Worth Fighting For...

Broken. Have you ever been broken? Truly broken? I am not referring to being broken in body, but broken in spirit. Have you ever been so cast down that the only place you have to go is into his loving embrace? Where your darkness has blinded you so much that you can no longer see the Son?


These places are humbling. They are painful. But they can be strengthening if we choose to turn our gaze back to the Father instead of getting discouraged about how far we have fallen. Discouragement is one of Satan's biggest deceptions. He uses our own minds against us. He wants us to feel like giving up. His motive is to make us feel hopeless and worthless; vessels unfit for the Master's use. This is where he deceives us and leads many dedicated believers astray. After one slip up, Satan somehow convinces them that they are no longer worth the price that Jesus paid on the cross. That they are no longer worthy of His love or forgiveness. What a horrible wretched lie! Jesus did not die for us so that we can spend our lives feeling discouraged about our imperfection! He died so that we may be free. Free from sins strongholds in our lives. Free from Satan's deceptions. Free from our guilt and our shame. Free from being controlled by the snares that "so easily entangle".


Discouragement crept into my mind this afternoon after an incident with my little sister. Leaning against a closet door in our bedroom I cried out to my Father. With tears in my eyes I asked Him why it is always so hard to choose love instead of hate, peace instead of anxiety, smiles instead of frowns, joy instead of sorrow, and hope instead of discouragement. Right at the peak of my discouraging thoughts Satan started whispering..."it's true you know. You always fail. You will never get it right. You cut your sister to pieces with your words. How can you be so unloving and hateful? You are just worthless. You will never learn to control your emotions. You always let them get the best of you..." and on and on it went. At last, God seemed to turn a light bulb on in my head.

"My son did not die, Emily, so that Satan could continue to invade your mind with thoughts that are not of me. He has no power over you. You are forgiven because of the cross. Every day is a brand new day to try again and if you fail despite your best attempts, well....forgiveness is waiting for you."


DO NOT let Satan discourage you! Just because you fail again....for the hundredth time...does not give you any reason to become discouraged! This life is a continual fight! The enemy wants you to retreat and back down. His greatest desire is that you would give in and just stop fighting the fight. Don't do it! Jesus is stronger and He is on your side. Do not be taken captive in your mind and let Satan slowly destroy you using the weapon of discouragement!


Praise God for His wonderful love towards us. I will not be discouraged because my God is a God of second chances. He longs to empower me so that I can live in victory. Even when I fail and say and do things that are not of the spirit...His wonderful forgiveness is right there, waiting to cleanse me, and give me a second chance. I will keep fighting, because the love that Jesus gives is worth fighting for.