Front Porch Friends Conference--Cleveland, TN
From my notes, first night, Karen Wheaton
"What the enemy meant to break me has failed!" (from worship)
I don't know about you, but of all the devastating things I have experienced, having a child in peril, having a child turn away and against me, having a child rewrite history and malign my love and character has no equal, no parallel.
BUT HERE I AM, STILL STANDING!!!! Here you are , still standing! The enemy has drug us through fire and water, but we are neither burned nor drowned! HALLELUJAH!
In fact, the opposite is true. Karen called it her "sweet revenge." Not only is it not taking me down, but the enemy is going to wish he'd never messed with me because I'm going to go BIG!!!
Now most of what I just wrote wasn't actually said, this is just one thing that exploded in me during worship.
Miss Karen said, "Only weapons are mighty through God."
These weapons are:
The blood
The Name
The Word
Foolish people (the foolish things of the world) are God's "special forces" to confound the wise. I am chief among those.
For my own self, it started to crystalize in a much bigger way than ever before that all the craziness that has followed me through life....the enemy has been trying to take me out, to abort the call and the mission.....because I am a "transitional person," and perhaps you are too. More on that later, but suffice it to say that many testimonies are hinged on your testimony, on your willingness to persevere and fight. And the devil knows it. He wants to destroy you. He wants you to quit or at least shrink back.
We need to know our enemy's weapons:
Ignorance--not knowing the Word, not knowing who we are in Christ. We should continually seek revelation and wisdom.
Fear -- fear is a tormenting spirit and a thief. Worry is a fear that you are meditating on.
"IF YOU WANT YOUR WORST FEAR TO COME TO PASS, MEDITATE ON IT!" (Yes, I am shouting)
Worry is SIN. It doubts and questions God's character and whether or not He will keep His Word. How do you not worry? Miss Karen says, "Pray about everything!" He that dwells in the secret place--not occasionally, but lives there--surely He will deliver! (Ps 91, Mat 5:6) Furthermore, perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Get to know His love. That has been what I have been earnestly seeking for the past couple of years....to know Him like a Daddy.
I would add that you also stop worrying when you meditate on Him, His promises, His love, His faithfulness, His ability.... Fill your mind with HIM!
It is completely our responsibility to keep ourselves stirred up in faith. No one is going to do it for us. It wasn't cheap to go to this conference, but it has CHANGED MY LIFE! Because I am changed, it is going to change the outcome for my children and many others; it is going to change ETERNITY! Think about that!! It was worth a thousand vacations, cars, entertainment, or anything else I could think of to buy or think of as a necessity. I am not saying that you have to spend a bunch of money to have faith, but I am suggesting that you aggressively seek opportunities to stir yourself up so that you can stand against the mental assaults of the devil. One idea is to start an envelope and stash money away, so that when a conference like the one I just attended is announced, you can go without a financial hindrance or crisis. For me, this was a Divine Appointment and God met me there. Start planning your life around what it takes to stay HOT and full of faith and vision for the mighty works of God to explode into your story, and your children's story, and their children's story and other people's children's stories, and whatever else God has called you to.
As Miss Karen rightly stated, "It's going to cost you. It's going to cost you everything."
And it's worth it! They are worth it!