November 22, 2024

Girls With Swords: Chapter 2 Weekly Review – “A Sword is Born.”

April 5, 2013 by

Click Here for Next Week’s Reading Schedule

Last week, “the 5 girlfriends on their road trip,”  voted unanimously to continue their journey into The Prince of Darkness Territory, despite knowing they were a TARGET.  However, they realized the key to being victorious in battle against the enemy was choosing the right WEAPON.  To get their thoughts together, they pulled over at a rest stop. 

While they were standing there in the moonlight, two bus loads of women pulled into the parking lot, and about 125 women made their way over to where the five girlfriends were gathered. Four women stepped up and introduced themselves as Amy, Christi, Laurie, and Kim, the leaders of the group.  “We’ve heard about your decision to enter into the Prince of Darkness Territory, and we want to join forces with you,” Christi said.  

The 5 girlfriends welcomed them, and told the women that they were in the process of choosing the weapon they would use for the battle ahead.  A murmur could be heard among the crowd of women at the mention of a weapon for self-defense.  The consensus of the crowd seemed to be that “heavy artillery guns” should be bought before driving any further into enemy territory.

But, knowing this was not the answer, Jennifer hopped up on top of a picnic table nearby.  With her Bible lifted up toward heaven, it was a sight to behold, as the moonlight beamed down on her as she spoke very eloquently and simply about the only weapon to use.

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” (John 1:1-5, NLT).

“So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son” (verse 14).

His Word (The sword) stands alone. Nothing I can add to it will make it better!

A hush swept across the group of women gathered.  It was obvious many of them were thinking,

“Are you saying that God’s Word can be used as a Sword?”  

Teresa was the next one to step on top of the picnic table to address the crowd. 

“Ladies, we have been handed a sword—a God Sword.  Ephesians 6 addresses the Armor of God that we are to put on daily to protect ourselves from spiritual attack.  Verse 17 says this, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God—my Bible. 

In her book, Girls with Swords, Lisa Bevere says she had a revelation that “…many of God’s daughters in this generation are unarmed, ill equipped and unprepared.  This means they are at risk and incredibly vulnerable to deception.”

I proclaim tonight that:  “As Christ-followers we need to be properly equipped with the whole Bible, not just the pieces we like and disregard the rest.”

Next, Tonya, addressed the crowd.  She admitted something about The Sword in her life that all the ladies seemed to relate to: 

“There have been times in my life where I have felt beaten down, like I was unable to pick anything up; times where I have felt I couldn’t read the word of God; times where I felt I couldn’t even pray.” “But, I also know what it feels like to have the sword renewed in my life—to pick up the Bible and have God lead me to the scripture I needed to read that day, to say a prayer, and to feel His presence.

As Lisa Bevere said in her book, Girls With Swords, it is time for the church to know what a girl with a sword can do, it’s time for Satan to know what a girl with a sword can do, and it’s time that we believe this ourselves—that we take up our swords and declare what God has said in His Scriptures.

Next, Diane hopped on top of the picnic table.  “Ladies, these are the words that I know God wants YOU to hear tonight.”

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Do you believe these words spoken by Jesus is God’s Living Word?  No matter how badly Satan attempts to discourage us, these words will always remain true.  I have found the more time I spend in God’s Word; the more I feel the truth of these words.  The more I learn the power of the “sword” God has given me to deter Satan’s attacks, the more thankful I become that God has already fought my battles for me. 

HeIsVictorious

**********    

After Diane spoke, a murmur could be heard among the 125 plus gathered at this rest stop.  I, Martha, did a little eavesdropping just to hear some of their comments.  Here are some of the things I heard them saying.

“I totally believe the Word of God!  It’s the flesh that gets in the way!”

“Everything we need or we will need is hidden in His Word, and we search it out like buried treasure.” 

“I need to pick up the whole word and start really listening to His Word, not just reading it.”

“You wouldn’t go into battle without being extremely familiar with your sword, right?  We wouldn’t make it out alive.  Same with this world.  These battles can kill us spiritually and defeat us if we aren’t in His word. So lets prepare. Lets really get in His word. Ahead of time is so much better than in the midst.”

“When the word is alive in us, we can weather any storm knowing that Jesus is with us and is greater than the one who is in the world. The sword is our weapon. Lets declare the victory.”

“For the Word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow.  It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart” [Hebrews 4:12].

