Why am I troubled by the cares of this world, flinching at the “what ifs” and the unknowns? The enemies of my mind are emboldened by my weakened state. Giants whose names are Worry and Fear are crouching at the door.

“You have no need to fear those giants.” said the Lord. “They may seem bigger than you, but I have given you authority to tread over all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”

Frustrated with my lack of bravery, I continued confessing my disappointments to the Lord. “Fear waves its fruit in front of my eyes; confusing my senses, seducing me to take the bait. The next thing I know, I am holding the apple and flooded with fear.”

Turning to catch my eyes, the Lord said with a commanding voice, “Then drop the fruit and speak My name.”

I stood there staring at the face of my Savior, His Words still ringing in my ears, piercing my heart. The room fell silent. Jesus moved toward me, taking my hand. “At the sound of My name, your spiritual enemies will draw back and fall to the ground. They have no power over you, except what you allow.”

The Lord’s presence electrified the room, filling me with profound courage. “What must I do, Lord?”

“You are already saturated with My Spirit of Power, Love, and a sound mind. However, you must put on the full armor of God so you can stand your ground, which they will try and steal from you. They are waiting for the right moment when your guard is down.”

Taking my other hand in His, Jesus continued, “In the spiritual realm, I have prepared a table before you, which contains everything you need to be victorious in battles. Your enemies were present at that ceremony, watching Me anoint your head with oil. They know who you are, to whom you belong, and the authority you carry in My name. Do not give the devil a foothold. They are counting on you being deceived and walking away from Me.”

Grasping my head in both hands, mortified at the mere possibility, I proclaimed, “Oh no, Lord. I will drop the apple and call upon Your Holy name.”

Looking up to gain reassurance from my Savior, the room was found empty, but my courage remained.

Comforted by Genesis 3:1-7; Deuteronomy 20:1-4; John 18:4-5; Psalm 23:5; Ephesians 6:10-18; Ephesians 4:27; 2 Timothy 1:7; Luke 10:17-20

I always thought myself to be mentally and emotionally strong. But I now see a deep vein of fragility running through me, like a hairline crack waiting to bust-open under applied pressure, Lord.

“You are My delicate porcelain treasure, fashioned by My fine workmanship, but you are not frail.” said the Lord.

Pondering His Words, I felt something worrisome inside me. “I am concerned this weakness will cause me to fail and become ineffective in the purposes You have for me, Lord.”

Moving toward me, the Lord placed His hands on my shoulders continuing to comfort me. “I know you feel hard-pressed on every side, but you will not be crushed. I hold you strong by My Power which far exceeds any other authority or force. With Me, all things are possible.”

Staring at the floor with my head lowered, the real fear was rising in my heart when I confessed, “Will I still be pleasing to You, even with this flaw that hinders me?”

“Oh, My love.” Jesus said softly as He lifted my chin, looking into my tear-filled eyes. “I sacrificed Myself so you can be whiter than snow; flawless, blemish free in your spirit.”

Taking both my hands, lightly kissing the back of my right hand, Jesus continued. “I am not finished with you. You are still clay in My hands, an unfinished piece of pottery. I use the fiery trials of this world to add layers of gorgeous detail to your original clay vessel. Each time you are re-fired in the world’s kiln, irreversible changes take place within you, increasing your strength and endurance, softly blended with a meek and quiet spirit.”

Jesus paused, tenderly caressing my palms. “My hands are mighty, but My touch is gentle as I transform you into a vessel of honor crafted for a specific purpose, both beautiful and functional. Do not lose heart, for I am renewing you inwardly day-by-day.”

I was spellbound by the Lord’s gentle but fiery eyes as He concluded with these Words. “You are not a disappointment to Me. You are, in fact, My crowning glory.”

Comforted by 1 Peter 3:4, 5:4; Luke 18:27; 2 Corinthians 4:7, 16-18; Isaiah 64:8; Song of Solomon 4:7; Ephesians 2:10, 5:27; Psalm 51:7; and 2 Samuel 22:33

It is rare to have one person in your life who will love you in spite of your shortcomings and who will fight to keep your heart from harm. My cup runs over because You blessed me with two people who filled me with such love and acceptance. But in their absence, I am left sitting in a void that leaves me longing for what was. A longing to belong; to be loved and accepted; to be seen and fully known. Who will see me now, Lord?

