{"id":10921,"date":"2013-04-05T00:01:01","date_gmt":"2013-04-05T04:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=10921"},"modified":"2013-04-04T22:19:34","modified_gmt":"2013-04-05T02:19:34","slug":"girls-with-swords-chapter-2-weekly-review-a-sword-is-born","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/04\/05\/girls-with-swords-chapter-2-weekly-review-a-sword-is-born\/","title":{"rendered":"Girls With Swords: Chapter 2 Weekly Review \u2013 \u201cA Sword is Born.\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Click Here for\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/bible-studies-schedule-2\/\">Next Week\u2019s Reading Schedule<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Last week, \u201c<i>the 5 girlfriends on their road trip<\/i>,\u201d \u00a0voted unanimously to continue their journey into The Prince of Darkness Territory, despite knowing they were a TARGET.\u00a0 However, they realized the key to being victorious in battle against the enemy was choosing the right <b>WEAPON<\/b>.\u00a0 To get their thoughts together, they pulled over at a rest stop.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">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.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve heard about your decision to enter into the Prince of Darkness Territory, and we want to join forces with you,&#8221; Christi said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">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.\u00a0 A murmur could be heard among the crowd of women at the mention of a weapon for self-defense.\u00a0 The consensus of the crowd seemed to be that \u201cheavy artillery guns\u201d should be bought before driving any further into enemy territory.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">But, knowing this was not the answer, <b>Jennifer <\/b>hopped up<b> <\/b>on top of a picnic table nearby.\u00a0 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. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">&#8220;In the beginning<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <b>the Word<\/b> 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&#8221; (John 1:1-5, NLT).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">&#8220;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\u2019s one and only Son&#8221; (verse 14). <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><b>His Word (The sword)<\/b> <span style=\"color: #000000;\">stands alone. Nothing I can add to it will make it better!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">A hush swept across the group of women gathered.\u00a0 It was obvious many of them were thinking, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><b>&#8220;Are you saying that<\/b> <b><i>God\u2019s Word<\/i> can be used as a Sword<\/b>?\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><b>Teresa<\/b> was the next one to step on top of the picnic table to address the crowd.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">&#8220;Ladies, we have been handed a sword\u2014<b>a<\/b> <strong><i>God Sword<\/i><\/strong>.\u00a0 Ephesians 6 addresses the <strong>Armor of God<\/strong> that we are to put on daily to protect ourselves from spiritual attack.\u00a0 Verse 17 says this, \u201cTake the helmet of salvation and the <span style=\"color: #000000;\">sword of the Spirit<\/span>, which is the word of God.\u201d\u00a0 The <span style=\"color: #000000;\">Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God\u2014my <strong>Bible<\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">In her book, <b><i>Girls with Swords<\/i><\/b>, Lisa Bevere says she had a revelation that <b>\u201c&#8230;<\/b>many of God\u2019s daughters in this generation are unarmed, ill equipped and unprepared.\u00a0 This means they are at risk and incredibly vulnerable to deception.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">I proclaim tonight that:\u00a0 &#8220;<b>As Christ-followers we need to be properly equipped with the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">whole<\/span> Bible, not just the pieces we like and disregard the rest.&#8221;<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Next,<b> Tonya, <\/b>addressed the crowd<b>.\u00a0 <\/b>She<b> <\/b>admitted something about The Sword in her life that all the ladies seemed to relate to:\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">\u201cThere 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\u2019t read the word of God; times where I felt I couldn\u2019t even pray.\u201d \u201cBut, I also know what it feels like <b>to have the sword renewed<\/b> in my life&#8212;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.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; font-size: medium;\">As Lisa Bevere said in her book, <i><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Girls With Swords<\/span><\/i>, it is time for the church to know what a girl with a sword can do, it\u2019s time for Satan to know what a girl with a sword can do, and it\u2019s time that we believe this ourselves\u2014that we take up our swords and declare what God has said in His Scriptures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Next, <b>Diane<\/b> hopped on top of the picnic table.\u00a0 \u201cLadies, these<\/span> are the words that I know God wants YOU to hear tonight.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><strong>\u201cAnd behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.