By the Authority Given to Me
Where in the world does the time go? My daughter is sixteen and a Junior in high school. She is embarking upon a very exciting, and at times confusing season of her life. One of the roads we will soon navigate, is the road to dating. (I say we because her life is a WE thing…I’m that controlling parent). I’m totally not ready for it, but I know it will one day happen, and I want her to be as prepared, and knowledgeable as she can be. One of the biggest areas we deal with is boundaries. What boundaries will she set for herself, and how will she maintain them.
When discussing healthy boundaries, we don’t just talk about them in regards to boys, rather all aspects of her life. She comes home, and tells us about all the drama at school, and all the little spats that are going on between her and her peers. Sometimes she allows these people to make her so upset. One of the comments I make to her, is one that my dad use to make to me when I was in the same situations at her age… “People will only treat you the way you allow them to.” Usually my dad would follow up his little pep talks with this little gem… “DAD: If I called you a chair would you be mad? ME: no. DAD: why? ME: because I’m not a chair. DAD: ok then, why are you so upset that someone else called you something that you’re not?” Needless to say, this advice as teenager was not helpful in the moment, but now as an adult…it makes more sense than I ever thought it would.
Times are very tense right now in our world, especially in our nation. It seems as if there is a new “movement” starting up every day. One of the more recent ones is the “Me Too” movement. Basically it is bringing awareness to the subject of sexual harassment in the work place, or anywhere at that. People are fed up with the mistreatment of others, and they are not going to allow it to continue. I’m all for standing up for ourselves, but when I think about what we will no longer “allow”, my mind goes in a different direction. We talk about not allowing other people here on Earth to hurt or mistreat us, but why in the world do we allow the enemy to have such a destructive hold over us? Do you all see where I’m going with this?
In Luke 10:19 it reads “Look, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the powers of the enemy; nothing at all will harm you.” For some reason we are so eager to stand up and fight against the injustices of this world, but when it comes to fighting against the injustice that comes from the enemy towards us, and setting boundaries for him, we at times back down and accept what he is throwing at us. This is a subject that is extremely sensitive to me because less than two years ago I lost the fight with the enemy over control of my mind, and life.
For years I allowed the enemy to use the situations from my past, and lies that he created to rule over my thoughts and life. Fear, anger, rage, depression, anxiety, and paranoia consumed me. So much so, I was flying off the handle daily, until one day I went too far. Every incident was like an outer body experience. I could see, and hear the “crazy” coming from me, but I couldn’t stop it. I knew this was not how I was supposed to be living…. I wasn’t even really living at all. I knew I needed to get help, and thanks to the recommendation from a friend, I was able to find it. For three hours I sat in a small living room in Roswell, NM with a man who taught me about THE AUTHORITY we have to take back control of our lives from the enemy, and prayed me out of a lifetime of bondage.
This wasn’t some type of mystic power only given to that man, it is a power that God has give each and every one of us. When shenanigans are going on at our children’s school, we run up there and exercise the authority we have as their parents, and get the mess taken care of quickly. It is imperative that we take authority over the ways of the enemy when we see them at work in our lives. Situations do not have to remain as they are, we possess the power to speak life over our dismal circumstances. Ephesians 6:12 reads “ For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil spiritual forces in the heavens.” The enemy can, and will use any and everything to attack you in the ways he knows he can. Its is up to us to arm ourselves, and stay ever present and aware of what is going on. In verse 13 of that same chapter it reads “ For this reason take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.”
What deceitful tricks of the enemy have you in a virtual chokehold? Whatever they may be, I sit behind this computer and declare on your behalf that FEAR, ANGER, DEPRESSION,ANXIETY, SICKNESS, DEATH, LUST, PRIDE, AND PARANOIA NO LONGER HAVE CONTROLL OVER YOUR LIFE! I stand boldly in the AUTHORITY given to me by an all knowing, all loving God BE FREE IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
These are things I have to declare daily. The enemy knows how to get to you, so when you feel it coming, you must look it in the face and say NO MORE, and take back what he has tried to steal from you. The enemy can only attack you in the way you let him. We have to stop giving him that much power. This is all apart of a life long journey, but you are equipped with everything you need to fight. Stay strong and journey on friends.
