Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
All my life I had been fighting in battle without the vital armor to successfully conquer my enemies. As an elementary grade kid my parents always taught me to hit someone back if I was ever struck in the face and to stand up for myself if I was ever bullied. From as far back as I can remember mom & dad instilled in me a fighters spirit as well as giving me a confidence that you only see in a rare breed of kids. My mom will tell you I was very rambunctious, curious and hard to deal with then, but as Abuelita Chavez would say “That character is going to save her life one day” little did we know we would soon find out she was prophesying with those very words when I was faced with a serial killer and sex offender of prepubescent girls.
Being attacked, sexually abused and chained captive for days before I escaped was just the beginning of a life full of fighting back. I fought for normalcy in my home life, my privacy when returning back to school and my dignity in the face of bullies who indulged in taunting me about being raped. I lost my identity as Midsi Sanchez when every one of my peers referred to me as “The Kidnapped Girl” belittling me in conversations amongst each other, eventually I became weary and tired of being picked on. I had been antagonized to the point of raging outbursts and physically fighting those who hurt me. I found that being feared was far more productive at keeping away the bullies than ignoring the hurtful words that tainted my spirit, some days I wanted to die. All that sticks and stones drama is a hoax to me, we have to do better and teach our kids that we hold the power of life and death in our tongue.
I lightly mentioned in last weeks blog that I dealt with substance abuse starting in my teen years and unfortunately what started off as fun followed me well into my adulthood. I battled with feeling unworthy and placed myself in meaningless romantic relationships and friendships I thought valued me yet my loyalty was unmatched. I didn’t have a solid foundation to stand on nor a family that knew how to support me due to the lack of basic life tools even they, like me, were blindly walking through life trying to overcome their own traumatic experiences. Throughout the years I had blamed others for my wrong doings and witnessed others pointing their finger back in my direction neither side humbling themselves to take a self inventory only causing more hate for the other side never coming to a solution for the problems we faced.
Today, I’m choosing to move different. As I continue to seek God and include Him daily in ALL that I do He has began to remove the scales from my eyes and I can see these obstacles in the spirit vs seeing them as the world sees them. In this world we will have trouble which is inevitable. Challenges will come, people will die, those you love will turn on you and falsely accuse you and it’s not because they are right and you are wrong. Unfortunately, we are fighting the wrong enemies when we should be fighting the one kicked down from heaven who has been trying to steal, kill and destroy everything attached to you including YOU! The enemy is cunning and deceiving. He will have you hating people that love you and make you look like a fool because you are acting off of emotion in a situation your totally wrong about. He wants to steal your identity and your purpose, cause self doubt and fear to dim your light so that your hopelessness remains and keeps you from the promise God has for you in Jeremiah 29:11. Your foe is not your neighbor, sister or brother your enemy is in between your two ears causing confusion, frustration and anger. Turn to Our Father in heaven, Jesus Christ, the most famous book on earth The Bible. Wisdom comes from it, peace that surpasses all understanding comes from it and you will learn forgiveness and get to know the unconditional love from the one and only true God. If you are reading this I hope your blessed by it and that you use The Gospel as your toolbox as I am doing. It won’t be easy or perfect and life’s problems will not disappear, but I promise you that if you humble yourself, seek wise counsel and apply what you learn from The Word the weight of the world will become lighter as you lay all your troubles down at the feet of Jesus. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain…
Ephesians 6:13-17
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Your Abuelita was right about that character was going to save her life one day
The fact you are still here shows the lord was watching you and had further need of you, and you have found that path and help others in difficult and terrifying times. 🙏.