This morning’s Bible reading seemed to be talking boldly to me.  I’m now reading in Mark, the 3rd and 4th chapters.  In them Christ is giving the followers much advice through the parables.  In Mark 3:27 Christ tells us we are to bind the strongman if we are to ransack his house.  I’ve always wondered about this verse and its meaning to me?  Joyce Meyer states in a footnote that the strongman is Satan.  This put a whole different meaning to this verse.  Once I caught that significance I reread the verse several times along with the accompanying ones.  In Mark 4:39 Christ rebuked the storm on the Sea of Galilee.  Once again Joyce says in a footnote that we are unable to rebuke storms around us if we have a storm within us.  First we must address the storm within.  When we have found Christ’s peace within us we can use that peace and it’s power to address the storms around us.

Yesterday I wrote about awakening to the truth of temptations.  Satan is forever going to put them in front of us.  The temptation isn’t the sin.  Acting on it is the sin.  This strongman’s grip is only broken when we finally realize it is through accessing the power of Christ Jesus in our lives.  We do this through believing and not through fighting.  Surrendering the temptation to Christ and engaging in something else that is Christ pleasing allows Christ to break the hold the strongman has had on us.  The peace we so desire within can and will be strong in us as we allow Christ to fight this battle.  I write this lecturing myself.  I know all too well this internal, raging storm.  I am learning now just how much Christ loves me and wants to calm this storm and heal the effects of the storm within.  In so doing, I can then complete the ministry work Christ wants done.

As I talked with our Celebrate Recovery leadership team yesterday we addressed the new topics we will be starting in the coming year:  homosexuality and abuse.  If someone would have told me 10 years ago I’d be leading a discussion about these topics and being part of teaching for them I would have fled and never returned.  Now, today, Christ has me doing just this.  I feel honored and humbled to be at such a place with Him.  My learning is to face the strongman with surrender so Christ Jesus removes the temptation instead of me trying over and over to do so and failing again and again.  To God be all Glory!