And it really all ties together, the war and my own small battle within the overarching victory.

I wasn't even going to post today's meditations. They went personal and deep, but mostly without words, as I sit on a back porch with a cup of instant coffee. But then again, perhaps there is a cognizant thread woven throughout, perhaps a word of encouragement to the other out there, in the fray, ducking behind the shield of faith once again. 

And I know that I have been lashed by the lies of unworthiness and undesirable. Yet He calls me inward, into His unshakeable love. With my feel firmly planted I can then join Him in the battle of restoration, speaking His love to all, as it was in the beginning, so it is now and ever shall be, world without end, Allelulah, Amen. 

His kingdom come. His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 

Wow. 

Me of little faith. 

The LORD shall give strength to His people; the LORD shall give the blessing of peace. Psalm 29:11

For they did not take the land by their sword, nor did their arm win the victory for them but Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them. Psalm 44:3

Arise, O God, and rule the earth, for You shall take all nations for Your own. Psalm 82:8

Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was to come, He gave them this answer, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God does not admit of observation and there will be no one to say, “Look, it is here! Look, it is there!” For look, the kingdom of God is among you.’ Luke 17:20–21

Your praise, like Your Name, O God, reaches to the world’s end; Your right hand is full of justice. Psalm 48:1

Glory be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, so it is now and so it shall ever be, world without end. Alleluia. Amen.

God With Us. Among us. Giving the blessing of peace with His right hand full of justice. Shining with the light of His countenance. Christ broke the stranglehold of sin, destroyed it once and for all, and now His kingdom is here, even now, among us, working restoration; He shall take all nations as His own. As it was in the beginning, now and so it shall ever be, world without end. Allelula. Amen.

As you see more clearly that your vocation is to be a witness to God’s love in this world, and as you become more determined to live out that vocation, the attacks of the enemy will increase. You will hear voices saying, “You are worthless, you have nothing to offer, you are unattractive, undesirable, unlovable. The more you sense God’s calling, the more you will discover in your own soul the cosmic battle between God and Satan. Do not be afraid. Keep deepening your conviction that God’s love for you is enough, that you are in safe hands, and that you are being guided every step of the way. Don’t be surprised by the demonic attacks.  They will increase, but as you face them without fear, you will discover that they are powerless.

The love of Jesus will give you an ever-clearer vision of your call as well as of the many attempts to pull you away from that call. The more you are called to speak for God’s love, the more you will need to deepen the knowledge of that love in your own heart. The farther the outward journey takes you, the deeper the inward journey must be. Only when your roots are deep can your fruit be abundant. The enemy is there, waiting to destroy you, but you can face the enemy without fear when you know that you are held safe in the love of Jesus. Henri Nouwen, The Inner Voice of Love