Finally, Christi, the lady who appeared to be in charge of both groups on the buses, stepped up on the picnic table, and with a voice of authority proclaimed:

 “We should be seeing the sick healed, the lame walk, the blind see, cancers falling off of people, lives miraculously changed because of Him!! We should be laying hands on the sick and through the power of the Holy Spirit, see them become whole again! We should be spreading the gospel so much more than what we are.”

And with that, such shouting like you never heard broke out all over that rest stop.  And then—with their Swords lifted up toward heaven, the women began to worship the Lord as the moonlight from above beamed down on them. 

They had united and settled on their weapon for battle—God’s Word!

 

Let’s Pray:  Father God, we are so grateful for your Word.  It is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path, a light into our path.  Help us never to use it in pieces, but make use of the fullness of God.  In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

*****

If you would like to join us for the “Girls with Swords” Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.  We hope you will join us!

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls with Swords: Chapter Two – “A Sword Reforged” (pgs 29-33)

April 4, 2013 by

Here I am trying to write a blog, not just any blog, but a blog that God has already prepared for you to hear.  One that I need to focus on and discern His words from mine in order to deliver exactly what God wants ( and not what I want to say).  I believe with all of my heart that Satan will do all that he can in order to distract me, make me doubt, confuse me, and make it seem impossible to write something for you.  I have never struggled with writing before. My times of writing have easily become my favorite, because each time I write, I feel so close to God.  I can feel Him guiding my fingertips across the keyboard.  I feel His wisdom touching the screen.  I re-read what I just wrote and sit back in amazement that those words were not mine; they were the words of my God.

Why now I wonder am I finding it so hard to write?  It is no coincidence that since I have started blogging about a book that encourages women of all ages, pasts, and futures to take up God’s sword against Satan that I am sitting in front of my computer wordless.  Satan does not want me to find God’s words.  He does not want me to write them down.  He does not want anyone else to see them.

In this moment, I asked my mother to pray for me.  She spoke these words to my heart, “Hold onto God’s word.  Remember that the cross is where Satan was defeated.  He will continue to roam around, but the work has already been done on the cross.  Carry scripture around with you and as you feel these attacks, pull out that scripture, and use GOD’S WORD against those attacks.”  And, of course, she told me she would be praying for me.

These confirming words from my mother brought me to this “a-ha” moment.  This moment of writing the words that I know God wants YOU to hear.

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” Matthew 28:20.

Do you believe these words spoken by Jesus in God’s Living Word?  No matter how badly Satan attempts to discourage us, these words will always remain true.  It took me awhile to understand the comfort and truth behind these words.  I have found the more time I spend in God’s Word; the more I feel the truth of these words.  The more I learn the power of the “sword” God has given me to deter Satan’s attacks, the more thankful I become that God has already fought my battles for me.  He is victorious and, through me accepting the gift of His perfect Son dying for me, I am victorious too.  When the battles seem to carry on and you are feeling weary, confused, distressed, uncertain, and alone; REMEMBER THESE WORDS, “I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS” and let your heart be content with this promise from God. 

I love many things about Jesus.  One of my favorites being that He can relate with us and in return offer us the best comfort and advice we could ever imagine.  When you are tempted beyond what you believe you can bear, Jesus has been there.  Call out to Him for help; He knows just how you feel.  Jesus was tempted and His faith was tested by Satan.  Each time Jesus pulled out His sword against Satan.  He knew God’s truth and He used it when it mattered the most.  Let us follow Jesus’ example.  Take up your sword which is the Living Word of God and use His truths against Satan’s many lies.

I desire so strongly to be able to not only know the many truths in God’s word, but to use them too.  We have been given the most powerful weapon—the Bible—and we must decide to put off everything that hinders and distracts us, to take up the “sword” and learn how to use this truth against Satan in our weakest moments.

PathHeHasChosenForUs_Meyers

 

Let’s Pray:

Lord, thank You for coming through always.  Thank You for being with us even in the moments when we do not feel You.  In those moments Lord let us not forget Your truths.  Let us learn Your truths so that in our weak moments, we can feel Your strength through Your Word.  I pray that You set a desire in each and every one of us to learn Your truth daily so that when the time comes to use Your truth, we can do so with confidence.  Lord, we love You so much and know that we need You every moment of every day.  Thank You that we can count on You and feel the comfort and peace this truth brings!  Amen.

