Standing against the Wiles of the devil...

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph 6:10-11


What is wile(s)

1. a trick, artifice, or stratagem meant to fool, trap, or entice; device.
2. wiles, artful or beguiling behavior.
3. deceitful cunning; trickery.

He gets us EVERY TIME.... When will we learn that it is just the wiles of the devil playing us. He lies to us, wants to trap us, discourage us and snare us. He will do anything he can do with cunning satanic variety to weaken us and destroy us. He goes to work daily to produce discouragement, confusion, indifference and imbalance. He is our chief enemy, but deals in wiles and stratagems.

It always happens in relationships. That's where he gets us. Even when we have great marriages, or great friendships, or a great workplace environment... He always tries to get in there and mess with our emotions.

I fell victim to this attempt on Tuesday and it only took me a day to recognize that it was the "wiles of the devil". I refused to stay in offense. I refused to stay upset or defeated. I just overwhelmed the devils attempt to get me to stay mad or angry because I wanted peace and reconciliation more than I wanted to be right or indignant. Does that make sense. I wanted peace and I knew this wasn't about us.

For Ephesians goes on to say in verse 12: Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world's darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world.

So you know what I did... I prayed for humility and put on the armor of God. Then I went and talked it out and got over it. Score 1 for Lea Anne; zero for the devil... this week!!

Here's the secret weapon!! Ephesians 13-19
That is why you need to put on God's full armor. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.So stand strong, with the belt of truth tied around your waist and the protection of right living on your chest. On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows of the Evil One. Accept God's salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready and never give up. Always pray for all God's people.

We get to choose whether or not we will live in victory or defeat... Every day we get to choose. It doesn't matter what we did yesterday. Choose today to live in victory and stand up against the Wiles of the devil...

Standing strong.
Lea Anne

The Excitment of a "First"

This morning when I awoke, my first thought was about how anticipated this day has been for many people. For almost 2 weeks, our state mainly, but the whole nation has been waiting for the big playoff between the New Orleans Saints and that other team... Who is it again? Oh yeah, the Colt's. I've seen more Black and Gold for sale around town this past week than I've ever seen before. I have firmly resisted buying a "Saints" shirt but that's not to say that I won't buy one after they win today... just saying is all... Okay, back to the thought...

The Superbowl is probably the only game in a year that I actually watch and I always enjoy the event, but this year it's a little different. This year is a "FIRST" for me. This year is the "FIRST" time that the New Orleans Saints has made it to the Superbowl.

What is it about "FIRSTS" that are so appealing? Just think about how many "firsts" have already been experienced in your life...

First day of school..

First boyfriend/girlfriend...

First kiss...

First job...

First paycheck...

First car...

First house....

First child...

First fight in a relationship...

First love...


So then I thought, is it the actual EVENT that is so exciting? Or is it WAITING for the event that is so exciting?

Why is a first "thing" so anticipated?

Is it because we SEE others have it and we want it for ourselves?

Is it because we have HEARD about it from others and we can't wait until it's "our turn?"

What is it about "firsts" that make us almost crazy for the experience of it?

1 Cor 2:9 says 'No Eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him'. This verse was quoted from scipture in Isaiah 64:4 that ends it by saying "A God like you who works for those that WAIT for him!"

Who "WAITS" on HIM...

I think it's the WAITING that is more exciting than the actual EVENT. The WAITING is the fun part... Once the event happens, it will just be the "Next" time for that thing... not as much fun as the waiting on the first time... and sometimes the thing you waited for may not be what you expected. Some "THINGS" have a way of disappointing us that way.

So...What are you waiting for? I hope you are waiting on the Lord. I pray that you are seeking HIM before you act... Remember, once you take action on that "First" thing, whatever it is, it might not be as exciting as the waiting was. Don't place your hope and faith on the EVENT...

When we place our hope in the Lord and wait on Him, on His timing, on His guidance, on His go-ahead, we won't be able to imagine the goodness He has prepared for us.

Have fantastic, fun-filled, expectation fulfilled day today.
Lea Anne

Neglected...

I feel as if I've neglected this blog page for the new Facebook craze and I'm sure there are a lot of you that might read this that don't have facebook, so I'll try to do better.

I wanted to share just a brief note on feeling neglected. I have recently heard that one of my couple friends of almost 20 years, has just seperated. It was a shock. It got me thinking that I don't want to take my marriage for granted and I've actually been meditating on this matter for the last few weeks.

