January 22, 2022

by Kimberly Hobbs 

EMPOWERING LIVES WITH PURPOSE:
Let’s train ourselves to learn how to pray instead of fight! When we are in situations that cause our blood pressure to rise, we need to take a break from what’s directly in front of us and take it to God.  Putting this into practice during the holidays was what I practiced while going through a deep crisis. It’s not always easy.
Thankfully learning to shut down anger when opposition comes at us is achievable. God and His word have equipped us to do so. We must realize the point in which we start to escalate and operate in our fleshly antics of bad behavior and shut it down by giving it to God in surrender.
We must not give the enemy any room for robbing our testimony of who we are in Christ. We need to know our breaking points and stay far away from them.
Understanding what is happening when it’s upon you and having the ability to appropriate the power of God to fight the enemy is key.  The enemy comes at us quickly often times causing us to want to fight. We hear familiar lies when others oppose us and it can feed us into escalated anger deep inside. It’s a trigger you must be aware of.
 When your anger peaks, it’s at a breaking point and it can become dangerous and fights of words can break out. Is your tongue easily held at these moments?
Our first steps are learning to deflate the anger and run to God in prayer, right at the moment it hits. When we are so wrapped up in God, we are liberated from what is escalating in front of us. You can stop it.
Do not add fuel to any fire during a heated moment. Just stop, breathe, and then begin to intercede for the other person that is threatening you by praying for them. Not always easy, I know. Yes, praying for them as well as yourself in the heat of the moment can immediately deflate the anger.
“You have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.” (Colossians 3:9-10)
God says our first steps are to be toward Him. Seek His face and put Him first. Learn how to do this! Avoid fighting. Avoid arguing and anger. When our self-image gets so wrapped up in God, we can deflate any fight that comes against us because we are “free”. We are liberated in Christ dear ladies. It doesn’t matter who wants to pick a fight with us or what they say!
 Turn away, turn toward our Lord and turn it over to Him completely.