Word of the Day
Beloved, the long shadows of your life and past always try to encroach on your freedom, always try to encroach in on who you are in Christ. Nothing has changed as far as the enemy of your soul is concerned. It is always his desire to overshadow your life in any way he can. If he can overshadow one aspect and get your attention focused on it and not on Me, he has accomplished a great victory. He moves on with the intention of pulling you into his way of thinking and doing…with the intention of convincing you to believe contrary to all you know to be true.
The enemy wants to be the overshadowing…the covering over your life and moves to do so one aspect at a time until you are distracted by your own woes or your own abilities to succeed. He doesn’t care how he does it so long as it works. All the while I have provided a stable and fixed place under the shadow of My Presence…a place no foe can withstand (Psalms 91:1)
Distraction is indeed a big weapon in the enemy’s arsenal…even the distraction of doing what looks to be wonderful things. The enemy doesn’t care if you are overburdened by activities. He knows being a doer first and foremost is a death knell to intimacy resulting in an absence of true wisdom and revelation.
Once distraction takes place, the enemy then endeavors to get you to resolve your situation in your own might and power. He even does this by convincing you to do religious things all the while making you think you are wholly dependent on the truth. What a liar and father of all lies he is. Religion will never get you anywhere. He knows it; but, to many people it sounds good. Religious activities can keep you so busy that intimacy is often forsaken. In fact, religious activities are often seen as intimacy by the O’ so dutiful ones. Duty is not bad. Self-sufficiency in the name of religion is.
Come into a place of rest and put to end all striving to achieve what I have already given you. Come into rest and intimacy. Come and be with Me.
HE WHO dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand] (Psalms 91:1 Amplified)
Prayer
Lord, today I give you thanks…today I give you praise for You are the love of My life and the truth that sets me free. I set my affections on things above and choose not to believe any negative past or present circumstance has the power to determine the outcome of my life. I look to You, the author and finisher of my faith, not anything or anyone else. I will not allow the enemy of my soul to cause me to focus my attention on myself, my past failures or successes. My focus is on You Lord. I choose to not be distracted by my own mistakes or abilities to succeed. I recognize that distraction is a big weapon the enemy desires to use against me. I will not allow myself to become overburdened with activities, especially religious ones. Lord, my heart’s desire is to draw close to You and nothing else. I will not allow our intimacy to be robbed by being too busy to spend time with You Lord. I close my eyes to the distractions around me. I praise You as I receive help from on high. I come and rest in the all-sufficiency of Your name and in Your Word. It is not by might or by power but by Your Spirit that all things are accomplished. Therefore, I come into rest. Amen.
Reflect and Journal
- Are you aware of any long shadows or things in your past that hinder your freedom in the Lord? Write what those areas might be and find His answer in the Word.
- List any obvious (common) distractions that have kept you from drawing closer to the Lord.
- Are you willing to close your eyes to any distractions around you that keep you from receiving the help from on high the Lord has in store for you? Write what you can do on a practical level to accomplish this. Maybe you should start with just a few minutes a day…starting somewhere is what matters.