When Satan Attacks

We oftentimes fail to recognize when Satan is attacking us.  I am going to share something that has been going on in my life, and how the Holy Spirit led to overcome it.

Something had been off with me for a couple of weeks while I was at school.  I doubt many people realized it because I tend to internalize things.  I just wasn't as focused on bringing joy and serving others and didn't have the same passion and desire to worship God like I usually do.  I just felt like I was in a funk and I couldn't figure out the reason for it.  So I remember talking to Elyse on the phone and talking to her about it a little bit.  She was laughing at me because I think she knew how frustrated I was.  I tried to think maybe it was me struggling with relationships, or not having ministry responsibilities that I am accustomed to, or maybe I just had too much free time on my hand.  I still enjoyed being around my friends and everything was fine, but something just wasn't right.

So I go home for two weeks for break.  I had so much fun and it was great to be around family and friends.  Something still wasn't right with me though.  I was getting in the word but just had a hard time staying focused and getting stuff out of it.  I analyze myself a lot and it was messing me up trying to figure out why I felt the way I did.  I had been praying about it for a few weeks.

Then last night it hit me.  I had tried to justify the way I was feeling with everything imaginable and it was Satan that was telling me these lies.  Before I went to bed the Holy Spirit convicted me of the sin I was struggling with.  Now I am going to be vague because I don't want to post it on a public forum, but when the Holy Spirit revealed this to me I immediately knew this was the source of my struggle.  Satan led my mind to believe that something I wasn't doing was okay and it kept me from living in the holiness of God.  Once I prayed God has forgiven me and just rejuvenated my spirit. I just want to say that if something isn't right with your soul, ask God deeply for truth.  Pray that He will reveal it so you can conquer it.  All day today my spirit has just felt so fresh and good again.

I know this isn't the most helpful thing due to lack of specificity, but it is something I needed to get off my chest.  And Satan can fool you into thinking everything is okay when you know deep down it isn't.  Because I felt completely normal, especially around friends, but something was just out of place.  So constantly seek to be holy and combat whatever you are warring against.  Because I promise once you give it to God it is such a liberating feeling. 

I love you guys so much.  Thanks so much to my family, friends, and church for making me feel so loved when I came home.  Ya'll are a huge part of my life.  Always rely on God and seek Him for answers.  It may seem overwhelming, but just try to learn a little more each day.  And if you just chip away I promise you will fall more in love with your Savior then you ever thought imaginable.  Let me know if you ever need anything or have prayer requests!

Still With Me

"I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.  I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  It is right for me to think this way about all of you because I have you in my heart and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and establishment of the gospel.  For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.  And I pray this:  that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you can approve the things that are superior and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:3-11

So I know I may have shared this with some of you, but I want you to know how my move to Dallas has kind of affected me.  I feel that Paul's prayer in Philippians captures how my heart feels so well.  When God puts something on my heart it overwhelms me.  I typically pursue it without even looking back.  So my move to Dallas was sudden and unpredicted.  Yet, I knew God would be faithful through it because He has proven to me time and time again that He is faithful to what He lays on my heart.  I knew it was what I had to do.  Another thing about me is I care about relationships a lot.  My family and friends have impacted my life so much and they mean a lot to me because of that.  I knew I had to leave them and I was kind of scared of what would happen when I would go.  It's funny to see how God works.

First of all I want to say that the way I was sent off to Dallas was incredible.  I got to hang out with loved ones, got a book of prayers from some best friends, got some gifts, got to watch a slideshow of all the good times we had together, and got prayed over.  Earlier after I had preached at the church, I was surrounded by family and friends and church members who showed me enormous amounts of love.  Just knowing I had that kind of support (especially in prayer) was so comforting.

Then, I get to Dallas and all the new changes begin.  Yet, I was able to contact so many of my friends and ya'll were all so interested in how I was doing.  Just the fact that you were excited to hear from me meant so much to me.  So even though I missed you guys so much, your encouragement helped me have comfort in where I was.

Lastly, when I went home for Hud's wedding I was overwhelmed by love once again.  It was as though even in the short days we were together we hadn't skipped a beat.  We laughed like we always have and the love was still overflowing.  That's why Paul's prayer captures my heart.  When relationships are formed on the love of Christ they are strong and not easily broken.  So even away from you guys I can rejoice in your successes and grieve in your sorrows.  We are aiming towards the same goal, fighting the same battle, spurring each other on along the way.  That's what our ministry did.  I am growing more then I ever thought possible and from talking to ya'll it is awesome to see how God is working in your lives as well.  As it says right before our favorite verse in Hebrews, 10:23 says "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful."  Let's keep fighting the good fight till the end and God will guide us through all along the way.  And always seek for ways to build one another up.  We are all together in pursuit to bring glory to God's name.  God gave us the love we have for each other and I pray that it bonds us together for the rest of our lives.

I am getting the chance to pour my life into many people in Dallas.  They are pouring their lives into me and it is just awesome to see how God can use such little things for such huge purposes.  Just know that probably everyone that is reading this has invested something in me that is forming me in my spiritual journey.  I love you guys and I can't tell you how much I appreciate you're friendship.  Always remember one another in prayer and push each other to be like Christ and to bear much fruit. 

Ecclesiastes 4:12- Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.