A Prayer for the One who wants to Overcome

Friends, I'm grateful for the feedback you shared in response to my latest post. Sin certainly is something we all have in common and if you are joining me today with a desire to overcome that sin...this prayer is for you.

Next week, I'll be sharing a short study to go along with it, but what better way to prepare our hearts than through prayer. I've been praying this prayer for a few days and I encourage you to do the same. God loves when we go to Him and He answers when we call. If there is something I can be specifically praying about for you leave a comment or send me a message at jillberan@yahoo.com. I will lift you up! Blessings to you!!

Father God, You are holy and I am not. You’ve opened my eyes to sin in my heart. I ask you, God, to have mercy on me, a sinner. I fall short of Your glory…with my thoughts, words and actions, please forgive me.

Thank you for examining my heart and showing me my sin. Now that I’m aware, help me repent and turn from it. I don’t want to be a slave to sin Lord, but my choices and behavior sometimes contradict that desire. Because of Jesus, I should count myself dead to sin, but sometimes my flesh wins and I obey it’s evil desires. I have the desire to do what is good, but I don’t always do it.

Help me Father – I can’t do this on my own. Keep me from willful sins, don’t let them rule over me. Fill me with Your Spirit and tender my heart to be sensitive to it. Create in me a pure heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me.

Jehovah Nissi, I know this battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities of darkness. Satan is roaring like a lion looking for one to devour, don't let me forget that. And remind me to put on Your armor and pick up the Sword of the Spirit. And Father, thank you for the victory You have already won...help me walk in that.

Lord, help me let go of the unrealistic goal of being sinless, but please help me sin less. In the moment of temptation, remind me of your promise – You always provide a way out. Help me be humble enough to take it.

God, I love you and long to bring You glory…continue making me holy and help me see sin like You do. Thank You for Your forgiveness – help me receive it and be changed by it. El Roi, You see me and You died for me while I was still a sinner…may I always remember the price You paid. Help me be willing to die to self so I can live for You.

Father, I know You are able to do more than I can ask or even imagine, so I pray You will do that in the days, hours and moments to come. I can do all things through You who strengthens me. Your grace is sufficient…may it be strong when I am weak.

In Jesus’ precious and powerful name, I pray…AMEN

"What's wrong with me?"

“What’s wrong with me?” words from my child in the midst of a late night conversation. “J” had been having a tough week and not acting like him/herself. There was selfishness, a bad attitude and a tinge of anger where there’s typically a strong love for family, an eager willingness to help and a smile.

I was grateful we were able to talk and thankful this child recognized there was a problem. We were able to discuss tendencies we have when things don’t go our way and the pity parties we throw for ourselves. “J” knew they had a part in all of this, but as I shared the story of the crippled man and his mat…we could each relate. We want to get well, but we’re not always willing to take that step and do what we need to do.

As our conversation led to a close, God put another truth on my heart. I reminded my little person that Satan was loving this…he delighted in “J’s” bad attitude and the division in our family. “J” understood this and as our conversation came to a close we were both smiling and were blessed with a powerful time of prayer.

I walked away living the reality that parenting is hard and hopeful that tomorrow would be a new day. It was and thankfully it was day that held joy and not too many sibling squabbles. But, things changed as night set in…

I no longer have to refer to another “J”…though I’d love to hide behind the label and pretend it wasn’t me. Friend, this is another post I don’t want to write, but I trust it’s one God will use. Since I tend to learn much as I string words together, I pray the first one God teaches is me, but I’m also asking Him to draw readers who can learn a lesson from my experience and perhaps prevent making the same mistakes I did.

So with that…

My husband, Job, is a wonderful man…he loves me, supports me, encourages me, listens to me, takes care of me, is patient with me, tries to understand me…I could go on, but you get the idea. Even with all that said…he’s human and so am I, which means sometimes problems arise and opportunities for growth present themselves in our marriage. Something he did, which isn’t even bad, upset me.

While I waited for him to return, my mind took over…being the stuffer that I am, other things came to mind that he had done. Then as I tried to quiet my mind my child’s question came back to me. I’ll be honest, initially my selfish self edited it a bit and I thought, “What’s wrong with him?” It didn’t take long to have a few answers.

