I was awakened early one morning and as I continued to lie in my bed and read my daily devotional, I soon heard the sound of pouring rain.  It was not a thunderstorm, just a steady downpour.  We had not had measurable rain in nearly three weeks so it was much needed.   I especially enjoy the sound of rain during the night and early morning hours as it brings a soothing calmness to me.  As I was listening to the sound of the rain, the thought came to me to ask God “Do you have me awake at 4:00 A.M. to hear this because you want this to be a sign that showers of blessings are coming my way?”  

As quickly as I chose to believe and anticipate God’s goodness, the enemy decided that he would weigh in on this event.  He began to bring to my mind that over the past two weeks or more, we have had disturbing news almost every day.  Two family members had experienced very serious surgeries; the mass shootings in Las Vegas; two persons we knew from our former church had suddenly passed away; one of our young people was involved in a head on collision; and there were others we were closely connected to that were going through serious illnesses, and I’ll just stop there!   I knew where the enemy was headed.  He was reminding me that I recently had a conversation with one of my daughters and the cliché was stated, “when it rains it pours”, and not in a good sense.  So what old Satan was attempting to do was to immediately rob me of my good thought about what this wonderful, much needed downpour was supposed to represent to me.

So, then it was decision time.  Who or what am I going to believe?  Who or what am I going to allow to dominate my thoughts which ultimately will affect my spirit.  I took authority over the situation right there in my bed and told the devil, “You lost this battle buddy before you got started good”!   In fact, I was so serious about defeating his purpose that I read a few more scriptures, listened to the rain a little bit longer, and then got up.  I went downstairs to my office and engaged myself in something productive!  I continued to let God speak to me, and in the process I was writing it all down. 

Too often the devil is successful in his plan because we give him too much room and space to occupy our thoughts.  That is really all he needs.  He is like a mouse or a rat, they only need a small crack or space to enter your private space.  They have a way of flattening their bodies, and silently creeping in to unwanted places.  A word to the wise, seal up the cracks, and crevices of your mind and your spirit to block unwanted invaders who seek to come in and set up residency.  Once they get in it’s hard to get rid of them!  With all that has been going on around us personally and in the world, it is easier than you think to sink into a depressed state of mind because we seem to hear more bad news than good.  It’s all over television, radio, social media  — it’s everywhere and you can’t get away from it.  But what you can do is change your spiritual channel and tune it out.  Tune It out and tune in to what God wants to speak over your life.  I urge you now more than ever before to listen to God and talk to God.

“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,” says the Lord,
“plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster
to give you a future and a hope.
“Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me,
and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you.
Jeremiah 29: 11, 12 (Amplified)

Source: First Lady Denise