I’m begging you. I’m urging for you to be the one, who thinks outside of the box and does not believe all you read in this overflowing online propaganda casserole of pictures and articles. These literary works, we call “blogs” with predictable “heartfelt meanings” adorned with professional photos of “real life”. It is almost comical to me. Hey, truthfully, I have read a handful of blogs that have ignited a tear or challenged my thoughts, where the photos screamed “staged life”, so do not get me wrong about this writing. I’m sure there are good intentions when these works are created and maybe I’m just whining for no reason, but I aim to evoke a new thought in your mind today. Is that not what good writing is supposed to do? Sugar coated writing loses its life in my opinion. The beauty in authentic writing, is that it carries a beating heart and not a comfy pillow shaped like a heart that you can squeeze for like two minutes and never remember it again. Well, the first of the two is what I enjoy reading anyways. I find those writings hard to find these days, where everyone has a blog just to have one. I am always rolling my eyes and reading through the first paragraph before clicking away. Sounds harsh when I write that, but it is true. Ok so this did not start off as a blog shaming post, so let’s switch gears. I’m begging you. Do not fall for the pull of the enemy that is lurking everywhere. The bible says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for something to devour.” | 1 Peter 5: 8 | Open your eyes because he is around, waiting to intercede in a dance that is deadly and life sucking. From personal experience, I have learned that we are the ones who allow it. He plays such an intriguing song and we twirl and spin, until we fall, and our face hits the ground. This is how sneaky he is. I hope you start viewing life this way and realizing his façade. It is so beneficial when you figure out what your weaknesses are, knowing that he already knows them. Viewing life like a spiritual warfare, where you hold the power because you possess the Holy Spirit. A power like none other, that brings death to life, figuratively and literally. For so many years, the devil slapped me up and down and every which way, while I fake smiled through it all, not realizing I had the power in me to slap back and defeat his draining and depressing ways. The verse from Peter stated above goes on to say, “Resist him, standing firm in faith, because you KNOW that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” | 1 Peter 5: 9 | Well isn’t that a relief of a reminder. There are many people just like you, drinking the same cup of difficulties on a daily basis. We all lack. We all cry. We all doubt. We all fail. We all sin. We all covet. We all feel unwanted. We all have been selfish. WHY? WHY? WHY, do we let the devil make us feel all alone. Imagine being cornered in a dark cave by a lion, thinking it is over and you are all alone and hopeless, all the while not realizing that you hold a magic wand to poof him into a fire ant. Your wand holds the LUMOS spell power 😉 to illuminate your surroundings, if only you will just shout “LUMOS!” Amazingly when you finally do, you find that you are surrounded by others just like you, shaking in fear. A false fear. 1 Peter goes on the say, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while WILL himself RESTORE you and make you STRONG, FIRM and STEADFAST. To Him be the power for ever and ever. AMEN.” | 1 Peter 5:10-11 | I hope you are getting what I am trying to relay to you. Please realize that if you have the Holy Spirit within you, you were given it to use it. Be aware of the devil’s schemes to make you feel like a no one, isolated, and alone in your sufferings. So many beautiful souls fall for these tricks on the daily and it hurts my heart to see it. It hurts my heart to know how you truly feel under all that hurt, under that fake smile, behind that mask. What does this “defeating satan” look like in real life? Every day he will attack. Maybe it is in your mind, where he plants a doubt, a worry. Maybe he brings up your past that you have already been redeemed of, to make you feel guilty again. Maybe he puts you in a situation that seems hopeless to the world, health wise or financial wise. When these things occur, that is a loud signal with flashing lights to go pray and talk to your God. To go and study the text of the bible to get answers. It means giving away that pain, fear, and doubt to God, by just asking him to take it. If you know His power, you know He will remove it, that is faith. People ask all of the time, why does God let people suffer if He “loves” them? He left us the Holy Spirit for us to be victorious in this beautiful, yet dark world where Satan lurks. He does not always come to the rescue just because he is our friend or our father, it requires a move on our part. He comes when we pray, and are persistent with our needs. “Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity, he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.” | Luke 11: 5-8 | So, all I am saying is if you are a Christian and feel defeated more than you feel victorious, maybe it is because you are not tapping in to the power from the Holy Spirit that you possess inside, by calling out your requests to God persistently and with thanks. It makes all the difference. I am living proof of it. He loves you. He wants you to lean in to Him. Trust me when I say you have all that you need to get through those dark days.