 

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls With Swords: A Sword Reforged (pgs 24-29)

April 3, 2013 by

The sword was renewed… There have been times in my life where I have felt beaten down, like I was unable to pick anything up— least a sword and carry it anywhere; times where I have felt I couldn’t read the word of God; times where I felt I couldn’t even pray.

I know what it feels like to have the sword renewed in my life. To pick up the Bible and have God lead me to the scripture I needed to read that day, to say a prayer and to feel His presence, I know what it feels like to have my sword renewed. I think we can all relate to this.

When I pick up the sword of the Word of God, a lot of times I don’t know what I’m going to read.  I don’t know how it is going to impact my day, my week or how it is going to impact that moment in time.  I do know, and I have faith in the fact, that the Word I hold in my hand and in my heart will make a difference, that the words He has written will make a difference not only in my life, but in the lives of others.

GWS_Page25

Our futures are beautiful and powerful, because we have God on our side and in our hearts.  As Lisa said, it is time for the church to know what a girl with a sword can do, it’s time for Satan to know what a girl with a sword can do, and it’s time that we believe this ourselves—that we take up our swords and declare what God has said in His Scriptures.

Girls with swords may be only three letters, but ladies, it means so much…

 

 

Lets Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the sword You have placed in our lives. Thank You for allowing us to see the power of this sword in our own lives so that we can wield our swords with confidence and faith. Please allow our words and actions to heal and not hurt.  Please give us the holy boldness to step out, sword in hand, and show the world, Satan, and ourselves, that Your word—our swords—hold more power than we could ever imagine.  In Jesus’ name, we pray,  Amen.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls With Swords: Chapter 2 – “The God Sword” (pgs 19-24)

April 2, 2013 by

If someone handed you a sword today would you know how to use it?  Would you know how to hold it properly?  Wield it safely and effectively?  Defend yourself against an enemy?  Protect your family from harm?  Why do we need a sword anyway?

We have been handed a sword—a God Sword.  Ephesians 6 addresses the Armor of God that we are to put on daily to protect ourselves from spiritual attack.  Verse 17 says this, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  We had a pretty cute discussion about spiritual “helmet hair” last week in one of the Facebook groups, but this sword of the Spirit is a different matter.  The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God—my Bible.  How many of us have a Bible in our home, on our night stand or bookshelf, or in our car and we rarely use it?  Do we really know what is inside it?  Do we know the One the Book reveals to us?  We are missing out on the power of God in our lives because we do not learn how to use our weapon.

If a warrior was sent into battle the same day he was given his sword, chances are good the warrior would not come back alive.  That same warrior needs training and experience to be able to handle his sword effectively.  Owning a sword does not make him an effective warrior, using the sword does.  Lisa says she had a revelation that “many of God’s daughters in this generation are unarmed…ill equipped and unprepared.  It…means they are at risk and incredibly vulnerable to deception” (p. 19).

The Bible warns us against the double-edged sword of false teachers/prophets and deception.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world”  (1 John 4:1).  The only way to know the truth, to be able to test the spirits, is to know God.  You have to know His character, see if what the teachers (or people in general) are saying is consistent with what you know about God.  Are the teachers teaching the “whole” gospel?  There are many factions of believers in the world who are holding to small pieces of the God sword.  Each piece, used individually, is ineffective to defend and protect us from the evil one.

What good is a blade with no point, or a handle without a guard?  The sword bearer will be injured and perhaps killed if not properly equipped.  A broken sword is useless to the warrior, BUT useful to the enemy.  As Christ-followers we need to be properly equipped with the whole Bible, not just the pieces we like and disregard the rest.  Let’s figure out how to unite our fellow believers so that we are using the whole counsel of God against our enemies.

WordOfGodAliveLisa says, “All that we require to reassemble these weapons of battle in this season can be found in God’s Word.  Every piece large and small is already awaiting our unified, living declaration.  If it takes a furnace of hardship to bring us to a place of unified prayer so that what was separated can be seamlessly joined together, so be it” (p. 23).  It is time for the Mighty Warrior Princesses to study, pray and declare the Bible is TRUTH as a whole and learn to use it to influence others.  “The Word of God is ALIVE, POWERFUL, PERFECT, and PURE” (p. 23).

