Strong Holds

Does wearing 7 items of clothes in one week honor God?  Before this week it would have been a hard sell for me to say, “Yes,” to this question.  Clothes really aren’t my weakness, so how could God teach me anything through this fast?  I mean, I shop at thrift stores and consignment stores.  I rarely buy anything new for myself unless it’s underwear or socks.  I’m really trying to learn to let my beauty come from a quiet and gentle spirit, not from clothes, jewelry, and super cute sandals. Ya know?  But then mid week came and I started believing that there was something more to this fasting thing than just what I had to learn about clothing.

Day 4 hit me like a ton of bricks!  I couldn’t even get up and have my quiet time before the enemy was causing rifts between me and my husband.  I sought the help of some pretty awesome ladies to pray for me, but the enemy wasn’t about to give up that easily.  So, when I went to Target to get an air filter for the AC, he thought he’d try again.

I walked into Target and almost walked straight out, because I was doing that “I’m so stupid for thinking that Target would have air filters, and why didn’t I just go to Wal-mart” kind of thing.  But just as I was about to walk out, I did the fake you out turn to the right, so no one watching would know that I am an indecisive fool, and would think that I just wanted to go through the ladies clothing section. Ha!  All you gullible on-lookers, I MUST have fooled you.  (Really, I don’t think anyone was watching me anyway, so certainly, it wouldn’t have mattered to anyone if I just turned around and kept going the way I was going.) But just as I started walking along the ladies section, I felt this incredibly insecure feeling about the way I was dressed—in 4 of my fabulous 7.  I was sporting my trusted tennis shoes, my snazzy running shorts, cool green T-shirt, my ever so comfortable grey jacket, and black socks with polk-a-dots.  I quickly had the thought that maybe I should go home and change, and my clothes felt SOOO old.  I was surrounded by brand new clothes.  Clothes that had never been worn, maybe I should just buy some.  All these thoughts and more came into my mind in just a few seconds.  Then, I remembered that I’m doing the 7 thing, I don’t really have anything to change into at home, and even if I bought something, I couldn’t wear it for several more days anyway.  So, I continued on my trek to get the air filter, and felt better.  I passed by the colorful tennis shoes, amazed at all the color choices of shoes just for work out purposes. I noticed that the sandals for the season were bright, but not really tempting enough to buy.  Then the pj’s looked so frumpy.  When I turned the aisle and saw the socks, I thought about my black socks, with my white tennis shoes, and I kid you not, I thought, “Maybe I should just buy some white socks while I’m here, if I had white socks, I would be pretty.” (Insert record stopping noise here)  Because I was like…what is going on??  And I knew that I was being attacked.  So, I started praying not only for me, but also for the ladies in the group, that we would be able to overcome the temptation that we need the right clothes to feel pretty, but that our beauty would come from within.  This I have learned, you can not combat the enemy with will power.  It just doesn’t work.  Our power is nothing against the control he places over us.  “Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”  Our power lies in God, when we draw near to Him, by remembering His promises, and praying His truth, He battles for us.  Paul gives us a whole section on how to stand against the schemes of the devil in Eph 6:10-19.  I love seeing the Word of God put into action in my life, because I know if it is true in a stubborn, rebellious heart like mine, it has to be true in others hearts as well.

So, I finished up my shopping trip.  Target does have air filters, by the way.  Just in case, you ever needed one.  And I continued in the attacks on my marriage for the rest of the day.

So, this is what I think.  For me to wear the same 7 clothes over for a week, and dedicating myself to the LORD, must be causing some kind of rifts in the spiritual realm for a little ol’ nothing like me to be under attack for a whole day.  And here’s the cool thing about it.  I’m already seeing a little bit of what God is doing.  He’s breaking down strongholds that have been over me for years.  Ones that have nothing to do with clothes (at least I don’t think so), but everything to do with receiving the future He has planned for me.  Yep, Jesus has overcome, and He’s working in my life. That gives me the encouragement to wear my seven one more day.