³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and are numerous enough to take possession of the land.--Exodus 23:30, AMPC

The true Christian life should be victorious, free, abundant, and full of peace and joy. So why is it often not? Here are some hidden enemies the LORD has shown me that had been causing defeat in my life, but that He's helped me overcome more and more! 

We have one enemy (the devil, whom Jesus totally defeated by His shed blood on the cross, over 2,000 years ago--and in our lives, the moment we choose to ask the LORD to forgive us of our sins, and trust in Him as Savior and LORD!), but he has many ways of trying to hinder and tyrannize and discourage us. 

The enemy can work with wrong roots in our flesh. Our "flesh" is--when it's not talking about an actual physical body as created by God (and they all are--humans and animals!)--the part of us that is the soul; the mind, the will, and the emotions. 

Father God never meant for life to be hard for us! He planted a perfect, beautiful, abundantly-supplied Garden in Eden, and then created man and woman (one man plus one woman is God's Plan!), and put them into it, to have pleasant productivity, and everything supplied and under their dominion.

Then, it all got turned upside down, to say the least! 

The enemy, who is always trying to hurt God, and can only hurt God's children, since he sinned against God and got thrown immediately and permanently out of Heaven, tricked Eve. 

Anyway, you can read all this in the first book of the Bible, in Genesis. 

The point is that the enemy appealed to Eve's mind and emotion; two-third of her "flesh". The other part is the human will. He swayed her mind and emotion to do the one thing that God told her not to, and she allowed the wrong thoughts from the enemy to move her emotions, and then her will. 

She chose to disobey God and listen to the enemy.

Every human on the planet has, one way or another, sooner or later. We are born into sin, and Jesus is the only Way out!

Since sin entered the planet (which was never God's plan! He did not want His children to know evil; only good!), every baby, no matter how cute and "inncent" is born into it, and will follow it, in one way or another. 

Even after we are born again in our spirits, we must choose to learn the Word of God, which is His ways for us to live for the very best life we can have on the earth, and learn to let our spirits rule our souls and bodies.

Since sin started, humans are born selfish, prideful, fearful, and worse.  We have to learn to master these things, and can only truly be free of them with the help of the living God, the LORD Jesus Christ!

One thing about enemies is that they do their best work in the darkness; hidden. However, the more the Light turns on in our souls, as we read and think about, speak and hear and sing the living, life-changing Word of God, the more the Truth exposes the lies we have agreed with.

The more we learn who we are in the Word of God, through the blood Covenant we have with Yahweh, Jehovah, Father God (He becomes our Father, and we His Royal Children, the moment we truly receive Christ Jesus as our Savior!), by the blood shed by His Son, Jesus Christ, the more we walk in the Truth, in the victorious, free, abundant life He always meant for us to experience!

¹⁰ The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).--John 10:10, AMPC

Hallelujah!

It's usually easier for us to notice when others are acting wrong. 

However, when we ask the LORD to reveal to us what we need to change, be assured that He will show us! Then--be prepared!--it's not going to be pretty!

However, when we let the LORD, Who is Love (I John 4:8), show us what's been holding us back and tripping us up; when we let Him expose to us what needs to be corrected, it may hurt, but the "surgery" will be so worth it!

And it shall be that before they call I will answer; and while they are yet speaking I will hear.--Isaiah 65:24, AMPC

The LORD is SUCH a Gentleman, that He will never show you everything at once! I am proof of that! My goodness, if Daddy God had shown me at once ALL the mess that's been in my life that was against His Word, I would have just fainted and passed on to Heaven right then--overwhelmed at the darkness! I have never killed anyone....or have I?

He says if we speak against others, we can murder them with our words, and I certainly have. That's just the start....I think I'm one of His biggest trophies!

Praise the LORD, His mercy precedes His judgment!

Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and  trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).--Ephesians 2:5, AMPC

Ask the dear LORD Who loves you in spite of all that's wrong with you, and He will!

He knows it all! But if you've received His Son, Jesus, as your Savior and LORD, then your covered!

If you have not, then you are NOT covered, and that is a very dangerous place to be--especially in this crazy, rotten world! 

What are you waiting for?

If you want true victory over your enemies--not only your "flesh", but anyone and anything else that would try to hard you, and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and LORD! His mighty holy angels will become your constant bodyguards, and His Spirit will help you know and sense Him and His love for you!

Jesus is good, God is good, and they want a close relationships with you!  They want to cover and help and guide and comfort and provide for you, and more! Ask Jesus to be your Savior and LORD today, by repeating this simple, but life-changing prayer out loud:

Dear Jesus, I choose to believe You are real, and that I need you to forgive me and cleanse me of all my sins. I need You as my Savior and LORD, and choose to receive You. I thank You for new life, and all the blessings You are giving me. 

Please come into my heart and be my Savior and LORD and Best Friend Forever! I receive You and thank You so much. In Your Name, amen!

Now, if you said that prayer sincerely, you are born again, and now have a Covenant with the Living God, Who created the heavens and the earth, and you and all living things!  He loves you and will start teaching you His ways. You can get to know Him through reading the Holy Bible, going to a Bible-believing church, worshiping Him in music and in the quiet, and praying, as well as being with other Bible-believing Christians! Hallelujah! Congratulations on making the best decision of your life! 

Through books, courses, presentations, service, prayer, worship, and more, Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. Her series for girls, P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES, is now out (books I-V), along with LEGACY; YOUR HOLY HEALTH: VISIONS OF THE KING, and more. See the "River Rain Creative" YT channel.