This morning, promptly upon rising, I was invited to a party. Just the suggestion of it totally annoyed me and not only was I not interested but I very firmly (actually… forcefully would be a more accurate description) expressed my opinion of the whole idea! Hummmm, maybe rude says it better. Anyway, it didn’t take me long at all to discover the ‘source’ of this invitation: my emotions were inviting me to a ‘pity party.’
When I realized what was taking place, I really got miffed! I mean, memories of incidents from ages gone by started flooding my mind and I could feel my eyebrows curling together as frowns began to take over my face. And then, I said (aloud), “WHAT is THIS all about!” Well, I KNEW what it was all about!! The enemy of my soul was attempting to use my emotions to start my day in a defeated, poor-poor-poor little me state-of-mind. I gritted my teeth (as people from Oklahoma often do because they’ve got ‘grit’) and I said: “No deal! Not gonna’ go there!”
The memories continued for about 10 minutes in a barrage. I said (aloud, so I could hear myself) when a picture would flood my mind, “So? I was healed from that hurt a long time ago. It has no power over me!” Another memory would sweep in on top of the one I’d just sent down the road. “So what? I’ve already dealt with that and it has no hold on my life!” Another memory, “Nope! Not gonna’ entertain that memory, it’s long gone and already taken care of…”
When the floodgate of memories wouldn’t close, I added another weapon of attack against my mind and emotions. I said, “EVERY time a memory comes, I’m going to thank my Lord for what He accomplished in and through my life through that incident and how it caused me to grow in my Christ-walk.” And guess what? Bammm!!! The memories stopped!! Yep! The last thing the enemy of my soul wants me to do is to praise my Lord for anything, whether past, present or future.
With the enablement of the Holy Spirit, I won a battle against myself as well, “… for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (I John 4:4b). It was up to ME to CHOOSE how I would handle that ‘party’ invitation. And when I made the choice I did, the power and might of my great, All-powerful Lord and Savior Who abides within me by His Holy Spirit, once more provided what I needed to win the battle. Win, I did. I feel stronger for the skirmish and my heart is filled with joy.
