War broke out in Heaven. Michael and his Angels fought the Dragon. The Dragon and his Angels fought back, but were no match for Michael. They were cleared out of Heaven, not a sign of them left. The great Dragon – ancient Serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, the one who led the whole earth astray – thrown out, and all his Angels thrown out with him, thrown down to earth. Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying, Salvation and power are established! Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah! The Accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out, who accused them day and night before God. They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness. They weren’t in love with themselves; they were willing to die for Christ. Revelation 12:7-11 {MSG, emphasis mine}
Did you have a chance to watch yesterday’s video? If there’s an area of your life you’re struggling with, I pray, I pray, I pray you take the time to watch it and let God begin to chisel into every {secret} area of your life.
At the beginning of this short series, I asked a few questions:
- Are you sitting in darkness and shame?
- Maybe there’s something you’re hiding from?
- Something you don’t speak of aloud?
- And because of it … you feel you’re all alone in a corner?
Many of us have been there. Heck! for that matter, many of us are there right now!! And we desperately want to know how to, and desire to, overcome!
But how do we do it? How do we find the path from paralyzing shame and darkness to victory and light?
I believe we need to speak truth into our situations. And it starts with talking about our situations. Even if it’s to one single person. And uttered in a barely audible whisper.
It’s a step.
A step into the light.
A step into His light.
Friends, God can’t heal what we keep in the dark. <– click to tweet
God can’t bring His light into our dark places if we let the enemy continue to keep our thoughts and actions held captive with his lies and games.
Revelation 7:11 tells us the enemy was defeated “by the blood of the lamb and the bold word of their testimony!”
The next part of that verse says, “They weren’t in love with themselves; they were willing to die for Christ.” For me, that verse poses a bold question. Am I so in love with myself that I don’t trust God with my situation? I don’t trust God to heal my dark places? Am I so in love with myself that I have the gumption to think I can deal with my pain and not seek His face?
Or am I willing to die to myself and let God come in, shine His healing light, and lift me out of my despair?
Matthew Henry says, “The servants of God overcame Satan: By the blood of the Lamb. By the word of their testimony, by a resolute, powerful preaching of the eternal Gospel and by their courage and patience in suffering for that preaching. They loved not their lives unto the death: their love for their own lives was overcome by strong feelings of another nature.” {bolded emphasis mine}
How do we overcome? We overcome by:
The blood of the Lamb. Trusting in His desire to love us, nurture us, and guide us through our despair.
The word of our testimony. Speaking and bringing out of darkness what the enemy wants us to keep hidden. By our courage and patience in the suffering we’ve endured and trusting {preaching} the eternal Good News of our Lord and Savior!
Friends … great and beautiful things … grow out of dark places! Join me in believing this truth today?
Friend, could I have the privilege of covering you in prayer? Are you in the middle of a struggle or situation that has you feeling alone? Do you need courage to speak aloud of your dark place? Do you desperately desire God’s light to shine in your situation? If so, I’d be honored to lift you in prayer today. If you’re not comfortable leaving a comment, please email me at tracie @ tmstier.com.
Father God,
Thank you for your great love, for your tender mercies, for your healing light, and for your sacrificial blood of the Lamb. Lord, I ask that you send your sweet Holy Spirit to touch the inner most hurt of those who read these words today. May they feel your presence and love enter into their pain today.
Thank you Lord for hearing my prayer. In Jesus’ precious and mighty name I pray, amen.
This is part three in a three part series:
Part one
Part two
Thank you so much for these posts. I am fighting my way out of a dark place…actually fighting for our family to get out of a dark place. A place I never thought we would find ourselves. A week and a half ago we found out that my brother in law whom had been here staying with us for a couple of weeks for the holidays was molesting my 7 year old son and 5 year old grandson. We completely trusted and loved him. He claimed to be a christian and considered him a good role model. He is a little slow so doesn’t drive and struggled with holding a job but never in a thousand years would I have suspected this.
So now we are trying to heal. Crying out to God for healing and to know what to do with all this. It feels like a death. We feel betrayed and fearful in our own home. Neither of the boys will sleep by themselves and both having nightmares. My son has already been through a lot in his little life. He and his sister who is 6 are the children of my step daughter and we have been raising them as ours since they were babies. Our first years were spent undoing and healing the hurts which meant we could barely leave our home for the first couple of years because of behavior issues. You would never have known this because they are the happiest healthy sweet, kind loving and well adjusted children. But God is good as love and grace heal much. And now this happens. And yes I believe healing will come.
Still, we find outselves feeling alone in so many ways in spite of having support and love from our church and family and friends. My sweet little boy won’t sleep or be in his room. He won’t go into the basement rooms alone and even that it is a quick trip down. He meets with the school counselor and we are seeking someone who works with this issue to help him and us through this. It is just so hard because this much loved uncle who discussed the bible and God with him also discussed very inappropriate things in that same mix with him. Things happened that he won’t speak of to us. So we are trying to make our home feel good again and to fill it with happy and all that is good. We need prayers for healing for both boys and for my little girl who is so confused. I am ashamed I didn’t know…that something so wrong went on in my home with me right here. That I stood by this man in church and praised God with him and he joined our nightly devotions and I didn’t have a clue????
This has turned into a very long comment and request for prayer and for that I appologize but I have few I can talk about this to and we need all the prayers we can get to get through this. Thank you for praying!
Love your thoughts. Appreciate your encouragement. Covet your prayers. I need courage to go to the doctor about some symptoms I’ve been having that make me feel tired, off balance, and just all around out of sorts. I’m afraid. I want to trust Him to be with me every step of the way. xoxo
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such a POWERFUL mini series!!!!! what a message!!! there once was a time I lived in absolute shame… by the GRACE of GOD I’m free today… not anywhere close to where I need to be, but walking in HIS light and trusting HIS will sure feels great! I know you messages will touch countless people who feel afraid, shameful and far from GOD! thanks for sharing from your heart!
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