Our bipolar house guest may have skipped her meds this week. She had become stable but now is back to being sullen and crabby. I am sliding that direction too. Her attitude is annoying to say the least. But God is telling me to not let her moods affect me, to intercede for her, to ask Him to forgive her, and to fight against the evil spirits that are after her.
In 2 Timothy 4, the older man Paul is telling young Timothy to carry on. Paul is aging and knows he will not be around forever. I feel on one hand like Paul. I’m tired and this battle is too much for me. On the other hand, I am aware that there is much work to be done, and if I don’t fight for this young woman’s soul, who will?
My heart shuddered when I read “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
She is generally opposed to truth and turning to garbage instead. It breaks my heart. While I am not “preaching” at her, everything I say about anything, even the weather, is also challenged. For instance, I told her a little bit about a book I’m reading about crime in Canada, and even though she’s never even seen the book, or read it herself, it "can’t be any good" because “it’s only one author’s opinion.” I quoted something positive she said to me last week and she denied saying it, claimed if she did, it must have been in sarcasm. Her attitude makes me feel like not talking at all, and communication wedges are certainly not God’s idea.
Later in the 1 Timothy chapter Paul wrote, “Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever.”
I’m don’t have the same ministry that Paul did, but I perceive spiritual opposition in my ministry to this girl and to everything I believe. The air is almost heavy with it. I’m glad that my friends have not deserted me, and I know the Lord is here, but I feel the breath of the lion.
Paul was delivered and rescued. This young woman needs deliverance from the oppression in her life, but she is not aware of what is going on. In stepping up to intercede for her, I’m experiencing the wrath of the enemy who has staked a claim and will not give up easily. I should not be surprised.
While I’d like to simply quit, for years I prayed for her and other family members saying, “Whatever it takes” so I’ve no such option. I have to stick with it. Paul was confident that God would do the job, but I get discouraged. I’m not in great fighting form. Unless He gives strength, wisdom and courage, I can’t do this.
4 comments:
Elsie...whenever I read some of your posts, I am prompted to pray for you--and today, it is exactly for strength, courage AND wisdom. I respect you so much, and I am sure that you CAN do whatever it takes. It is hard, being on the front lines, but we support you as we can, from the back.
There has never been a time in my life when I've appreciated and relied on the Body of Christ more than I do now. If the value of something can be measured by its difficuly, this task must be exceedingly important. I'm so grateful for your prayers and support. Pray too for our daughter who is spiritually weak and struggling as we are to know the right way to deal with all this.
thank you, elsie
On the other hand, I am aware that there is much work to be done, and if I don’t fight for this young woman’s soul, who will?
Elsie, you're not fighting alone. Also, this phrase came arrowing off the page for me today because of a woman in my Ladies Morning Bible Study - there have been repeated warnings from her extended family to not let her fool us, to be aware that she's manipulative, and every time I hear them, I think - I have no history with her, so maybe it's easier for me to believe God can work. And if God is calling me to be something in her life, how can I walk away from the fight for her soul?
Elsie you so often say what I need to keep going in my own fights - thank you for being obedient to this call to the page.
Susan
I read this after today's post (Oct 3) and am even more amazed at God. Discerning the fakes might be impossible, but following Jesus is a lifestyle that cannot be copied for very long! It is just too dratted difficult!
praying for you too, elsie
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