Then the Holy Spirit redirected my thinking and reminded me of the real question I needed to consider, “What’s wrong with me?” Have you ever asked that question? It’s a hard one…it takes humility and there’s only One we should ask to answer it.

Friend, I’ll be honest I didn’t follow my advice…24 hours earlier I’d told my child to take this question to God and let Him examine their heart. Why you ask? Because I knew it wasn’t good. Sure there may be things Job could do or say differently, but I’m not in control of that and can’t change it. But the thing is, I know there were changes I could have and should have made. We don’t like to admit that do we? Recognizing our selfishness, admitting our sin and letting go of our desires doesn’t come natural.

I hate to admit this isn’t a first time experience…similar things have happened in the past. As I sat there waiting for not even five minutes it felt like God gave me a 30 minute lesson. He brought to mind the story I’d shared with my “J”…the one from John 5:1-15. This is where Jesus heals the invalid, but only after asking him if he wants to get well. Think about that question for a minute…if you’d been crippled for 38 years doesn’t the answer seem quite obvious?

Whether it’s physical pain or emotional strife or relationship struggles, I think we all want to be well, but the question is - Are willing to do what needs to be done to get there? God challenged me with this the other night while sitting in our suburban. Oh I want a marriage that reflects Christ love for the church, I want to be a submissive wife who loves my husband and I want to be a Mom who sets an example for my kids. I want all this and more, but wanting it is not enough.

Think about the invalid’s words in verse 7, “Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool.“ Just like him, I can make excuses. I stay on my mat wanting and waiting for change. Honestly, I don’t want to be a stormy and demanding wife who grumbles about my husband or gives him the silent treatment. But sometimes our mat gets comfortable…not in the feel good sort of way, but in the familiar, habit way of life.

I sat there reflecting on this story and God spoke to my heart. I had to do what I advised my child to do - ask Him what was wrong with me. God knows my heart and friend, He knows yours too. He will examine it and show us what needs to be healed, fixed and changed. Once we tell Him our desire is being well, He’ll provide instruction.

Jesus told the invalid, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” (Verse 8) I’m not sure His instructions are always so simple and easy to do, but His expectations are the same - that we obey what He commands.

Last summer a friend shared this story with me in an attempt to encourage me in my calling and help me move past struggles with doubt and feelings of unworthiness. I'm grateful for that wisdom and God has reminded me of it quite often when doubts creep in. But, I've been reminded of the truth that God's Word truly is living and active. (Hebrews 4:12)

When we get into His Word, God meets us where we are and speaks to our heart, often through a verse or passage we already know. He did that with this passage in John 5 as I read on...in verse 14 Jesus meets the invalid again and says, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” This sentence caught my attention so I dug a bit deeper. A few things I found...there are consequences for our sin - the tension in my marriage and inner miserable feelings were proof of this, but often we return to the sin that left us feeling terrible. Not every physical sickness is the result of sin, but Jesus knows the heart and some commentators feel there was a connection between this man's pain and behavior. Jesus warned him not to sin again.

Friend, I needed that warning as well. Not just the warning, but the reminder that I was sinning...in my actions with my husband I was being selfish, I was choosing me instead of we. With 3 simple letters God answered my question - "What was wrong with me?" "SIN" That's often the answer we are given when we ask this question.

Sin is something we all experience and the one thing all people have in common. Romans 3:23 tells us, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." That means me...and you. Friend, sin is a huge topic, it's part of who we are, but doesn't need to be what defines us. I'm prepping to lead our local Titus24U group in a lesson on sin, so I'm not surprised by the timing of this experience. God's had me looking in the mirror and given me a desire to dig into His Word to find how I can overcome the sins that weigh me down and leave me on my mat.

I don't think I'll ever perfect this, but I trust God will help me understand more and sin less. If you desire the same, I invite you back for my next post when I'll share a bit of what God leads me to. In the meantime, I appreciate your prayers...I never teach on something without being tested on it! :) Your thoughts are welcomed as well, so a few things to think about...

Have you ever asked this question? "What's wrong with me?"

Can you relate to my experience?

