Protect Yourself

Tonight I had the blessed opportunity to visit with some of my neighbors here in my apartment complex. I was prompted by the Lord to go around my complex and solicit prayer requests and at the same time I was hoping to be able to share the Love of God with some of my neighbors. This turned out to be really awesome.

I initially, very timidly, knocked on a couple of neighbors doors in my own building. I got a few replies but many seemed not to be home or afraid to answer the door. When someone was home and answered the door I had my pad and paper and told them i was conducting a “christian survey”. Several of the people were not at all fluent in english but as I asked them “Can I pray for you the answers came “Yes” or “No”. I was grateful to be able to pray with each one that I had the opportunity to do so with.

As I neared my 7th or 8th house I prayed… still a bit nervous but before I reached the house I saw an individual who was a repairman asked him if I could pray for Him. He declined and probably could not understand what I was saying but at the same time I saw an elderly lady coming out on a walker and I thought, “Ahhh, there’s a target!” I was a bit hesitant to approach her at first but as I was about to walk away the Holy Spirit encouraged me to turn around and go talk to her. So as I approached her I sheepishly asked, “ma’am can i pray for you?” She looked at me above the frames of her glasses as she clung to her walker and responded by turning her back to me and asking me to come in to her house!

Okay, so here I am expecting a something awesome and the Lord gave it to me. Upon entering I asked her what was her condition and why was she using the walker. She told me that recently she had a stroke and the effects of it made her weak and unable to walk without falling backwards. I asked her could I pray for her and she complied. After praying for her we talked for about 35-40 more minutes than I asked her if she wanted to go get her mail (this is where she was going when I first saw her). We walked to the mailbox and she did not use the walker! I did walk along side her and continued to speak strength to her body as we walked. It was awesome! After we got back she also told me that the stroke had affected her vision in one of her eyes. I prayed for the eye also and she actually went the rest of the time I was visiting her without glasses! I am believing for full restoration.

Mrs. Jerry is an Ambassador for Christ and has the card to prove it! She handed me the card and told me that she travels all over the country speaking at churches and conventions and representing Christ! I felt incredibly honored to encounter this ambassador tonight. She is a widow and somewhere in the age range of 60 – 70 and has two daughters. One of her daughters recently came to know the Lord and the other is in the oven (meaning, God is bringing her in 🙂 ). I stayed and talked with Mrs. Jerry (or rather listened) for about 4 hours and was incredibly refreshed as she shared all the things God had done in her life. One of the things she told me about was when she and her husband were about to get married. At that time she was 21 and her husband was in the military. She told me how one of her friends warned her to “protect herself” and not allow him too close before he was committed in wedlock. She also recounted to me the horror of her sister who had met a man, got impregnated by him and was left abandoned by him.

What a paradigm reordering! The devil has attempted to steal the term of “protect yourself” to refer to sexual intimacy outside of marriage with condoms BUT the only true protection is NO sexual intimacy outside of marriage at all. Amen.

Mrs. Jerry proudly displayed her marriage pictures to me with her white dress and declared, “Even though we had to move the wedding date closer and I could not be a June bride I thank God because I had earned the right to wear that dress!”

A Word To My Sisters: Do not settle for less! If any man wants to get near to you make sure he is ready to be committed to only you; for life. And not only that, make sure the ring is there and you are married. Protect yourself and that man will respect you for it; for life. If you have messed up in this area The blood of Jesus cleanses from all sins (I John 1:7), Get up and press on! The only TRUE purity is the type found in and through Jesus & His shed blood.

A Word To My Brothers: Let’s be real men by treating our sisters as sisters in all purity and by pursuing our future spouses with passion and in purity. Let’s rid ourselves of all fear of commitment and be the men that God has created us to be and that our sisters, girlfriends, wives & mothers need us to be protecting their hearts and our also. It is given to us by God to lead and to not give opportunity for reproach to come upon those we say we love. Let’s go higher!

Tonight was truly a blessing in so many ways and I know my heart has been expanded. I can sense the fullness of the Love of God that comes through doing the will of God (i.e. letting His love flow through you to others). Jesus said my food it to do the will of God and the work of Him who sent me (John 4:34). Tonight was great and i know only an appetizer of stepping out and being bold for God to be a vessel for Him. Filled up to be poured out. 😀