Preserving Holiday Joy

December 24, 2014

This is the season that has the potential for great joy or great sorrow. It's really been on my heart the last few days to touch in with you and just share some experiences I've had during the holidays. I wish I'd done it a little sooner, because some of you won't get this in time.

I know that those who hate Christianity prey against families so that they'll be broken, and their favorite time to do substantial damage is during the holidays. I can't tell you how many times spiritual battles have been brought up that we've had to fight on holidays, and how we've had to cover every family member with prayer, to allow God to bring together a healing time of rejoicing and thanksgiving. What a difference it's made!

We noticed this tendency for trouble around the holidays many, many years ago, and also came into some knowledge of the different satanic feasts and sabbats. We noticed and implemented the plan for protecting the house, vehicles, attitudes, feelings, potential use of alcohol, old injuries flaring up between family members. We noticed all of this coming up around holidays.

It is amazing how the has Lord protected us when we deliberately prayed against the spirits of division, jealousy, misunderstanding, lying, accusing, lust and pride. It really works, guys! Binding these monsters ahead of time, or if you even notice something starting to come up where there's some friction, praying - going into the restroom or whatever - and praying against it. Praying that the Holy angels will keep the troublemakers out -- it really, really works.

We all come together to celebrate and love each other. And what better opportunity for the devils to drive a wedge into the family than when we're all together! You know, some of us travel for hundreds of miles to be together during that time. Some of us have saved money and spent it for special things around the holidays. The devils love to disappoint. But the Lord warns us ahead of time to pray carefully over our families so that these things don't happen. Those ugly opportunists love to take advantage of our vulnerable feelings to sow discord.

I believe we can pray against them, but there's no weapon like virtue, and especially humility, to put the enemy to flight. We have unsaved loved ones who don't have a clue about how they are being used. So, the only way we can disarm what could turn into a bitter experience is for us to exercise extreme heroic charity, humility and yielding. Bending over backwards to please one another. Going out of our way to yield to someone who wants it their way. And laying aside our own ideas and egos to create a sweet, nurturing environment. One way to accomplish this is to lay all our wants aside, to minister to the weaker ones who don't know Christ. Or just make it an especially joyful time for our spouses by doing what he or she wants, instead of what we want or what we planned.

We're only going to be together for a few hours with all our family members. So, let's make the most of it so they remember that time as sweet and bonding, as something they can hold dear in their hearts. This can be a time of extreme turbulence for families when there's a drinker who's gotten out of control. Here, too, we need to be as patient and kind as our poor frames will allow. The shelters fill up during the holidays, but forewarned is forearmed.

I pray that this will be a time of healing and comfort for all in Jesus, that we can celebrate His birth and coming into the world, leaving behind memorable times with each other. And locking out all the elements of division and discord. We've got the tools, guys, let's use them.

The Lord bless you all. Pray for us as we pray for you.