This word is submitted by Bret A.Wade (bretwade@possessors.org)

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Take The Sword

"When, Lord, when?" Have you ever wondered when God would come through for you against your enemies? I have many times. Concerns would arise as my thoughts would go in the "when" direction. Oftentimes, in reality, it was not me waiting on the deliverance of the Lord but rather the Lord waiting on me to move forward in faith. How many times have we arrived in a situation only to be stalemated. Not moving forward or backwards. Just feeling like we weren't going anywhere at all - just stuck.

Jeremiah 48:10b reads "Cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood." Now I realize that most of us would say, "that doesn't apply to my life". But it applies to all of us! Why would our loving Lord say such a thing? Because He wants His army to be blessed and not cursed! Cursed?! Yes, cursed! To bless means to empower to prosper. To curse means to empower to fail. I like the "bless" part a whole lot more! However it's said, just be blessed! How can we be blessed then?

We have to understand that God is a warrior. He is the Lord of Hosts, or the Lord of Armies. He has a war mentality. When we become passive with our enemy, we have already lost. "Cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood." When God has put the sword in our hands and we do not use it to destroy the enemy of our souls, we have surely brought failure upon our own heads.

We can go through all the motions of what we call spiritual warfare. Motions are simply prophetic gestures for the follow through of war. Warriors must "psyche" themselves before fighting. We, as, chosen warriors must gird up the loins of our minds. It's time not only to declare war, but to follow through by drawing blood from the satanic hosts that come against us! What has your enemy said to you? Has he stood in the valley as Goliath bellowing threats? Don't listen to his threats and consider you incapability any longer! Get up from where you are in your life and make a decision to destroy him! Lord Sabaoth has placed a sword in your hand! Will you use it?

What sword?! How about the sword of giving to defeat poverty? the sword of praise to defeat mourning? the sword of faith to defeat fear? the sword of persistence to defeat quitting? the sword of prayer to defeat hopelessness? the sword of friendship to defeat loneliness? What is your sword? It's whatever God has put into your hand that has the power when it's used to take the life force from your spiritual opposition. Draw blood! Be Blessed!

Win! You can do it or He never would have trusted you with the sword that's in your hand!

Bret A.Wade