed a weapon to fight it. My God gave me a weapon that would give me the victory over the warfare when He gave me Philippians 4:4-7 which says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Every time I thought of Jared I would use the weapon....."I rejoice in you, Jesus, I rejoice in you." The weapon worked, the anxiety left, I was at peace. And then it happened, God really began to stretch me.....Jared's phone broke and he wasn't able to get it fixed or get a replacement. He crossed the US Canadian border and we lost contact with him. Then the warfare really reved up and the lies increased.
I was having trouble sleeping at night because the enemy continually told me, "He's dead, Sherry.....He's dead." For two weeks we had no contact with him.....I had to make a decision every day during those two weeks; was I going to believe the lie or was I going to trust Jesus and rejoice in Him? I didn't know where Jared was but, I knew that God knew where he was..... I chose to trust Him! I chose to believe that His Word was true and that all His promises in it were for me and for Jared!
Every time the lie came, I rejoiced in the Lord and gave Jared to Him. I knew that whatever happened, God was there to walk with me and with Jared. I wasn't alone and I knew that Jared wasn't alone.....God was walking with him also. Every time I rejoiced in the Lord, I was flooded with "the peace of God that passeth all understanding." No, the peace didn't make sense but I was glad for it, so glad!
After a particularly sleepless night of hearing the lies over and over and over again, I was feeling very oppressed and then, in the twinkling of an eye, it happened.....my phone rang. I answered it.....and it was Jared. Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!
Are you hearing the lies? Does the enemy want to take you out? Are you feeling incapacitated? I encourage you to Rejoice in the Lord! I will say it again, Rejoice! If you are hearing the lies, you have the enemy on the defensive.....he is worried about you. He is worried about your power to take him out. He is worried! Praise God! You are a threat to the enemy! Praise God!
I encourage you to use your weapon, the sword of the Word! (Ephesians 6:17) The Word is there for you to fight the battles with. God has not left you powerless, He has given you the victory! Praise God! Rejoice in the Lord! Praise God!
Jared, on the left, in San Francisco
on his way to Alaska.
Encouraging You In Christ
All Praise, Honor and Glory to God!