“I understand the longing in your heart because I put it there.” Jesus explained.

I turned toward the sound of my Savior’s voice as He continued, “I created you with a deep longing in your soul, along with a need to be loved. Love is the most powerful element in the universe, so the perceived absence of it will seem immense. The combination of love and longing was designed to produce a strong desire within you to seek Me with all your heart, because I am Love.”

“I miss their human presence and their gentle strength in my life. Each day finds hidden sorrow within my heart.” I replied.

“Will you let Me fill those voids for you?” asked the Lord. “I also am longing for love.”

Captivated by the vulnerability of the Son of God, my heart clung to every Word as He continued, “My eyes constantly scan throughout all of My creation looking for that one person whose heart is committed to Me. My eyes have landed on you, My beloved. Let me fill your heart with My Love and Goodness. Let Me show you My strength.”

He paused. I held my breath. My eyes fixed upon Jesus, filled with tears as I heard His next words.

“I see you. Do you see Me?”

Comforted by 1 John 4:16,19; John 3:16, 15:5, 17:23; Psalm 107:9; Jeremiah 29:13; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Mark 1:1; Genesis 16:13; Matthew 5:8

Today, I have no fight left in my limbs. My energy is spent from fighting these daily battles. I just want to give up and raise my white flag. Continuing to ponder that idea, sitting in my frustration, I wondered what a day with no problems would actually look like.

Riding the waves of that thought, a voice entered my mind saying, “You do not deserve this trouble. Why not just escape from all this misery?”

The voice was familiar, but it was not my own thought.

The tongue of the Tempter continued, “Let me ease your pain. I can keep you out of this blazing furnace, just bow to my god of easy.”

Shaking my head and snapping-to-attention, I protested out loud, “No. I will not take what you are offering. My Lord has told me that I will have trouble in this world, but He will give me strength to push through, delivering me from all my distresses. Jesus will hold me strong and that is what I will stand on.”

The spiritual tension in the room was wrapped with a heavy blanket of silence when I suddenly felt the Lord’s presence behind me. His authoritative voice split the air commanding attention. “This woman belongs to Me and she has claimed My Name. Now leave.” The Deceiver vanished upon the Lord’s charge, the oppression leaving with him.

Turning to face my Savior, I threw myself into His arms, leaning on His love and faithfulness. Gently resting His hand on the back of my neck, Jesus softly whispered in my ear, “You are valiant, My darling: worth far more than rubies.”

“I do not feel valiant, Lord. My weakness began to overtake my true desire.” I confessed.

“Your adversary the devil will always be tempting you to worship his golden images, that take on many different forms, trying to lure you away from Me. But when your flesh and heart fail, My strength prevails. I am forever your portion of strength.” said the Lord.

Pulling me away from our embrace to look into my eyes, Jesus continued, “Do not try to escape the troubles that come your way, because I am using them to strengthen your foundation. You are being groomed to abide in Me and remain faithful to your calling. Avoiding the blazing furnace, means you by-pass the trying of your faith, which is more precious than gold. Each trial builds your spiritual muscle and if you avoid what is in front of you, the next difficulty will be harder to endure. I am training your hands for war and your fingers for battle. The devil will flee when you resist him and surrender to Me.”

“You are Good, Lord, and I will sing aloud of Your Mercy and Power. You have been my defense and refuge in the days of my troubles, and I delight in Your commandments. Give me strength to endure the blazing furnace so those watching will see the Angel of the Lord standing in the midst of the flames, ensuring no harm is brought to me.”

Comforted by 2 Corinthians 11:3; Matthew 4:3; Psalm 119:143; Psalm 37:39; Psalm 107:13,19; Daniel 3:13-30; Psalm 73:26; Proverbs 31:10; Psalm 144:1; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 1 Peter 1:6-7; Revelation 20:10; 1 Peter 5:8; John 16:33; James 4:7