What advice would you share with one who's struggling with sin? (And remember sin is sin in God's eyes...the world may categorize it, but God never does.)

The Ripple Effect

Spring has finally arrived here in Iowa, which means life is busy on the farm. Today in between feeding my farmers and helping clean up some oats, the kids and I took time to do one of their favorite things. We walked down to the neighbor's quarry and threw rocks. We've been doing this for years and though I no longer push a stroller, God continues to teach me a lesson. 

One thing that continues to strike me as I enjoy the view and slice of solitude is the ripple that's always created when the kids throw rocks. No rock enters the water without making a difference. Few rocks leave a single impact on the water. Most of them create a ripple in the water that continues to spread long after the rock pierces the surface. 

Today as my kids enjoyed this activity for the first time in months, my mind went to work thinking about something God has had on my heart. I too am leaving a mark...granted I'm not throwing rocks to do it, but I am using words and my actions to make a difference. The question is: Is it one for good or not? 

Friend, join me in thinking about the words that left your mouth today. Did they encourage, uplift and equip? Or were they filled with anger and pierced the heart? Our words impact the one we are speaking to, but they affect others as well - the people who over hear our conversation and those who come in contact with the one we impacted. Just like the rocks my kids throw create ripples in the water, our words do the same in the hearts of those we love. 

Do you want that impact to be positive for those you love and glorifying to the God we serve? If so, scripture has some wisdom for us -

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29)

"Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips." (Ecclesiastes 10:12)


"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (Colossians 4:6)

There's much more to say about our words and the power of the tongue, but let's also think about our actions a bit. Think about the things you do, the attitude you have and body language you use. What kind of impact does this have on the people around you? I know it doesn't take long to read that question, so I encourage you to stop for a minute and really think about it. How would your husband or children answer that question? Or your co-workers or church family? 

Friend, I know it's possible for Satan to use this to condemn you, but I pray that won't happen. Instead if it's necessary I'm asking God to use it to convict you. Allow Him to examine your heart and if needed let Him show you how your actions aren't leaving the mark you want. God created each of us for His glory and to do good. This is no easy task, but with God's leading and the Spirit's filling it is possible. 

Colossians 3:17 pretty much sums it up - "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

As I watched my little guys, I realized they didn't have to do much to create a ripple effect. They simply had to pick up the rocks and throw them. Friend, we don't have to complicate this process either. Let's allow God to fill us up by spending time with Him in His Word and through prayer and then let Him pour us out. 

This sounds simple and easy on paper, but I know it's work. It takes time, effort and self-control. But you know what? If we don't practice this before we throw the rock, so to speak, it will take more time, effort and self-control to fix the mess we create. Because the truth is we are always creating a ripple effect! We might as well make it one we're proud of and God is pleased with!

It was quite fitting tonight to read the following post when I checked Facebook. A friend had shared these words with a mutual friend - "So thankful for you and for how you change my world constantly and consistently by pointing me to Jesus!" Followed by this quote, "You get to change the world every time you change someone's day." Friends, that's a glimpse of a positive ripple effect. The things we do and say - they matter. It doesn't matter if they are BIG or little things, but instead it's the heart they are said and done with and the One they point to. Want to change the world? Start by changing someone's day!

I want to close with a song that God periodically brings back to me...John Waller's, "Somebody Else's Story". I encourage you to think about the words he sings, they tie right in with the ripple effect. 

Do you want to be a part of somebody else's story? Do you want to be the one who shines the light of Jesus? I know that can be hard and scary, but think about it this way - Who has played a part in your story? Who's ripple has impacted you in a positive way? Aren't you grateful for them? Let their ripple continue as you impact another!!

