Do you make agreements with satan?
Many of us make agreements with satan and we don't even realize it. It may start out small like a small thought popping in your head. Satan fuels that thought with mores lies until you have made up your mind that you agree with satan. For example...I can't watch Dancing With the Stars...it is too much of a stumbling block for me. Why? Well, just look at them. They have beautiful bodies that seem to move effortlessly. I made an agreement with satan that my body is just not up to par. It's just not good enough. I went from a small thought of "wow, they are beautiful" to "I'm not that beautiful...I don't have those nice curves... I could never be graceful like that" Those are all satan's lies and I AGREED with them. Sure, I don't look like that, but I don't have to fall for the lie that my body and grace are any less good. But, to keep those thoughts at bay...I just don't watch it.
Another example would be realizing your husband has not done something you have asked him to. Pretty soon an agreement is made that he just doesn't care about you or else he would have remembered. Or he is lazy and just doesn't care about things you ask. I have made this agreement with satan. Ugh...
Our family has made a lot of agreements with satan. We were not even aware of the many agreements we have made....(if the house is a mess, then I'm are a horrible wife...if my husband is crabby, then he hates us...if supper isn't just scrumptious, then I'm a failure at being a good helpmeet...my husband didn't have a loving dad growing up, so he is never going to be a good one...I'm weak everyday, so I'm never going be all that I can be...life is hard right now and it's never going to be truly glorifying to God...) We have decided it's time to break these agreements! When you make agreements with satan, he has much more influence over you. I do not want to be influenced by him. No way. I want to submit to the Lord and have satan flee from me, from our home. He is a sly fellow. All these agreements came so subtly. Most of the time we had no idea we were being duped. Shame on us! We need to be aware of his schemes. But, believe me, my family is more aware now. And that gives us power against the accuser.
We need to have on the full armor of God. One piece I will focus on is the shield of faith. "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Ephesians 6:16
Those fiery darts are what ignite our small thoughts that can eventually turn into agreements. We need the shield to extinguish them. We do not want to make agreements with satan. We would much rather make agreements with the Living God.
So as you set out today...be more aware of the agreements you are making with satan. Break those agreements and dig out your shield. Put on the full armor of God..."Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:11
Onward Christian soldier! Make no agreements with the enemy!
Another example would be realizing your husband has not done something you have asked him to. Pretty soon an agreement is made that he just doesn't care about you or else he would have remembered. Or he is lazy and just doesn't care about things you ask. I have made this agreement with satan. Ugh...
Our family has made a lot of agreements with satan. We were not even aware of the many agreements we have made....(if the house is a mess, then I'm are a horrible wife...if my husband is crabby, then he hates us...if supper isn't just scrumptious, then I'm a failure at being a good helpmeet...my husband didn't have a loving dad growing up, so he is never going to be a good one...I'm weak everyday, so I'm never going be all that I can be...life is hard right now and it's never going to be truly glorifying to God...) We have decided it's time to break these agreements! When you make agreements with satan, he has much more influence over you. I do not want to be influenced by him. No way. I want to submit to the Lord and have satan flee from me, from our home. He is a sly fellow. All these agreements came so subtly. Most of the time we had no idea we were being duped. Shame on us! We need to be aware of his schemes. But, believe me, my family is more aware now. And that gives us power against the accuser.
We need to have on the full armor of God. One piece I will focus on is the shield of faith. "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Ephesians 6:16
Those fiery darts are what ignite our small thoughts that can eventually turn into agreements. We need the shield to extinguish them. We do not want to make agreements with satan. We would much rather make agreements with the Living God.
So as you set out today...be more aware of the agreements you are making with satan. Break those agreements and dig out your shield. Put on the full armor of God..."Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:11
Onward Christian soldier! Make no agreements with the enemy!
Great post...very true.
ReplyDeletethis is worth reading more than once - just to help it sink in. It's always good for me to stop by and see what you got going here Stephanie. Have a nice evening!
ReplyDeleteI was surfing for something totally off topic, and the search engine brought up the Armor of God image so I clicked on it. Thank you so much for this entry in your blog. God really used it to speak to me today. May He richly bless you and your family.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, so true..
ReplyDeleteThis week God has been dealing with me about the exercise of my faith. Thanks for the encouragement, you be blessed and you have a beautiful family and you are a beautiful person. I am glad that God always has an encouraging word for us even when I am just doing research on the shield of faith. He is awesome!
Wow. I am encouraged by you and your family's testimony. Indeed we are to watch against the wiles of the devil.
ReplyDeleteContinue to lean on the everlasting arms of the father and keep strong in him.
I needed this post thank you. I get discouraged sometimes and this was right on time.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it's been a blessing! We are still tearing up our agreements with satan and trying VERY hard not to make new ones!
ReplyDeleteI love this post! and it is just so relevant to me today. What a blessing you are. This post is one of my new favorites of 2011. Thanks for linking it up at the brighton Park Best of 2011 link up! Katie
ReplyDeleteWhat a great reminder that we are all different, better at some things, worse at others. We will never be perfect and even those that seem perfect are not. It is great to know that we are loved by our wonderful Lord no matter what our imperfections! Thanks for the great post.
ReplyDeleteglosews
Isaiah 54. You shall be healed. I agree with your family and God. Your posts are needed by the whole world. Amen.
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