Battle Plan

An Antidote for Post Conference Blues

Or any Blues!

Every time I go to an parenting conference, I come back with Post conference blues. I am so quick to compare myself and my children with everyone else, and to take the talks terribly personally, that I am overwhelmed with my conviction, and am tempted to give up.

This year I recognized it a bit before going...with the issue of dress, and looks, and expected appearance. After we arrived at home, the blues hit again, and this time, I cried out.

Here is the antidote that God gave me:
Ephe 6:10 (KJS) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Who can be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might? Those that are the saved, called according to His purpose.
1Joh 5:4 (KJS) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Luke 10:19 (KJS) Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

He kept telling me to wait (Isai 40:31 (KJS) But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint. )

and in meditating on that verse, I also came to:
Psal 27:14 (KJS) Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

So, what was I doing? My soul was disquieted...cast down, dispairing!
Psal 42:11 (KJS) Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God.

And God says to me:
Isai 41:10 (KJS) Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
2Tim 1:7 (KJS) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

As an aside, I have been struggling with many health concerns. So, here I have God's promise to

All of these promises spoke to specific items of prayer that I have had, that had burdened me down, causing me to believe that I was not capable of attaining the certain high standard.

I'm going to do this in sections...but God gave me a battle plan that may encourage some of you. Take it one part at a time!

PART TWO

I needed a battle plan....I was definitely in warfare!
I went to the obvious warfare passage:
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

I was fighting with my husband's flesh, my children's flesh, and my own flesh (the latter being the most difficult!). I was falling prey to those fiery darts big time...and they were coming so fast and so furious, and I was so beaten down, my sheild was almost too heavy to lift up.
Psal 3:2 (KJS) Many [there be] which say of my soul, [There is] no help for him in God. Selah.
3 But thou, O LORD, [art] a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

Somewhere I was missing something...but that goes back to part one...I was missing my promises! As my dear husband meditated on 2 Pet 1, he taught us on these verses - more promises to add to those God gave me (mentioned in part one)!
2Pet 1:2 (KJS) Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Promises:

So, God has provided a way, and I just have to wait, and rejoice. I was already crying!
Phil 4:4 (KJS) Rejoice in the Lord alway: [and] again I say, Rejoice.
(James 1:2 always comes to mind when choosing to rejoice!)
Phil 4:6 (KJS) Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Ok, so I am taking thought, caring for my children's futures, how to schedule our days, our seemingly endless failure to complete wisdom books on time, and the fact that our marriage is not the ideal marriage, our life is not always lining up with what we say we believe...all this added to the health issues....whew. I needed to just get quiet! Rejoice?!? Count it all joy?!? I was trying hard not to grumble and complain!

So, how do I take on the enemy? Well, I'll have to tell you that in Part three!

PART THREE

After I got quiet, and confessed my sins, asking God to tear down all those strongholds, He started to build towers of truth with the past piles of scriptures. As I settled down, He took me back to Ephesians 6:
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
He has an armor for me....I just have to take it up....I'm not even sure I have to put it on...just to accept that he has it for me, and through HIM, I can withstand the evil day, and another version says: Ephe 6:13 (DBY) and, having accomplished all things, to stand.

If I take up His armor (might look like a cross!), through Him, I can accomplish all things! AND stand! Reminds me of walk and not be weary, run and not faint. The Blessed man of Ps 1 chose where to walk, stand and sit...and God promises to enable me to stand, walk and run! IF I take up His armor, or His cross...and follow Him.
Psal 18:31 (KJS) For who [is] God save the LORD? or who [is] a rock save our God?
32 [It is] God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
33 He maketh my feet like hinds' [feet], and setteth me upon my high places.
Youngs' Literal Translation says:
Psal 18:33 (YLT) Making my feet like hinds, And on my high places causeth me to stand.

So, now that He has me standing, ready to tear down high places and strongholds, then he prepares me for battle!
Ps 18:34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. (Now that's more strength than I really have!!)

