Not too long ago a friend of mine was burgled. They had left home one Sunday morning to attend the Christening of two of their daughters, and after a wonderful day returned home to a trashed house. It took them two days to go through all the mess, tidy up and make a note of what had been stolen. As you can imagine some things hold deep sentimental value of which no amount of money could replace. Then two days later when they were just coming to terms with the break in and trying to calm their anger and frustration, not content with what they had already retrieved the thieves returned and stole their car!
I spoke to my friend and we shared our frustration, agreeing that though we knew the stolen items were just things, it was still upsetting that someone would do such a things and cause individuals such heartache. I spoke of having my motorbike and car stolen, as well as being burgled and how it made me feel that someone would have the audacity to take something that did not belong to them, knowing full they would not like it done to them. We shared the effects it has on the victims, the rollercoaster of emotions you feel. Anger, frustration, followed by more anger and frustration. I then began to think about the steps we take to secure our belongings after and before a theft, taking out insurance, fitting alarms, joining neighbourhood watch schemes. Not that they always prevent a break in, but they can make it harder for the thieves and help us feel safer.
Later that day as I was laying down, thinking about my friend and praying for her I heard a still small voice whisper, “why don’t you react the same way when the enemy comes in and steals what I have placed in you? I paused in silence and then the voice spoke again “and what is sad is that most of the time you don’t even realise the enemy has stolen something from you.”
The voice was the voice of God, and speechless I took a long hard look at myself. I looked at the way I reacted when I had been a victim of a theft or burglary and how protective I was over my stuff, just materialistic stuff. Then I looked at how I treat some of the precious words God has spoken over and into my life, words that breathe life and have the power to become living things and I felt ashamed at the fact that I had allowed the most precious jewels to slip through my fingers unnoticed.
I wasted no time recalling all the words God had given me, gathering them up holding them close to my chest, heart-stricken that I had allowed the enemy to rob me of life and hadn’t even realised. I began to change my thoughts and mindset adjusting it to the words and instructions God had given me, for they are part of my purpose. When God speaks to us as He did in the beginning, in Genesis chapter 1, His words became things. And today His words still breathe life and play a vital role in our life’s purpose. When we allow them to slip through our fingers we are left searching for that thing that we can’t put into words, so we call it a breakthrough. We need that breakthrough because, without it, we feel undone, detached and at a loss, wondering what our purpose is and how we can find it. We need the very thing we have lost, the very thing we allowed the enemy to steal. Today I encourage you to go back through your journals, go back through those notes, and call to mind every word and instruction God has given you. Every word He has spoken over your life and gather them up, read them, meditate on them and then become them! This is what taking back what the enemy stole from you is all about. In John 10:10 Jesus warned us
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
I guess this explains why we feel so lost without the word of God, the life of God in our lives. Why we feel so deflated when we lose our way, like nothing on earth can fill the void, only God. A thief has no respect for what belongs to you and only steals items of value. They are motivated by greed and selfish acts. They will not think twice about hurting you to get what they want and may go so far as to kill for it. So if satan seeks to steal what God has given to you, it has to be something of value. The sad thing is he knows it’s value more than we do, for if we cherished it as much as we do materialistic things we would not allow him to walk away with it. We would take steps to guard it and more importantly we would notice when and if he managed to steal it!
Are you guilty of this? Because I am!
Today I encourage you to treat with respect what God has given you and at least be aware of when you lose it. Many of us are walking around asking God to give us something He already gave us, something we allowed the enemy to steal from us. It’s time to place value on the words God speaks. Time to make sure our treasures are stored up on high and protected from the evil one. It’s time to take an inventory of all the enemy has stolen, claim it back via the insurance of the blood of Jesus, bind it around our hearts and neck. Write it on your foreheads and apply it to your lives.
