"Rebuilding the Walls"
Silence (5)
Preparing to Dive (10)
Literature Direction (50):
[Heart Searching, Bible Reading, Meditation]
Remember the time when we were talking about spiritual breaches? This bit talks about how to rebuild those walls. This topic is related to the Spiritual Armour because it will help us combat the enemy. This literature is still inspired by the spirit and I personally find as very helpful:
* * *
So let’s begin!
Choose your target. Before you start praying, you need to know what your target is—that is, you need to know exactly what you are trying to overcome! This is why 2 Corinthians 13:5 tells us to “examine ourselves.” Taking time for a thorough heart evaluation is not only important but crucial to achieving spiritual victory.
As you think about your battle target, write down whatever God
brings to your mind. It may be a breach I mentioned in the previous
chapter, or you may need to pray and ask God to show you your specific
weak spots. Remember that sometimes even good things can become a breach if we allow them to stand between us and God, so what may look innocent to others may be an actual breach in your life.
This list is just for you and God. You may share it with your spouse
or prayer partner if you wish, but the main purpose is for you to know
where to begin in Bible study and prayer.
Pick up your sword. Standing on the promises of God’s Word by faith
through prayer will be your most effective approach in achieving spiritual fortification. Once you know where the breaches are in your spiritual wall, it’s time to pick up your sword! “The soul must be barricaded by prayer and study of the Scriptures. Armed with these weapons, Jesus encountered our wily foe on the field of battle, and overcame him.”2 You
will be able to pray with increased confidence and faith when you can
take the Bible in your hands and hold it up to God, saying, “Here’s Your
promise. I claim it for this specific breach in my life! You do not lie, and
I will not let go until You fulfill Your Word.”
Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a Welsh Protestant minister from the early
1940s, when speaking on how important it is to claim God’s Word in prayer, wrote,
“ ‘Pester Him, as it were, with His own promises. Tell Him what He said He is going to do. Quote the Scripture to Him. . . . It pleases Him. . . . God is our Father, and He loves us, and He likes to hear us pleading His own promises, quoting His own words to Him,
and saying, “In light of this, can You refrain?” It delights the heart of
God.’ ”3
Yes! God loves to have us pray like this! He wants us to ask big things
of Him. And we are told that when we come to Him confessing our sinfulness and unworthiness, He will answer.
Here are a few powerful promises to get you started. But remember,
we don’t just pray and claim Bible promises; we must also act on our
prayers. These prayers God will answer, and deliverance will come.
Victory for those who confess their sins—1 John 1:9; Hebrews 7:25. No
sin is too great for God to handle. He sent His Son that we might find
deliverance and victory. No matter what we’ve done, if we desire to be
forgiven and set free, the gift is ours. We just have to claim it! When
we confess our sins, it’s also important that we actively turn away from those sins and seek to walk a new way. We cannot do this in our own strength, but God will help us when we lean on Him.
Victory over idols—Ezekiel 36:25–27; Jeremiah 24:7.
It’s important to remember that if we want victory over “idols” in our lives, we don’t wean ourselves away from them gradually. We have to destroy them—remove them completely from our lives so they have no more access to our hearts—just like the young King Josiah did when he came to power in the days of ancient Israel (see 2 Chronicles 34).
Victory over addictions—Luke 18:27; Psalm 55:16–18. Addictions
are difficult to break, but it’s best if we just go cold turkey and walk 180
degrees in the opposite direction!
If you are addicted to worldly music, movies, magazines, sports
icons, something in the occult world, or even some type of unhealthy
food or substance, it might be time to clean house and have a bonfire
party with just you and God. You’ll be amazed at the peace and strength
you will feel afterwards as you decidedly walk a new way.
In Acts 19, when the gospel of Christ was preached, the people came
and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced
sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them.
Because of this, the Word of God grew and prevailed. And more and more people came to accept the gospel because they saw the gospel changing people’s lives.There are many things, while not inherently evil, that can become idols and detract from our quality time with God. In these cases, it might be good for us to go on a complete or lengthy fast until these things no longer have a controlling hold on our hearts. By this, I’m not meaning fasting from a specific food (unless that is your addiction), but rather fasting from the specific thing that is causing our spiritual compromise.
The biggest key in overcoming addictions (or any sin) is to give God
our entire heart and turn our focus completely upon Him. If we become
consumed with Him, knowing Him, studying His Word, sharing Him
with others, we won’t be so tempted to waste time or look at the things
of the world.
Victory over ungodly mind-sets—Isaiah 26:3; Psalm 119:165; Philippians 4:8. Besides prayer and time in the Word, one of the best ways to obtain victory over ungodly mind-sets is to learn to replace the ungodly thoughts with positive, godly thoughts. If you are jealous toward someone, start praying for him and speaking words of kindness to him, and your thoughts will change with God’s help. When tempted to think
evil, start repeating a Bible promise or sing a praise song and the bad
thoughts will leave. (Some may think I’m joking, but this really works!)
