Seasons of Our Lives

Here on the East coast of the United States, we're finally getting some sunshine after literally weeks straight of rain every day. And it's been beautiful springtime in the morning, but scorching summer in the afternoon. With the change of seasons, the Lord is bringing seasons up to my mind and heart.

God works in our lives in seasons – desert seasons, seasons of rest, seasons of growth, seasons of learning, seasons of mentoring, seasons of blessing, seasons of pouring out, seasons of pain, and many more.

One of the enemies greatest deceptions is to get us to believe our current season is forever. Clues that we've fallen into this trap are when we start thinking, “That's just the way I am,” or “That's the way it will always be, I better get used to it.” James says our life is just a vapor (James 4:14). How much more the seasons of our lives! God is a God of healing, restoration, and new things.

Some of my favorite verses about seasons:

“Who is this, coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?” – Song of Songs 8:5

“See, the winter has past, the rains are over and gone.” – Song of Songs 2:11

“Behold, I am making all things new!” – Revelation 21:5

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6. (My wife & I pray this one constantly over our kids.)

I had a friend who had a dream about the leaders in his ministry in a bus. Jesus is driving the bus up a hill, painfully slowly, slower than walking speed. And they are all going, “C'mon, will you hurry up!” But Jesus just grins. Then, when the bus crests the top of the hill, Jesus floors it. Lost in the sudden rush of weightlessness, they are all shouting, “Slow down! Slow down!” Jesus is smiling the whole time.

Sometimes the seasons in our lives seem painfully slow or terrifyingly fast. But God is in control of both. Jesus is driving the bus.

Why the Enemy Is So Afraid of Marriage

I think the enemy is terrified of the human institution of Government. That's why we spends so much energy to subvert it. But even so, God uses governments to bring about his will on the earth. God set up governments as a result of the Fall (Genesis 3), to bring about his justice (Romans 13:1-5). And he uses even ungodly governments to do it.

Satan is really terrified of the Church. The Church, as it stretches throughout history, terrifies the gates of hell. The Church is God's army, bold and mighty, in spite of how she looks to us sometimes, to take back that which was stolen by the kingdom of darkness. The Church represents God's conquest and Satan's doom.

But the institution I think the enemy is really the most afraid of is <<drum roll, please>> the institution of Marriage. Think about it. Every other institution, Government, the Church, etc, was established because of sin. To deal with sin. But Marriage was there first. Marriage is the one institution, the one thing, we still have left over from Eden (Genesis 2).

Healthy marriages and families have power over the enemy like no other institution because Marriage and Family were here first, before sin entered the world. They are the one part of God's perfect design we still possess, if we choose to. No wonder Satan is raging so hard against the institution of Marriage, right down to the core of its very definition.

So pray for your spouse. Pray with your spouse. Pray warfare prayers. Take back what the enemy has stolen from your family. As a couple united in Marriage under God and by God, you have the authority to take it back.

Nevertheless – Gideon

I love the conversation the Lord has with Gideon in Judges 6. Because Israel had turned from the Lord, the Midianites were brutally oppressing them, stealing all their crops. Gideon, in total fear, is threshing wheat hiding in a wine press, trying desperately to hide his precious wheat from the Midianites.

He was trapped. Israel was trapped. Gideon was slogging through the day doing the little he could. living in fear in the middle of an oppressive situation he could do nothing about. And then God shows up. Please forgive my paraphrase:

God: The Lord is with you, Might Man of Valor!

When God shows up, he sees you like you will be, like he wants to make you, not like you currently are, or how you see yourself.

Gideon: Are you talking to me? If the Lord is with us, then why'd all this happen? The Midianites are starving us to death!

Notice he said, “If the Lord is with US...” He couldn't believe the Lord would specifically be with him.

God: About that. Go take out the Midianites. I am with you.

Gideon: Are you talking to me? My clan is the weakest in Israel, and I'm the weakest in my clan!

His homies probably called him, “Lil Gid.”

God: Nevertheless, I am with you. You will defat the Midianites.

God doesn't argue with Gideon about Gideon's excuses. He does something much ruder. He completely ignores them. Nevertheless... None of our excuses matter when God is with us.

Are you trapped in the slog? God has a calling for you; it's on your heart right now. It's beyond your ability, but your weaknesses and inabilities don't matter. God is with you. If you will take the step that's on your heart, God will make it work.

Leave a comment and tell me about it.

Note 1: God's calling never contradicts his word the Bible, and never hurts another person.

Note 2: It's ok to test the calling. Gideon did, twice with a fleece. God passed the test both times. It's ok to say, “Ok God, if you're calling me to do this, I need this situation to work out.” Maybe this situation refers to finances, or relationships, or job, etc. Asking God to confirm his calling won't eliminate the risk, but it'll convince you that it's really God to the point where you can go for it.