Never Forget Who You Belong To

Sometimes the enemy of our souls works extra hard to derail us, taunting and tormenting us with lies straight from the pit of his dwelling place -- hell. But we need not fear! Even when our days seem darker than dark, we have something to hold on to -- our Heavenly Father and the FACT the TRUTH that we are indeed His precious and powerful daughters. 

Just remind the devil of where he's headed and who has won the battle. We have defeated him by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. That's something to rejoice over. 

So straighten your crown, tighten your amor, pick up that sword and shield and kick satan's you-know-what with God's Truth.  

Revelation 12:10-11

 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, he who accuses them day and night before our God. 11They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.

Put on the Armour of God (prayer format)

Putting on the Armor of God Prayer

Dear Lord, I come before you today to put on the spiritual armor that You have so generously provided for your Princess Warriors, and that means me. 

First, I put on the Belt of Truth, buckled securely around my waist, for it is Your truth that sets me free. I then put on the Breastplate of Righteousness that covers my heart and emotions and shows I am in right standing with You. My feet are shod in the preparation of the Gospel of Peace, and I take those feet and tread on serpents and scorpions, while bringing peace and love, not anger and discord wherever I may travel this day. I firmly take hold of the Shield of Faith, and use it to quench every fiery arrow the devil may fire at me, and I take the Sword of the Spirit, which is Your precious and powerful Word, and I use it to pierce through the enemy’s wicked plans. For Your Word states, all I must do is submit myself to You, Lord, and tell the devil to flee, and he must go. So, be gone. devil, in the NAME OF JESUS! 

I choose to follow my Heavenly King this day. May I serve You with joy and perseverance, living boldly and lovingly as Your Princess Warrior. In Jesus’ Mighty Name, I pray, Amen. 

Together we can!

Greetings Princess Warriors!

I pray that all is well and that God's favor continues to shine upon you, bringing joy, regardless of your circumstances. May God fill you with His strength as you fight your daily battles. May He bring you victory after victory! Amen! I just had to pray a blessing over you. We just can't get enough blessings, can we?

So ...

The other day, I was finally able to visit the "Re-Gifting Store" near my place of employment in Vancouver, WA. I've driven past this unique business for the past couple of months but never seem to have enough time to explore the treasures waiting just beyond the cheerfully painted windows.

I don't know about you, but I like a bargain. I'd already heard this was a great place to find good deals, and that it was operated by good people, people who were helping people in the community make ends meet. Needless to say, I had a great shopping experience while listening to great Christian music. Yes ... this is a Christian owned and operated business that I highly recommend. I plan to do some volunteer work in the near future.

Anyway, as I was preparing to leave, I attempted (being the strong, capable, do-it-yourself kind of woman that I am) to carry all my purchases out to my car all alone. I had a grocery-sized bag of books, including plenty of hardbacks. (They let you fill up a bag of any books for five bucks!) I'd also grabbed a kitty-cat painting for my daughter and a super-cool leather bag.

Me with the bad knee and extra pounds was going to lug this all out without asking for help, thank you very much nice Christian people. Well, thankfully, those nice Christian people were having none of my self-sufficiency. A generous and highly capable volunteer lifted my load and helped me get settled. I was very grateful for the support. I couldn't possibly have made it on my own without breaking something, at the very least a nail.

Silly, wasn't it? Me almost breaking my back trying to accomplish something by my own not-so-super strength.

Seriously, though, how often do we try to do things on our own? How often do we get discouraged fighting battles alone, attempting to wield our swords when our arms are ready to collapse under the weight? Probably more often than we care to admit.

For me, it's especially hard to ask for help when I've made a mistake, when I've sinned or fallen short. I find that I'm ashamed and afraid to let others see me at my worst. Forget about God's grace, it doesn't apply in this situation, I falsely tell myself. Or, I'm facing a huge battle of some kind and I'm out on the battlefield all alone, too tired to lift my weapon and face my enemy. Not a good position to be in -- ever.

I'm so, so glad that this dismal picture can be completely re-adjusted with a little help from my friends.

Think for a moment about Moses. He was one powerful man of God when he allowed God to work powerfully though him. But even Moses didn't fight all by himself. In one of his many adventures, he and the Israelites faced yet another formible enemy -- the Amalekites. Moses stood on top of a hill with his staff raised high. When he kept the staff up, his army was victorious. When he lowered it, well, the results were not so good. Eventually, his arms got tired. I mean can you imagine holding up a huge staff, over your head, for hours on end? I couldn't even hold a bag of books for three minutes!

