I will say that it has been a long time since I’ve woken up in the middle of the night (4:38 a.m.) to find myself wide awake, just laying there not able to go back to sleep.
My dear friend *sleep* – had totally left and abandoned me. 🙁
When such an *unwelcoming* event occurs I usually would lay still, still my mind and still the *voices* that come to plague and molest me about my shortcomings of the prior day.
This was a normal, daily, early morning occurrence at one point of my life not too long ago.
I’ve trained myself to think of others, my children, the many roles that I’m in, those I’ve spoken with the day before and I BEGAN TO PRAY.
So I prayed lying there that early morning!
I prayed! And Prayed.
Surrendering myself to the Lord anew. Confessing my shortcomings. Asking for His grace. Thanking Him for His love.
In praying, I’ve learned….. well I’ve learned that it will calm the *voices* that point out things I didn’t do well for the day; things I said to others that may or could have been taken wrongly; things that I may have done that didn’t please the Father; pointing out the times I raised my voice at my children; pointing out that my focus for the day was on other things besides on the things of God. Just pointing out how *bad* I was for the day. And how bad I am as a person!
Remember that Scripture tells us that those ‘voices’….often those implanted by the enemy, is from the accuser of the brethren.
Revelations 12:10 “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”
All the while he’s bringing condemnation upon me. As my accuser.
Basically all of those *things*, those *reminders* ultimately came to bring condemnation upon me and to make me feel horrible as a person.
As a wife.
As a mom.
As a home educator.
As a keeper of my home. 🙁
As I said, I know that those *voices* usually are those of the enemy of my soul.
I know his job description pretty well and I *usually* can identify when he is at work in the early hours of the morning
……………….and I remember what I must do.
Stop listening to the *voice* of the condemner and stay still to hear the voice of the Encourager.
As an aside, I spoke with two moms just the day before this early morning awakening.
One of these precious and dear ladies the Lord had laid on my heart while I was cleaning the bathroom earlier that day and I began to pray for her. And also while cleaning the bathroom I felt to pray for moms in general who were dealing with depression because of homeschooling.
Well, they were dealing with depression not because they were homeschooling but because of the *voices* that was leading them to believe they were doing such a horrible job at homeschooling and therefore should stop schooling at home.
Later after I finished house cleaning I quickly face book messaged the one mom that was on my heart. Then around 3:30 p.m. I got the chance to speak to another mom who was feeling a bit defeated at homeschooling.
Both moms were listening to *voices* of condemnation.
Both moms were feeling to *throw in the towel.*
Both moms indicated they wanted to stand firm and do what they really felt God had called them to do. Which was to continue to homeschool their children. But that they needed to stand firm and speak the TRUTH (from God’s Word) that they knew! And then walk by faith in that truth.
The truth of the matter is that the *voices* can be so overwhelming that you just can’t see any other way than to find a way out.
Marriage and raising children is much like homeschooling……IT IS NOT FOR THE FAINT IN HEART!
Some days it’s easy.
While other days it’s down right hard. 🙁
And if the hard days aren’t enough, you then have the *voice* of the condemner there to point out how horrible a job you are doing.
Or how bad of a job he wants you to think you are doing.
Or how you need to quit.
Or how it will never get better.
Scripture ENCOURAGES us that sheep that belong to the Lord will hear HIS voice and no other voice will they follow. (John 10:27) (my emphasis added).
So recognizing whose voice is speaking is a great part of the battle.
Once that recognition is made then we have to take those *voices* or those *words/thoughts* and bring it captive under the authority of Christ.
2 Corinthian 5:10 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
The role of satan, the enemy of our souls, the enemy of our peace and the enemy of our victory is to steal, kill and destroy from us (those who follow and name the name of Christ).
To steal our peace, joy, contentment, victory, success, soundness of mind. Basically steal all that is good and for our good.
His job is to kill any glimpse of peace, joy, contentment, victory, success, soundness of mind. Basically kill anything that is good and for our good.
Oh…and his job is to utterly destroy our peace, our joy, our contentment, our victory, our success and our soundness of mind.
Basically destroying any good or anything that is for our good.
We HELP him in this battle by entertaining his *voice.*
Victory comes when we declare the TRUTH.
Victory comes when we PRAY!
Victory comes when we BE STILL! And STOP believing the lies fed to us.
Victory comes when we CHANGE what we think on.
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”
I’m praying for your victory over the voices. Please pray for mines too 🙂
Look for Words of Encouragement each Wednesday. If you are encouraged by a word shared please indicate it in the comment section. 🙂 The guest bloggers and myself would appreciate hearing about it. 🙂
Blessings.
Serving You and Yours,
Angela P.