Spiritual Battles

Last week I fell victim to the lies of satan. He caused me to become despondent and discouraged. However through the comfort of online friends, church members and others, I began to emerge from this very personal battle I was fighting and losing.

In my failing battle, I had forgotten the “armor of God” and the One to whom I should have turned to during my battle. I knew and believed in God. I didn’t fully place my faith and trust in Him. Had I done so, I would have beaten satan at his own game; fighting his deception with the Word of God just as Jesus did after his fasting in the desert.

My losing this battle points out the importance of building your relationship with God. We should never place our faith in ourselves, we don’t stand a chance against the devil and his army. But in every spiritual battle, whether won or lost, there is a lesson to learn.

What lesson you learn is dependent upon your particular battle. In mine, I was knowledgeable that in life, we are certain to have many valleys of trial and many mountain tops of victory. We should never worry about the trials when we have God on our side.

He is shaping and molding us to do what He has planned for us. We shouldn’t belabor the agony of the trial but be obedient to His teaching. God has a purpose and a plan in which we are uniquely qualified to achieve, but only if we are obedient.

In crawling out of my despair, I read a devotional which proved to be the turning point in this particular battle. Its message was so simple and clear cut. I was blinded by my fears, I couldn’t see it during the fighting. The devotional author pointed out the facts about everyone having valleys’ and mountain top experiences.

He said the valleys’ were the bad things to happen in our life and the mountain tops were the good things. The point he made which hit me hardest was almost too easy to believe. Every time you are in a valley (bad thing), it is always followed by a mountain top (good thing).

Even though I am still in the middle of a valley, there is a mountain top coming. God is preparing me for something good. Knowing and remembering this is helping me to fight my way back. My mountain top may happen tonight, tomorrow or a few years down the road.

My part is to be obedient to God and allow Him to do His work in and through me. When I do that, my trials will be fewer and the victories will be many. If we live our lives in twenty four hour chunks; the trials are easier to manage, because Jesus said in Matthew 6:34 “Tomorrow has enough of its own worries.” Spend today living and being obedient to God and your future will be eternal.

Robert Dodson

July 22, 2013

Cresting The Summit

Cresting the summit of love’s spirit
Heals a hurting heart thumping slowly
Resting atop the chasms of challenge
Invokes a hint of daring risk of faith

Seals forever the heaven of eternity.
Trust shapes as valleys renew flowers
In groves of splashy beauty nurtured by
New clouds bursting their water to flow

Ever downward towards foaming oceans
Beaches strewn with white sand packed
Eagerly among moss covered boulders
Assigned to silently guard blazed trails

Constantly changed by winds of time
Honed to melt the lonely heart of youth
Caressing the spirit of hope to give
Back faith never lost in tomorrow’s today.

Robert Dodson
October 19, 2012
Written for a very special lady

Sunset of Truth

The path of living is a long and lonely path at times

Togetherness shared focuses on the lines

Drum on the premise that done, strength and divine.

Wedges driven inside makes one pay the fines.

Molded into a precious piece of treasure

Separated life is sad, weak and lost forever

Folded together like a pair of socks neatly

Faded adoration is worn thin secretly.

The sunset of truth never sets on trust

Each day spent builds a fondness always there

Favors attached your each memory in keeping elder

Reaching out beyond early riches traces facts best.

 

Robert Dodson
July 1996

Wisdom Borne

May the journey of your being liven those you touch?
As hope gives meaning to life’s confusion,
Results are seldom seen as desired,
Inspiration is gratefully kept open near a heart,
Elation at travel’s end gives growing solace.

Heroes are rarely known to themselves,
Expectations favor those giving to the bottom.
Nurture the lapping waves of calm seas
.Reaching heights of wisdom borne trees,
Yearning the dreams of futures forgotten.

Steadfast love shoulders debts’ illusion,
Threads of faith exist within the required,
Eluding those who never give a single part
Involving a quiet disparate place
Evokes a thrill sought through much
Remorse of events unable to shelve.

May all rejoice in emotion seek those endless in emitting radiance,
Helping everyone needful resolve young stoicism tales ever including elastic respect.

Copyright © Robert Dodson, 2006 All Rights Reserved.

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