Headline: This Battle Is Between Good And Evil

This is the Truth Network. Welcome to Running with Horses, a podcast devoted to inspire you, concerning a relationship with Almighty God that empowers you to accomplish things you never thought possible.

Shirley Weaver wants to take you there. And now here's today's episode. Hello, everyone, and welcome.

So glad you're here for the show today. We're looking at this contest between good and evil, permeating our nation, the culture worldwide. And I'm struggling with the title, what to do when everything upside down and exactly opposite to what makes sense is happening. And what about this contest between good and evil?

I'm sure there's a title in there somewhere. But I'm really emphasizing and I want you to hear this message. During this time in this day, you have got to have someone to lift you up.

This is no time to go it alone. Today's show, we're looking at all of these and how to balance this, particularly because so many people are already in the struggle of this contest. Basically, I just want to say in the contest between good and evil, you always want it to shake out so that you wind up on the side of the Lord. You want to be on the Lord's side, not on the opposite side, because we're identifying the struggle as basically a contest between light and dark. God is light. Satan is dark. God is good. Satan is evil.

That's what's happening. Some people even say that this battle has such depth that it is a battle for the soul of the individual, of the nation, the group. You know, even non-spiritual people are arriving at the same conclusion. So we spiritually discern it, but also sensibly and intellectually you can see what's happening here. And it really just hit me the other day, actually, when I heard very casual speakers, actually non-spiritual types, verbalize exactly the same wording, the same concern that the church has, that this is something we've not had earlier or before.

We have not heard this kind of interpretation of what's taking place. Non-spiritual people using the same terminology tells me the average person gets it. And listen, if the average person gets it, we are in a place as the church to take the lead here, to be the example, and to be able to discern what is happening and what to do about it. In the struggle, in the contest, whatever term you want to use right here, you do not want to find yourself on the wrong side because there is a God side, which scripture often compares the character of God and his nature and his power. The comparison often made is with fire. Literally one verse says, a consuming fire. Ezekiel saw this in his vision in chapter eight, verse two. Here's the verse, then I beheld in low a likeness as the appearance of fire, from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire, and from his loins even upward as the appearance of fire, of brightness. Bottom line, our God is a fire, get this, from his loins up, and he is a fire from his loins down. You want to be on his side.

You want to stay with him. So that's the premise. That's our foundation. Let's build right now. Next, you're in this battle, whether you like it or not. We all are. Why is that?

Because demonic structures, yes, I said demonic structures affect everything. Most of the time for most of you, you really had nothing to do with the establishing of, the entrenching of the most basic of those, but still on a visceral level, you have to admit that you've opened doors. You now wish you had not. And you see, I'll just say it again. We need someone watching for us all the time. Everyone behaves better when someone is watching.

Someone to say, hey, hey, Shirley, watch out. Don't go that way. You're getting off.

Here's the path. Come back over here. And to care enough to stay with me, to walk that out with me, that is the pattern.

That's the example. And we'll see it throughout the message today how God develops this pattern as being absolutely necessary for your life, my life. So what is a demonic structure and what demonic structures are we talking about? For one, the things that you think about attract those same things to you. The things you think about attract those same things to you. Everything produces after its own kind.

If you think pure thoughts and remain above the fray, then that's pretty much what your experience will be. On the other hand, and for example, resentment, offense, anger, establish a bitter root. Now that's one of the structures. That's a demonic structure right there, a bitter root. And the Bible says that that bitter root defiles many. Other verses, Proverbs 23, seven, as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Hebrews 12, 15, a bitter root defiles many. Genesis 8, 22, everything is a seed.

And you guessed it, if that seed goes in the ground of your heart, it will produce a crop, ultimately a harvest. So that's the foundation. Whether you realize it or not, you're in this battle. Whether you realize it or not, there are demonic structures that you've got to awaken to. You must awaken to who the enemy is, where the enemy is, what the enemy is doing if you're going to prevail.

So most importantly, here's the point. Guard your heart, keep an open mind, and inquire of the Lord how to battle. Now I want to keep this out of spiritual like terminology here. I understand if you are new in the faith, and also really too, I just have to say, if you are in the middle of the battle, the last thing you want to hear is a spiritual message. Your flesh is so heightened that the last thing you are comfortable around is a spiritual message with spiritual terminology because it vexes the heck out of your flesh. It does.

And how do I know that? I've been there. I know what that feels like. So back to the point in the battle, circumstances skew your focus. And ultimately they skew your resolve to remain on the Lord's side. That's the last thing your flesh wants to do.

Like when it doesn't seem like God is listening or when your prayer isn't answered the way you envisioned or had hoped or planned. I've got some to do instruction for you. Here's what to do. Right this minute, keep it simple. Don't worry about major things.

