Overcoming

Stephen Curtis Chapman is playing on the cd player, my coffee is strong, hot, and delicious, the outside is quiet as the morning sun begins to light up the sky. It is another wonderful day... full of new wonder, new experiences, challenges, and opportunities. I have finished my morning bible study and have journaled my thoughts, so now I am just enjoying some quiet meditative moments before I begin my morning ritual of "getting ready for work."

The thoughts rumbling around in my head today have to do with being content and stopping the thoughts that the evil one places in my path. He is the master of all lies and uses these lies to cause me all sorts of problems. How do I overcome his influence?

One way is to spend time in God's word. It is truth, it will shine the light on lies, it will speak to me and help me to overcome the lies and doubts. Sometimes listening to FOX NEWS helps to balance out what you hear on CNN. Everyone has an agenda. . . God's only agend is to love me and to help me in my struggle to love and obey him. Satan's agenda is to destroy me and to cause seperation between God and myself. I need to be in contact with God (prayer) and I need to hear what he has to say to me (the Word) so that I can withstand Satan's schemes and lies. Jesus said he is the "father of lies," so I need to arm myself with the weapons to defeat "lies."

Lord, help me to withstand the lies and doubts that Satan hurls at me. Help me to stand strong and to realize that Satan will use anyone and anything to cause me to stumble and fall. He will use me to cause others to stumble and fall as well. You are all truth, all love, and all powerful and you have told me through Jesus, that you will be with me and provide a way of escape. Help me to believe that when the temptation is strong, help me to remember your words when I am feeling weak and overwhelmed. You are gracious, quick to forgive, and you love me beyond reason.
Help me to be obedient and to listen to your gentle voice. I ask that you be with all of those that I love and protect them against the evil one's schemes. Help them to be strong and forgive them when they fail. Thank you for all of your loving kindness and compassion. Amen.