1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 2: You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, helping 3 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 2: you pray God's word for your family in the areas 4 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,120 Speaker 2: you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here 5 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 2: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 6 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 2: and best response in parenting, and every day we come 7 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 2: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 8 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 2: Today's devotion is written and read by Selene Roberts. We're 9 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,840 Speaker 2: continuing on in our summer book club featuring her book 10 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 2: When Mothering is Hard and no one sees, It's not 11 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 2: too late for you to jump in with us, and 12 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 2: listening to this episode is a great place to start. 13 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 2: This is week four in our book club, and we 14 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 2: are talking all things the Kingdom in our motherhood. Today, 15 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 2: Shelleen shares a prayer for the Lord to make us 16 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 2: aware of the battle around us and reveal the truth 17 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 2: to us us that he has already won. To find 18 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 2: out more about Sholine or to learn more about the 19 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 2: ministry of Million Praying Moms, visit Millionpraying Moms dot com. 20 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:10,759 Speaker 1: You'll find a link in our show notes. 21 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:13,479 Speaker 2: After a quick word from our sponsors, will pray together 22 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 2: for our families, a. 23 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 3: Prayer for mothers to arise churches five seven villagers in 24 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 3: Israel would not fight. They held back until I Deborah arose, 25 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 3: until I arose a mother in Israel. If you've been 26 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 3: mothering for any length of time, you've felt it, that 27 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 3: sense that something bigger than exhaustion is working against you. 28 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 3: It might be the tension in your marriage layers up 29 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 3: out of nowhere, or the shame soaked voice that whispers 30 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 3: you're failing your children. It might be the weariness that 31 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,039 Speaker 3: settles in even after full night sleep, or the frustration 32 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 3: that seems to erect a very simple mess. Most of 33 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 3: us chalk it all up to the demands of the season, 34 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 3: but that's only part of the story. Because as co 35 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 3: airs with Christ and women tasked with raising disciples, who 36 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 3: will go and tell You and I aren't simply hired 37 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 3: mothers in need of a better routine or a long 38 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 3: afternoon nap. You and I are women at war. Maybe 39 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 3: that seems a bit exaggerated, but the Bible doesn't stop 40 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 3: in this reality. In fact, God's word makes it clear 41 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 3: that a very real spiritual battle wages around us, and 42 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 3: a very real enemy is seeking to steal, kill, and destroy. First, 43 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 3: Peter Fide describes that adversary as a roaring lion prowling 44 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 3: around seeking someone to devour, and as daughters of Eve, 45 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,959 Speaker 3: as lifegivers and hope bringers, the very ones God designed 46 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 3: to nurture the next generation. You and I are squarely 47 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 3: in the enemy's cross heres all the way back in 48 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,920 Speaker 3: Genesis three fifteen, after the temptation and the bite and 49 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 3: the fall, God placed a specific enmity, a personal and 50 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 3: targeted hostility between this enemy and the woman, and that 51 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 3: hostility hasn't expired. It rages even still. If you've ever 52 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 3: wondered why motherhood can feel so incredibly hard at times, 53 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 3: there's a good chance you can trace it back to 54 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 3: this battle and this adversary. Because this enemy despises the family. 55 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 3: He hates the faith we're cultivating in our children, He 56 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 3: loathes the lives we're living that point others to the 57 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 3: source of life himself, and he will do everything in 58 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 3: his power to steal it all, kill it all, and 59 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,920 Speaker 3: destroy it all. That's a hard truth to swallow, I know, 60 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 3: and it certainly wasn't easy to talk about. In chapter 61 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 3: seven and eight of my book, when mother Ing is 62 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,359 Speaker 3: hard and no one sees. But it was a truth 63 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 3: I couldn't ignore, because it's impossible to talk honestly about 64 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 3: the holiness and the hardship of motherhood if we don't 65 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 3: acknowledge the war that rages around us. But here's what 66 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 3: I want you to hear. This enemy, he's already lost, 67 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 3: and the battle is one not because of anything we've done, 68 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 3: but because of what Christ has accomplished on the cross, fully, irrevocably, eternally, 69 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 3: and as believers covered by his blood. His victory is ours. Two. 70 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 3: In the Old Testament Book of Judges, we find the 71 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 3: story of Deborah, a prophet, a judge, and a mother 72 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 3: in Israel. Deborah is reigning during a time when the 73 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 3: Israelites are being greatly oppressed. As a result, the Lord 74 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 3: tells Deborah to command a certain man to master the 75 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 3: Israelites and go fight Canaan's army. But this man counters. 76 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 3: He tells Deborah he will only go if she goes 77 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 3: with him. So Deborah agrees, and in the end, the 78 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 3: Israelites destroy the oppressor and God delivers them following their victory. 79 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 3: Judges five seven says villagers in Israel would not fight, 80 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 3: they held back until I Deborah arose, until I arose 81 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 3: a mother in Israel. More than three thousand years ago. 82 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 3: God equipped a mother to go to battle to save 83 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 3: his people, and today he still does the same. You 84 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 3: may not feel like a warrior, but that doesn't change 85 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 3: the reality that God has called us to the fight 86 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 3: and has equipped us for it. And when you and 87 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 3: I call in the name of Jesus, we unleash all 88 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 3: the power and authority and victory that comes with his name. 89 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 3: So arise, dear mother, put on the armor, claim the victory, 90 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 3: and mother for such a time as this, because the 91 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 3: battle is real, but the victory it's already one. Let's pray, Lord, 92 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 3: open our eyes, make us aware of the battle around us, 93 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 3: and reveal the truth to us that you have already won. 94 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 3: Forgive us for the times we've sat passively on the sidelines, 95 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 3: unaware of the war that wages for the hearts of 96 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 3: our children and the life of our families. Give us 97 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 3: the courage of Deborah, cover our homes with the blood 98 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 3: of Christ. Let Your Kingdom fill every room, every heart, 99 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 3: every ordinary moment of our motherhood. And when the enemy 100 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 3: comes with his lies and his schemes, remind us. We 101 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 3: are yours and you have already won in Jesus' name. Amen. 102 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 2: I hope you are following along with us in our 103 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:53,920 Speaker 2: summer book club featuring the book When Mothering is Hard 104 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 2: and no one sees Bachelin Roberts. 105 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,360 Speaker 1: If you have not joined us yet, it's not too 106 00:05:59,440 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: light to jump. 107 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 2: Head to the homepage of our website to find out more. 108 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 2: Until next time, friends, the Lord bless you and keep you. 109 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 2: Make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. 110 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 2: May the Lord look with favor on you and give 111 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 2: you his peace.