September 28, 2009

 Fake Virus Alert!

Over the last few weeks I have seen a message on my computer system that says Auto-protect blocked Fake-virus-alert. It was a little scary. Where was the virus coming from, how was it attacking my computer, then a bigger question, why was I afraid? I had protection against viruses. I pay for Norton!

It reminded me of our lives. The enemy is always trying to trick us, to cause us to worry about what might happen instead of focusing on what is. He works over time to stir up worry and fear. FEAR=False, Evidence, Appearing, Real, a fake virus alert. What happens when we are afraid? What happens when we think our computers have been infected by a virus? We panic, we worry about what might happen, we take our focus off what is real, what really matters and focus on what ifs. We stop trusting God and trust what we think we see.

We were at church one day a friend shared with me Psalm 23:4: 4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. It refers to the shadow of death and says I will fear no evil.

It caused us to start thinking about shadows I have heard it said that you can only see a shadow when you are facing the sun (Son). I was out walking the other day my regular path, walking and talking to the Lord when I saw a shadow. It appeared to be a big shadow, with four legs, walking behind me. My first instinct would have been one of fear, but instead I turned to face it, to face my fear of being attacked by a stray dog while out walking. When I turned around I saw the cutest little dog. He had big floppy ears and cute little short legs. That’s not what the shadowed showed, but that was the reality.

If I had run I would have missed it and I would have never known what was really going on. I was glad that I was able to deal with the reality and not the shadow.

What about the promise God made to you, whatever that was.

• The promise that your family would be saved.
• The promise that you would be debt free.
• The promise that you would regain your health.
• The promise that your children or spouse would be delivered from alcohol and drugs.
• The promise that you would walk in ministry.
• Or like Joseph the promise that He has a plan and purpose for your life.

We have struggled because we could not see it. Our immediate visual kept showing us a shadow or a fake virus alert. All the evidence appeared like the promise of God would never come to fruition. How many other issues and situations do we deal with on a daily basis, just like my fake virus or my shadow? For the last several years I have been working and waiting for a ministry that God promised me to come to pass. I have been waiting, preparing, enduring and pressing forward to be ready when He said go ahead, move forward. Waiting for the day the doors would be opened.

Every time it seemed like it was close something would happen. You know how it is to be on a rollercoaster, it’s up and down. That is how my life has been for the last 10 years. Close, but then, no, not yet was the answer. Do I have any regrets? The only regrets I have are allowing myself to run from the shadows and allow myself to accept the fake alerts as being real.

I realize that everything that has happened had to happen to develop me into the person, woman that I am, but I know many of my mistakes were based on a lack of faith. I had to go through what I went through to raise my faith level and to ensure my trust in God. The scripture says that as I walk the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me. The you, being referred to is God. God is my protection, and ever present help in a time of need.

As long as He is with me I don’t need to be afraid, not of fake viruses, shadows or delays. While Norton is good protection, God is better. I pay for Norton’s protection and I pray for God’s protection, it is free and He promised He would supply it.

What are you afraid of? What are you running from instead of facing? What fake virus alerts are you believing to be true? Where have you given your power to fear instead of trusting what God has already said? What fake virus alerts or shadows are distracting you and keeping you from your purpose?

Just so you know that cute dog followed me all the way home that day. I kept trying to send him back home, but he would not leave me. It was almost as if he knew where we were going because he beat me to the house. I have never seen him again, but I know God was trying to tell me I had nothing to fear, because just like that little dog stayed with me He is always with me and He is with you too, we don’t need to be afraid.

 Scripture:

Psalm 23:4:
4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.