Encouragement for Today

September 25, 2024 The Fight for Your Sacred Space LISA BEVERE Lee en español

“And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” Mark 3:25 (ESV)

Mark 3:25 addresses spiritual kingdoms when it says “a house [that] is divided against itself … will not be able to stand.”

But in another sense … how many women are like “divided houses”?

What I mean by this is that we have a love-hate relationship with the way God has made us as women. Think about how often we criticize and compare our bodies rather than celebrate them. We recite scriptures that affirm our value and worth, such as Psalm 139, which tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made, but we often behave in a way that contradicts this, as if somehow God made a mistake with us.

Part of us wants to believe what God speaks over us, but another part falls prey to the taunts of our enemy, the one who attempts to distort the very image of God in us, which He calls “wonderful.”

I remember when I became a divided house, uncomfortable in my own skin.

As a child and teenager, I was subjected to harsh criticism about my body from people I trusted. Comments like “you’re too fat” or “no one will want to date you” were all too common. Perhaps you can relate, having endured your own onslaught of criticism, whether from others or yourself.

These attacks on our physical form further reinforce our insecurities while simultaneously fragmenting our sacred spaces — causing rifts between our hearts, souls and bodies. The truth we know and the emotions we feel are divided. And for me, I carried this divide well into my adult years.

There are many reasons why our bodies may feel like a prison we long to escape. Women of all ages are being constantly inundated with messaging that tells them they will never be enough. I still wrestle with these taunts from time to time. And if I’m honest, I don’t think they’ll ever stop.

For me, the path to a house made whole came through learning to renew my mind, as Romans 12:2 instructs:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (ESV).

Our healing won’t come until we allow God to help us change the way we view our bodies. Let’s face it: If God calls our bodies “holy and acceptable” (Romans 12:1, ESV), who are we to call them wholly unacceptable? If we despise our bodies, how can they ever be vehicles of worship?

Lovely one, here’s what I want to remind you:

It is imperative we remember that our bodies are sacred spaces created to glorify God. And the enemy of our souls is also the enemy of our bodies. Rather than agree with Satan's lies, let’s agree with God that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Together, let’s reclaim our God-given identity.

Heavenly Father, thank You that I am made in Your image. I break agreements I’ve made with the lies of the enemy about my body. You have full permission to change my perspective. Help me to see myself as fearfully and wonderfully made. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Lisa Bevere’s newest book, The Fight for Female: Reclaiming Our Divine Identity, is an urgent call for women to understand their value and purpose while taking their place in this spiritual battleground. You can purchase your copy here!

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FOR DEEPER STUDY

Romans 12:1, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (ESV).

Psalm 139:13-14, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (ESV).

In what ways have you lived as a house divided?

What is one thing you can do to reconnect with your body, to see it as a sacred space created by God?

© 2024 by Lisa Bevere. All rights reserved.

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