I’m in spiritual warfare right now. I’m fasting and praying for a specific need today. God has spoken to me through Joshua chapter 10 and I am strengthened. I know God is equipping me to press on. The battle is the Lord's (1 Samuel 17:47) (2 Chronicles 20:15) (2 Chronicles 32:8) and He will bring me the victory.
Psalm 24:8
Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Isaiah 54:17
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD.
2 Corinthians 2:14
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place.
Zechariah 4:6
Then He answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
We are trying to get things organized and I needed a few things from the Dollar Tree. I got in the car with my husband and our son, my husband turned the key and the car started but quickly died. He tried again but this time it didn’t turn over at all. No response. A quick check under the hood revealed the problem: a blown fuse.
It blew more than one fuse, but I want to talk about just one of these fuses. My car is not a large vehicle but it’s giant-sized compared to this fuse. The tiny part in my hand below malfunctioned and in doing so stopped this giant! This might be a great message for faith, or a fantastic illustration of David and Goliath, but I'm not going to talk about those things. Instead I want to warn everyone about the little things in our life that can make a big impact, especially in a negative way.
James 3:4
Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
The Bible tells us that though a ship is very large, a tiny helm is what controls where the ship goes. There is a verse in Song of Solomon, chapter 2 verse 15 that says the little foxes spoil the vine. These little things in our lives can have big impacts later on.
What is going on in your life right now? Take a moment to search your heart and search your mind. What little things are you holding on to that can steal your joy? What little squabbles have you had that left you holding a big grudge? What short phrase that came flowing out of someone's mouth caused you to feel some type of way?
We have to be careful of the little things we do every day, the compromises, the "little white lies," sins of omission... friends we are allowing little things to wreck us! Do not let the enemy come to you in subtlety and destroy the work God is doing in your life.
Did someone cut you off in traffic? Did you pray about it or get angry and then arrive to work upset and allow that one incident to set your day up for frustration? What if that person did not see you and it was simply an accident? What if they were in a hurry because they are rushing to the side of a sick or injured loved one? I am not excusing the behavior, I am simply stating that there might be a cause. There may be a reason for what happened. Take yourself out of the equation and remember the enemy is fighting you, not the person driving the car.
Have you been in a store and the worker was rude to you? Maybe you are the worker and the customer was unkind. Regardless of which side of the counter you are on, be kind. Smile. Give the best you have to everyone. Do not let someone deposit negative thoughts and ideas inside your spirit. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
To transform means to make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character of. We cannot do this ourselves. This is the work the Holy Spirit does on every believer that has surrendered their heart, life, and will to God by accepting the free gift of salvation from Jesus. How do we renew our minds? Renew means give fresh life or strength to. We do this by reading God's Word and being sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He leads us and guides us into all truth.
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
If we find ourselves acting like the world, reacting like the world, responding like the world, then we are conforming to the world. We are told not to do that. We should not have the same opinions that others have. We should not believe that those who are doing things contrary to the Word of God are right and the Bible is wrong. We have to allow God to wash us clean and renew our minds. He gives us fresh life and strength. He changes us in a dramatic way so the old version of ourselves is unrecognizable.
If you are holding a grudge, comparing yourself, getting angry easily, and lacking compassion, go back to the foot of the cross, and ask Jesus to help you! He will change you! He will renew your mind. You will become a new person. These little things that we ignore can show up in stress, anxiety, fear, broken relationships, poor health, and ultimately death. Choose life!
Choose to respond to this message knowing that if you blow a fuse, you will be stranded. You won't excel at the things you want to do. You won't be accomplishing your hopes and dreams. The goals you set will be dormant. Go to the Creator of the universe and ask God to work on you. Spend some time getting repaired and realigned so you can get back in the race and win! God is on your side, so you cannot fail! Give the control to God and watch Him do the impossible and the miraculous in your life and in your situation. He can do it! He has done it before and won't He do it again?
I pray something I shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!
~Bridgett Owens