It started when I watch "Nights of Rodanthe" It was a romantic, tragic love story but the intimacy between Diane Lane and Richard Gere was something that I wanted in my own marriage. I realized that I had the ability to have that same kind of intimacy with my own husband and I decided to implement a few of the moves that I saw them perform... Needless to say it had the desired results I was looking for. And this opens up the opportunity to write about how we neglect the things in our lives that we want the most. Intimacy, desire, seduction, affection, you name it, I'm sure all of us have felt it. I just want to say... You can HAVE it. All these things... You may have to initiate it, but you can be the leading lady in your own life, in your own marriage, in your own dreams... You don't have to watch from a distance. You don't have to imagine what it would feel like. You have permission to explore your sexual side of your marriage. Tell your husband what you want or what you like. Don't be shy.

I hope you aren't neglecting your husband. I hope you are meeting his needs. If you do, you'll be amazed at how intuitive to your needs he'll be. I can bet you that he will respond if you start a little romancing in the bedroom. You don't have to wait on him, you take the lead.

I don't know why I felt the need to write this, other than it's been on my heart for a few weeks now. I want you to have a fulfilling life. A fulfilling marriage. A fulfilling sex-life. It's amazing how good marriage can be when that part is in place. I hope this hasn't embarrassed anyone, because I just wanted to share my own experience with you.

Have a Happy night!
Lea Anne

Be well Balanced

Be well balanced...for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring... seeking someone to seize upon and devour. 1 Peter 5:8

I just attended the funeral of a 21 year old and I have to say that I didn't know him at all, but I know his mother and my heart goes out to her. I am amazed at how so loved a person can be that at his death, hundreds of friends come out to pay respect to him, yet in life, he struggled with feeling inadequate or unloved. Again, I don't know the exact things he struggled with as I didn't know him personally, but it left me with the need to reflect on how we can feel one way about ourselves, yet in actuality, the opposite is true. Satan is a liar and speaks words of defeat into our minds and sometimes people believe him.

Satan cannot devour just anybody he pleases. He has to find someone who gives him an opening to do so. One of the ways we give him an opening to destroy us is through imbalance in our lives. How can you bring balance to your life?

First ask yourself a few questions?

What is the most important thing to you?

If you don't know what that is, then chances are, you are swayed too easily and are off balanced a lot... What are the signs of being off-balanced? Are you stressed out, overcommitted, burned out, bummed out, or worn out from too many commitments? Do you murmur and complain when ask to do something that YOU agreed to do? Are you just flat out frustrated?

I think a lot of people are in bondage to imbalanced lives. So what do you do?

Stop... Everything for a while....write out what's important to you... Then put in perspective the things you have committed to and the things you need to do and prioritize your mind.

After talking to a friend about this very subject a couple of weeks ago I did that very thing and I was amazed at how easy it was to come up with the most important things in my life. I challenge you to do the same.

Don't let the enemy steal another second of the abundant life that we can have in Christ Jesus on the planet earth. We don't have to wait until we get to heaven to have happiness, peace and balance... We can have it now.

We can stand strong against the enemy and we can overcome those feelings of inadequacy and defeat... With balance...

Stop standing on the sidelines, when you can sit in the center of the Will of God.

I just recently read a blog that spoke volumes in just a few words. You can click here http://www.chattingatthesky.com/2009/11/04/to-enter-in/ if you'd like to read it too.

I'd like to expound on her point about insisting that sitting on the sidelines is "Okay" for her when really it's not. She would like to be in the center of all the activity but makes herself feel content to stay back.

Are you content to just sit on the sidelines? Do you wish you had the courage to jump in the middle of things and be a participant instead of just a spectator?

All it takes is a little effort on your part to try. Just take the leap. See if the rewards of that leap are so much better than the "what-if's" that so many people choose to live with everyday.

What is your "What-if" today?

Maybe it's "What-if" I quit this job and opened myself up to a new way of life? (I personally LOVE my job so this isn't my "What-if"...

Maybe it's "What-if" I took a chance on love and asked someone out? You ask them out, don't wait on them to ask you out...

Maybe it's "What-if" I said what I really thought instead of going along with the crowd?

What is your "What-if"?

I'd like to know what some of you are thinking and what some of the real or imagined fears that you live with are. If you feel like sharing, please do. I'd love to hear from you.

I'm waiting on the "next thing" God has for us... but in the meantime, I'm learning and trusting more with the here and now...

Hope you take the leap today!
Love you,
Lea Anne

Coming in to the Good life...

