4:00 AM exactly. My thoughts: again. Three days in a row...Okay, okay it's only been two. Do you like how I don't even argue anymore? Remember in grad school how I used to mumble at You under my breath for planning a meeting at this hour.
Yeah, Yeah. I know, I'm not as thrilled as You'd like for me to be. But this seems urgent.
(Side Note: In grad school, I used to wake up pretty regularly at about 4AM. After a while, I figured God was trying to talk to me. I was so busy during that season that He needed a time when He knew I would hear Him. I used to joke and call it "prayer meeting". So now the 4AM hour is like an inside joke between me and God.)
I checked my phone, because-- let's be honest-- that's the first thing us Americans are trained to do when we wake up.
I had a text from my best friend and I sat down with the first journal I could grab (because, yes, there are multiple ones on my floor...don't judge).
As I began to pray some things out, God suddenly gave me an image to share with her. My best friend loves analogies and images. I love how God knows exactly how to speak to us.
The image was extremely specific to her particular situation, but after typing it out in a text message, I realized that it could probably apply to many people.
I'm going to give you the AshNotes version of what I sent to her:
Sometimes the enemy knows that he can't stop your feet because you've already determined to go and he can't stop your mind because it's already made up, and he can't stop your heart because it's already set so he keeps trying to attack your ears. It's like he's forced earmuffs on you to block out the joy that God is singing over you. (Because you better believe that He is singing joy over you...). The enemy knows that if you can hear the song, you will be joyful. And with what you've already got going for you that's the LAST thing he needs right now. But guess what? God isn't worried. You know why? Because He's placed the song that He sings over you in the middle of your heart. That's right. It's INSIDE you.
Wait, wait, wait. This is the time for you to look at the enemy and say, "Come at me now, bro."
Because of all the things the enemy can do to you and around you, he can't stop God from rising up His love and power on the inside of you. The Holy Spirit loves to be stirred up and especially from the inside.
***
God is whispering, "I've already given you freedom in this. Walk out of the cell. The enemy is literally leading you back into the cell by just the words he is using. His words are powerless. Quit walking back into the cell. You putting action to his suggestions are what is leading you back into captivity.
He is a liar. And in some circumstances, not even a good one, if you know who you belong to. Walk out of the cell. The door is open. Walk out of the cell. You don't have any chains on; you're just standing there," He chuckles, "Walk OUT."
Why does God chuckle? No, He's not mocking you. He loves you. He knows that the enemy is far less powerful than He is. He is laughing because the solution is simple.
It's like the enemy looks at you and says, "Yeah, you should really be in prison right now. You remember what you did? You see how you are messing up?" And us, overwhelmed and tired say, "Yes, I really should be". And we walk into the same cell that God just freed us from because the enemy simply reminded us of who we used to be, or that we are acting in our old nature.
It's not because the enemy drug you in by your hair, but because he suggested it.
Can we talk about this please?
Because he MENTIONED it.
God is looking at him going, "Really?"
But sometimes God is looking at us going, "Really? Ignore him and keep walking ahead in freedom."
Let the song God has placed within you rise up. But don't just let it rise up, let it come out of your mouth so that others-- who haven't heard the love in their hearts yet-- can hear a different song.
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