Hello Friends,

First Peter 5:8 Says "Be sober-minded; be watchful.  Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."  

Satan has been enemy #1 since the creation of the world.  Starting with the forbidden fruit in the garden, he spreads lies to anyone who will listen.   He knows how to get in our heads.  I have personally been struggling with this a lot lately.  For starters, I saw someone the other day that I used to talk to weekly.  This person no longer talks to me like she did, and satan is trying to tell me it is my fault.  I didn't do anything wrong, and I even reached out to ask the person if I did anything to upset them, she said no as she walked away from me. Secondly, when people talk to me at church, at times, I question their motives.  I honestly can't see why someone would want to be friends with someone as shy and awkward as me.  While I realize in reality, I am a somewhat enjoyable person, once again satan steps in and whispers all my faults, why I should think I'm not good enough to hang out with other people.  My last example is my appearance.  I am most definitely not what someone would call outwardly beautiful.  Satan likes to remind me of this by pointing out every flaw. 

Satan's favorite thing to do is beat us down, sometimes he reminds us of the bullies in our past, sometimes he uses present circumstances.  However, those of us who have accepted Christ have more tools at our disposal.  Just last week my anxiety was so bad that I had a panic attack that lasted for 90 minutes.  I tried music, I tried praying, but satan kept trying to steal my focus.  I ended up praying that God would send His angels to protect me with spiritual warfare.  Soon after I calmed down enough to sleep.  God sent His Angels to protect me so I could sleep!  Romans 8:31 says "... If God is for us, who is against us?"  While satan can certainly try to bring us down, he will not win the War.  When Jesus rose from the dead, the war was won.  Satan wants us in Hell with him, so he tries to convince us God does not care, or that there is no God, or that we aren't good enough.  As my opening scripture says, he wants to devour us.  Satan wants us to go down with him, so he will fight tooth and nail to get us to turn from God.  But remember these scriptures:

1 John 4:4 says "...for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world"

2 Thessalonians 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful.  He will establish you and guard you against the evil one."

1 John 5:4-5 "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.  And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"

Jesus is ALIVE, and He is on our side.  "Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." (Ephesians 6:13).   

Please friends, if you do not know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, what is stopping you?  We are ALL sinners.  We all fall short of God's laws, but there is GOOD NEWS!   Jesus, being Himself perfect, died on the Cross for OUR sins.  He is the bridge that fills the gap between us and God in Heaven.   You have to Believe this to be true Confess your sins to God and Accept His FREE gift of Salvation to be in Heaven with Him someday.  

I check my e-mail regularly, so if you have questions, please feel free to send me a note.  If I don't know the answer, I will do my best to find the answer for you.  

I am a follower of Christ, I am not perfect, but I love Jesus.

Until Next Time,

Liz Allen