Our God Reigns

I have had this song on repeat alllll morning. I've probably heard it a good 20 times today, no exaggeration. I encourage you to listen to this song, and pray the lyrics over yourself, home, work, family and friends. Honestly? I had it blasting earlier and was praying for Ann Arbor and all the students as I drove through town earlier. 

Everyone always talks about how when you are clearly doing the work of God, you'll be under extra attack from the devil. I always took that with a grain of salt. Coming from a background where I was always convinced that something bad was going to happen and it was always God's fault, I figured "What more could Satan do to me that God hasn't punished me with already?!" (Yes. I know- WAY messed up thinking... Praise God I don't feel this way anymore after a lot of mentoring from strong adult Christian leaders!!) 

But yet here I am. Starting my second year of working ministry full time. A place I NEVER expected to find myself even as I graduated from college. I never saw myself working ministry because I wasn't sure what I actually thought and believed about God for a longggg time. And I thought "If I have questions, how the heck am I going to answer other peoples questions when they have them?!" Thankfully again I have learned that sometimes the best ministry comes out of being authentic and simply just admitting that you don't know it all and that is totally okay! Working in ministry has actually solidified and strengthened my faith in a way that I never really thought could be possible. 

After the past two weeks being INSANE at work. I had moments where I questioned what the heck I was doing, but thankfully I never really considered running and quitting. But, I have felt like the house where I work has been under spiritual attack recently. Each of my co-workers and myself have faced incredible challenges in our personal life on top of work being crazy. We work with some of the most vulnerable, hurting, abused kids on the face of this planet. The work we do is really important. Not because we are good at what we do, but because our work is the hands and feet of Jesus giving his love to these precious girls. And I have been angry, quite honestly! I have yelled on my short drive home from work praying for my girls and praying that Satan would get the heck out of our house, because he does NOT reign there. 

And so here I sit at my weekly Starbuck date with myself, and I feel angry still. I just want to scream at Satan to leave my girls alone! Leave my co-workers alone! Go pick on someone else! And yet, then I listen to the words of this song: 

"Our God reigns here, Our God reigns here. We claim this ground in Jesus’ name ‘Cause our God reigns. Our God reigns here, Our God reigns here. The battle’s won-Have no fear ’Cause God reigns here-He reigns here!"

Did you read that? 'the battle's won, have no fear cuz God reigns here. The battle is won. I have a righteous anger at Satan, don't get me wrong, and I could waste ALL the time in the world being mad at him for the destruction he is causing. But in reality? That is JUST what he wants me to do. He has thrown obstacle after obstacle in our paths trying to make it impossible to help these girls, and prove to them that they are unloveable.  And if I listen to that, it makes my human nature shiver with fear. 

But what does my TRUE identity say? The identity who is secure in Christ as a daughter of the King, and knows that I am living on a battleship for the army of Christ, not a cruise ship? My true self says "Satan, you have no place here. I command you to leave here in Jesus name. Come back from whence you came." And with that? I straighten my helmet of salvation, buckle my helmet of truth, and take up my sword of the spirit. And that is that. I do NOT have to spend my time fighting pointless battles with Satan- I know who wins in the end. I will defend and protect these girls till my dying breath, but in reality? Thats it for me. I can't really save them. I cant really heal them. I can guide them, love them and protect them. But in reality we need God to do the real protection and fight the ultimate battle against satan for us. 

And so, that's my new mission for this journey. I can put on my armor of God each morning, and pray for protection and strength for my girls, and know that in the end God will defeat Satan and all will be well in the new heaven and the new earth. I can continue leading my girls on this path of healing, and recognizing that they are made well regardless if all of their physical and mental scars are miraculously healed or not. (more on that later this week!) 

So here is my random thought of the day for you.... Where are you forgetting that God does in fact reign and not Satan? Where are you spending wayyyy too much energy trying to defeat Satan on your own when in reality you need to let God step in and do his thing? We often convince ourselves that it feels more safe to feel secure and protect ourselves by ourselves because we are in control, but I promise you the security that comes with giving these battles over to Christ will give you peace that surpases all understanding. So I challenge you today- what do you need to give over to Christ? What battles do you need to stop fighting physically and mentally and start fighting with prayer? I encourage you to take some time tonight and sit down with God and reassess your battle plan. You won't regret it!