I knew this would happen. It was bound to occur after waiting until age 49 to become a Facebook account holder. I had vague concerns but nothing obvious or concrete to substantiate my fears. I have seen it occurring in my local community but now I know how far reaching it is happening with old friends that I have lost touch with over the years.
Women walking away from what they had always held most dear. And gorging themselves on cheap substitutes. I am angry because I know these women and how much they loved the Lord and their families. Yet, they are letting go of what has been their identity and now as I look them up on Facebook, they are so contrary to what I remember.
It does not matter what lured them away. For some it was work, and the success and attention that offered. For some, the gym and the success and attention that offered. It could be social media, hobbies, new unbelieving friends, old friends that should have been left in the past, mid-life crisis or whatever. Does not matter. It is the same old scheme from the same old enemy! And it is far too effective for my liking and tolerance!
Why?! Why are women who have walked with the Lord walking away? Because our enemy is so good at knowing our weaknesses and distracting us with things we let take over the desires of our heart. It even happened to a woman living in paradise in Genesis 3!
If ever a woman attained perfection it was her! Eve had no mirrors, no one to compare herself or her husband with, no expectations to drive her discontent as she knew nothing else at the time. She experienced personal interaction with God Himself! Bliss in her garden, bliss in her marriage, bliss in her faith, bliss all around!
Yet it was not enough to satisfy. She willingly let go of the good she had, to gain something far less. Her unnecessary loss was Satan’s ill-gotten gain. Now fast forward to our day and time with all the new and improved temptations. We all feel it. I know I do!
But what is so alarming to me is who is walking away from the life of faith and family and into new identities that are so much apart of this “world”. These are women who have been deep in their commitment to faith, not just superficially or minimumly. These are women who were immersed in church, Bible studies, and serving others. These are women who knew too much to fall victim to what was ultimately their greatest loss, their identity, their testimony.
I am angered as I see the enemy of Chrisitan women wage war against them and inflict life altering consequences not just to their life, but the lives of their children, family members and friends who were impacted and blessed by their commitment to Christ. When a woman loses, or should I say lets go of, her testimony of Christ to display and glory in the world and what the enemy promotes, it is a heart breaking turn of events. Actually, it is a turn of life, and lives! Because when one person turns, it has an eternal rippling effect to all who know them, and their testimony.
James 5:19 says ,”My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
So as I look at profiles and wonder where God has gone from their identity portrayed to the public, I want to learn how to hang on to mine as I venture further out into the scary world of work or social media or even going to the grocery store for that matter.
I am reminded of two different times where war from the enemy was being waged against God’s people. One in Revelation 12:11 which says , “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death”. The blood of the Lamb is the blood of Jesus shed for me and to all who follow Christ and it is powerful and irrevocable. But how do I hang on to my testimony so that I am able to overcome the enemy after my identity in Christ?
That reminds me of the second passage. Isaiah 8:20 is where the prophet is warning God’s people who are being tempted into idolatry and all kinds of worldly temptations. He says,” To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn”. That teaches me by clinging to God’s Word, I am better equipped to hang on to my testimony and my identity as a committed follower of Jesus.
And this makes perfect sense because I know that the Word is my “sword of the Spirit” from Ephesians 6:17. In addition, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says ,” All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training for righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”. So my strategy is to cling to the power and authority in my life as God has set up for me. I will be able to overcome the lure of the enemy as I cling to what holds the victory in the war after my identity. I understand that anyone who walks away has already laid down their Bible long ago.
As I approach the beginning of 2016 and thoughts are pondered of what this new year holds for me, and all my Christian sisters I love in the faith, I implore a renewed commitment to time spent daily in God’s Word!
Do you love your Lord? To the Word! Do you love your faith and testimony? To the Word! Do you love your spouse? To the Word! Do you love your children? To the Word! Do you love your very life? To the Word!
I am making a call to arms ladies!! To the Word and to the testimony! I am not losing one more friend to unnecessary loss and the enemy’s ill-gotten gain!
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