Right this minute, narrow it down and do your best right this minute. Do not be hard on yourself. No, you got to know this now. You got to believe this, that one step leads to another and another, and you will make it through this day. If you can keep your eye on the end of the day, that is a doable prospect, right? Then long term, as you're looking ahead, try to your very best to guard your thoughts. Again, that's a spiritual kind of thing to say, I understand, but it's also too very basic in life.

You got to make the most of your downtime. And in your case, in our situation with this battle we're in, you need wisdom. So reach for it.

Say it aloud. That's what you want, that you're reaching for the wisdom because you need wisdom to open the way and download into your heart to keep an open mind to hear God. God's wisdom is what you need.

You need to reach for it. You need His wisdom to open the way, download into your heart, and you need wisdom so that you can keep an open mind. That's the way you're going to be able to hear Him. So that's why it's really important. And listen, if the battle surrounding you is raging, you must stay open.

That is not optional. And then when you do sense His leading, which if you follow these basic baby steps, you will, I promise you, you will sense His leading. Then once you sense His leading, do your very best to follow through.

You do not have to be a rock star, a rocket scientist, a spiritual giant. Just stay focused. Keep it simple. Streamline a step at a time, one day at a time. Reach for wisdom. Allow it to download into your heart.

Consider these basic baby steps. And as you move through this process, you'll sense God's leading. And boy, when you do, the peace of God comes. Peace is the Hebrew word shalom. It means nothing missing and nothing broken. I'll say it again. Shalom, nothing missing, nothing broken.

You can do this. And the most important point, really the last point here, and you got to get this. You need someone to lift you up.

No matter who you are, how smart you are, creative you are, awesome that you are, you're going to need someone. We have a devotion in our book by the same title as this podcast, Running with Horses. One of our devotionals is titled Riding Shotgun.

And it's the principle of having someone riding with you, alongside of you, to watch for you and cover you. And the spirit of Exodus 17, beginning verse 12, remember that story? Aaron and Hur held up the arms of Moses as he extended his staff over the valley where the battle was being fought. The engagement was executed. Moses on the overlooking hill extended his staff. Aaron and Hur held up his arms as his arms wearied and ultimately the conclusion of the battle was success. Also, Luke chapter 10, this is New Testament, verse 1, Jesus, this is the wisdom of God now, so this is why it's so important, Jesus sent his disciples out two by two and he did it with the 12.

He did it with the 72. And on and on and in life today, you need someone with you. You need to go out two by two. As we said in our devotional, Riding Shotgun, this is no time to go it alone. The enemy is seeking those whom he may devour. And you're smart, but you can't catch everything. You will not catch everything. So if you're living in a dungeon somewhere in a deep dark hole beneath the earth and you have no way out and you are powerless to come out of that place and you are all alone, then you are the exception.

Otherwise, you can make this choice and seek out godly influencers to walk with you. And if you think that's hard, I want to assure you, it's because you haven't done it yet. It's because you haven't valued it yet. It's because you really hadn't even thought of it before. You're so used, that's a southern expression, used.

You are so accustomed, it means accustomed, to like, knocking it out with your own strength that you don't even realize there's a better way. It's not just a good idea, y'all. This works in every part of life.

For example, a business partnership or in the context of a military operation. Anytime you're creating something larger than yourself, you're going to need other people. You cannot do it alone. So it's not just a good idea. It's not even my idea.

I'm not that smart. It's an important Bible principle. That's where we get it. Ecclesiastes 4, beginning in verse 9, puts it this way. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other. But woe to the one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.

You see, here's the picture. So if we back it up, you gotta have someone to walk with you. Guard your heart. Keep an open mind. You need to know how to battle. You've got to realize you're in a battle and you're dealing with demonic structures. And I'm sorry if you don't understand that concept, but you can.

If you start in Genesis 1 and go to the 22nd chapter of Revelation, you'll find tons of examples. It's so important that you understand you're up against a supernatural enemy. And as we said initially, you want to be on the Lord's side. Bottom line, don't cross that line, slip over into the enemy's side, because it can get brutal over there.

And not to mention, very, very dark. You don't want that. So the headline is, we're in a contest between good and evil. And in that contest, what do you do when everything is upside down and exactly opposite to everything that makes sense?

That's what we're saying today. God has a plan for you. These are simple steps to help you. You can do it. And if you will believe God and just trust Him, that's all you need to add.

It's like putting salt and pepper on your food. Believe God and trust Him. He's a very big God.

He loves a very, very big challenge. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to help support this podcast, please share it with others. Post about it on social media or leave a rating and review. Don't forget to check out the show notes or visit acleartrumpet.org where you can subscribe to Shirley's email list. Download the ministry app and purchase your very own copy of Shirley's 365-Day Devotional, Running with Horses. Thanks again, and we'll see you next time. Bye.