But as deeply feeling beings, we are also very susceptible to
feelings of guilt, inadequacy, insecurity. These more negative
feelings can grip us and take a stronghold on our hearts and
keep us captive to the dark voices we often hear, either from
others who have wrongly influenced our lives or from our own
feelings of failure.
First, we need to recognize that being a great lover is one of the
best accomplishments we can attain to and it makes us most
like Christ. Loving generously and deeply is a beautiful mantle
for a woman to wear. Jesus said that Christians would be truly
known in the world, by our love—unconditional, redeeming
love for one another.
We must understand that Satan, the arch-enemy of God, knows
how very powerful the love of Christ through us can be. He
would almost do anything to keep us from understanding our
great value to God so that He can cripple us. Satan just hates
for us to know that we are anointed with favor from a God who
delights in using normal people to accomplish great things. He
whispers to us that we are not worthy in hopes that He can
keep us from living a story through the days of our lives worth
telling!
We cannot be free to love as long as we are dwelling on our
self, our own inadequacies, bitterness, lack of forgiveness for
ourselves or for others. Jesus desires us to live freely, no
condemnation hanging over our heads, so that we become
freer to love others well.
How freeing to begin to understand we do not have to wear the
guilt or heaviness of the mantle of His accusations, but our
precious Father wants us to understand the battle so we are