\u201d Matthew 28:20<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Do you believe these words spoken by Jesus is God\u2019s Living Word?\u00a0 No matter how badly Satan attempts to discourage us, these words will always remain true.\u00a0 <span style=\"color: #000000;\">I have found the more time I spend in God\u2019s Word; the more I feel the truth of these words<i>.<\/i><\/span>\u00a0 The more I learn the power of the \u201csword\u201d God has given me to deter Satan\u2019s attacks, the more thankful I become that God has already fought my battles for me.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/HeIsVictorious.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10948\" alt=\"HeIsVictorious\" src=\"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/HeIsVictorious.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/HeIsVictorious.jpg 500w, https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/HeIsVictorious-300x144.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p align=\"center\"><b><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">********** \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">After Diane spoke, a murmur could be heard among the 125 plus gathered at this rest stop.\u00a0 <b>I, Martha<\/b>, did a little eavesdropping just to hear some of their comments.\u00a0 Here are some of the things I heard them saying.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">&#8220;I totally believe the Word of God!\u00a0 It\u2019s the flesh that gets in the way!&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">&#8220;Everything we need or we will need is hidden in His Word, and we search it out like buried treasure.&#8221;\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">&#8220;I need to pick up the whole word and start really listening to His Word, not just reading it.&#8221;<b><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">&#8220;You wouldn\u2019t go into battle without being extremely familiar with your sword, right?\u00a0 We wouldn\u2019t make it out alive.\u00a0 Same with this world.\u00a0 These battles can kill us spiritually and defeat us if we aren&#8217;t in His word. So lets prepare. Lets really get in His word. Ahead of time is so much better than in the midst.&#8221;<b><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">&#8220;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.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">&#8220;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.\u00a0 It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart&#8221; [Hebrews 4:12].<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">Finally, <strong>Christ<\/strong>i, 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:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;\">\u00a0<\/span><b><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">\u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">And with that, such shouting like you never heard broke out all over that rest stop.\u00a0 And then&#8212;with their Swords lifted up toward heaven, the women began to worship the Lord as the moonlight from above beamed down on them.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\">They had united and settled on their weapon for battle&#8212;<b>God\u2019s Word!<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;\"><b>Let\u2019s Pray:\u00a0 <\/b>Father God, we are so grateful for your Word.\u00a0 It is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path, a light into <em><strong>our<\/strong><\/em> path.\u00a0 Help us never to use it in pieces, but make use of the fullness of God.\u00a0 In Jesus&#8217; name, I pray, Amen.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">*****<\/p>\n<p>If you would like to join us for the \u201cGirls with Swords\u201d Online Bible\/Book study, click <a href=\"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/sign-up-for-girlfriends-coffee-hour-online-bible-studies\/\"><strong>HERE<\/strong><\/a> to be taken to our sign-up page.\u00a0 Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.\u00a0 We hope you will join us!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Click Here for\u00a0Next Week\u2019s Reading Schedule Last week, \u201cthe 5 girlfriends on their road trip,\u201d \u00a0voted unanimously to continue their journey into The Prince of Darkness Territory, despite knowing they were a TARGET.\u00a0 However, they realized the key to being victorious in battle against the enemy was choosing the right WEAPON.\u00a0 To get their thoughts [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":10948,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8],"tags":[1266,2167,425,1985,2163,2094,2091,2154,1986,649,659,723,1140],"class_list":["post-10921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-womens","tag-christian-womens-fellowship","tag-ephesians-617","tag-girlfriends-coffee-hour","tag-girls-with-swords","tag-gods-sword","tag-hebrews-412","tag-john-11-5","tag-john-114","tag-lisa-bevere","tag-martha-bush","tag-matthew-2820","tag-online-bible-studies","tag-womens-online-bible-studies","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/HeIsVictorious.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p39pHp-2Q9","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10921"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10921\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10947,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10921\/revisions\/10947"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10948"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}