Thankfully, God had stratigically provided Moses with helpers. Listen to the story:

So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. Exodus 17: 10-12

These two men literaly lifted up their friend's arms. Moses didn't say, "Go away! I can manage by myself." Thank goodness for the Israelites that he was willing to share his burden.

Ladies, we, too, need others to share our burdens and to help us lighten our loads, and whatever those things weighting us down might be, God provides a way lessen our yokes, if we'll let Him. Our walk with Christ is a journey meant to be taken with other Christian travelers. And the battles we fight are meant to be won with friends by our side.

I understand how difficult it can be to humble yourself and seek help. We live in a world that tells us to pull up our bootstraps and hide our tears. But, in reality, what we all need is a person or persons that can hold up our arms when they become to weary to stay raised. Please, precious princess, just because you're a warrior doesn't imply you must stand and fight alone.

Moses, one of the greatest, godliest leaders of all time needed support. Why shouldn't we?

If your armor has become too heavy to put on, reach out. There is an armor bearer standing somewhere nearby who will help prepare you for battle. God doesn't want us to spend our lives struggling alone, oh no! He tells us where two or more are gathered He is in their midst. When God is in our midst, we can expect a victory. Lift us up, Lord. Lift us up!

Resting in the Word

Friends, it's been far too long since I've posted. My life took on a life of its own, if you know what I mean. Almost overnight, my workload at work, in ministry, and home quadrupled. I have some very exciting writing projects in the works and speaking engagements coming up as well.

And, I've broken one of my own rules. Spending an hour (at minimum) with God daily; in His Word, in prayer, and in worship. As I sit here, I realize just how thirsty I am for His Word, for more of Him.

Picture, if you will, those times during the summer months, when we can easily find ourselves in situations that increase our need for cool, refreshing water. Too much heat, hard exercise, or outdoor activities, tend to make us thirsty. In daily life,our busy schedules, family requirements, work projects, and ministry activities increase our need for more of God's supernatural power and thirst-quenching Word. But, amazingly, we often drink less and end up parched for God's refreshment.

If you're in a thirsty-place like I am, stop now and drink deeply. We cannot possibly fulfill our royal duties without God's strength. Sure, we may be able to function for short sprints on our own limited power, but those longer races require more and more of Jesus. Not to mention, "functioning" isn't the same as excelling and overcoming, is it?

I loved the above picture featuring a princess leaning on a sword. It perfectly demonstrates how we, as daughthers of the King, must lean on the Sword of the Spirit -- God's Word -- in order to successfully fulfill our destinies.

Won't you join me, this Monday, as I recommit to time with my Lord, basking in His presence, feasting on His truth, and experiencing His love and grace? He's only a prayer away.

Battle Ready Beauty

Because of Christ's supernatural power and the support, encouragement, and love that we receive from one another, we are indeed stronger and more equiped to fight the good fight of faith. And believe me it is a fight. Somedays are more challenging than others.

It is critical that we know what we are up against in this daily battle for freedom. I'd like to share an article I wrote that has been featured on Campus Crusade for Christ's many online magazines for quite some time now. I hope it will inspire and guide you as you prepare to live life as a Princess Warrior for Christ.

Under His Care

Carol Van Atta

Have you ever wondered why one day you experience a miraculous breakthrough in your spiritual growth, and the next day it seems like every thing from a flat tire to a heart wrenching tragedy occurs? Is it simply “bad luck”? Possibly - but doubtful. There is an enemy of our souls who seeks to kill and destroy us. Granted, this fiend is a defeated foe, but he can and will continue to give us distress from now until the day God permanently puts him out of commission. As believers in Christ, we can rest assured that this day will come.

When? Only God the Father knows for certain. Until then, we are to fight the good fight of faith and trust in our Lord, Savior, and Protector. In any battle it is crucial to know your enemy. What are his strengths? What are his weaknesses? The following list, from Willmington’s Book of Bible Lists, gives us the following scriptural insights into the nature and abilities of our advisory, Satan:

He was named Lucifer before his fall (Isaiah 14:12)
He was in Eden (Ezekiel 28:13)
He was the anointed cherub of God (Ezekiel 28:14)
He was adorned with precious stones (Ezekiel 28:13)
He was the perfection of wisdom and beauty (Ezekiel 28:12)
He fell through pride (Ezekiel 28:17)
He attempted to steal God’s throne (Isaiah 14:13)
He wanted to be like God (Isaiah 14:14)
He possesses intelligence (2 Corinthians 2:11; 11:3)
He possesses memory (Matthew 4:6)
He possesses a will (2 Timothy 2:26)
He possesses a desire (Luke 22:31)
He possesses pride (1 Timothy 3:6)
He possesses wrath (Revelation 12:12)
He possesses great organizational ability (1 Timothy 4:1, Revelation 2:9,24)

To sum it up, we are dealing with an intelligent, manipulating force bent on our destruction, and world domination. But this creature is just that - a creature! He was created. He is not the Creator! We serve the Creator of all things. A creative Heavenly Father, who can take what Satan intends for evil, and instead use it to glorify His Heavenly Kingdom.

