Prepare For Battle, You Are Being Attacked

Prepare For Battle, You Are Being Attacked

A good sister had a vision/dream quite a few years ago, that there were demons attacking my wife’s throat, right before her larynx, thyroid and now salivary gland tumor surgeries. In the dream I said, “keep on singing.” Well my wife is finishing a CD project she has been working on for almost 5 years or so. This will be a testimony to the Lord with great worship songs she has put together that will bless many.

It is disquieting in spiritual warfare how we are being watched stealthfully by the demonic realm, to see how we might be shut up and restrained in some way.

    

Ps 40:9

 9 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness

In the great assembly;

Indeed, I do not restrain my lips,

O Lord, You Yourself know. NKJV

 

The king burned in the fire, Jeremiah’s prophetic scroll, but could that really stop the word of God? Paul continued to give the word in chains, but the word of God is not chained. When we are finally dead we will not preach any longer,  so I say, “we are not finished until He’s finished with us,” so we’ve got to “keep on singing,” keep on preaching no matter what may come our way. The enemy might try to close your mouth, stirring up exaggerated feelings of awkwardness, fearfulness, shyness or spiritual indifference, so you find yourself not being as effective in your witness for Christ as you’d like. But what if you are doing all that you can do, seemingly taking every opportunity for the word of God? I think the enemy is watching such servants and trying to squelch their voice, finding some method to put a clamp on it. Different people, different methods, but the same purpose, to hinder the gospel of Christ, and to slow down the expansion of the kingdom, to certainly put a stop to you.

Now back to my wife, she is under attack, the enemy is trying to use health issues to hinder her, to immobilize her, to distract her. As most of you who have enjoyed her teaching know, she has ump, she’s a fireball for the Lord (zeal), she says it like it is, but I want to proclaim to you in the midst of all the sorrow of dealing with a temporary battle called cancer, I believe, the gates of hell shall not prevail. I don’t think this is just my hopefulness, my love for my wife, or my overwhelming inner desire speaking louder to me than a pessimistic view that things could get worse. I know the Lord is in on this, for the good, no matter what. I know He gave Satan permission in Job’s case, in the Bible, to even put boils on his body, but God brought final restoration in a big way later in life.

My wife knows she has all eternity to spend eternity in, and she looks forward to that time. But, she only has one shot at this life, to roll up her sleeves in battle and walk by faith, raise children and soon to have a granddaughter, so she looks forward to enjoying what God has for her now. I would say that most people with cancer want to live, no one really expects getting that diagnosis, then picturing themselves dying young.

I know my wife wants to live and is going to put up the fight to be a survivor, so we might enjoy the grace of life together. I’m glad she doesn’t give up, and I confidently anticipate having my wife with me for a full life together. (the doctor has said that he believes the weight is on that side). This season will be beset by much suffering. But, as believers know, it purifies our faith like gold. When you’re going through the fire, putting it all in a future context doesn’t necessarily mean a lot at that moment, but when you look back in retrospect you can see how the hand of God was there, moving and working His perfect work. Later you might even feel thankful over certain things, that He allowed you to go through the time of barely having your nose above the water. At times now we might question things, like, where’s God, why God, what are you doing God, and we don’t have all the answers, but one day we shall know even as we are known by God

        

Job 42:3

 Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,

things too wonderful for me to know…….

 

5 My ears had heard of you

but now my eyes have seen you. NIV

 

I really don’t want my wife to go through this major combat, and using this conflict to help her know Him better, is entirely up to Him, but seems painful to me. We don’t understand all that He is doing, but we do trust Him in it. He is our high tower that we run to and are safe.

The devil has not and will not win! My wife is still teaching for Him. This weekend’s retreat maybe her last until the second surgery and recovery is over and the radiation is finished (but who knows). She still teaching a pastor’s wives study, and will do another video this week for the October study. The truth marches on, through her.

If  you are going through any grievous trials right now, look to Jesus, He loves you, and will carry you through. Lean on his breast in communing with Him. Draw near with a fully assured heart. Don’t be shaken from believing ‘He will never leave you nor forsake you,’ He’ll take you up when your closest allies flee.

Warfare can be long and tedious, we may have our weak moments, but we know Who wins the war!