Original Blog posted on March 27, 2011 and updated on 4/30/18
Prepare For A Battle
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| Used with Permission https://unsplash.com/photos/j_Ch0mwBNds |
The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.
1 Samuel 17:37
And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands. 1 Samuel 17:47
Tom and I have challenged each other, that this Pastors HEARTS messages will not go unheard, unheeded, or non-life changing for us and our ministries. We desire the Lord to work and use us in our lives. Time is so short and we see signs all around us of the end days. (If this confuses you as to what are the end days, please write us via email and let us talk with you and using the Word of God, remove your confusion.) We pray every day for the next lost soul we meet, that we might be used to share the Gospel and insure them of their home in heaven. But it is a battle.
We are at WAR with the devil himself. We look at the atrocities of war every day on the news, the loss of life, limb and liberty and we are horrified. The enemy would do all, say all and be all to convince us that we are at wrong. A Lie! But the most horrific lie of all is the one the devil uses to keep Christians from fulfilling their commission, spreading the Gospel, and leading the lost to Christ. If we find ourselves slipping, or becoming “comfortable” just going to church once or twice a month, not reading our Bibles, praying, and living a Christ like life in our everyday life, we might need to check out where we have come since the precious day the Lord made us one of his own, insuring our salvation! We have to revive our own hearts and spirits before we can reach others!
Just before I close, I want you to think just a moment; think about heroes of the Bible, such as David, we might be tempted to think that they were born with the ability to jump into the work of the Lord. But that’s not true. Throughout Scripture, you and I can clearly see the principle of preparation at work in the lives of God’s people. Look at the life of David. Before he battled Goliath, David had fought many smaller battles as a shepherd on the humble hillsides of Bethlehem. Alone with God in obscure, isolated places, David honed his battle skills killing the creatures that threatened his sheep; and these times of preparation were essential to becoming a giant slayer.
How about you? Are you prepared for the giants that are coming your way? Have you “honed” your spiritual skills? The reason many people feel overcome by towering challenges is because they have failed to prepare in the smaller places. Become consistent in the routine, smaller battles that come your way. Your confidence in God will grow and you will become increasingly adept at waging spiritual warfare. Start today. Prepare for great victories by faithfully fighting the smaller battles of life; and when it’s time to face the giants, you will be ready to win. God prepared me for the work I am in with my husband for over 35 years. Believe me, when I say, I would not have been ready not even 10 years ago to do what we do today, if I had not surrendered my life wholly to him!
We will leave Florida again, on April 14th, and Tom is scheduled to be in 14 churches and ministries all up and down the Appalachian Mountain Range preaching the Gospel, encouraging and lifting up the saints, and leading the lost to Christ, and I will be by his side. Our last trip took us over 10,000 miles in 4 months. God wants to use you to reach the lost the same as us. But you need to get ready and BE ready at all times. I must share this story to emphasize again the importance of being ready.
Just this week, my husband shared with me a conversation he had with a couple of other preachers. Tom told them that he never goes to a meeting not prepared to preach. He is always ready to step up and into a pulpit at a moment’s notice. He believes this is what God would have him do. One of the other preachers was shocked; “Why, when you aren't on the schedule?” was the question? Tom answered, “I am always ready and prepared to be used in any way for the Lord, and I am a Preacher of the Gospel. Why wouldn’t I be ready to preach, if He needed me?” I appreciate that. It is not a brag on Tom, but rather a brag on God. God has instilled a great desire in Tom's heart to preach the Gospel, he is compelled to be ready to serve at a moments notice. Are we ready for anything God would have us to do? Where are our talents; in music, preaching, teaching, praying or something else? No matter what your talent is, be PREPARED to be used of God.
Pastor Booher talked this week about training ~ if you’ve ever done any weight training; you know that you can’t start out with the heavy weights. You must start small and light. A day by day building up of muscles/Christ like life, must occur for us to be used as God would use us. Watch for how God gives you opportunity to lift spiritual weights by practicing principles taught in God’s Word. The more you do it, the stronger you will become.
I do pray this has been of some help to you, I know God spoke to my heart as I wrote. May the Lord bless you this day – and use us all to His honor and Glory.
God Bless,
Linda K. Milam
Read 1 Samuel 17:41-51
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