.

~ Heart of A Child ~

.

Minister Francine Herrington, Florida

 

 

 

Spiritual Battleground

  

I was tired of being hurt and realized that no matter what I did to feel better it didn’t work.  The day came when I decided that I had enough and was through with life.  It was too difficult for me!  I didn’t want the pain anymore and was going to put an end to all this.  I made up my mind to commit suicide!

 

I was going to take one last walk in order to figure out how I was going to do leave this unwanted life.  It hurt so badly that I was unable to cry.  The pain settled itself deep into my mind, my heart and in my soul.  I knew that there was no way out and I knew that I had no other choice but to end it all.

 

“Hi.” I heard a woman’s voice.  I kept on walking.  “Hi.” she repeated.  I turned to look at her and saw a beautiful woman dressed in a long white dress looking at me.  She saw that she caught my attention and invited me to join her as well as other people in a room located in a nearby building.

 

I knew that I had nothing to lose and so I accepted her invitation.  Once I entered the room people came up to me and shook my hand as they welcomed me.  I sat down and listened as the woman spoke of God’s love.  She said that no matter what anyone is going through, there is someone who is there to help her or him.   I felt that she spoke from her heart and was touched by her compassion.  At the end of her sermon she invited people to join her at the altar in order to accept this amazing savior called Jesus Christ into their hearts.

 

I had a new awakening.  I had been unaware that I had always been in a battle.  The battleground was my mind and the enemy I faced every day was my thought life.  I had been a victim without realizing it.  The minister’s sermon pointed out that satan was the one who planted the thoughts that caused me to want to step out of my life.  She assured me that Jesus Christ would be my defender once I decided to hand the battle over to Him. I began to believe that there was help after all so I got up and joined the others who needed this amazing warrior into their hearts.  I didn’t feel instant joy but I knew that help was on the way. 

 

Dr. Watkins took me under her wing and taught me about God’s love.  I told her about the abuse I had endured from my parents and later on from the men who I turned to for love.  I was in the process of healing and grateful that God cared enough to save me from destruction. 

The Godly woman quickly led me to Ephesians 6: verse 14 through to verse 17.  I learnt that I must put on the belt of truth around the loins of my mind in order to stop devastating thoughts from affecting my spiritual progress. (1Peter: 1:13)   I was then led to put on the breastplate of righteousness assuring me that my heart was protected from being pulled back into my past behaviors. 

 

As I read the 15th verse, I wondered what shoes had to do with the battle I had to face.  I started to search for information and found the following:  During Paul’s time Roman soldiers wore hobnailed boots called caligae which provided protection from the elements and helped them to navigate over rough ground.

 

I checked www.freedictionary.com in order to understand what hobnails were and this is what I read: ‘a thin pointed piece of metal that is hammered into materials as a fastener’.  I saw a picture of what hobnails looked like.

 

As I prayed for a better understanding as to why I had wear these shoes, the Lord taught me that the battle I was in was not an easy one.  Satan planned to continuously feed me with thoughts that would lead me to depression and there would be times when I would feel that I was on slippery ground however my spiritual shoes would keep me firmly grounded in the Bible.  There would be no reason to be afraid because I would not slip and fall into my old patterns as long as I kept close to my Savior. 

 

I was never promised that life would be easy however I was promised that God, through Jesus Christ, would help me to reach the goal He set before me when He created me.  Today I can honestly say that I am a winner because I am no longer alone!

 

 

 

Minister Francine Herrington (5) 2009                                   

                  Picture taken from www.grivel.com