FS WORD OF POWER
Eva Windahl
May 13, 2020
“We don´t lose HEART”
Are you under pressure, right now? Are you being attacked on all sides? Is all hell breaking lose? At the same time? If the answer is yes, allow me to encourage you with this: You are not the only one! In fact, we can read in 2 Corinthians 4 about the trials and difficulties the disciples found themselves in on a daily basis. They were surrounded with all kinds of calamities.
Verse 8-11 and 16-18: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. And verse 16:” Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Typically, the enemy will use THREE different types of attacks i.e. firing THREE different types of arrows in the attempt to damage your shield of faith which protects you from not losing hope, not losing faith and losing your love for God.
The first type of attack or arrow is a common one- you know the usual stuff: sickness, unexpected bills or a harsh word from a friend. The goal of the attack is to tempt you to lose your patience while suffering pain or to curse the friend that hurt your feelings. Why? Because the enemy knows that SIN keeps you from the blessings that God has for you and your family.
The second type of attack comes during a specific season: when we are weak, for example, when we are exhausted after working 10 days in a row or when the baby has had colic for 3 months and you haven´t slept for ages. This time the goal is to attack our mind by asking: IF God can do all things WHY doesn´t he do something about it? WHY doesn´t he heal my child? The enemy attacks our trust in God´s authority and wants you to disobey his word like Eve did when the snake tempted her by saying:” “Has God indeed said, ….? In other words: Did he “really” promise to be God our healer? In a situation like that it is absolutely crucial to not lose faith and not lose heart. Instead- keep proclaiming is word and his promises!
The third type of attack is the one mentioned in 2 Cor 4:8 when Paul states that “We are hard pressed on every side” or in other words: in a just a second- ALL hell breaks loose and you find yourself in a storm being hit by one wave after the other. We read in Job chapter 1 that he lost his entire family and fortune in just ONE DAY.
How is this encouraging you may ask? Well, because- oh hallelujah- there is a BUT in verse 8 right after “pressed on every side”! As a matter of fact, there is a “BUT” for each title wave of attack. Let´s read it one more time focusing on the word BUT: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. Why is that? Here we go: because of verse 18 (ready? And there are two more “buts” coming up) So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
That´s the reason we don´t lose heart: we fix our eyes, in faith, on what is not seen: HEAVEN, Jesus sitting at right side of the Father in Glory, knowing that what is unseen is also eternal and cannot perish or be destroyed! In other words- ALL of that which cannot be destroyed by the enemy because has no authority there. Heaven is real and Heaven is eternal. So there! Throw that in the enemy´s face!
Therefore, are we able to not lose heart because we know that even if we are pressed on every side here on Earth- our final destination and eternal home is HEAVEN and being in the presence of God- our Father- forever. So, remember whatever happens, don´t lose heart because from there comes LIFE!
Blessings <3