“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man”
1 Corinthians 10:13a

I’ve been sliding back into a rut for a while. Looking back, I can see that I failed to maintain my spiritual discipline which includes a routine. It should be no surprise that I ended up in a bad mood and terribly troubled by my appetite for garbage. So, I did something that I don’t ordinarily do, I sought help from my inner circle of Christians. I shared that I was having a troubling time and asked for prayer. Of course, it came, and with it, relief. I then went to my bible and let God restore me.

I suppose there is something to learn about what exactly happened, but then, again, maybe not. It’s enough to know that because I wasn’t doing my spiritual disciplines, I gave an opportunity for the evil one to work on me. That’s all he needs to wreak havoc. He’s sneaky so that you don’t realize he’s around. Undercover, he gets his trap all set up so it holds you tight once its sprung. For me, my mind gets so I simply don’t care. I get in a funk and stay stuck. The reality is that even a little stuck is stuck. I don’t need to be completely buried; all I need is to lose traction.

So, for me to call upon my friends to pray for me was actually quite humbling. After all, I write a blog on encouragement, don’t I? Why should I need help? Well, the fact is that I do need help, and my pride gets in the way. That’s something that Satan counts on about me. That needs to change. It’ll be good for me. It’ll be good for my friends. They like to help. We all could ask for help far more than we do. Why should we save this gift for just tragedies?

Most of my spiritual warfare happens between my ears, so last night I went to some of those verses. I needed to bring Jesus in!

2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

Stronghold, huh? Is sin my stronghold?

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

The Lord. Jesus is my stronghold. It’s time to invite him in. Big time!

Psalm 24:7-10
Lift up your heads, O Gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Who is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!

Is this time to simply ask him to come in? Heck no! He is my creator and maker of the entire universe! I need to welcome him with arms wide and shouts of gladness! Jesus is the most important person EVER, so I need to welcome him as such.

Not only that, but when he comes, he has important business to attend to first.

John 2:15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.

I want Jesus to clean house and get rid of all the riff-raff that is making itself home in my head. It’s like a biker gang taking over a roadside tavern. They won’t go if the owner should ask them to leave, but they will go if someone throws them out! Jesus is that guy. Remember John 15:5?

Who is this guy and what is he to me?

Psalm 91:14-16 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

That’s who Jesus is and what he thinks about me. I can count on him!

So, my evening turned around quickly, once Jesus was welcomed with open arms and given free rein to do what he came to earth to do – destroy the works of the devil.

But I must remember that it started off with humility, asking loved ones for help. I like the way the King James version says it:

James 5:16 Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

If you get nothing else from my message today, remember this: God wants us to ask each other for help. I don’t know why he does, but he does. That is evident.

Father, encourage your church. Amen.

Copyright © 2020 Scott Powers