May 21, 2001
NO TIME FOR REGRET
FOR THOSE STATIONED IN BASE CAMP
There is a great number of God's chosen ones who this season are stationed
in a "base camp". Some are there to rest, some awaiting new
assignment, some
being prepared and waiting to be sent out.
Whatever the reasons, our "base camp" position gives us plenty of time
to be
pondering. This can be both a blessing and also a temptation.
A blessing, as this position of being still will enable us to hear from the
Lord more clearly, but also a temptation because the enemy of our soul will
not remain quiet but will also have the same amount of time and will utilize
all his efforts to draw us away from God.
THE ENEMY'S WEAPON OF WAR
Reminiscent of what and where things could have been had we acted or moved
differently or made other choices in the past will be one of the focal
targets.
This remembering will cover actions and decisions we have made even before
we met Christ.
Many of us today are facing different battles and struggles . Some of
these
affects our loved ones (spouses, children, parents),
Some are battling health problems and different infirmities. Others
are
facing financial crises . Many are feeling pressed in from all sides.
Whatever the exact details, many unpleasant
surprises seem to have come against us in places that are just too sudden and
unexpected and often have caught us off guard.
"WHAT IF " AND "PLAYBACK" TACTICS OF THE ENEMY
The enemy will be using the tactics of "what if " and "playback,"
and he
will continually fill our minds with scenarios of what could have
happened or where things could have been had we taken a different approach
to these matters or had acted differently than we did.
Our minds will be bombarded with specific playback of those times where we
have failed or made wrong choices, and he will try to connect it with what is
taking place right now in our lives and will equate one to the other and
put great pressures in our mind and heart feelings of guilt, regret and
remorse.
What will add to the pressures will be the fact that many of these memories
are realities in our lives and are experiences in our lives from the past
which we have chosen to file away in one compartment of our mind under
"failures, mistakes, wrong choices and disapointments".
SOWING AND REAPING
Many of us have even begun to wonder if these difficulties that we are now
facing are results of our sins and we are merely reaping what we sowed in the
past.
HOW TO DEAL WITH THESE ATTACK
Francis Frangipane in his book entitled " The Three Battlegrounds" has
provided us with a very good answer which the Holy Spirit has quicken in my
heart and used to speak clearly to me.
In page 17 -18 he talked about Matthew 5:25-26 and I quote part of what he
wrote.
AGREE WITH THINE ADVERSARY
"You will remember that Jesus taught: ' Agree with thine adversary
quickly,
whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver
thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be
cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out
thense, till thou hast pad the uttermost farthing.' - Matt. 5:25-26 KJV
"Jesus is speaking here of more than avoiding lawsuits. In fact, He speaks
in such a way as to indicate that, in regards to this particular adversary
and this particular judge, we will always lose our case and end up in
prison.
"This parable explains God's view of human righteousness. In the narrative,
the adversary is the devil and the Judge is God. Satan, as our adversary,
stands as the accuser of the brethren before God, the Judge of all. The
truth Christ wants us to see is that when we approach God on the basis of
our own righteousness, the adversary will always have legal grounds to 'cast
[us] into prison', for our righteousness is 'as filty rags' (Isa. 64:6 KJV)
"When Jesus says, ' agree with thine adversary quickly,' He does not mean
'obey' the devil. He is saying that when Satan accuses you of some sin or
flaw, if the devil is even minutely right, it is to your advantage to agree
with him about your unrighteousness. It he accuses you of being impure or
not loving or praying enough, he is right. The key is not to argue with the
devil about your own righteousness because, before God, your righteousness
is unacceptable. No matter how much you defend or justify yourself, you know
inwardly that often the accusations of the devil have morsels of truth in
them.
"Our salvation is not based upon what we do but upon who Jesus becomes in
us. Christ Himself is our righteousness. We have been justified by faith;
our peace with God comes through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). When
Satan comes against you, he tries to deceive you by focusing your attention
upon your own righteousness. The more we recognize that Jesus alone is our
righteousness, the less the adversary can assault us in the arena of our
failings. When the accuser comes seeking to condemn you for not having
enough love, your response should be, ' That is true, I do not have enough
love. But the Son of God died for all my sins, even the sin of imperfect
love.' Step out from the shadow of satanic assault and stand in the
Brightness of Your Father's love. Submit yourself to God and ask for
Christ's love and forgiveness to replace your weak and imperfect love."
HOW TO DEAL WITH REGRET
The Lord brought to my mind the story of Samuel. Samuel grew up in an
imperfect surrounding. The atmosphere that surrounded him was not perfect
because the sons of Eli were not walking in the way of God. Yet despite this,
it did not prevent him from entering into the fulness of his call and destiny in
God.
"The boy Samuel continued to grow up in stature and in favor with the Lord
and
with men" (1 Samuel 2:26)
In the same manner, despite the failures and wrong choices we made in the
past, God is also able to take control of these areas, He can turn it
around for good, not just for us, but for those that surround us like our
children and other loved ones.
REMEMBERING HIS PROMISES- ISAIAH 43:18-21 -AMPLIFIED BIBLE
"Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things
of old. Behold, I Am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not
perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a
way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beasts of the field
honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the
wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen.
The people I formed for Myself that may set forth My praise [and they shall
do it]."
PRAYER OF SURRENDER
"Once more we come to Your throne of grace, Heavenly Father, and we
surrender
all our failures, regrets and remorse to You. We thank You because we know
that You are able to make all things new. We surrender to You everything
because we know that You are in control of every detail of our life.
"Allow us once again to feel Your heartbeat for us and draw us into Your
bosom this day. In Christ's name we pray all this Amen!"
Blessings,
Sis. Ching Co
Cebu City
Philippines