"by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father." Ephesians 2:15-18
I've been reading the Screwtape letters by C.S. Lewis- and it's opening my eyes a bit. While I've always been content with allowing the devil and his workers to be a small part of my life, I'm now seeing how much he plays a part in my day to day struggles. In fact, what I used to think were just my issues and my flaws, I'm now seeing are a part of the main battlefield.. aka my mind. It was a little upsetting at first, but I now see that that idea is exactly what the devil wants us to believe. Why does our culture allow us to think this way? Why are the churches of today not preaching about this kind of battle? Fortunately, I'm finding that the more understanding I gain about the devil the less amount of material he has against me. I started trying to figure out how God plays a role in all of this and it hit me like a brick to the head- THE HOLY SPIRIT- You know how sometimes you feel like you should do something or you even hear a little whisper in your head telling you to go somewhere? HELLO! I think we limit the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the devil absolutely loves that. Maybe we should start listening to that little voice-- and go talk to that person or read the bible. It's funny how all of a sudden my mind finds something else to think about- and the holy thought flees from my head- or I press mute on the little voice. That, I think is where the battle is found.
I have a friend who prays to the Holy Spirit and it used to blow my mind. The more I think about it now, the more I realize how right he may be. You know, I keep questioning and seeking the source of the content-ness the apostles had, and I keep stumbling back the holy spirit. The answer is becoming so apparent- The Holy Spirit is what they had. Now I'm not talking about the little voice... I'm talking about trust and faith in the Holy Spirit. Control seems to be the whole issue we have with hearing the Holy Spirit. We always pray for blessings but what are we really praying for? I think I used to pray that God would give me what I wanted. I now see that when I pray for blessings- God may be blessing me in a way I don't necessarily like. And, when I give control of my life to the Holy Spirit I'm saying change me as You see fit- and guide me in the ways that please You and You alone. I think that is what the Apostles had- that concept that only proved to be AMAZING for their lives. I want that soooooooooo bad. I want to allow God to work in me and change me for His will. What keeps holding me back? My own personal desires and wants. Now, the question becomes- Do I truly want to give up control- or would I rather stay lukewarm and content (right where the devil wants me)..... the answer seems easy but actually doing it seems to be a different matter.
I think my new prayer is not Lord bless me ... but it's now Holy Spirit speak to me.. let me hear your voice and guide me. Help me understand God's will for my life and assist me in giving you guys control. Obliviously, the devil is very real and there is a battle to be fought. Train me and guide me- because You are the only one who knows the plan.
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