The Grass MAY Seem Greener - But is it Really???

The grass *may* seem greener on the other side of the fence - but it might only look that way from the angle you are viewing it... 

I woke up this morning in somewhat of a black mood.  Have you ever been in a mood so bad that you can't even stand being around your own self? Ol' Slewfoot was up to his usual tricks and I recognized his tactics right off the bat.  It's funny how he can just bring one thing to your attention that just sets you off.  More than likely it was one of his foot soldiers sent out to annoy me and if I was to really think about it, the attack actually happened before I went to bed last night.  He knew exactly where my sore spot was and poked me right where it would annoy me most, and right before I was getting ready to head to bed, one of our most vulnerable times.  As I was trying to minister to someone online, I came across something I thought I had totally wiped out of my laptop search engine, but I hadn't and what I saw annoyed me and set off my suppose-to-be-under-submission Portuguese temper.  I recognized the spiritual attack for what it was, yet still it got my goat (so to speak).  He hit a spot I had thought I had protected.  I was mistaken.

But here is the thing - the benefit from coming back from a prodigal experience in your walk is that the Holy Spirit has made you much more sensitive to the methods of the devil. As soon as I recognized the attack, I knew I had a choice - I could either allow it to bring me down or I could choose to rise above it. I decided to rise above it.  (Not so successfully at first), but then as I continued to think about it and pray about it - I realized it for what it was - a tactic that I would not allow to go any further into my skin than it had already gone. In righteous fury I yanked that firey dart out of my side, threw it down and stomped the heck out of it!  (Sometimes a Portuguese temper comes in handy... LOL).

If you are not a believer, you might be reading this post and scoffing.  You don't believe in spiritual warfare or demons or angels or any of that.  Guess what?  Just because you don't believe in it does not mean it is not occurring ALL around you.  Because whether or not you believe it - it is!  AND the devil has you right where he wants you to be - in ignorance of it! You are prisoner of a war you didn't even realize was going on!  Jesus said:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

It's not important what it was that set me off, but what it did do was make me more aware of the need to make sure that there were no openings in my spirit for any attacks to succeed. That I had not permitted any "open doors" for those fiery darts to successfully hit and I knew that one of the best ways to make sure all the doors to my spirit were closed was to pray.  So I prayed:

"Lord, if there be any evil within me or anything that needs changing within me - I pray that you would reveal it to me.  I'm feeling really upset about what I noticed.  Something that really shouldn't bother me at all because I had previously given it all to you, but it opened up a scab I had thought was already healed.  So I ask you please to heal it completely and help me to really let it go. I know there are some things I can only do with your assistance and this is one of them.  In Jesus name I release this into your hands and I let go.  Amen."

With my prayer came a realization, one that I've been thinking about.  Sometimes we think the "grass is greener on the other side of the fence."  But the truth is, it really depends upon the angle you are viewing it. Your perception may not be the actual reality... We look at the outside of a matter, God looks at the heart of it.  Honestly, we simply don't know - but God does.

Have you ever had a conversation with someone about something you thought they were thinking and you were totally off base? Such is the case with the grass.  It may look greener from where you stand, but it could just be the way the light is hitting it and not the reality of that yard.  Stop thinking so hard, it's probably not for you to determine anyhow and why are you concerned about the condition of someone else's yard? Best to keep your attention on the up keeping of your own.  So let it go.

The only victories that the devil and his minions can have over you is the ground you allow them to take. So the answer simply is - don't give them any ground.  Pray, talk to God.  Read your Word and know your promises.  The more you know the more weapons you have to combat the enemy.  That is why God has given us His written Word, to direct us, to strengthen us, to make us aware, to aid us, to open up our eyes to ALL that is going on around us, to encourage us - of course if you are just letting it sit around on a shelf accumulating dust or on the corner of your desk, it's really not doing you any good... A book is for reading... Read it, it might do you some good.

Ignorance is not bliss - it is an open area for attack.  

"Be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16). 

I wrote another post about this recently (see February, 2015 "Battlefield") it talks about how our "Gettysburg" is the battlefield of our mind. Protect it and be prepared for the attacks of the enemy, don't allow yourself to stand vulnerable and naked before him. Be prepared. And know that through Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection the war has already been won.  The purpose for Jesus' leaving us here (until His return) is to bring awareness to those who are spiritually blind around us - bringing them into the knowledge of salvation and of God's love.  We need to remember that we are soldiers in God's army and that we are to (in His strength and power) rescue any of those that have been made prisoners of war from the hands of the enemy.  We are to stay focused and keep our eyes focused on the captain of our army - which is Christ Jesus Himself.

 ^"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. " (Ephesians 6:10-18)

The day will come when all of this will be but a memory - and we will be in the presence of the Lord. And we will hear Him say, "well done my good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21)  - I don't know about you, but those are the words that sing like sweet music to my soul, rejuvenate me and help me to remember who indeed is in control... "Greater is He that is me, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4) and "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

I'd say I know the owner of the greener grass... In fact I'll go one "step" further and say better than that - I know the Creator  - do you?