Strengthen the Weak Joints

Marcy Jones was and is a dear friend. We became serious prayer partners when our boys started kindergarten. We prayed on the phone from 6 to 7 every morning--and sometimes longer. We probably knew each other better than any anyone on earth because prayer creates intimacy.

Marcy knew my weaknesses and I knew hers.  We know that Satan attacks us where we are the weakest. He is a cruel and relenteless bully who doesn't give up picking on our most vulnerable areas.

Marcy gave me the BEST NUGGET of wisdom that I am going to apply today--right now! It had slipped my mind as I have been struggling with an area of weakness that has been bombed, pulverized, shattered by the enemy. Satan is a sniper, a terrorist, and leads batallions of the worst bullies imaginable all aimed at our weakest points.

But Marcy's wisdom gave me hope! Have you ever been hopeless? I have! We are hopeless when we are oppressed and attacked on all sides by the enemy of our souls FORGETTING that we have a defender! a shield!  support!  reinforcement!

So what is this nugget of wisdom? Is it prayer? No. In this case it is not prayer. Is it counseling? No. In this case it is not counseling.

Here is the nugget of wisdom. Don't be deceived at how simple it seems. The Gospel is simple! In fact Jesus says that unless we become as little children we just won't 'get it'. He said that He uses the simple (concepts, ideas, nuggets) to confound the wise (the erudite, the pompous, the pontificators, the prideful.)

Take a look: we have a weak area--a joint, a bone, an artery--that is easy broken or infected--damaged to the point where it will affect or destroy the entire body if left untreated.  Satan knows that. He sends every form of attack to that weak area to the point that we are left feeling exhausted, defenseless, hopeless.

What is Satan's goal? Is it to kill us? No. Is it to cripple us? No. Is it to hospitalize us? Improverish us? No! No! No!  We know saints who have died martyrs' deaths and have inspired millions. Joni Erickson Tata, crippled and in a wheelchair, gives hope to everyone who hears her. Hospitalize? No! It was in the hospital that Neil led nurses to the Lord in South Africa. Impoverish? No! The shining faces of the destitute in India bring us to our knees. 

So? Satan's goal is to keep us from depending on God...from trusting Him..from falling at the feet of Jesus.....from knowing He is able to keep us. Satan wants our allegiance pulled away from God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and he knows right where to aim! He aims at our weakness.

And what is our hope? our bolsterer? our strengthener? our victory?

Marcy told me:

Identify your weakest area and strengthen it by applying the Word of God to it. When we do that regularly--like medicine, like exercise, like physical therapy we will become stronger in that area than in any other. It will simply CEASE TO BE A TARGET for the enemy because he won't see our weakness.


How has this brought light to your own situation?