There was one more very profound truth on page 23.  “Satan is not afraid of a disjointed church that wields pieces or fragments of God’s mighty Word, but he will tremble in terror at the church that rises up with the sword of his Word re-forged and expressed through our lives.”  We have to know more than our favorite verses.  That piece may get us through sometimes, but we need to know ALL the Word to help us through a LIFETIME.

The world will truly see REVIVAL when the church unites to use our strengths to work together instead of tear each other apart.  Let’s learn to use our swords.  It’s time to TRAIN.  We have to get strong in the Lord and be of good courage.  Oh, and one more thing, “swords are used on enemies, not friends.”  Let’s band together, sharpen each other as we practice using our God Sword and fight the enemy!

Lift your WHOLE sword high,

Teresa

*****

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the sisters You have given us to sharpen us.  Thank You that we can speak truth from You into each other’s lives.  Lead us to a deeper understanding of Your Word and help us to hide it deep within our being.  Enable us to use the truth to defend and protect us from the deceiver and false teachers.  Guide and protect us as we band together and learn to wield the whole counsel in the Bible and not just our favorite parts.  Your Word is Holy and complete.  We do not want to be found guilty of diminishing its value in our lives.  Thank You, Father for the opportunity to be in this place, in this time, to stand for You.  Help us as we learn new skills to apply to our lives.  AMEN.

 

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls With Swords: Chapter 2 – “A Sword Is Born” (pgs. 17-19)

April 1, 2013 by

(Your Reading assignment for this week can be found HERE)

 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1, NLT, emphasis mine).

Lisa Bevere begins by discussing the origin of swords and how they are found throughout the Bible. As I prayed and sought the Lord’s leading in what He wanted me to write about today, He only gave me these verses and a few words. I think they are enough. His Word is always enough.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it (John 1:1-5, NLT, emphasis mine).

So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son (John 1:14, NLT).

Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. The Bible tells us that He existed with the Father before the heavens and the earth were created. His presence brings light in the darkness, which can never go out. His Word (the sword) speaks of His deep and abiding love for us—for all time. He loved (and loves) us so much that he became fully human, experienced the sufferings of life, and died a sinner’s death on a cross. His love is unwavering and true. He loves even those who do not love Him. Jesus is love. Love eternal.

JesusLoveEternal

 

 

With Love,

Jennifer

 

*****

Let’s Pray:

Father God, You are the giver of life, the One who loves each of us beyond comprehension. Lord, help us to accept that love today. Use us to reach the hearts of those who are doubting, questioning, or struggling. Fill us with Your Spirit of love and enable us to show that love to someone else today. We love You, Father. Amen.

 

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls With Swords: Chapter 1 Weekly Review – “You Are a Target”

March 29, 2013 by

Next Week’s Reading Schedule

Picture this scene:  The long awaited girlfriends road trip had begun. The five girlfriends had been planning this get-away together a whole year.  It was to be a time for studying the Word of God with other believers at the women’s retreat, plus a time of rest and relaxation from their busy lives being a wife, mother, and the many other hats they wore throughout the year.  They were riding down the road giggling so hard that their sides were splitting. 

Then all of a sudden, they saw a road sign up ahead that read: 

Prince of Darkness

The laughing stops as Jennifer, the driver of the car, pulls over to the side of the road. They all sat quietly for a few minutes, each absorbed in their own thoughts as to what they should do now. 

Finally Jennifer spoke up: 

Girlfriends, let’s face it!  We did not even have to leave our homes to know that a battle is waging. Satan is desperate.  He tries to discourage us and make us doubt our God and His goodness.

It is time to recognize that, as Christians, we are automatically targets of the enemy. Satan will stop at nothing to tear apart our relationship with the Lord. He wants to keep us away from reading the Bible. He wants to prevent us from fully participating in a Bible/Book study by distracting us. He does not want us to be in fellowship with other believers. If he sees a spot to weasel his way in, he will try to do it.

The Bible says that I have a weapon against any attacks from the enemy. That weapon is the Word of God.   I believe we can be a hero in God’s army. When we tuck God’s Word into our heart, we are able to defeat the enemy the same way Jesus did in the wilderness. He refuted Satan’s attempts at trickery by repeating the truth from God’s Word.  

We now have a choice to make.  We can choose to be a hero in God’s army of warriors or not. As for me, I choose to keep going. Who’s with me?

Teresa spoke up next. 

