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Worrier or Warrior…. which one are you?

The other day I read a Bible plan on the application on my phone, something about being a worrier. That got me thinking. So much so that I COMPLETELY forgot to finish reading the article!

Back to being a worrier. I immediately got what they were implying. A worrier is someone that worries constantly, day in and day out. I then started this conversation with God in my head like I always do.

I don’t recall what was said from my side but just as I said Worrier I got a counter-offer so to speak from the Holy Spirit. I got the word Warrior. Now when you say both out loud they sound the same but they have such different meanings. Such words are Homophones are they not?

Of course it was me and Google again. The first attempt to find pictures for the two words failed and I was almost deflated that my blog entry will have a void. Luckily I tried again and managed to get what I was looking for.

Finding the correct images, was a challenge. But I managed to find what I perceive to be a correct reflection of the image and idea I had in my mind. Now this brings me to the next question. Which one are you? Worrier or warrior? You see, I don’t think God called us to be worriers. He called us to be warriors.

For those of you who do not know this yet – we, as humans, have been in a spiritual war ever since the beginning of time. Ephesians 6 tells us more about this and what we have to do to stay standing. The more I think about that scripture about the armour of God (typical of what a warrior would wear going to war and to fight a battle) the more it makes sense why Paul explained it like that.

The helmet of salvation – we have to protect our thoughts. What ever goes on in your mind will start becoming your actions and this will start changing your character…the devil is constantly trying to take over our thoughts because that is all he can do.

Breastplate of righteousness – this is my favourite piece of armour (if I can have a favourite). This is what I stand for and what God showed me the aprons that are sold on my online shop, also mean. Guarding your heart. Always being righteous, true, not false and deceitful.

Shield of faith – what else can keep away the lies that the devil tries to tell us daily? We must have faith that God WILL come through for us, that He is for us. Sword of the word of God (the Bible) – if we KNOW the truth that is contained in the Bible, we can destroy any lies and attacks thrown our way in this war. Remember – the character of the devil is that of a liar. He will bombard you with missiles called LIES. Hoping that they will reach your heart and thoughts causing you to explode into a million irreparable pieces.

Belt of the truth – oh man. This is HUGE. How many times do we tell half truths daily? Half truths are LIES! Do not tell the client that you have started with something when you have not even taken the file from the cabinet. Off topic – this makes me think of someone I worked for once, in a corporate environment. She once told me that I am too truthful. My word! Can anyone ever be too honest and truthful? Is that not what God expects from us? To tell the truth always?

Shoes of the willingness to spread the good news of Jesus – now this too I think is a favourite of mine! Actually the whole armour, but this one also stands out. What are you doing, when you walk around on this earth, to spread the word of God? Do your words AND deeds show that you are a child of God? Or do you say one thing and do another that causes doubt amongst people about your relationship with God?

Can people see that you are a child of God without you saying much? Are you telling them about what He has done for you? Are you giving your testimony of how He has changed your life for the better? Or are you doing a shady deal, under the table, cash, so that no one has to pay VAT? Or do you give your word that you will do something and then never do it? Do you go on luxurious holidays while you owe the whole world money? Or do you spend more time with other people and in the process neglect your own family?

With that being said, because I think that is a debate for another day… but… did you notice that you do not put on anything to protect your back? Have you thought about this and why? I have! It is because God has your back. He protects you from behind…. So which one are you? A worrier or a warrior? What are you choosing today? Are you going to let the devil bombard you with lies while you are a worrier, sitting in a corner? Or are you going to be ready for the battle like a warrior?

“Worrier” of “Warrior”… watter een is jy?
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“Worrier” of “Warrior”… watter een is jy?

Die opskrif is in Engels, bloot by gebrek aan ‘n soortgelyke standpunt in Afrikaans…maar terug by wat ek wou sê – die ander dag het ek ‘n Bybel plan gelees op my foon (in Engels), waar hulle iets gepraat het van ‘n worrier. Dit het my laat dink. Soveel so dat ek HEELTEMAL vergeet het om die artikel klaar te lees!

Terug by om ‘n worrier te wees. Ek het dadelik gesnap wat hulle bedoel en impliseer het. ‘n Worrier is iemand wat konstant bekommerd is, dag in en dag uit. Toe begin ek hierdie gesprek met die Here, soos ek altyd maak.

Ek kan nie onthou wat ek van my kant af gesê het nie, maar toe ek sê Worrier, kry ek, so te sê onmiddellik ‘n teen-aanbod, van die Heilige Gees af. Ek kry toe die woord Warrior. Nou wanneer jy beide hardop sê, klink hulle dieselfde maar hul betekenisse is so wyd versprei van mekaar. Ons noem dit mos homofone in Afrikaans doen ons nie?

