"Bundle up!"

Stepping Out in RED shoes!

Day 20

I wasn't even out of bed yet, let alone in my RED shoes.  In fact, I had just opened my eyes and WHAM! 
I was struck -- hard and unexpectedly -- right in the center of my forehead.  Was the devil right there, just waiting for me to open my eyes?  Yikes!  You bet he was.  I wanted to just slip under the covers and hide,
but that would be totally ineffective and inappropriate for a battle of this nature.

"Take cover!"

shouted the Lord.

"Put on your armor!"

Two days ago, I had the most delightful prayer walk with the Lord.  It had to be one of the most amazing moments of my life.  I'm not kidding!  It was as if there was an open heaven.  Then yesterday... well, that was another story entirely.  It was treacherous!  It was like walking through a mine field.

Come on!  Really?  

What happened to the open heaven? 

It was the most un-enjoyable walk ever.  Every few steps I took, came with an unwanted blast from the past.  It was as if the enemy of my soul had a dump truck filled with every thought and memory I had ever discarded in prayer and placed under the blood.

God may have forgotten all my sins, 
but the enemy seems to have collected 
and saved each and every one for
such a time as this.

BOOM!  BOOM!  BOOM!   He chucked them at me, one after the other,  and refused to back off!

If the day before hadn't been so outstandingly wonderful, perhaps it wouldn't have been so blatantly obvious that the devil was at work.  I held up my shield and recited God's Word, pulling out every truth I had, deflecting the lies, one after the other.  By the time I got home, needless to say, I was worn out!

I turned in early last night, ready for a good night's sleep.  Shutting off the light, I quietly whispered,
"What was with that walk today, Lord?"

"That was an attack of the enemy."  He replied.
"You're on his radar now.  There's a lot going
down, so he's pouring in on.  Expect it!
Don't be surprised!  Get your armor on daily.
Stay under my wing and know that my army 
is protecting you!"

First thing this morning, I made a mad dash from my bed, straight into the bathroom, mumbling something about Ephesians 6.  I quickly threw some cold water on my face, brushed my teeth,  grabbed my Bible and headed to the Secret Place.  When I finally came out of there, I was bundled up in the armor of God -- ready for anything!

Ok... it wasn't all that comfortable.  I was reminded of when I used to bundle up my babies before going out into the cold weather up north.  They were warm and safe, all snuggled up in their snowsuits, but moving wasn't much of an option.  LOL.

Years ago, a dear friend of mine went into full time ministry as a pastor.  I'll never forget him telling me that the very first day that he showed up for work, he felt the weight and responsibility of his position come on him.  The enemy took note of him and never backed off.

I'm heeding that wisdom, personally, but let me also say this:

• Can we all take a moment right now, to pray for the pastors we serve under?  
• Can we pull down the strongholds of the enemy on their behalf?  
• Can we give them some prayerful relief, so they can take a moment to breathe?

We forget, sometimes, that our leaders are the ones the enemy strives to take out first.  That pastor friend I mentioned?  He won many souls to Christ.  He pioneered a church plant that's still in place today.  But eventually, he got knocked down and taken out of the game... at least for awhile.

Won't you step out in RED shoes with me and fight on your pastor's behalf?
Don't wait a moment.  Lift up a prayer right now!

Gail