Look, at it this way, girls.  We must have something of value Satan wants to steal from us, kill us, and destroy us.  Personally, I think a  few of the reasons Satan puts a TARGET on us are:

  1. We are a target simply because we are human.
  2. God loves us and created us for a relationship with Him.
  3. Satan cannot fix his problem himself and be returned to a relationship with God.
  4. If he can’t have a relationship with God, then neither can we. NAH! NOT! Whatever!
  5. Satan knows that every soul close to God is capable of great and wondrous things.
  6. Satan knows how the story ends.
  7. Satan is fighting to keep God’s precious creation distracted, distressed, and demoralized so that we don’t experience the fullness of our place with Him in heaven.

You know, Lisa Bevere says, “I believe that the attacks on your life have much more to do with who you might be in the future than who you have been in the past.  That statement made me realize that God created me for a purpose in this time.  I have a choice to fulfill that purpose and live a rich and satisfying life that God wants to give me or I can let Satan steal, kill, and destroy me. 

I choose to be a HERO!  I’m with you, Jennifer; let’s keep going!

Tonya spoke up next.

Okay, girls, the reality of the situation is that we, do, indeed, have a target on our backs. We are women, we are Christians, and we are determined to take up our swords and fight back. These three combined make us a very real threat to Satan and he will do what he thinks he can do to throw us off of our path.

But, there is a bigger reality than this one—the reality that we have God on our side, the reality that His promises are stronger and more powerful than any threat Satan has made. “There is no way we can or should fight this battle alone.” We don’t have to, we don’t need to, and we can’t. We NEED God’s heavenly support.

We as women are faced with a choice, “Will we be an unarmed civilian, victim, prisoner of war, or a hero”?

There is a target on our back, but the swords we hold are bigger and stronger than the weapons being thrown at these targets. Our swords, our prayers must not be influenced by what is around us; they need to be powered by looking to the One who created us to be warriors. 

“I’m with Jennifer; let’s move forward!”

Diane spoke up next:

“Hey girls, you know what just occurred to me?  Hebrews 12:1 says that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, which is the faithful followers of God whom we learn about throughout the Bible.  They were people just like you and me throughout the Bible who have run their race and won!  Each one of these people had one thing in common—they lived by faith and not by fear.  They let God control their lives, and not fear.

Satan will never be able to live for God.  He has no choice but to live by fear.  His fear drives Him to attempt to destroy God’s chosen ones.   That is what he is trying to do to us now—implant fear in us to keep us from going ahead with our journey.

I’d say we must follow the examples of the faithful followers of our heritage, put on the full Armor of God, and trust that God has a plan for our lives, one in which we are a Hero for God.

I’m with you, Jennifer.  Let’s keep going.

I, Martha, was the fifth girl on that trip.  I had sat silently while my friends were discussing our options for continuing our journey. I now had to make a decision.  As I saw it, I must decide if I wanted to enter this territory where I was marked as a target, or get out and walk back the way our car had come from—alone!  These gals were determined to go forward.

As each of my friends had spoken from their hearts, I saw something different in them. No longer were they just friends, giggling on a road trip; they had caught a glimpse of who they were in Christ, and were not afraid of facing an enemy who had already been defeated anyway. They had convinced me that we were warriors!

Without a speech, I just said to Jennifer:  “Crank her up, Jen.  Let’s keep moving.”

Let’s Pray:

Father, God, we thank You for each lady who has signed up for this course.  Having read their comments this week, I know that, they, too, are ready to move forward using the sword that You have given us, defeating all the attacks the enemy tries to throw at them.  I pray Your blessings on each of them as we continue our journey together.  In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

*****

If you would like to join us for the “Girls with Swords” Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.  We hope you will join us!

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Captivating: Chapter 12 Weekly Review – End of Study

March 29, 2013 by

Girlfriends, what an awesome journey we have been on for the last couple of weeks. I pray that you are more than convinced of your awesomeness!  You truly are Captivating.

On Monday, Jackie told us that we have an irreplaceable role to play in this world. God is waiting for us to accept that role so that He can use us for His glory. You and I have the power to influence our world for God.

Tuesday with Tonya we learned that what God asks us to do can seem more than what we thought possible. Being what God requires us to be can seem overwhelming at times. But, by saying ‘yes’ to God, and by going where God is asking us to go, and doing what God asks us to do, we are also acknowledging that we have faith in His covering—faith that He will take care of everything else.

