EXCERPT
Man of God, Be on Guard!
By T.D. Jakes
Guest Writer
CBN.com
– (Bethany
House) – As a father, you are the defender
who must personally stop every predator who tries to attack your home. Whether
the attacker is spirit, man, or beast, to gain entrance it must face the awesome
power and authority of the man of God at the gate. There are no guarantees that
an adversary will not come. Sometimes, despite all that we do, challenging situations
still arise, but it is foolish not to take every precaution to make it as difficult
as possible for a thief to break in.
Many men are ready to defend their family from physical assailants, but few
men are prepared to defend their family against spiritual attacks. Although
they have fought off thieves and criminals, they are still plagued by inner
guilt, private perversion, and moral problems. They are poorly equipped to
build defenses against depression, suicide, child abuse, or other spirits
that may target their home. We can’t kill these things with guns, but
we can stop them cold with prayer!
The devil hates to see prayer break out among men because he knows we guard
our homes through intercession. We stand in the position of impregnable authority
in our home when we cover our wives and children with prayer! Man of God, you and I are not helpless! Even when we war against
spiritual forces in high places, we come to the battle with unstoppable force
and unbeatable weapons. Stand guard over your loved ones with prayer. Let your children see you ministering
through prayer. Prayer is a mighty tool to protect those you love. When you
pray, God often gives direction and instruction to help you safeguard your
family from attack. He did it for Noah and for Joseph and Mary, and He will
do it for you. There is a difference between a good idea and a "God idea." The
"God idea" is conceived and nurtured in the womb of prayer. It is
not a venture or an attempt. Its birth comes by simply acting out the plan
God gives you through prayer. Once you know you have a "God idea," refuse to allow anyone to
intimidate you with earthly wisdom. When you have received God’s counsel
on an issue, that settles it. Don’t let the plans of the Lord be contaminated
by well-wishers who may not have the mind of the Lord for that particular
situation. Don’t be confused by the manipulation of others. Some men
are so indecisive that they are difficult to follow. Men who never make definite
decisions allow the enemy to shift God’s agenda right out of their lives!
"If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will
gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom
to all who ask him; he will not resent it. But when you ask him, be sure
that you really expect him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled
as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind; and every decision
you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way and then that.
If you don’t ask with faith, don’t expect the Lord to give you
any solid answer" (James 1:5-7 TLB).A godly man guards his plans, his wisdom, and his family from spiritual attack.
He also guards the Word of God and the godly traditions he has passed down
to his family. Train your children early to understand how to walk with your
God. Teach them that you serve God, not some force of energy. You don’t
merely "believe in some higher power" because your perception may
be off-centered. Stand guard over spiritual truth. Teach your children the
importance of faith. "Faith in faith" is a cheap disguise for humanism,
which is man worshiping his own will. Your faith is not "disconnected
energy looking for some object to attach itself to and alter." Your faith
is in God, and He has a name! He is reality!
"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common
salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that
ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto
the saints" (Jude 3). A man of God tends to have strong powers of persuasion — even a shy,
stammering man like Moses. People will sometimes follow what you teach simply
because you teach it. Make sure your message is solid and right. Many have neutralized their witness
for God by saying, "Whatever you want to believe, it doesn’t matter."
How ridiculous! Give every man and woman, every boy and girl, a clear
understanding of truth. You cannot make them believe, but you can make sure
you clearly understand the faith yourself and that you clearly communicate
it to others. A praying man collects a rich heritage. It is the accumulation of all the
things he has learned about God. The special things a praying father does
for his family ought to be passed through the curtain into the next generation
as part of a godly inheritance! This kind of wisdom puts God in the very roots
of a child’s being. He will not be easily shaken. Do you have a spiritual heritage? Are there any miracles in your life? Are
there any things you know God did for you? Guard this heritage of God’s
faithfulness and preserve it by passing it on to your sons. It may save them
from needless mistakes and sorrow. They will know what you know without having
to suffer what you suffered!
"And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children
shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan
on dry land. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from
before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the
Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: that
all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is
mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever" (Joshua 4:21-24). Read Part Two: Guard Your Heart
Excerpted from Loose That Man and Let Him Go! by T.D. Jakes Copyright
© 1995, T.D. Jakes. Published by Bethany
House Publishers. Used by permission. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
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