Taking a Stand Against Evil
God provides us with an incredible arsenal of weapons, described in the book of Ephesians. But before we venture to put on our armor, I’d like to state a very important truth. Although, we are to take an offensive, as well as a defensive posture against evil, we are never to focus on the kingdom of darkness.

Quite the contrary, the closer we are to our Heavenly Father, the safer we are. It is when we venture out of His protective covering, and blatantly live in our own will, that we put ourselves in the direct line of fire. Maintaining an attitude and lifestyle of thankfulness, worship, obedience, confession, service, and love, will be our best defense against the wiles of the devil.

In the book of James, verses 4:6-10, James tells us in his “no-nonsense” manner that God will give us the strength we need to resist evil. We are to live humble lives, for God opposes the proud. We are to repent for our sinfulness, accept its seriousness, and bow before the Lord, acknowledging that we are dependent on Him and Him alone.

When we live in this manner, with confidence, we can resist the devil and he will flee from us! The reason I believe the following scripture is so important, is because it reminds us that we can’t just shout, “I resist you devil—now flee!” No, there is a lifestyle that must be in effect for our words to have meaning and for our enemy to take us seriously.

The destroyer knows when we are out of fellowship with our Creator, not because he is omnipresent, but because his hordes of fallen angels (demons) observe us, and wait for us to falter in our faith. But again, we need not fear. As we continue to fall in love with the Father, He will cover us, and as this scripture in the New Living Translation so beautifully states, God will honor us.

He gives us more and more strength to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,“God sets himself against the proud,but he shows favor to the humble.”

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.

Thankfully, we are under God’s care. We belong to Him. We, dear friend, are his chosen ones, his daughters, and heiresses to his Heavenly Kingdom. The devil, like the big bad wolf, in Little Red Riding Hood, will attempt to deceive us into thinking he is the loving grandmother, tucked cozily under the fluffy, plaid quilt, on an oversized, cushy bed. But thankfully, our Lord, like the powerful Woodsman, will rescue us when we call out to him. Sometimes, “Help!” will be the best words to pass through our lips. God will hear our cry, and He will rescue us because it’s His nature, to love and protect us - His children.

Putting On the Armor of God
He also provides extremely effective weaponry for our personal protection. Armed with His truth, we are mighty warriors. In the days, months, and years ahead, let’s remember to put on our armor, The Armor of God, found in the book of Ephesians 6:10-18.

Though we are to take a stand, nowhere in God’s Word does it say that we are to pursue the devil and his evil forces. In fact, in the Lord’s Prayer, we are told to pray this way: “Lord, keep us from evil.” The best thing we can do is to avoid evil at all costs. It is plain foolishness to start looking for a demon under every bed, or behind every bush. It is inevitable that at some point we will face the devil, but that should never be our focus. Instead, our focus should always be on the only One deserving of our attention, Jesus Christ.

May God keep you, fellow Christian, as you fight the good fight of faith, one step and a prayer at a time. Why not use the following prayer as a way to visualize your commitment of putting on the Armor of God each day:

Dear Heavenly Father, I commit this day to You. I submit my will to Yours and recognize that You are my Commander and Chief. As Your warrior, I want to serve You with all my body, mind, and spirit. I put on the entire armor now. First, I place the belt of truth around my waist, Your truth God, which sets me free.

Then I secure the breastplate of righteousness across my chest, covering my heart and emotions. I place my feet in shoes shod with the gospel of peace. May I bring your peace into many situations today. I now take up the shield of faith. May this shield protect me from the fiery darts of my enemy.

I cover my head securely with the helmet of salvation. May my thoughts be on You, Lord, and may I think good, pure, and godly thoughts throughout my day.Finally, I pick up the sword of the Spirit, which is Your powerful Word, God. I use this sword to pierce through the enemy’s plans. For your Word tells us that all we must do is submit ourselves to you and tell the enemy to flee and he most go. So go Satan, in the name of Jesus!

Thank you in advance, Lord, for a day of victory!

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reigning Real from your Throne: Part I

Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession.

Deuteronomy 14:2 NIV

Tentatively, the woman approached the massive wardrobe. Its intricate design work showcased a multitude of dazzling jewels. The words impressive, inspiring, even remarkable fell short of sufficiently describing the workmanship of this majestic creation that now housed an array of colorful gowns — her gowns.

