Bring it on, Satan.

Husband: car keys, wallet, drink, and cell phone: Check!

KJ: iPod, Captain Underpants book, and wrestlers: Check!

Brittany: lip gloss, purse, beats by Dre, and iPhone: Check!

Jaila:  diaper bag, Veggie Tales and Letter Factory DVDs, clean and filled sippy cup, baby doll: Check!

Me: purse, cell phone, sanity: Check!

All is in order and we may now depart.

This is my normal routine any time we leave our house to venture out into the world whether it’s a quick errand up the street or a long road trip many miles from home.  It is vitally important that all of the aforementioned items are in place and in the car prior to our departure; otherwise there will be mayhem.

Just as my family’s life has to be in order before we depart for a trip, so should our spiritual lives be in order before we enter our daily lives.  This is where we have to be ready with the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is God’s word.  We have to be ready to face the wiles of the devil head on with a scripture-based attack.  Let me say from experience, it is not always easy to pull out the sword when in the heat of the battle. When Jaila has spread Vaseline petroleum jelly all over her body and the carpet, when KJ refuses to take a bath after six hours of soccer, when Brittany rolls her eyes and slams her bedroom door, when my husband has not replaced the trash can liner again, when the dryer has gone kaput and the toilet is overflowing..a Bible scripture is NOT what I think of.  No ma’m...the sword of the spirit does not come to me very easily.

 

Now, let me be very clear, I am no Bible scholar by any means and when necessary I usually resort to the good old stand byes:  Psalms 23, Phillipians 4:13, and John 3:16. Those can usually get me through just about anything because they are pretty general. However, I have to remind myself that even non-Christians know these verses and that is not enough oftentimes.

Satan can be very deceptive as we grow closer to God; his attacks are not general, they become very pointed and oftentimes, very personal.  There will come a time when you have to reach deep down into the recesses of your mommy-fried brain and pull out a scripture to help you withstand the test. Otherwise he wins.  

The sword of the spirit means using the Bible for power and strength to withstand whatever may come our way.  This causes all of us as Christians to study the WORD more thoroughly and to have scriptures memorized so that when trouble comes it’s easy to lay the WORD on it. For every situation we face, the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT should be our counterattack. Pastor Gary M. Renfro always teaches us that "God has a word for your thing." Whatever we face, the Bible has the answer.

As a mother you don’t take one trip without planning for accidents/problems that you may encounter.  Whether it’s loading the DVD player before the kids get in the car or packing extra snacks, you are prepared for the battle.  It should be the same for spiritual warfare. The way to prepare is to have scriptures memorized and ready to throw back at Satan when he threatens to attack.

It is my hope that I will be able to withstand the wiles and trickery of the devil as he tries to steal what God has already promised and ordained for me to have.  Just as if I am in a physical fight, I can’t wait until he strikes and then decide to pull out my sword; it will be too late.  

My sisters, have your sword poised and ready for battle and tell Satan, Bring it on!!!