Full Scale Invasion

 

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take thought captive to obey Christ.

                                                                                                            2 Corinthians 10:3-5

When you read the above scripture, I am sure you are getting a mental image of those of whom we may come up against as Christians.   You will most likely assign this scripture to the non-believer, living in your home... at your workplace... or the stranger on the corner you just encountered.  You probably wouldn't expect this to apply to our interactions with a believer.  If you are a parent, you will.  Because one day your teen just might be this person.

For us it started on a Sunday morning with a teenager who simply didn't want to get up early and go to church.  I remember being a teen and loving my sleep, I still do.  I remember giving my mom a hard time about getting up.  I don't know why I expect any different from my own child.  But I do.  

What would happen of the course of the next 40 minutes of getting dressed time, and then travel time to church was an unfriendly exchange.    Here is just a sampling of some of it:

"When you are no longer living under my roof, then you can sleep in on Sundays.  As for now, I am accountable for you & when I meet God... I don't want to have to answer for not waking your butt up on Sunday mornings".

Not my most proud moment.

"Church has a purpose, it is a place where we learn more about God, and ourselves."

Better.

"What if I don't want to learn anymore about God?"  (retorts my teen)

This was the turning point & would build into an argument that lasted until we pulled into the church parking lot.

What a great way to start our Sunday morning.  Angry.  Frustrated.  Defeated.  Unsure.  Sad.

The goodness from this morning was that later, there was restoration.  My teen came to me & admitted she was just tired and cranky.  This is what I have come to understand to be the equivalent of "I am sorry".  She took responsibility.  I apologized (actually used the word sorry) about allowing my temper to get the better of me.

It was this particular day that would bring me to the realization that I can't be my daughter's Holy Spirit.  My daughter accepted Christ as her Savior and was baptized several years ago.  I know that in her heart she loves God, but she is rebellious and a boundary pusher.  Just like her mom.

So, I started to back off some.  Trying to be an example.  Taking the chances to talk when they would come up.  And they do come up.

Then I was reminded one day of how argumentative I would get with my sister, when she would talk about God.  I would get into some fairly heated discussions with her.  She was 10 years older than I, she came to Christ when I was in middle school and honestly by high school I didn't get it.  

I wasn't raised in the church.  I didn't understand God.  I just understood a rule book, where the rules were set by a domineering "higher power".

My sister was able to destroy my arguments and lofty opinions, she had knowledge of the Word to back her up.  But was very resistant for a long time, for reasons now I understand to be fear of condemnation.  At that time I had no understanding that grace and mercy existed or what "salvation" really was.

It came to me only recently, that I was taking a very passive seat to my daughter's relationship with God.  I was praying the prayers that mother's pray....

"Lord soften her heart toward you, help her to see that you are God and want what is good for her.  Keep her from harm, bring her to a place where she can not deny you, and allow her to find good friends that help and not hinder her.".

I was asking God to be gentle with her heart.  

Only now I realize that as a mom, I want more than that.

Ephesians 6 has us putting on the armor of God.  This is not just defensive armor, but also offensive armor.  This is being ready to stand firm & not be moved... but also to advance forward.  I realized that I needed to take action.

That is when I began my prayers for an invasion.  

I have begun praying that God will invade my daughters heart.  Not gentle knocking, but door pounding.  For her to be unable to deny Him, for her to not be able to keep that door shut because He is already in there.  I want a full scale invasion of her mind, body and soul.

I am willing to fight for her relationship with God.  I am not going to push her so hard that she runs away from "religion" traumatized... but I am going to be more intentional, more ambitious in sharing the Word and God with her, and stand firm in the convictions of this family.

Lord invade her heart, so that there is no room for anything but you.

And while you are at it.... invade mine too.

And my husband's.

And our other children's.

Amen.