Carissa shared some awesome truths with us on Wednesday. She said that we might not be where we are ‘called’ to be right now, because God is preparing us for His plans that are to come. We can’t see the big picture, but God can. He has you right where you are for His reasoning.

On Thursday, Michelle encouraged us to not be afraid of who we are, who we were created to be. It is time to stop hiding. Let us all step out in faith. Let us be real and present in the moment.

Girlfriends, I want to encourage you to be strong in the Lord. Yes, things come our way that paralyze us, and it feels like we will never recover, never be able to get up and walk again, but I want to remind you of the cross. When you are blinded by fear, think of what happened at the cross. God is in control!

I love you and hope that you will join us in our Women’s study that started on Monday, Girls With Swords. I feel armed and dangerous!

Let’s Pray:
Father, thank You for each lady that participated in this study. Thank You that You have great and wonderful plans for their lives. I pray that they will always know that they are Your children and that You love them unconditionally, Amen.

Be blessed!

Edwina

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Girls with Swords: Chapter 1 – “Old Tactics” (pgs 12-15)

March 28, 2013 by

As I re-read this section of the book over again, I am reminded of Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

When first learning this verse I wondered who this great cloud of witnesses was exactly.  As I asked God to show me, he taught me that this great cloud is the faithful followers of God whom we learn about throughout the Bible.  Yes, Moses is included in the cloud!  We see countless examples of people just like you and me throughout the Bible who have run their race and won!  The more I read the stories of these faithful ones, the more I stand in awe of our inspiring heritage.  Each one of these people has one thing in common—they lived by faith and not by fear.  They let God control their lives, and not fear.

Satan will never be able to live for God.  He has no choice but to live by fear.  His fear drives Him to attempt to destroy God’s chosen ones.  He knows the power God’s chosen ones possess.  You and me, we are included as God’s chosen ones.  1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.  Let us bask for a moment in the glorious truth that we belong to God, not Satan!  We are living in God’s wonderful light not the darkness of our past.  No matter what way Satan attempts to win our soul, if we belong to God and choose daily to live for God alone, Satan will never win.  His attack will never produce victory.  Our victory is with God.

RightPath_MeyersAs much as I truly hate when Satan attacks me, without His attacks, I would not be certain that I am on the path God has called me to.  Satan will make war on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 12:17).  I know I am on God’s side in this war.  I was not always though.  Even at my weakest points, Satan never had me, but neither did God.  It was like my soul was caught in the middle of the war at one point in my life.  Satan knew that ultimately God would win and get me back for good, but I had to figure that out for myself.  The moment I chose to take the path of a hero was the same moment I realized the power of the Armor of God.

We cannot fight this battle alone.  We have the power to win but we must prepare.  We must read the Bible to learn Satan’s ways.  The Bible tells us what we need to know about Satan:

  • He is limited by God (Genesis 3:1)
  • He is defeated by Jesus’ death and resurrection (Revelation 12:11)
  • He rules the evil, spiritual world (Ephesians 2:2)
  • He will meet his doom in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10)

Satan knows us very well; the more understanding we have of our enemy, the more we can prepare for his attacks against us.  The best way to withstand his attacks is to put on the full Armor of God daily.  There will not be a day that goes by that Satan will not attempt to destroy us.  We must follow the examples of the faithful followers of our heritage, and put on the full Armor of God and be strong in His mighty power.  We must trust that God has a plan for our lives, one in which we are a Hero for God.

I don’t know about you, but I am so excited to be on this journey with you.  I am ready to learn from God’s Word.  I desire to be armed for God, growing in His strength, and giving Satan something to really be fearful of—becoming the hero God created me to be.

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the examples You have given us in Your Word of not only how to withstand the evil one, but how others have found victory in You alone.  Help us and guide us through this journey to find victory in our lives with You.  Lord, enable us to embrace the life that You created us for.  Let us get rid of any hindrances and run the race You have marked out for us!  Thank You for giving us what we need always.  Thank You for loving us.  Thank You for choosing us to be a hero for You!  I pray that each and every one of us also chooses to be that hero for You, every day!  In Your Precious Name, Amen.

