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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. (Ephesians 6:12-13)

 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13)

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)

          Yes, I’m still focusing on spiritual warfare. Today’s focus is on the lies we tell ourselves, the lies we believe about ourselves, the “I’m the world’s biggest failure” routine that people like me indulge in too often. There are different reasons, but for each of us, it comes down to focusing on ourselves – sometimes with the goal of having others (including God) focusing on us, and sometimes with the goal of driving others away. Some of us go back and forth between “forgive me and fix me!” and “I’m a freak, run away as fast as you can.”         

          When you’re not good enough. When things aren’t going as you want them to. When you feel like a failure or a freak again. The answer is in today’s passages. Is God at work? Does God know the plans He has? Whose will, His or yours? It’s no time to be gentle. It’s got to be one or the other.

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