I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world." John 16:33

Do you have trials?

Are you distressed?

Are you frustrated?

The Bible says to "Be of Good Cheer" I don't FEEL cheerful. Yet the Lord says that I can be of good cheer when I encounter trials and tribulations. It doesn't mean that I did anything wrong. That's the first thing that I think about when I'm encountering a few difficulties. The first thing I do is fall on my knees and ask God to reveal to me whatever I might have done to deserve the tribulation... Then I wait to see what He reveals to me....

But what if there's nothing to reveal?

What if I have earnestly searched my heart and asked God to reveal whatever it is that might have set up this tribulation that I have assumed has come because of some "Reaping what I've Sown" mindset... and nothing... I am right with the Lord... I have asked forgiveness for anything that might have grieved his spirit... And I still find myself in the season of tribulation...

I received healing from this word today in my Joyce Meyer daily devotional... If trials come against you, don't try to figure out whether you sowed some bad seed that produced them. Trials will come, but if you will obey the Word of God long enough (not just five minutes of trial and error), sooner or later, you will come into the good life that God has prearranged for you to live.

WOW! Do you know that God has a plan for you? He has a purpose for you? He set the wheels in motion for that purpose to be fulfilled long before you ever "DID" anything. We just have to play out that plan... All the bumps and potholes along the way are part of the plan... He is teaching us patience through the trials... He is building up in us character traits that only come through trials, temptations, and sorrows... We wouldn't know the joy of success if we hadn't felt the pain of failure, would we?

We wouldn't know the sweetness of restoration without the sorrow of separation?

We couldn't possibly understand the meaning of hope without having first received something so wonderful as a result of waiting before... If we never had to wait on anything, then what could ever be called "special", "God-given" "blessed"... All these things come from having waited on something.

Everything, God works to the good for those who "Trust in Him"... Give God the Glory for your trials... "Be of Good Cheer" because we KNOW that "Joy comes in the morning." That it's always calm after the storm...

Just trust him a little more today in the middle of the unknown... He is always faithful...

Waiting on Him,
Lea Anne

Play offense with your Life...

I'm reading through the Chase the Lion book study and I've found some interesting material in just the first few pages that I want to reflect on. When I think of the word Offense, I immediately relate it to football where the offense is the scoring side and the defense is the protecting side. I want to state that this note is not about football, but that's the best way I can relate to offense... So with that being said, how do you live your life?

Is it in offense?

Or is it in defense?

What's the deciding factor between the two?

Here is what I read today... Satan wants us to live in a defensive posture, and he uses two primary tactics to accomplish it... Fear and Discouragement. Are these two areas that you struggle with on a daily basis? Are you afraid of life? Decisions? People? The past? Or do you battle with discouragement? Do you feel depressed, oppressed, or repressed? Are you free to be who you really are or are you afraid to show the real you?

These are real life tactics used by the enemy to KEEP us from taking risks, doing the uncertain thing, or stepping out in faith. We think because we're playing it SAFE that we're doing the right thing. When in all honesty doing nothing wrong doesn't constitute doing something right... Does that make sense? I had to read it a few times. Doing nothing wrong doesn't constitute doing something right...

We could live our whole lives and not do anything wrong... We could be the perfect "Stepford Wife". or the Perfect employee, or the perfect mom, or the perfect daughter/son... but did we do anything on purpose to advance our faith... Did we trust without knowing the outcome? Did we try something where there was a huge possibility that we would fail, but a bigger promise of promotion? What have you done with your life to live offensively...

Did you "Chase a Lion" and kill it?

WOW! Makes me want to go to a zoo and actually look a lion in the eye and see the danger but rejoice in the power that it exudes... There's power in the chase and the kill... take hold of that and do something a little risky today!

A lot of people have asked me why I'm selling my house? They say, You mean the one you just built? And I feel as though I have to defend my decision, but this verse that goes with this study was perfect affirmation about the decision that I've made to sell my house... here it is..

And Jesus replied, "I assure you that when I, the Son of Man, sit upon my glorious throne in the Kingdom, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And EVERYONE who has GIVEN UP HOUSES, or brothers, or sisters or father or mother or children or PROPERTY, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life" (Matthew 19:28-30)

Isn't that great!?! The mindset here is not a "savings" mentality... It is a risky mindset...I'm giving up to get!! We can't just keep holding on to things we don't want to lose... nothing is really ours anyway and when we trust that God is always leading us to a better life, then we can start living offensively...