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Power Point:
Resistance is something I’ve had to
work at. I recently started working out
with a trainer, (Nicole), and a Muscle Activation Therapist, (Jennifer). Over the years my muscles had begun to
atrophy. You couldn’t see it on the
outside. (I still had arms and legs, after all!)
but right beneath the skin, years of poor nutrition and lack of exercise had
begun to destroy my muscles. Gradually, walking became more and more
difficult. Opening jars became
impossible. Through a series of God
events, I was led to Nicole and Jennifer. I tried exercises to increase
strength, but though I had some success, I was still struggling. My muscles needed to be re-connected to my
brain after all this time. They were short-circuited! When Jennifer was added to “Team Roberts”, she began
to activate those poor, tired, worn out, disconnected muscles again. Much of that process involves resistance. The proof of my increased strength is my
ability to resist.
“Resistance”. Even
the word makes me tired. It's usually hard work isn't it? There have been many times when I skipped over the first
four words in the above scripture and went straight to “resisting the
devil”. Unfortunately since I hadn’t
drawn near first, I was resisting in my own strength. That was tiring and ineffective. Sometimes I’ve been on the wrong side of the
equation altogether and I’ve resisted God.
You probably know that that is not wise, because then God resists
YOU! That’s a really awkward place to
be, just ask Jonah.
The key to being
able to resist, is tied up in first submitting
yourself to God. The term “submit”
that James uses here means to arrange your troops in order under the command of
the leader. You can’t follow the Leader
if you haven’t submitted to Him first.
The word,
“resist” means to withstand or oppose something or someone. In other words, it’s going to take some
thought and some action on your part. So many times over the years, I’ve
received glorious strength from God’s word and then I am given the opportunity
to walk it out. That means God will test the Word He has given you in order to
strengthen it in you. I meet resistance. I can either “fold up my tent” and go
back to bed, or I can put my feet in God’s footsteps and move on. That means
that God Himself will strengthen me, Angels will work on my behalf and the Holy
Spirit will encourage me at every step.
When the enemy comes against me, God is the
Lifter of my head. I can resist the enemy when God lifts me up.
When the enemy tempts me to doubt, I draw
near to God and I resist the enemy.
When the enemy tries to destroy my faith,
I draw near to God and I resist the enemy.
When the enemy is flooding the atmosphere
around me with negative thoughts meant to steal my faith, I resist him, firm in
my faith in the goodness of God for me.
Beloved, faith
always draws near to God first. No matter how strong you are, you must come
under His leadership to effectively resist.
Power Thought:
Copyright © 2014, Suzanne Roberts, Unpublished Work.
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