by Julia M. Bruce, MSPC, Mental Health Coach,
CEO, Wellspring Christian Ministries
As with any soldier, warfare is hard work – physically and emotionally. Every soldier has times of exhaustion or emotional drain. The same is true for the Christian soldier. There are times when we find that our “steadfast, immovable” washes away like the tide leaving the shore. We stand, but it feels as if the sand underneath us washes away with the tide. We stand on wobbly legs, weak from fighting. And we have no strength left to hold up the shield of faith or to wield our sword. We don’t even have what it takes to tie on the gospel of peace shoes. The weight of the helmet of salvation seems to be sinking us to our knees (which is exactly where we need to be!). We’re worn down. We’ve given our all. And all that’s left is to fall on our knees before God and weep in exhaustion.
You are not steadfast if you are questioning your calling
In these moments, we might find ourselves in a place of questioning the call. Did we hear God right? If this ministry is truly what God has called me to do, then why is it so hard and why isn’t God blessing it? Why isn’t He provided the resources? Why do others not support me in this calling?
As I began launching the ministry I knew God was calling me to do, I found myself often asking these very questions and more. Satan has fought from the very beginning to stop this ministry before it even got off the ground. Those that I thought would be by biggest supporters were the ones that didn’t believe that God could choose to use someone like me – not with my story and what I have been through.
Yet, it was in the hurt and disappointment of those people not believing in me that the soft whisper of the Holy Spirit replied, “I believe in you. I have called you. I have gifted you with exactly what you need for the ministry I have set before you. The more I am at work in you, the harder Satan fights. Stand firm. I am greater in you than he that is in the world.” It was the whisper I needed to keep pressing forward toward the goal. The only stamp of approval I needed was God’s. And it is the only approval you need for your ministry.
The more steadfast and obedient we are, the fiercer the battle
My friend, we can know that the more we are obediently following God’s plan and serving Him, the fiercer the battle with the enemy will be. The very fact that the enemy is attacking you so hard is precisely the proof that God is blessing your ministry. If you are in a battle today (and I am assuming that you are since you are reading this book), be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work because you can be sure that when we labor in the Lord, it is never in vain. Suit up soldier! Get on your knees and fight!
When Satan drives you to your knees, be steadfast in prayer
If Satan drives you to your knees in the battle, then fight on your knees as you pray. As Phil Wickham reminds us in his song, “Battle Belongs”, the battle belongs to God and we do our best fighting when we are on our knees, praying, and allowing God to fight for us.
After the Israelites left Egypt, they found themselves right smack in the middle of pressure and trouble. In front of them was the pressure of how to cross the Red Sea. Behind them was the trouble of a very angry Egyptian army. And the Israelites did what every human being would do – they panicked.
Moments earlier they were standing at the bank of the Red Sea while the idea of freedom from slavery kicked in. I’m sure in the mix of the crowd there was a certain group who stood at the bank of the Red Sea wondering how they would get all the people across to the other side. But as they stood around problem solving, someone stopped and listened. Then he began to quiet the others. “Shhh. Listen.” They heard it too. The turn around and off in the distance was a terrifying sight. The Egyptian army riding hard and fast towards them, a cloud of desert sand stirring up around them. Slowly more and more of the people get quite and they look. Before long there is full-blown panic. They are trapped. There is no where to go. They began blaming Moses.
Stand firm! The Lord will fight for you!
Moses responded to them: ““Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet.” (Exodus 14:13-14) If you are experiencing pressure and trouble, Moses calmly and quietly says to you, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation. The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet.”
When Satan drives you to your knees, you are not defeated – you’re just starting to win the battle. In fact, you don’t even have to wait for him to drive you to your knees. As soon as an attack begins is the time to get on your knees. That is where we fight spiritual battles!
7 FREE Downloadable Resources
Now you can enhance your Bible Reading with the Verse Mapping Template
Our Verse Mapping download is FREE and includes 6 pages: 3 pages of instructions for using the template and the 2 page template, plus the cover page. If you’re looking to go deeper into God’s Word, learn more about God and develop a stronger spiritual life, Verse Mapping will help you dig into the scriptures. As you apply God’s Word to your life, you will develop a more intimate knowledge and relationship with God.
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What Satan Does Not Want You To know
This trifold document includes Scripture verses that Satan does not want you to know about. As you hide these verses in your heart, you’ll be able to defeat the lies of Satan when he tries his wiles and schemes on you.
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Stress Journal
We all face stress. How we handle stress, however, has many variables. Learning how to recognize stress, coping with stress, and creating a self-care plan during times of stress can begin by journaling. Taken from our series on Biblical self-care for people in ministry, we’ve created this free download to help you through the things that cause you stress.
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2021 Bible Memory Verse Plan
We’ve put together 52 memory verses for you to hide God’s Word in your heart! You can download the full document for free and then print a new verse each week and as many copies as you’d like. Each verse prints four times on a page so that you can then cut them into index size cards and place them in prominent places where you will see them frequently throughout the day to help you remember to memorize them. Just because you visited our site, they’re yours for free! Download today.
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The Path to Sin
Satan is constantly trying to trip us up and he doesn’t even play fair because he uses our own desires as bait to get us to sin. James tells us the five steps that lead us down the path to sin in James 1:14-15, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” This download helps you identify your desires so that you can better recognize when Satan is baiting you and you can avoid falling into sin. When used along with prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to identify the desires that Satan baits you with, you can then ask the Holy Spirit to help you not become a victim to the bait of your desires. Download the worksheet today.
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One Year Bible Reading Plan
With just 30-40 minutes per day, you can read the entire Bible in one year. The One-Year Bible Reading Plan consists of both Old Testament and New Testament readings for each day of the year. The Bible is God’s personal Word to you. What is He saying to you today? Open your Bible and find out!
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Self-Care Wheel
The Self-Care Wheel provides ideas for practicing self-care in six dimensions of yourself: Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Intellectual, Sensory, and Social. NOTE: You will need 11X14 paper to print the wheel.
Want to know more about self-care? Our Self-Care blog series targets people who serve in any ministry position (paid staff or volunteer) and takes a Biblical approach to self-care.
[Download not found]Need some music to get you through the day? Check out one of our Playlists on YouTube
You can also watch our animated devotionals on the YouTube Channel
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