Here's the battle plan:
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with TRUTH,

While I wasn't leaning on the truth, I was subject to all types of lies.
Phil 4:8 (YLT) As to the rest, brethren, as many things as are true,

This is the FIRST thing to be meditating on! And I was allowing myself to listen to lies, to compare myself with others, and I was falling.
Ps 18:39 says: For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.

This is the truth! And it is a truth that brings strength. Where there is weakness, He can be strong, if I let Him! If I don't wallow in the weakness, but rejoice!
2Cor 12:9 (KJS) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

So, surround myself with His truth...that's building towers of truth! Truth that specifically attacks the lies that the enemy is shooting at me. Jesus is truth....The Truth, so I just need to abide in Him (oops, that's another message! ;-)

Next step:
Eph 6:14 b and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
I even could check my thought life against the breastplate! Phil 4:8... as many as [are] grave, as many as [are] righteous, as many as [are] pure, as many as [are] lovely, as many as [are] of good report, if any worthiness, and if any praise, these things think upon;

I had not kept my thought life set on God, and I had believed lies. Therefore I had worried, taken thought (wrongly) and I was not in faith.
Hebr 11:6 (KJS) But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: and Roma 14:23 (KJS)... for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin.

I had to confess my sins to God, for not believing in Him, and ask Him to " Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me . " Psal 51:10 (KJS) and to
" Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart : and I will glorify thy name for evermore." Psal 86:11-12

I needed God to heal my heart (under the breastplate) and cause me to be right with Him again!

The third step is:
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
I needed to be prepared with peace! Phil 4:7 is a precious gift...peace that passes understanding!
By resting in Him, trusting in His promises, He also promises:
Ps 18:36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
All the promises come flooding back. He promises to lead me, guide me, make my way perfect, be a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path, hearing a voice behind me saying this is the way walk ye in it, and especially Ps 23...His rod and His staff they comfort me as he leads me all through the beautiful places, the dark and scary places, on into the banqueting table in the presence of mine enemies! What a comfort to rest in His hand..."'tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take him at his word, just to rest upon his promise, just to know 'thus saith the Lord'"

Now, I'm resting, and he's strengthened me with all his truth, healed and united my heart, and filled me with peace. I have to tell you about the next step in part four!

PART FOUR

Now, I'm resting, and he's strengthened me with all his truth, healed and united my heart, and filled me with peace. Next he says:
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Whew! That's what I needed all along! I needed to quench those fiery darts!

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation,
sort of goes with:

Ps 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

I can't SEE my salvation:
Hebr 11:1 (KJS) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Eph 2:8)

But I know it's real:
Hebr 11:6 (KJS) But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

I believe! And I know that He is the author and the finisher of my faith,
Phil 1:6 (KJS) Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:
1Cor 1:8 (KJS) Who shall also confirm you unto the end, [that ye may be] blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
and now, he has me running in a race!
Hebr 12:1 (KJS) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Now...into battle!

Eph6:17 and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

We did some spiritual housecleaning, with the help of Dr. Jim Logan's book, Regaining Surrendered Ground . My husband and I prayed together, seeking the Lord about possible causes for the seeming curses in our family (Pr 26:2), and God graciously showed us things that we had not dealt with from our family history. After taking authority over these issues, and praying the prayer to regain the ground through the blood of Jesus we thought about the three main issues we'd been led to deal with. They fell under three categories!

1Joh 2:16 (KJS) For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
These, of course, hit the major three commitments we've all been taught, and are attempting to teach to our children.

I can tell you, after our prayer warfare this weekend, I can say with David:
Ps 18:37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. 38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.

SUMMARY

If you are suffering from Post Conference Blues, please go through these steps...get before the Lord, and cry out! He will lead you into His peace, and He will prepare you for warfare, and remember:
Psal 98:1 (KJS) A Psalm. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
1Cor 15:57 (KJS) But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We don't have to worry about the victory...it's already won...we just have to walk in His steps...and trust in Him!

In Jesus' Love,
~Christi
J.C.A.A.S.F.R.
christi@rossberry.com
Ps 63:7 "Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your Wings."

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