When I met Reggie, I wasn’t ready for my blessing. The enemy took advantage of my lack of preparation and sent a counterfeit to distract me from my purpose. His goal was to block my harvest. And, for a season, he did.
His attack was brutal. The relationship was a struggle from beginning to end. His favorite target was my self-esteem, what I believed about myself.
When it was over, I was different. The emotional wounds I incurred during that relationship changed me—and not for the better.
Wanting Back What the Devil Stole
Thankfully, I recognized that I needed healing. I needed to be free from that painful past. Healing meant getting back what the devil stole from me—and I wanted it all back. I wanted everything the devil took from me. Everything.
Along with my self-esteem, other casualties of this relationship were my self-image, my joy, my peace, my hopes, and my dreams—and I wanted them all back.
I don’t think I am alone in that. So, can I get a witness? Has the enemy stolen something from you that you want back? Maybe he stole your health? Or a job? Or like me, a relationship? In regard to a job or a relationship. Like me with that guy, you may not want that particular job or that particular relationship, but you would like another job or another relationship.
I was on a mission to get back everything that the devil stole. And I did. I got it all back and then some.
That is where I was when Reggie approached me about entering into a relationship. I was on a mission to get back everything that the devil stole. And I did. I got it all back and then some.
Then, the enemy attacked again. Only this time, it was different. It was more devastating because this time I didn’t lose a bad relationship. This time, the enemy stole an extraordinary one.
And that hurts. I don’t want to sleep that. Losing my marriage hurt. Just like your losses hurt. There is no denying that.
Getting Everything Back is Possible
But we’re still here. We’re without whatever the enemy stole, but we are still here. And so is the possibility of having another extraordinary life.
Even though I lost Reggie, it was God’s gift of Reggie following that previous loss that confirmed for me that victory was still possible. So, there was no doubt God could do it again. That wasn’t the doubt. No, in the days following Reggie’s passing, my doubt wasn’t in God’s ability. My doubt was in His willingness.
And that doubt left me unsure if it was worth it. And there was the fear—not in God’s ability, but in His willingness. When Reggie first died, I didn’t want to want anything because I didn’t want to risk hurting like that again. I was trying to protect myself from the pain that losing again would bring.
I was also keeping myself from creating a life He loves and I enjoy—because I surely wasn’t enjoying the life I was living at that time. And I was still living. So, the question is not: Can or will He do it? The question is: Do you want it back? Do you want back whatever the enemy stole from you? Because if you do, you can get it all back.
Getting Back What the Devil Stole
Those questions remind me of King David when he wanted to get back what the enemy stole from him (1 Samuel 30:1-20). Specifically, the Amalekites kidnapped the women and children of David and his men, and burned their city to the ground. As a result, David and his men were left with nothing. So, what did David do? David felt the pain.
1. David felt the pain.
Their losses hurt, and David and his men didn’t ignore that pain. Instead, David and his men wept in response to returning to find their women and children stolen, and their homes destroyed (v. 4). They wept until they had no more power to weep (v. 5).
Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. ~1 Samuel 30:4
Tears are cleansing. They clean our emotional wounds. Tears are also cathartic, meaning they allow us to release strong emotions. That release helps us let go of what was, so we can begin to move forward, which is exactly what David did next.
Tears are cleansing. They clean our emotional wounds. Click To Tweet2. David found strength in the Lord his God.
Powerless and exhausted, David found power in his relationship with the Lord. The phrase “found strength” (NIV) implies a persistent, intentional search. As a result, David’s faith became strong.
Though surrounded by distressing circumstances, David intentionally rejected the look of his circumstances and looked to God. David was able to find strength in the Lord his God because He knew God personally. The Lord was his God.
3. David inquired of the Lord his God.
With his faith strengthened, David takes another step forward. He exercises his faith. Strengthening yourself in the Lord takes trust. David begins to demonstrate that trust by inquiring of the Lord.
David obviously wanted his family and loved ones back, but he wanted God’s will for his life more. David had freewill. He could have chosen to pursue, but David didn’t just want to pursue. David wanted victory and he knew that was only assured in aligning himself with God’s will for his life.
4. David pursued what the enemy stole.
David took the next step in exercising his renewed faith. He further demonstrates his trust by following God’s command to pursue what he lost. He pursues, confident of God’s promise that he would recover all.
5 . David helped others along the way.
While pursuing his goal to recover all the enemy stole, David discovered an Egyptian in need. Instead of viewing this Egyptian as an interruption keeping him from his pursuit. David showed this man kindness and the Egyptian repaid the favor. Good thing too because God used the Egyptians to help David in his pursuit to recover all.
6. David took risks.
The Egyptian was a slave of the enemy, so David took risks helping him and in receiving the Egyptian’s help in his pursuit.
David trusted God not only with the end result of full restoration. David also trusted God with those he met in pursuit of his goals.
7. David was generous.
After recovering all and then some, David shared all the spoils with his whole team whether they participated in the final battle or not.
If your answer to the question is yes. You want it all back, everything the enemy stole. I recommend following David’s example. I am still recovering some things the enemy stole, but with what I have recovered (my self-esteem, my self-image, my joy, my peace, my hopes, and my dreams), these steps have worked wonders.
Questions:
- What has the enemy stolen from you that you want back?
- What are you willing to do to get it back?
