The thing about enemies is that they catch us off guard, even if we've come to know they lurk around the corner.  We know there are always enemies.  We've seen our share of them, haven't we?  Yet, when they appear, we freak.  Ok, lest I put words into your mouth, speak for you, and label you as an enemy fearer, I freak.

And when I read in Judges about our friends, the Israelites, I realize I'm in good company.  Despite having seen God do amazing and miraculous things, they freaked when the enemy raised his ugly head.  Human nature.

Yet, my human nature has been replaced and is being replaced with a super-human nature.  I am in Christ.  Therefore, I have the mind of Christ.  And therefore, I have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in me.  Yet, silly me, my "humanness" often gets in the way.

You see Israel had forgotten God.  They had forgotten that enemies were allowed in their lives - by God - to test obedience and belief toward God.  They were stuck in a rut of disobedience and disbelief.  They had gotten themselves into a pattern of doing exactly what God told them not to do (follow other gods) and then - just when you thought all hope was gone - they cried out to God.  They asked for directions.

Sometimes, they waited a really long time to cry out - like 80 years long.  But, when they cried out to Him, He answered.  Always.  He answered.


Simple.  Yet profoundly difficult.  My natural tendency is to solve the problem, get help on my own, get help from others, do the next best thing, Google, stress - in general FREAK OUT!  And then this is where the rubber meets the road if you are a Believer.  We are not slaves to our natural tendencies.  We are lifted to a supernatural newness that calls us out of the rut, past the freak out, and on to a place of total dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit.

Yesterday, I walked.  As I walked around the Augarten (a park near my apartment), I felt really good.  Despite my yoga pants and tight fitting sleeveless shirt, I knew I was doing something healthy for my body.  I started off just walking and talking (not to myself but to God).  The more I talked, the better I felt.  Then, my mind drifted.  I began to chase fears.


Do you see the humanness of my humanity?  Not because I'm a superhero but because I've learned to become a warrior, I stopped the madness in my mind.  I began reminding myself of what God says about me.  I cried out, asking God to fill me, my mind and my Spirit with His truth.  And He answered.  Every time.  He answers.

When we freak, cry out.  Develop the habit.  He will not fail.

Soon to be ex-Freak "outer",
Christina