Friend, I don't know if we've met face to face or not, but God has connected hearts here and I'm grateful for you!! I appreciate YOU, your encouragement and friendship! I'm thankful YOU are part of my story and I pray 1 Thessalonians 5:11 continues to be true in your life and mine - "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

Dear Heavenly Father, in the same way the water ripples, I pray my actions and words will positively impact others. Thank you for the reminder that what I do matters and always impacts others, I desire for that to be a difference that matters for eternity. Use me Lord in another's story...may I point others to You and may they in turn do the same. It doesn't take a big rock to make a splash, which reminds me it doesn't take a famous speaker or powerful pastor to impact Your kingdom. So Father God I ask You to fill me up so You can pour me out. Help me create a ripple for You today. In the precious and powerful name of Jesus I pray...Amen

Names - They Matter

Have you ever had someone mispronounce your name? My first name, Jill, is pretty simple, but the other day a far away friend said my last name, Beran, wrong. I'll be honest and the first thought that came to mind was, "Clearly your friendship's not at the level you thought it was." Thankfully, I took this thought captive and recognized it as Satan's attempt to mess with my mind.

Instantly new thoughts came to mind...I'm pretty sure she's never heard my last name, so why wouldn't she pronounce it "Beran" instead of "Bear-an"? Then I remembered all of my basketball games growing up...my German name, "Biwer" was never announced correctly. I was Jill BIwer, Buwer and on and on, but never the correct "Beaver". So clearly this struggle is not new, but the lesson I'm learning is...

Like I've mentioned I'm currently working though Wendy Blight's Bible Study called "I Know His Name" and we are digging deep into the names of God. I don't want to give God human emotions and feelings, but I had to wonder if God ever feels the same. When we don't know His name or pronounce it the wrong way, does that affect Him? What does it say about my relationship with Him? 

I have to believe it's an obvious sign that I could know Him better and more. Friends, our names are important and personal. They identify who we are. God's names do that and so much more. Did you notice a key word there? Names...Like you and me, God doesn't just have a first and last name with maybe a middle one added in. He has countless names and each one describes who He is. He is Elohim - our Creator, El Roi - the God who sees, Jehovah Nissi - the One who's banner is over us, Jehovah Rapha - the God who heals. I could go on and on, but you get the idea - He has many names.

Let me ask you a question - How many of them do you know? How many of them do you use when you pray to Him or tell others about Him? 

This little mix-up with my name has caused me to do some reflecting on God's names. I can already hear my friend as I think about her responding to this...she clearly didn't know and had never heard and I'm guessing she'll change her pronounciation once she does. 

Typically this is not a big deal for me, often I don't even recognize the mix-up, but this time God wanted to teach me a lesson. Names matter...mine and especially His. I need to keep learning more about His and then once I know them, I need to use them. Could you say the same?

God didn't stop His instruction with this, no, He added to it. In the same way I gave my friend grace and quickly shrugged it off, God reminded me He is the champion grace giver! He created me, knows me and loves me. He understands where I fall short and forgives me when I do. At the same time, He cares so much about me, He wants to strengthen His relationship with me. 

As a loving Father, He's aware I have a lot of learning to do, but as a powerful God, He will teach me what I need to know! 

A few verses to encourage you as you seek to know God by name!!

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him." Ephesians 1:17

"And to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:19

A powerful piece of wisdom from Wendy as well..."God calls us to trust in Him no matter our circumstances. He gives us His names, so that we can know Him. Friend, we only trust those we know, and we cannot trust God if we don't know God."

God isn't the only One with many names...Jesus has numerous ones as well! Friends, knowing Him and His names is critical...may this song remind you of the importance!

Even If

Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. I've been thinking about this name as I prep to study it in Wendy Blight's new book, "I Know His Name". I've experienced God living up to this name...He's healed me physically and spiritually. He's taken care of my children and healed others who I love. He's healed bodies and relationships.

"B" getting some love from Jed!

As I remember all the healing work He's done, I can't help but think about the healing that never happened. One specific situation rises to the surface...3 years ago my grandma was in a battle with cancer. We prayed and asked for healing. I shared about that journey in a devotional titled, "Not What I Expected" - I believe God answered our prayers...it was just in a way we didn't predict or want.

As I think about that now 3 years later much comes to mind and tears come to my eyes...


I find myself thinking about my grandma and missing her too. My children talk about her quite a bit and wish they could still go to her house. We'd all love to see her again, hear her laugh and feel her love, but for now we must wait until we're reunited in heaven.

And while we wait, what do we do? Honestly, sometimes we still cry and typically we thank God for the memories, but we also try to thank Him in the memories. And sometimes that is hard...I don't just want to remember the good times, I'd still like to experience them. Like my son, I too would love to go have ice cream with Grandma B, but since our prayers weren't answered like we wanted that won't happen.

