Sunday night I gathered with some friends to pray. It was an awesome time of prayer and fellowship. During our prayer time, the Lord continually spoke something to me that I later shared with one of the people there. He kept saying ‘it’s time to build your house.’ I knew God was talking about creating a fortified place around myself. Even the next morning, this phrase was on my mind, as I pondered it, I remembered a teaching I once wrote on this subject, I want to share it with you today. Enjoy!
Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Ephesians 6:13 Message Bible
Over the past few years, I have seen many people come under an attack that literally took them out. Either it took their life or it took their livelihood. And neither of those are from God.
Although God often gets the blame for bad things, the Bible remains clear: The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, by Jesus came that we might have life and life more abundantly.
God doesn’t bring the attack but He has promised us that when we trust Him in it, that He will bring us out of it and turn it for our good. I have seen Him do that very thing over and over in my own life. But I have discovered that there is a key to victory in the storm. Then what’s the key?
I believe the key is being prepared before the storm hits. Most people who are suddenly attacked with sickness or debt or divorce are first of all not prepared for it. You see, in the natural when we know a storm is coming, we make provision for it and prepare ourselves for it. By doing that we often suffer the very least effects of a storm.
We may board up the windows, tie things down, whatever it takes to keep our stuff intact during the storm. This is the same thing we need to do in the spirit.
1 Peter 5:8 says Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lions, seeking whom he may devour. You see the enemy is seeking someone to devour. He is seeking someone to bring a storm against who is not ready or prepared for it. He is seeking for the vulnerable.
My Dad was saved in the last few months of his life. He died of cancer. When the storm hit, he did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ and he was not prepared for it. He wanted to fight but he didn’t have the foundation he needed to stand against the storm. I see that same thing everywhere. The storm hits and people are scrambling to build a storm shelter during the storm, a task that is nearly impossible. If the storm has already hit, you must hang on to God with all you have and God can bring you through the storm, but what God would have us do is to find our place in Him before the storm hits.
You can’t build a storm shelter during the storm. If you find yourself in that place, you will have to battle in the storm. As believers we can build our shelters before the storm comes and then we are ready. When we are prepared, we will not feel the effects of the storm, we will be hidden in our shelter, in our God.
Years ago, I prayed healing scriptures over me every single day. Was I sick? No, I was never sick; I just prayed them as part of my confessions. During that time, I didn’t even have a cold. Years went by and I stopped being as persistent at my confessions and I began to get sick all the time, I would catch every bug that came along. One day it dawned on me that I had stopped my confessions on healing.
You see, I had built my shelter from sickness and it kept me safe no matter what virus came along. And through the word of God we have the ability to build a shelter for every thing the enemy could ever bring against us. God has made provision through his word to keep us safe and secure from every storm. It’s in the word of God.
Today, I encourage you to begin to build a shelter against everything and anything the enemy could send your way. Build yourself up in God. Speak His word over every area of your life. If you are married, build a shelter against divorce and division, and then being obedient with your money as the Bible commands. Build a shelter for your children by speaking Gods word over them daily.
You see, to be vigilant is to take heed lest through indolence or idleness or inactivity some destructive calamity suddenly overtakes you. That is what I see taking most people out, calamity suddenly overtakes them and they are not spiritually prepared for it. One thing I know, if you are spiritually prepared, you can stand through any storm and be like the Message Bible says in Ephesians 6:13; when it’s all over but the shouting, you will be on your feet. Praise God!
To be vigilant is to be active or to pay attention, take action today in building your shelters. Get them up and sturdy enough to support you and your family through any storm. Apply the word of God through your confession to every area of your life. Then when the enemy is seeking someone whom he may devour, he will have to pass you by, for you will be well prepared to take him out and be the last one standing.
Friends, today, begin building your shelter – build your house – fortify yourself, your finances, your family and your home – fortify it with a wall of the word of God. If you do not have our Scripture Book, write us and let us know – we will send it to you as an ebook. This is an awesome tool to use to fortify you and your family.