Natuurlik was dit alweer ek en tannie Google. Die eerste poging om die prentjies vir die woorde op te soek was ‘n ramp en ek was amper in sak en as oor die stuk wat ek wou skryf, want dit sou nou voel of die inskrywing ‘n lugleemte in het. Gelukkig probeer ek weer en kry toe dit waarna ek soek.

Die prentjies was ‘n uitdaging. Maar, ek het gevind, wat ek voel, die idee wat in my kop was korrek deurgee. Nou dit bring my by die volgende vraag – watter een is jy? ‘n Worrier of ‘n Warrior? Jy sien, ek dink nie God het ons geroep om worriers te wees nie. Hy het ons geroep om warriors te wees.

Vir diegene wat dit nog nie weet nie, ons as mense, is in ‘n geestelike oorlog sedert die begin van tyd. Efésiërs 6 vertel ons meer oor dit en wat ons moet doen om staande te bly. Hoe meer ek dink oor die skrif in die Bybel van die wapenrusting van God (tipies wat ‘n warrior dra as hy oorlog toe gaan om te gaan baklei), hoe meer maak dit sin hoekom Paulus dit so verduidelik het.

Die helm van verlossing – ons moet ons gedagtes beskerm. Wat ookal in ons gedagtes aangaan, gaan ons karakter begin verander… die duiwel is konstant besig om ons gedagtes te probeer oorneem, want dis al wat hy kan doen.

Borsharnas van geregtigheid – hierdie is my gunsteling deel van die wapenrusting (as mens nou ‘n gunsteling kan hê). Dit is waarvoor ek staan en wat God my gewys het die voorskote, wat ek op my aanlyn winkel verkoop, ook beteken. Bewaar jou hart. Wees altyd righteous (dit klink net beter in Engels hier), opreg en nie vals en misleidend nie.

Skild van geloof – wat anders kan die leuens van die duiwel (wat hy daagliks vir ons vertel) afweer? Ons moet vertroue en geloof hê in God en dat Hy sal deur kom vir ons en dat Hy vir ons is. Swaard van die Gees van God (die Bybel) – as ons die waarheid WEET wat in die Bybel vervat is, kan ons enige leuens en aanvalle wat na ons gegooi word vernietig. Onthou – die karakter van die duiwel is dit van ‘n leuenaar. Hy sal jou bombardeer met missiele genaamd LEUENS. In die hoop dat dit jou hart sal tref en jou in ‘n miljuisend, onherstelbare stukke sal breek.

Gordel van die waarheid – o my jitte. Die is GROOT. Hoeveel keer ‘n dag vertel mens halwe waarhede? Halwe waarhede is LEUENS! Moet nie vir die kliënt vertel dat jy reeds met iets begin het as jy nog nie eens die leêr uit die kas gehaal het nie. Van die onderwerp af – ek het eenkeer vir iemand gewerk, in ‘n korporatiewe omgewing. Sy het eenkeer vir my gesê ek is te eerlik. Regtig? Kan iemand TE EERLIK wees? Is dit nie wat God van ons verwag nie? Om altyd die waarheid te praat nie?

Skoene om die bereidwilligheid van die evangelie van Jesus te verkondig. Sjoe, ek raak altyd uitasem as ek dit sê en lees. Nou die is ook een van my gunstelinge! Eintlik die hele wapenrusting, maar die een staan ook vir my uit. Wat doen jy wanneer jy oor hierdie aarde wandel, om die woord van God te versprei? Wys jou dade EN woorde dat jy ‘n kind van God is? Of sê jy een ding en doen jy ‘n ander wat mense laat twyfel oor jou en jou verhouding met God?

Kan mense sien dat jy ‘n kind van God is sonder dat jy veel praat? Vertel jy vir hulle wat Hy vir jou gedoen het? Is jy besig om jou getuienis te gee van hoe Hy jou lewe vir die beter verander het? Of doen jy ‘n skelm deal onder die tafel, kontant, sodat niemand BTW hoef te betaal nie? Of gee jy jou woord vir iemand dat jy iets sal doen en kom dit nie na nie? Of is jou prioriteite verkeerd? Gaan hou jy luukse vakansies terwyl jy die wêreld geld skuld? Of spandeer jy soveel meer tyd met ander mense en skeep jou huisgesin af?

Dit daar gelaat want ek is seker dis ‘n debat vir ‘n ander dag….maar…het jy agter gekom dat jy niks op jou rug sit nie? Het jy al daaroor gewonder hoekom dit so is? Ek het! Dit is omdat God ons van agter beskerm. So watter een is jy? ‘n Worrier of ‘n Warrior? Wat kies jy vandag? Gaan jy toelaat dat die duiwel jou bombardeer met leuens terwyl jy worry en in ‘n hoekie sit? Of gaan jy reg staan vir die oorlog soos ‘n ware warrior?

Worrier or Warrior…. which one are you?