That fact could leave me angry, and it could have caused me to turn my back on God, but instead it's drawn me closer. In His Word, God tells me (and you) not to lean on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). I don't understand why my grandma's time was up and perhaps you're confused by pain in your life, but friend that's OK. We don't have to rely on our own understanding, instead we must trust our faithful Father, the One who has a perfect plan and works things together for our good and His glory.

Our circumstances will change, but God never does! He is good, He is powerful and He is sovereign. As my grandma walked through her battle with cancer, I can remember hearing Kutless sing, "Even If The Healing Never Comes" and thinking that could be true for Grandma. The reality of her not being healed was something I needed to face and share with my children. As I thought about this, questions entered my mind - "If the healing didn't come, would I still say God was good? If the healing didn't come, would I still trust the great and mighty One?"

Nearly three years have passed since I told my grandma, "Good-bye" and friend can I encourage you today? I still trust the One who gave answers I didn't want, who worked in ways I don't understand and comforted me with arms I don't see. The peace that Paul talks about in Philippians 4:7 is real and it does guard our hearts and minds.

Can I encourage you to trust our heavenly Father, run to our Lord and find comfort in the One who saves even if? Even if your loved one passes away, even if the relationship is not restored, even if your plans fall apart, even if ______ fill in the blank.

Friend, let's keep seeking God, asking Him to fill our needs and praying for the miracle! May we also remember we are the one who does the asking, but God does the answering and sometimes those answers aren't what we want. In those "Even If" situations we will hurt, we will cry and we may even be discouraged, but may we cling to Him in our desperation.

If you are on the other side of an "Even If" situation may these words from Isaiah bring you comfort and hope.

Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and His understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary;

they will walk and not be faint.

(Isaiah 40:28-31)

G'ma supporting me, like she always did!

God is Jehovah Rapha...sometimes He heals disease and others He heals our broken hearts. He's a God of many names and is always able to provide what we need, but friend you and I must seek Him, fear Him and trust Him regardless of the name we call Him! 

Stay tuned I may have more to share when the week is over. Until then, what's your experience with Jehovah Rapha? Do you have an "Even If" story? If so, please share...I believe we can be encouraged by and learn from each other's stories! 

When the game changes...

 Basketball...the game I loved as a teen! I grew up watching the game, learning about it and playing it. I read books about it and watched it on TV. I remembered stats and scores and strived to be the best. Here in Iowa, we played a different of style of play back in the day - the girls played 6 on 6, which was basically a half-court game. Players were either a guard (defensive) or a forward (offensive), you could only dribble twice and a lot of points were scored. It was a different game, but it was fun and fundamentals were strong.

We always joked with the saying, "Forwards sell the tickets, but guards win the games." With that being said, you can probably guess I was a guard. Defensively, I could utilize my quickness and aggressiveness, but offensively I didn't have a very good shot. This was fine until the end of my junior year when the girls athletic union decided the entire state would switch to 5 on 5.

As one who wanted to play college ball part of me was excited, but my shooting ability created some anxiety. My senior year came and my defense and dribbling skills won me the point guard position. Typically I had more steals than points and assists than shot attempts, but with teammates who could score it wasn't problem. I did go on to play college ball and have spent many of the past 20 seasons coaching in one form or another. The game continues to be part of my life, but today I want to link my experience on the court to one we all experience in life.

I'm currently doing Wendy Blight's "I Know His Name" Bible study (which I highly recommend) and these few lines hit me hard, "God desires that we deepen our walk with Him, to grow spiritually in such a way that we will be able to lead and guide others as they seek to know Him the way we know Him. Satan opposes that growth and unless we prepare for battles with him, both offensively and defensively, he will prevail."

So a little background - a week ago God confirmed I was growing and helping others do the same. I was grateful for confirmation and encouraged in my walk, but days later I was struggling. Friend, I had not prepared for the attack and Satan started pressing from many directions. As I read Wendy's words, I was struck by the words offensively and defensively. While thinking and praying about this, God brought my basketball experience to mind.