 *****

If you are interested in joining us for this online Bible study, please click on the Sign-Up Here button on our Menu Tab.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Captivating: Chapter 12 – “Be Present” – “Take My Hand” (pgs 217-220)

March 28, 2013 by

We have spent an amazing 3 months together.  We have explored our femininity, our gentle side, our warrior side, and one thing we know is that we are meant to be a complete woman. The woman God intended us to be.

As we wind down this study, how has it affected you?  Have you been able to connect with Jesus, your Lover, your Father, your Friend?  This is what He wants for us girls.  To be authentic.  Not to be a woman in a magazine, your neighbor or your friend.  He wants you to be YOU.

So who is that woman?  Have you discovered her?  If I have learned anything through this study is that we cannot be afraid to be who we are.  Who we were created to be.  It is time to stop hiding, ladies.  Step out in faith.  We need to be real and present in the moment.  Now.  If not, all our hard work will go to waste.

Throughout this study we have talked about freedom.  We need to live that out now.  Freedom to love and to be loved, freedom to be who we are, freedom to live completely and fully in Christ.  God loves you, and He wants you…all of you.  If you need a reminder of who that is:

Page219

I am so excited to see what God has in store for each and every one of you.  Live large, wonderful women, God wouldn’t want it any other way.

My lover spoke and said to me, “Arise my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.”    Song of Solomon 2:10

*****

LET’S PRAY:

Father, as we wind down this study, I know You will remain with each and every woman.  If the time ever comes when we start to question who we are in You or who we are meant to be, I ask You to please come alongside us in love and confirmation.  Remind us.  Help us to live fully in You as You created us to do.  We love You, Lord, and thank You for loving us with an unfailing faithfulness.  We pray this in Your Holy Name.  Amen.

 *****

If you would like to join us for the Girls with Swords Online Bible/Book Study,

click the “Sign-Up Here” button on our Menu Bar.

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls With Swords: Chapter 1 – “Women As Warriors” (pgs 8-12)

March 27, 2013 by

Gen3_15

Sometimes we have to sit down and look at the reality of the situation. The reality of the situation we are in today is not only biblically supported, but it is supported by the world as well, by what we see on a daily basis. The author of this book pointed out gendercide, a very real threat to women in some areas; there is also sex trafficking and sex slavery. I sit with my daughter and watch TV, or look through her pre-teen magazines.  What I see and hear scares me—the methods of communication the world uses are teaching our daughters to be self-centered, superficial women who place their value in the latest brands, and the ability to find the perfect man. It doesn’t stop there, I see the same when I’m in the aisle at the store looking through the women’s magazines. What is the world telling us to focus on? What is the world telling us to place our value in?

There is a lot of pressure on women.  There is quite a bit expected from us: we hold down jobs, we raise families,we are to do it on our own as an independent woman, we are to look beautiful. We are distracted at every turn. No, gendercide doesn’t directly affect all of us in our hometowns, but like Lisa said when writing this book “your birth location just means you will be targeted in a different way.” The reality of the situation is that we have a target on our backs, we are women, we are Christians, and we are determined to take up our swords and fight back. These three combined make us a very real threat to Satan and he will do what he thinks he can do to throw us off of our path.

And then there is a bigger reality than the one I just spoke of—the reality that we have God on our side, the reality that His promises are stronger and more powerful than any threat Satan has made. “There is no way we can or should fight this battle alone.” We don’t have to, we don’t need to, and we can’t. We NEED God’s heavenly support.

We as women are faced with a choice, “Will we be an unarmed civilian, victim, prisoner of war or a hero”? Where will we stand? What will our position be?

Ephesians 1:11-14

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

We have been chosen. ladies. We need to look at the reality of the situation, we need to decide where we stand, and we need to take a position. There is a target on our back, but the swords we hold are bigger and stronger than the weapons being thrown at these targets. Our swords, our prayers must not be influenced by what is around us; they need to be powered by looking to the One who created us to be warriors.

 

Psalm 62:5-8

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

 

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the swords You have placed in our hands.   Thank You for showing us a bigger reality, Your bigger reality. Your protection and love are more powerful than anything Satan can lay in our path. Lord I pray for boldness when we pick up our swords!  I pray that our prayers hold a power we could never have imagined because they are powered by You. Lord, You created us to be warriors; You gave us the power to be warriors, to make a difference and to take a stand. Thank You for this gift and thank You for Your protection and power.  In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

*****

If you would like to join us for the Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign up page.

Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.

We hope you will join us!

 

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »