Feeling weak, weary and worried?

Ever have those days or sometimes months where you feel attacked and overwhelmed. The little things in life seem so much bigger and you feel the weight crushing you? I'd like to share a prayer woven through the scripture with you that I am praying in my own life. It is the protection instructed to be worn in Ephesians. The actual scripture in ESV is in italics and my words are the rest.
I pray you will find strength and a renewed hope as you remember Who Your victory and Strength are in. It is not within you to overcome. It is Christ in you that gives you the victory.Trust Him. Prepare yourself for battle and pray endurance till the end!!  Gird up your faith and hang on! Saturate yourself with His Word and hide it in your heart!! It's a crucial weapon you must have with you!!!
If this isn't you and you know someone who needs to be encouraged today, please pray this over them. Jesus is our healing, our victory and our hope. He is the answer! Blessings in His name, Michele


Father God, today I lay my broken and weary soul at the crown of Your Holy and Healing feet. My spirit cries out to You Lord God that I Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Help me Father God, Warrior King Jesus to Put on the whole armor of Yours God, that I may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore help me Lord to take up the whole armor of God, that those of us who serve You may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Lord Jesus, as both a witness to Satan and his evil destroyers and as a witness testifying to Your Conquering Victory, I Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth,  refusing and rebuking all the lies he tells me that I am weak and defeated, worthy of death, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, that in my anguish I will choose good over evil, guarding and protecting my heart in Jesus' Name that my heart will remain fully and completely consumed by the Love of my Savior. Steady my feet Lord to walk  and witness to Your Love in a manner worthy to honor You above all others, wearing as shoes for my feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
In all circumstances, especially those that are difficult, leaving me to feel exhausted and weary, help me Holy Spirit take up the shield of faith, with which I can extinguish all the  flaming darts of¹the evil one as he seeks to devour me day and night; and take my permanent helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is Your word God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Recall to me Your Word hidden in my heart that I may not sin against You and encourage and strengthen me with fervor in your Word each morning and throughout the day.  
To that end it is my deep desire to keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, getting outside of my own troubles and intercede for those God has placed in my world to stand alongside, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Lord open my eyes to see what You see before and around me and grant me strength and endurance to persevere through each and every circumstance, escaping the schemes and traps of the enemy laid out to destroy me. I am Yours Lord God and I trust in Your strength. Guard me in Your Name King Jesus. May my courage be a bold witness to the enemy and rebuke him to his crushed place under my feet and lift my eyes to where You are so my heart and mind may be restored. Cleanse me and revive me Lord for You are my God! I worship and adore You alone. It is with eager anticipation and holy determination that I count it all joy today as I stand on the battlefield. No weapon of the enemy shall proper where You are so Lord today, keep watch over me that I may not give the enemy a foothold! I stand in You! Thank you and Bless you Faithful God. AMEN!

Ephesians 6:13-43

What are YOU looking at!?!

The day was finally here!!! Daddy went on a touring trip with some friends of ours and it was time to pick him up at the airport! We arrived on time and with each shadow peering around the gate, we stood on our toes for that shadow's face to appear and know if it was "someone's" Daddy, or our Daddy. One by one they filtered past and with each one, our shoulders dropped with a sigh, "Not him..."  Until...it was him!! We had locked eyes on him and watched him come straight for us. If the railing had not been there, we would have jumped on him no doubt!! It was sooo good to see him. He hugged each of us and we rubbed on his new "fluffy face" (beard) and began to walk with him along the rail towards the exit when all of a sudden a friend popped up out of no where! What?!?! He said, "Yes, and there's the rest of thr group that just walked past." What?!? I was in a state of shock at first because I was completely focused on him, then the fact that I didn't even see our other friends with him. There's one of them right there in the picture!! How bizarre!
Although I knew he travelled with a group of friends, it was my understanding they had separate flights from my man's. So, I wasn't looking for anyone else and then when we saw them, it didn't compute right away. We were so focused on what we knew- that Daddy was on his way, and that our minds were set only on him. We didn't see our friends because we were not looking for our friends. We planned on Daddy, we were looking for Daddy, we only saw daddy and we grabbed onto Daddy when he arrived. Of course, once "he" pointed out our friends, it was a double joy to get to welcome them home too!!!
God used this experience to remind me of what it means to fix our eyes on Him. To set our hearts and minds on Him alone. Being so intently focused on Him, that the world around us fades, and it's all about Him. We can get so easily distracted in this connective and politically correct culture that our hearts and minds can stay busy trying to analyze every situation, every word, that we take our eyes off Him, our Daddy!
Because it is through Him, that the rest of our life matters. If we look for evil: fear and approval of others and gossip and money and worry and sinful lusts, quick fixes, we are sure to see them. And the opposite is also true, if we look for good, we will find it: peace, strength, purity, hope, kindness, patience, joy, etc. When we seek first, The Lord, who is above all and over all, and in Him all things hold together (Col 1), setting our eager anticipating hearts on Him, there we will find Him and walk along the rails of our life and live it in whole-hearted devotion and focus on Him, towards the final Exit, taking in everything else. We see what we are looking for.
 I only love others well when I love my God well. I only live well and love well, when I live and love through Christ alone. God, help us to turn our eyes towards You. Click here for a 1 minute worship moment. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.

Proverbs 4: 25-27 "Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. "  

 

Matthew 6:21-23 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"

 

Matthew 6:33-34 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."   

 

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