Are you prepared?
No, you don't have to worry, this is not a pre-armageddon post, nor is it a post of me writing about who is going to heaven and who is going to hell. It's actually a follow up post to the one I wrote back in September called Store your treasures in Heaven. I wrote that post after hearing of the hurricane devastations in southern U.S. states and Caribbean regions. It was Hurricane season, and the hurricanes were almost back to back. During that time, me and others around the world were praying for those who were already impacted by the devastation; however, I was intentionally praying for our friends in Florida who were next on the list. Thankfully, Florida did not have as much damage as they originally anticipated (Glory to God); yet today, my heart and prayers still go out to all the other areas and people affected.
While all of this was happening, the media was reporting on people who had bought AquaDams to protect their homes from Hurricanes. They placed these dams around their homes to prevent water damage that would come in from the floods. These dams were water filled tubes that rose up to 30 feet. Anything enclosed in the tubes would not have water entering/coming into the property. (I am by no means endorsing AquaDam, only using this scenario to emphasize my point.) As I watched this, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and related these people to God's children, and how we ought learn these concepts in regards to our spiritual walk. You see, these people were aware that they lived in an area/environment that would get normally get hurricanes, and they intentionally prepared for it. They took action and invested in costly items for the sake of protecting their homes. By doing so, they were able to keep out the rising water/flooding, that would have otherwise cause great damage their homes and other personal belongings. Now let's correlate these three things to our spiritual walk/journey.
We must be aware that we will have hard times in our lives, and that we have a natural enemy who hopes to destroy us! It is inevitable that we will have trying times. 1 Peter 5:7 says, Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Secondly, we must prepare for the journey/battle ahead, and do what we can to protect ourselves. Luke 14:31 says what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Keep in mind that the enemy will not only attack you, he will attack your marriage, family, relationships, and anything else he can to bring you down. Do not fear, prepare! Luke 11:21 reassures us that when a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. We can fully arm ourselves by reading, studying, and knowing the Bible. Get to know God and who you are in Christ! Be watchful!
Lastly, we must build a wall/barrier to keep the enemy out. We need to invest in our faith and relationship with God. We have to constantly check ourselves and make sure there are no cracks in our foundation, and no open doors for the enemy to creep in. We must build our foundation/house on the rock of Christ. Take the necessary time to grow your faith, and invest in what you need to do to protect yourself, family, children, and home from the attacks of Satan.
Whether we like it or not, we are in a battle. We need to fight offensively, not just defensively. We have to be ready for the attack and learn the enemy's tactics. We must arm ourselves, and prepare ourselves for disaster. Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:24-27 below how to build on a solid foundation. You can read more about this in my previous post called Defend your home.
Why does Jesus tell us to build a solid foundation? Because he knows that the rain and the floods are coming. He's making us aware so that we can prepare. We cannot lie down any longer and allow the enemy to have victory over us. We are God's children, overcomers through Christ who loves us (Romans 8:37), not weak and defeated Christinas. Deuteronomy 3:22 tells us to not be afraid because the LORD your God himself will fight for you, and Satan is already a defeated foe. We must walk with God daily, and do things which are conducive to our spiritual health. We do what we can do, and trust God to do the rest.
Let us pray.
Father God Almighty,
Thank you for this message and for the readers. I pray that as they read this post, you will speak to them, teach them, and minister to them. Allow the Holy Spirit to give them wisdom, knowledge, and understanding on how these concepts should be applied to them personally, and to their lives. Thank You that You have given us all the weapons, knowledge, and tools to be able to protect ourselves from the enemy's attacks, for we are not ignorant of his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). Some of us may be aware, but we need to be taught how to prepare. Some of us are aware and prepared, yet we need to start taking action and investing in the tools You have given us. Give us the desire to read Your Word and to know You more. Enable us to stay constant in prayer, and continue on this journey with You. Show us what is and is not conducive to our spiritual health. Father, we are nothing without You, but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). May we be victorious as our Lord Jesus was victorious over Satan, sin, and death. We praise You and give You all the Glory. In Jesus' name, amen.
Prayerfully,
Pam
