Man, this week has been a tough week spiritually. This is probably the hardest I've been attacked since the beginning of this semester. It's to the point when I'm brought down to my knees and literally have no choice but to pray. I definitely feel like my faith is being tested and in a weird way, I'm kinda thankful for that. It's beautiful to see God's power when his Spirit is complete in your weakness. I watched a sermon today through life church (btw, if you don't know what life church is.. it's an AMAZING church. An organization on campus called "one hour" shows a sermon every week & we come together to talk about it. Anyways, visit lifechurch.tv and then click on "watch all messages" and literally, they have a message for everything.) Anyways, the Pastor was talking about the supernatural world and how there is an enemy that hates our guts (I think I already knew that, considering the fact that he literally tries to get in my way ALL THE TIME). Anyways.. he brought out 4 points about Satan and said:
1. Satan loves to blind the MINDS of unbelievers.
2. He sets TRAPS to ensnare you.
3. He fights to STOP you.
4. He plans to DESTROY you.
I feel like this is so evident in my life that he is trying to do all these things. He is the father of lies, lemme tell ya.
Anyways, one thing I walked away with though after watching this sermon is that..
YOUR PRAYERS ARE FAR MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU KNOW.
Prayer is so powerful, and I have been discovering that more & more this semester in the weakest moments of life. I also have such encouraging friends that we pray for each other weekly and gather together to be vulnerable and hold each other accountable to where we are in our walk with God. I feel like this is what so many Christians are missing.. is the importance of prayer and how powerful it is. I'm not gonna lie, I forget sometimes too how powerful prayer is... but reading Daniel 10:12, where God's messenger literally tells Daniel that all his prayers have been heard is SO encouraging to me. Its reassuring to know that mine are also being heard.
There have been so many lessons to life lately, but I honestly love learning. I love falling more in love with God and who I am in him. I love that I can see him in the lives of my friends and I love witnessing the purity of their hearts. Although i'm attacked, God is using the painful situations of these attacks for his glory, and that all in itself is worth it.
I'm loving what I see here! :) it takes a strong person to see above the fog of hardship when things aren't going as planned and trust that any suffering on this earth is a light and momentary pain while endless glory is promised to those who believe. It reminds me of Paul's mentality when even after persecution and 14 years of imprisonment he rejoiced in his suffering and trusted that God's will be done. You should look into reading "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis. It's an apologetics novel that kind of tries to show how spiritual warfare is, it's a good read!
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