One of my favorite movies is Jane Eyre
It”s ranked right alongside my other favorite two,
Hacksaw Ridge and Greyhound.
It might seem a bit unusual
to find a romance tucked
amongst the violence and horror
faced by brave men at war,
but truly all battles begin
in the heart.
If you’ve ever read the classic
or watched the movie,
you might recall a line spoken to Jane
by Mr. Rochester one evening
as they sat by the fireside,
sharing a private conversation.
“Dread remorse, Miss Eyre,
when you are tempted to err.”
What we are to find out later
is that the heavy tone with which
Mr. Rochester speaks
is born out of his own
retched experience with
a betrayal that changed
everything about his life.
I find this line to be
a great take away.
Funny how Satan tries to get a foot
in the door of my thoughts
before my eyes have even
opened and I’m fully awake.
Most times his attacks come
thru memories already dealt with.
I find comfort in the knowledge
that it isn’t a sin to be tempted like this
and that, of course, the arch enemy
knows just what kind of fiery dart to use
in a tempt to draw me like a moth to his scorch.
This morning when this happens
I begin singing
“Great is Thy Faithfulness”,
followed close on its heels by,
“We Ask, We Seek, We Pray”.
“Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
You will revive me! You will stretch forth
Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and Your right hand will save me!
The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting;
You keep every promise You’ve ever made to me!
I ask You, Lord, to finish every good thing
that You’ve begun in me!”
Psalms 138:7-8 NASB1995 / last part of v. 8 TPT
When faced with the roar
of my enemy,
I choose to be drawn
to a different source of heat;
the One known as Refiner’s Fire.
“I will cleanse you from
all your impurities
and all your idols.
I will give you a new heart
and put a new spirit within you;
I will remove your heart of stone
and give you a heart of flesh.
I will place My Spirit within you
and cause you to follow My statutes
and carefully observe My ordinances.”
Ezekiel 36:25-27 HCSB
Yes, LORD…
“Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all my days were written in Your book
and planned before a single one of them began.”
Psalms 139:16 HCSB
“God is opposed to the proud
but He gives grace to the humble.
Therefore humble yourself
under the mighty hand of God
[set aside self-righteous pride],
so that He may exalt you
[to a place of honor in His service]
at the appropriate time,
casting all your cares
[all your anxieties, all your worries,
and all your concerns,
once and for all] on Him,
for He cares about you
[with deepest affection, and
watches over you very carefully].
Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined],
be alert and cautious at all times.
That enemy of yours, the devil,
prowls around like a roaring lion
[fiercely hungry],
seeking someone to devour.
But resist him, be firm in your faith
knowing that the same experiences
of suffering are being experienced
by your brothers and sisters
throughout the world.
[You do not suffer alone.]
After you have suffered for a little while,
the God of all grace
[Who imparts His blessing and favor],
Who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ,
will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen,
and establish you [making you what you ought to be].
To Him be dominion (power, authority, sovereignty)
forever and ever.
Amen.”
1 Peter 5:5-11 AMP
The Sword of The Spirit is my best defense
and so following Christ’s example
as modeled when He, too, was tempted
by the tempter in the wilderness,
didn’t speak of His own volition
but quoted Scripture.
“Submit yourself to the authority of GOD.
Resist the devil and he will flee!”
James 4:7 AMP
Mine is a tale birthed in The Deep!
My GOD has spoken powerful
truths over me!
Truth I can’t allow a hungry lion
to come pounce upon
and steal from me!
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;
His praise endures forever.”
Psalms 111:10 NASB1995
Amen!
*** all the above pictures are from the Happy Color app