Ellen White advises, “When the enemy comes with his darkness,
sing faith and talk faith, and you will find that you have sung and talked
yourself into the light.”5
Victory over ungodly conversations—Isaiah 6:5–7; Ephesians 4:22,
23, 29. If you are always griping about something, make yourself speak
words of thankfulness every time you are tempted to complain. Challenge yourself to go two weeks replacing every negative, ungodly word
that you are tempted to speak with words of thankfulness or praise to
God. Before you know it, you will develop a new habit of biting your
tongue rather than complaining, gossiping, or tearing others down, and you will see more clearly all your reasons to praise God.
Victory over ungodly behaviors—Romans 12:18–21; 1 Corinthians
10:31. Again, replace ungodly behaviors with godly habits. Heap coals of fire upon the head of those who offend you. Above all, ask God to give you purity of motive and action, and purity of heart, even if no one
is watching. After all, God is watching! If we can’t learn to live by godly
principle and walk with integrity now for God’s glory, we won’t do it
when the hard times and real tests come.
This is why Inspiration tells us, “Repentance includes sorrow for sin
and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see
its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real
change in the life.”6
Victory over ungodly relationships—2 Corinthians 6:4; 1 Samuel 16:7.
If you are in an ungodly relationship, it’s often best to cut ties and walk
away, hard as this may seem. If you continue to compromise, you’re
asking for spiritual disaster. When I speak of ungodly relationships, I
speak of those outside of marriage. If you are already married and unequally yoked, then your task is to do the best where you are within that marriage and hope and pray that your influence will win your unbelieving spouse to the truth. (First Corinthians 7 deals with this topic more
deeply.)
Whatever you do, don’t play with fire! Seek godly counsel if needed.
Ask God to change your heart and give you a new love for Him and find friends who will encourage you in your spiritual walk. The flesh may be weak, but God promises strength. And as we draw closer to Him, we
will find that He provides more fulfillment than any human relationship ever could.
Victory over worldly preoccupations—Colossians 3:1–3; Romans 12:1,
2. I’m reminded of the old song written by Helen H. Lemmel: “Turn
your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of
earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
This is the best way to overcome worldly preoccupations: look at
Jesus and give Him all the keys of your heart. And as you do, take an extended spiritual fast from the things of the world. Turn off the television and stay away from online social networks, shopping malls, or
anything else that pulls you toward the world until the ties that bind you
are broken. I recommend you take your Bible and journal and go for a
day out alone with God in nature. It’s wonderful for helping you refocus
on your heavenly priorities.
Victory over satanic strongholds—2 Corinthians 10:3, 4; Psalm 40:2,
3. Again, the best way for deliverance from darkness is turning to the
Light. Choose Christ and give Him your will! We can’t play with darkness and be on the winning team. Destroy anything that is of darkness in your life or anything that compromises your relationship with God.
The devil won’t be happy and he will put up a big fight, but God will
help you! Remember, “In the whole Satanic force there is not power
to overcome one soul who in simple trust casts himself on Christ. ‘He
giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth
strength.’ Isa. 40:29.”7
Forgiveness for the sins of omission—Ephesians 2:8, 9. It’s important to
remember that just as God forgives our sins and then gives us strength
to walk a new way, no matter how many good works we do, these works don’t save us and never will. Only Christ can save us, and only He can
give us power to live up to our full potential. Of ourselves, we could
never possibly succeed in avoiding all the “sins of omission,” for we are
told, “God’s ideal for His children is higher than the highest human
thought can reach.”8
This is why I think the most important thing we should ask and pray for is more of the Holy Spirit, for this is what gives power to our testimony and effectiveness to our labors. Our greatest “sin of omission” is in rushing ahead in service before we receive this gift.
Christ declared that the divine influence of the Spirit was to be with His followers unto the end. But the promise is not appreciated as it should be; and therefore its fulfillment is not seen as it might be.
The promise of the Spirit is a matter little thought of; and the result is only what might be expected—spiritual drought, spiritual darkness, spiritual declension and death. Minor matters occupy the attention, and the divine power which is necessary for the
growth and prosperity of the church, and which would bring all other blessings in its train, is lacking, though offered in its infinite plenitude.9
We’ve talked about picking up our sword—the promises from God’s
Word—and in the next chapter I’ll address moving forward and claiming these promises in prayer. This battle may seem daunting, but don’t despair. We serve a great God, and nothing is impossible with Him!
Keep daring to ask for more!
(Melody Mason, Daring to Ask for More, Chapter 14: Building Up the Walls)
Rest (5)