What if you discovered you have been entrusted with an invisible, invincible, and incorruptible weapon? Would you use it? Lisa Bevere, international speaker, best-selling author, and co-founder of Messenger International, encourages women to wield the Word of God as their greatest defence.
Empowering women
Alongside her husband, John Bevere, respected Bible teacher, this dynamic duo proclaims and teaches the Word of God with a wisdom that is inspired by Christ. In her latest book, ‘Girls With Swords’, Lisa shares God’s Word inter-woven with personal experiences to empower lives with His freedom. She explains that a spiritual enemy is seeking to disarm women on every level. It’s time women become the heroes God created them to be and stand – courageous, discerning, forgiving, and wise.
The following is an extract from this latest release:

Fighting for dreams
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly places.” Eph 6:12
Most of us realise that we are in the midst of a spiritual war. But as we fight, we must ask: “Where is our battle, and who is our enemy?” The quick, simple answers are that our battle is fought in a realm unseen, and our enemies are not the people we know. Instead, we war agaist satan and the unseen forces of evil.
This foe, one who Scripture calls a serpent and a dragon, crouches in the shadow of nightmares as he waits to pounce on all who would dare to dream. He purposefully divides, demeans, and discourages any who would hope to rise up and move into the light by daring to dream in the dark.
Lovely one, if you dare to dream, you must be brave enough to fight!
Identify the evil one
Look over your life and bravely look beyond both the people and the pain. How many times have you seen a serpent coiled in the shadows, hidden until it was time to pounce on your hopes and dreams?
When you were a little girl, maybe the dragon spoke words of fire that turned your hopes to ashes. Maybe he twisted words until you imagined his thoughts were your own. Did someone say you were ugly, fat, skinny, flat, stupid, too smart, short, or tall?
Maybe your parents’ love turned to hate and the former shelter of your home turned into an empty shell of a house. Maybe someone rode the dragon’s wings in the night and touched you in places and ways that made you feel ashamed and dirty…
Maybe as the serpent of shame slithered away, he hissed: “You asked for this, you wanted this, you are the one who made me do this.”
Beware of the thief
Jesus came to take the blame once and for all. Blame is always a distraction from what is truly going on. Any pain caused by people is just a shadow puppet of what is behind the scenes.
The dragon in the shadows loves to warp the actions and perceptions of God’s children. He wants to steal our birthright and malign our ability to bear the Lord’s image: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” John 10:10.
God will protect you
In contrast, Jesus positioned us to flourish as we individually and corporately recover what was lost through theft, death, and destruction.
As we become unified in purpose and flourish in our individual strengths, we could be likened once again to a glorious garden of which the Lord is the master gardener.
“At that time God will unsheathe His sword, His merciless, massive, mighty sword. He’ll punish the serpent Leviathan as it flees, the serpent Leviathan thrashing in flight. He’ll kill that old dragon that lives in the sea.
At that same time, a fine vineyard will appear. There’s something to sing about!
I, God, tend it.
I keep it well-watered.
I keep careful watch over it
so that no one can damage it.”
Isaiah 27:1–3.
Flourish in Christ
As our God Most High fights, we flourish. As we His people flourish, our God strikes a killing blow.
The battles in Heaven are seen on earth, and the battles of earth do not escape the notice of Heaven. We flourish when we are one with each other and with Heaven’s purpose.
Be fruitful and live freely
Lovely one, the most powerfully, heroic thing you can do is to be fruitful. Repeatedly throughout the Scriptures, God refers to His people as vineyards, gardens, and fields. You are likened to a garden of His planting.
Trees do not attack what is planted around them, nor do they imagine that the beauty of the flowers blooming in their shade detracts from the majesty of their strength.
So let your roots go down deep and draw your strength from the unseen, and never allow the shadow of the dragon to blight the light of your future.
A life-changing read!
This extract was adapted from ‘Girls With Swords: How to Carry Your Cross Like a Hero’. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used with permission. 

LISA BEVERE, author and co-founder of Messenger International. For more info about their ministry: www.messengerinternational.org