Clearly, I was a defensive player and I'm a defensive minded coach, who loves teams that apply pressure and force turn-overs. When it comes to offense, I've always kind of struggled...I could take it to the hoop with the best of them in our backyard, but when the stands were full, you could count on me making the pass. I've never been very aggressive or confident and that's a detriment when it comes to scoring in a game and also when fighting off a spiritual attack.

The Bible certainly talks about defense and protecting ourselves - Ephesians 6 is all about the armor of God! Friend, it's critical that you and I put on the belt of Truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of peace, helmet of salvation and hold the shield of faith! These will all help when Satan attacks, but we need to counter as well. The way we do that is by using the sword of the Spirit - His living and active Word.

I know this, but I started to think about it more with my basketball mind. When we switched to the full-court game, coaches spent time with all the former defensive players trying to teach us how to shoot. I still use the acronym today when I'm instructing others - when it comes to shooting you need B.E.E.F. You have to have good Balance, your Eyes have to be focused on the target, your Elbow must be aligned with your body and you have to Follow-thru.

In a way, I think we can connect this to our spiritual offensive attack - we need to be building our lives on the foundation of faith, our eyes must be on Christ, our walk must line up with His and knowing the right Scriptures and Truth is not enough. We MUST follow-thru.

When it comes to God's Word, we have to abide in it. That means we read it, study it, meditate on, memorize it and pray it. Doing this Sunday morning at church isn't enough. Nor is starting your day with Scripture. We must be in communion with Christ constantly...Satan can and will attack at anytime. When he does, we need to be ready. Defending ourselves is good, but we need to attack as well.

A few recent March Madness games come to mind as I think about this...Iowa State was playing Virginia and within minutes they were down 2 - 12. For the rest of the game, the Cyclones played even, but they were never able to overcome the initial deficit. Satan loves to use this strategy in my mind...he feeds me one lie and I take it. While I'm wrestling with it, he feeds me another and I fall deeper and deeper into the pit. You may know, the farther we fall the harder it is to get back up. Let's learn a lesson from our Clones and be ready...the game starts now!

Another Iowa team provides a second powerful illustration - the UNI Panthers were up 14 with a minute to go and Texas A&M fans were leaving the building. Nearly everyone thought the outcome was determined. Things changed when the opponents put on the press. The Panthers got rattled, made mistakes and the lead slipped away. As a fan that was frustrating to watch and as a former player my heart hurt for them, but as a Christian I realize I've experienced the same. A week ago I felt like victory was certain, but then Satan started to pounce. He messed with my thinking, created stress and chipped away at my confidence in Christ.

I've listened to a few UNI players talk about the game and they each mention things they could have done differently. They are determined to learn from this and I'm committing to do the same...last night I was talking with my husband about this - how I see a pattern. I step out and do something for God, leave my comfort zone and trust Him, walk in faith and experience His faithfulness...He equips me, empowers me and encourages me, but then Satan attacks and leaves me feeling defeated, depressed and full of doubt. Job didn't disagree with this realization at all.

I encourage you to think about recent spiritual battles you've been involved in - do you see a pattern? Satan knows our weak spots - how does he attack you? How do you react when he does? Do you need to be more defensive or offensively minded? These are questions we each must answer individually, but I believe God will give us insight and direction as we do!

One last word of advice from my basketball minded husband as well - "Remember you don't have to beat the press by yourself." The coach in me knows how true that statement is - passing the ball almost always works better to beat a press than trying to dribble through it. He encouraged me to let him know and he'd do what he could to help. Friend, if you have a husband, child or friend who will pray, let them know when Satan is on the attack. Basketball is a team game and so is life!!

Friend, I don't know how life is changing for you - perhaps it's a physical thing, maybe it's a relationship or where you live. When things change, we must adjust and do what it takes to learn the role we must now live. Sometimes it's not really the game that changes at all, but instead our understanding of it and when that happens may we take what we know and apply it to how we live!

May we remember this as the battle continues -

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion 

looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, 

because you know that the family of believers 

throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings." 

1 Peter 5:8-9

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. 
On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."
 2 Corinthians 10:4

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." 

Romans 8:37

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

2 Corinthians 15:57