trouble

Angels seen and unseen

/ Patty Morris / 2 Comments

An American businessman I know was returning to his hotel in a foreign city one night. Exiting his taxi, Paul (not his real name) was suddenly confronted by a menacing gang of some eight young toughs. They came at him out of the shadows brandishing metal pipes and knives. Looking for a quick escape, Paul glanced behind him and saw a dark giant looming over him. Suddenly the gang saw the same fearsome being! They panicked, dropped their weapons, and fled in terror!

Paul turned back to thank the stranger who had saved his life. But he saw no one there. A huge angel had miraculously appeared out of the dark to his rescue and then just as quickly vanished from sight. God had briefly revealed the angel’s powerful presence in order to scare away the bad guys.

Shaken but secure, Paul thanked God for his divine rescue. God was answering his prayers, and those of his family, for his protection.

When your enemies appear to be coming at you with overwhelming force, remember the Lord God Almighty is with you. Seen or unseen, Jesus is Lord of heaven’s armies. He is mighty to save. His giant warring angels are ready to rescue you. Be prayed up each day before you venture out. Take time to call on the Lord, and He will sustain you. Whatever your situation, He will never leave you nor forsake you.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress,

My God.  In Him I will trust.”

                                                      Psalm 91:1-2 (NKJV)

Seeing through eyes of faith

The Bible relates many dramatic stories of angels seen and unseen coming to the aid of God’s people. The prophet Elisha woke up one morning to find his city surrounded by an enemy army seeking to kill him (2 Kings 6:14-17) . His servant was in a panic. But not Elisha. He was a man of prayer, who lived close to God. Elisha saw through eyes of faith. He trusted in God’s protection.

“Do not fear, for more are those who are with us than those are with them.” Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, that he may see.” God lifted the veil to the spiritual realm, revealing a much larger force of angels, horses and chariots of fire appearing on the mountains above them. No physical battle was necessary. The angels threw the enemy army into such confusion that they went home peacefully and never again bothered Elisha or his people.

2020 vision—truth revealed

Looking around us in this new year 2020, we see dangers threatening us on many fronts. The evil forces against us, our families, our leaders, our nation and our God–can appear enormous. But as God’s precious children, we must look beyond what others see, beyond what the media are reporting. Looking through eyes of faith, we see our God is more than enough for every battle. We are victorious in Him. That is God’s truth.

We don’t focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal.

                                                                2 Corinthians 4:18 (TPT)

We are never alone. God surrounds us with His glorious presence to strengthen and protect us. Jesus is Lord of heaven’s armies. He is mighty to save.

When you see yourself as small, weak and defenseless, the enemy will see you that way too. Time to put on your God-given lenses. See the situation accurately from God’s perspective. Remember Whose you are. You are not alone. You and God make up a mighty majority, which no enemy can withstand. Enemies of danger, violence, fear and doubt, sickness and lack, quake at the Name of Jesus.

Submit yourself to God and the evil one must flee, for we resist him in the Name of Jesus. Tell the enemy to go. See him flee in terror. He is so afraid of you.

    Safe and secure

    Put on your 2020 vision glasses. And see things clearly now. There is more going on here than we can see with our natural eyes. The Lord Jesus and His angels are everywhere protecting America, protecting God’s children. Together you and God are more than enough to win.

    Share your own story of breakthrough…

    Do you have a dramatic story of heavenly intervention in your own life? Have you experienced supernatural grace that rescued you from peril? Perhaps God healed you from an incurable disease. He warned you to miss a plane that later crashed. Or he chased a burglar out of your house. Whatever your story, we invite you to share it with our readers, to inspire others with 2020 vision and raise our expectations to see God’s glory in our own lives. Go to the Comment page to share your story. And thanks! We look forward to hearing from you.

    Love is the answer

    / Patty Morris / Leave a comment

    How is your love life?

    Relationships can be messy.  Conflicts are inevitable.  With all the division, quarreling and misunderstandings going on today, there seems to be only one real remedy–love.

    Love your friends.  Love your family and your supporters.  But don’t forget to love those who disagree with you.  And love your enemies–those who persecute you, criticize you and lie about you.  Pray for them.  Love them.  Especially those who disagree with you–even if they are wrong.

    Pray and ask the Lord for wisdom and patience.  He will show you how best to handle each situation.  If there is abuse involved, remove yourself from that situation.  If you need help, get it.

    But if a person is merely annoying you, making you angry, cover that person in prayer.  The Lord may give you insight as to why they are being so disagreeable.  God may tell you to bind the evil spirits that are deceiving that person.  Bind them in Jesus’ mighty Name.  Then ask God to send that person witnesses to the truth, witnesses to whom they will listen.  Declare by faith a spirit of love over your irritant.

    ” Receive this truth:  Whatever you forbid on earth shall be considered to be forbidden in heaven. and whatever you release on earth will be considered to be released in heaven.”                                                                             Matthew 18:18  (TPT)

    Many times the Lord will choose not to deliver us from trouble immediately but rather uphold us through that trial.  His goal is to develop our strength of character and endurance.  Our character is more important to God than our comfort level.

    Endurance means patience, perseverance.  Patience can be defined as love on trial, love refined and pure, selfishness conquered.  This trial of love could be painful, but the fruit of it is worth it  Let patience have its perfect work.

    Let’s see what our love life should look like. This is what God says He is working to develop in us.

    Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s LOVE in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything without weakening! Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].                                                                              1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (AMPC)

    Unconditional love that is patient and kind, not self-centered–that kind of love never fails!  God says so.  And He is always right.  He is LOVE Himself.

    So agree with God.  Stop complaining about that person who irritates you.  They may be just the sandpaper you need to smooth out your own rough edges.  Start calling yourself and your irritant patient and kind with each other.  Say that you are ever ready to believe the best about each other.  Be not touchy, fretful or resentful.  Take no offense with each other.  Instead, be quick to forgive.  Say these powerful words from the Bible out loud each day, and watch your relationships change.  God-given words spoken by a believer have great power and authority.  They have healed many a relationship, many a marriage.

    And in the meantime, if someone refuses to love you back–even after all your patience and kindness–just bless them and get on with your life.  Give them grace–not what they deserve.  No resentment.  No bitterness from you.  You go free from any burden of hatred or offense.

    How is it possible to love the unlovable? Only by the Spirit of God.  If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, His Spirit lives inside you.  Let Him have free rein in your life.  Let Him love the people through you.  Be His love letter.  Ask Him to help you.  Love is really the only answer.