Tuesday, November 13, 2018

SUITED AND BOOTED (Gearing Up for the Fight of Our Lives!)


"... and with your feet fitted with
the readiness that comes from the
 gospel of peace." (Ephes. 6:15)
As the old song goes...You oughta been there! I'm talking about the Spiritual Boot Camp hosted by the Sisters4Sis-ters ministry of my church this weekend.  S4S is one of several ministries seeking to embrace, encourage, and em-
power women of all ages to serve and fulfill their roles biblically!

About 250 sister soldiers came off life's battle field to prepare their hearts and minds for deeper training in spiritual warfare!  A training that they would get no other place than the incomparable and infallible Word of God!

My heart leaped to see them pouring in from the parking lot Friday evening.  The younger women helping the older women.  Mothers and daughters coming in together.  Old friends reuniting
and embracing. Some hobbling on canes still recuperating from joint replacements. One dear sister weakly making her way after an exhausting day of chemotherapy!  All patiently waiting in line to go through military processing, pick up a gear bag, and report to a waiting squad leader!

This was the first leg of a spiritual journey that many have told me not only changed their thinking and perspective on biblical womanhood but was a starting point for changing their lives and marriages!  They now understand that it won't always be easy....but with God it is possible!

The 2018 women's spiritual bootcamp (the first for the women of our church) has long been anticipated.  For fourteen years we have encouraged husbands, sons, and other significant males to join the men of Emmanuel M.B. Church of Indianapolis in what has become a nation wide phenomena for Christian men empowerment.  It was nowNOT OUR TURN....but OUR TIME to join the fight against a common enemy, Satan!

The goal for this first boot camp was to Reclaim our Spiritual Identity, Authority, and Power in Christ. We are indeed as the apostle Peter reminds us in I Peter 2:9 (NIV):

 A chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
an holy nation, a peculiar people; that
we should shew forth the praises of Him
Who hath called us out of darkness into 
His marvelous light: 

As women of God, I believe we have lingered too long in the shadows and darkness of our present culture.  We have traded in real power for the pseudo and temporary rewards of feminism; denying ourselves the protection and benefits that God has promised!  For those who have stood strong against the waves of culture, we have been mocked and made to appear weak!  Be sure my Sister Soldiers, God's word will prove us right!

To put it plainly, in this present darkness, feminism reigns but disappointment is on the horizon.  We need to be prepared to help those gone astray, pick up the pieces of shattered marriages, sexually confused children, and drug dependent lives trying to escape the dysfunction of it all. We WILL  be there!  Because as one of our Bootcamp mantras declares: 
No Sister is Left Behind! 

The Enemy's attack against Sister Soldiers is unique, strategic and potent.  Therefore, the weapons and the skills we employ against him must be of the highest order.  We've known for ages that this fight is supernatural (2 Corinthians 10:4-6), but we have become somewhat deficient in warfare.  Our boot camp was indeed a basic training in spiritual weaponry.  We revisited not only the pieces and usages of the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) but began to examine the strategies that is needed to assure victory in every type of attack. 

Discipline, Accountability, and Unity were areas of special focus.  Prayers for humility and submission to God's Word prompted confessions, testimonies and drew us spiritually and visually to the very Throne of God!  It was there that we unleashed all burdens and obstacles,   emerging as God-Empowered, Ezer Warriors (Genesis 1:18; 20) suited and booted for warfare. 

This journey has just begun for us.  There is much to learn concerning this good fight
of faith (I Timothy 6:12).  The fight for the lives of our homes, our children, our communities and our nation! Each training session is designed to hone us into stealth weapons against the Enemy of God.  If you're in the Indianapolis area please join us.  If not,  Pray for us and revisit this blog where we will be chronicling our progress in proposed 2019 post-boot camp bible studies!  

Until Next Time...HU-AH! (Heard, Understood, and Acknowledged!)
If you would like to leave a comment please send an email to: sisters4sisters@att.net OR  scroll to the bottom of my blog page at  http://alittlewiser63.blogspot.com  click on the  no comments by the pencil and it will change to a writing space.

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