Gently stroking the velvety fabric of one purple, floor-length robe, she envisioned the elegant garment draped over her shoulders. Carefully, she slipped the item from its hanger. As she secured the tasseled belt around her waist, a flash of metal caught her attention.

In the far right corner of her vast, new closet, she spotted what looked like armor…several armors. Some silver, others bronze, or gold; they shone with an unearthly brilliance. Who could they belong to? Why were they placed in the midst of her royal attire? Surely, there must be some mistake.

She vaguely remembered reading about “fighting the good fight of faith,” but she’d assumed that statement applied specifically to men who resided in the Kingdom. Her King wouldn’t expect her to battle, or, would He?

Turning away from the wardrobe, she nearly stumbled over a scroll tied with a gold ribbon. Goodness, how could she have missed that? Without hesitation, she eagerly grasped the rolled parchment and hurried to a chair by the fireplace. Hopefully, she’d find the answers she sought. She read…

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9 NKJV)

As Jesus’ beloved, you have received the following:

- Resources — “All that belongs to the Father is mine…the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you” (John 16:15 NIV)

- Friendship — “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15 NIV)

- Love — “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” (John 15:9)

- Joy — “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11 NIV)

- Glory — “I have given them the glory that you [Father] gave me” (John 17:22 NIV)

- A Risen life — “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. .When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1,4 NIV)

- Inheritance — “If we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17 NIV)

- The Right to Reign — “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne” (Revelation 3:21 NIV)

- Protective Armor — “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the whiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:10-12 NKJV)

The delicate inscription explained everything. She had indeed become a princess for Christ, but it wasn’t all about frilly ruffles and priceless perfume. No, her new identity involved living like a princess and a warrior, who on occasion might have to lift her royal ruffles to launch a swift kick of truth at a relentless enemy. She had been given a belt, breastplate, special footwear, helmet, and even a sword to use against her King’s sworn enemy. Indeed, the armor she had seen…was hers.

***

When I first accepted Christ as my Savior, I was immediately wrapped in a glorious gown of His grace and seated on spiritual throne next to my beloved King.
Life was good.

My sins had been forgiven and I was flying high on the understanding that I had traded my filthy rags for a heavenly destiny. I’d turned from a pauper to a princess. The old “me” was gone and a new Carol stood ready to reign as Christian royalty. Well, almost.

I excitedly opened myself to God’s Spirit and soon discovered there was a hope-filled future for those of us who believed and belonged to Christ’s family. Wow! This life far exceeded my previous existence of pain, shame, numerous addictions, and chronic hopelessness. God had chosen imperfect me to follow perfect Him…forever.

The first months of my new, royal- reality seemed to dance by like a graceful ballerina. A few spins and stumbles, but no major falls. Then something changed. Something happened. I tripped and fell…hard. Getting up was difficult, and wearing a fluffy tutu in light of my blunders seemed silly at the very least. Standing in a silky gown, while a brutal battle raged around me became increasingly foolish, and incredibly difficult. Although I tried to maintain my perfect princess identity, it was apparent I’d missed some critical information in my previous review of God’s plan of action.

I had been floating along on a cloud of God’s incredible grace, all the while, forgetting there was another pertinent, palace-protocol that I had completely missed — the importance, actually, the complete necessity of God’s powerful truth.

Without a more complete knowledge of God’s Manual for Living, the Holy Bible, I had failed to utilize the armor my King so generously provides for all of His royal subjects. Without the this protective covering, I had left myself wide open for the King’s sworn enemy, Satan, to trip me up, leaving me battered, bruised, and quite frankly bewildered by the ferocity of this feral beast’s attacks. Apparently, this otherworldly creature was none too pleased to have lost yet another one of his former, sinful slaves to Christ’s love.

Thankfully, I discovered sooner, rather than much later, that over my fancy princess attire, I needed to add a Garment of Praise and Prayer and a warrior’s full body armor, including:

· The Belt of Truth
· Breastplate of Righteousness
· Sandals of the Gospel of Peace
· Helmet of Salvation
· Shield of Faith
· Sword of God’s Spirit

I also needed to consume the proper nutrients to remain spiritually and emotionally strong and agile, The Fruit of God’s Spirit… “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law”— (Galatians 5:22 NAS)

By embracing all God has for His Princess Warriors - us - we truly are able to reign real in an often wicked world without succumbing to its tantalizing temptations. We can be totally and completely satisfied with who we are…daughters of the King. There is no better position, is there? After all, anything less leaves us reaching for more.

Join me next month as we continue to discover the joys of reigning real from our thrones as precious princesses and worthy warriors. God bless you until then.