Prepare for Battle

by Sandy Kirby Quandt

If you’ve seen the Last Jedi, perhaps you were impressed with the battle scene between Rey and Kylo Ren. I know I was.

Before the battle, we saw Rey practice, practice, practice. She didn’t just pick up a light saber one day and become an expert the next. Nope. She practiced. Practiced. Practiced. And before the light saber, she became proficient with her staff.

In any battle there is a back and forth. Attack. Block. Attack. Counter. Attack. Dodge. Attack. It all takes practice to prepare for battle.

In spiritual warfare, like Rey, if we want to fight and win the battle Satan wages to control our thoughts, we’ve got to practice. Practice. Practice.

We know Christ defeated Satan through his death and resurrection, but our defeated foe continues the battle to try and take as many of us to hell with him as he can.

There are many ways we can prepare for battle. While this list is not exhaustive, it offers some things we can do to prepare.

 

  • Daily Bible reading. Even a verse or two helps.
  • Read Christian Living books written by people grounded in God’s Word.
  • Read Devotional material either on-line, or in print. (Like Christian Devotions and Inspire a Fire. 🙂 )
  • Write our thoughts and prayers in a journal.
  • Pray.
  • Be involved in a Bible study either at our church, on-line, or in our community.
  • Participate in weekly church service.
  • Never stop growing in our knowledge of who God is.

As with any battle preparation, there are also things we need to avoid.

  • Stay away from toxic people either in person or through social media.
  • Be careful of what we allow into our mind through television, movies, magazines, and books.
  • Be mindful of how we spend our time.
  • When we feel our thoughts going down paths they have no business going down, pull them back and think on what is lovely, praiseworthy, noble, honorable, of good report …

Before Rey and Kylo Ren faced off, their thoughts were manipulated by the Dark Side Supreme Leader, Snoke, to the point neither really knew what was true.

Satan does that to us sometimes too, doesn’t he? Confusion reigns. That’s when we must hang onto God’s truth; and the best way to know his truth is practice, practice, practice.

Is it not?

May the TRUE force, the ONE who fought our battle on Calvary, sent the devil running, and won be with you.

How do you practice to win the battle?

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Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. Never say anything that isn’t true. Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words. Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don’t hang your head in shame … Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don’t go one step off the right way. Proverbs 4:23-27 (GNT)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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When Satan Attacks Us

by Sandy Kirby Quandt

When Satan attacks us we have a choice to make. We can do nothing and let him defeat us. Or we can counter his attack and call on the name of Jesus. In Christ’s power and strength we can resist the devil and he will flee. Satan is a defeated foe. At the name of Jesus the devil doesn’t stand a chance.

This month I’ve been working to meet several writing deadlines. Each one is doable and within my ability to accomplish, but when I let Satan’s lies penetrate my core, and tell me otherwise, I doubt. I waver. I hesitate.

While completing these projects I felt overwhelmed. Not defeated. Yet.

But I’ve traveled that path enough times to understand I was being attacked.

 

I had a choice to make. And the choice I made was to reach out to friends and ask for specific prayer as it related to my writing.

After sending the emails requesting prayer, I decided to look for a video to go with a song I heard over the weekend. Instead of finding the song I wanted, I found a song God wanted me to find. I think it’s a song God wanted you to hear, as well. I’ve attached it to this post. (As a P.S. I found this video three days after it was published. 🙂 )

Perhaps the devil has been attacking you trying to keep you from accomplishing something God wants you to accomplish. If that’s the case, I hope you realize, like Crowder sings, we’ve got something make the devil run … devil got none … we’ve got THREE. We’ve got the King of kings and the Lord of Hosts. We’ve got the Angel Armies and the Holy Ghost. We’ve got a Cross. A Hill. And an Empty Grave. We’ve got our Jesus and the devil gotta run.

Glory Hallelujah! There’s victory in Jesus!

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So submit yourselves to the one true God and fight against the devil and his schemes. If you do, he will run away in failure. James 4:7 (VOICE)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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My article, “How to Write a Devotional in 300 Words or Less”, is on WOW! Women on Writing e-zine. Please drop by and check it out.