“What kind of books do you write?” my neighbor asked. I told her a little of what I’ve written, smirking she said,”Oh, you’re a Christian author.”
Afterwards I kept thinking of those two words, Christian author. I remembered penning words and all the life labor that has gone into writing. The hard parts of my story opened up so others could find help in their hard. The smirks from family and friends that don’t understand why I do what I do. The pressing lies of the enemy whispering I’m not good enough.
As Christian writers we don’t write for a paycheck or because our lives are perfectly put together. We also don’t write because we’ve figured everything out or because we are good enough or better than anyone else. We write because it is a calling.
I don’t recall when I recognized that I wasn’t merely a Christian writer, but that as such, I was called to ministry and with ministry comes spiritual warfare.
I’m not alone in this, you too will go through the spiritual warfare that comes with the ministry of writing. You might not be a pastor, but your words breathe life into hearts—it’s a calling that Satan hates. His goal is to steal from people, and you are depositing into them . His language is lies, and your writing is calling out truth. It’s no wonder a Christian writer experiences spiritual warfare.
In this life we will all go through hard things. Those things usually fall into three areas:
- Physical
- Relational
- Financial
Though all people go through hard, as a Christian writer the enemy tries to use the hard places in life to steal from us or to lie to us—and most of all to distract us. Friends, the enemy would not want any of us to write about uplifting things to help others follow Jesus. When doing so, we have a target on our back. I certainly have experienced the attack of the enemy over the years and especially in this current season. Since the beginning of the year the enemy has tried anything to stop me and discourage me. I am aware of the tactics, so instead of stopping I keep leaning into whatever it is God is trying to teach me or prune in my life. Leaning into God keeps me from spiraling down in discouragement or defeat.
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings….after you have suffered a little while, Christ himself will restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” 1 Peter 5:7-10
“As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against their enemy…” 2 Chron 20
Praising God is the spiritual warfare we are to lean into. Praise, as you know, is the giving of thanks. If you have been struggling, you are not alone. Many of us have gone through or are now going through trials. Pay attention and stand firm. Lean into Jesus and let him use this season. Together let’s rise up to the calling of penning words of truth, hope and love—to the glory of God!
- Thank Him that He lives in you and works through you.
- Thank him that no weapon formed against you will prosper.
- Thank him that you no longer have to worry about being good enough because He is enough.
- Thank him for the call to write
- Thank him for all the life labor, lessons and trials that go into making you fit for the call.
And finally, thank him in advance for open doors of ministry in your future. Stay the course, write and lean into the God who called you—He is faithful.
How can you resist the enemy in this season of your life and writing career? What does it look like for you to lean in to Jesus rather than spiraling down in discouragement? What are you thanking God for in this season?
I’m leaning in with you…
Hmmm … I find often the enemy uses discouragement or just things and people that upset me and distract me from the purposes God has for me. From the important work at hand.
The devil would prefer I not
tell a hopeful story,
so He uses all he’s got
to obfuscate the glory
that God has shone around me
in these bleeding days;
Satan, in his soul’s penury
looks for means and ways
to undermine appreciation
with envy and resentment
about my life and situation,
banishing contentment,
but nonetheless, it’s Christ to live,
and death has only gain to give.
There! I got ‘obfuscate’ into a sonnet!
Andrew, I believe you could work ANY word into a sonnet. Your insight is brilliant. You may not see it, but you are a true warrior for God.
Debbie, this is a reminder I wish I didn’t need. There are days I’d rather sit under my desk than at it. (I hate to admit it, but once I actually did … and cried.)
I heard this said, “We stand at the gates of hell and redirect traffic.”
I believe this with all my heart … yet, why am I so surprised when I feel this heat?
I sent a writer-friend a short email the other day. (You know, those distractions from the real writing, like commenting on blogs 😬) The message read,
“Hey, did you know writing is hard!”
As a writer for the Lord he knew and replied,
“Amen. Writing is hard. The only thing that is harder is not writing.”
Let the only fire be stoked today be the fire that is shut up in our bones.
THANK YOU, for this wonderful reminder, Debbie.
Thank you for sharing this quote, dear Heidi: “We stand at the gates of hell and redirect traffic.”
It’s perfect.
Blessings ~ Wendy Mac
Wow, that is good! “We stand at the gates of hell and redirect traffic.”
And on the flip side of the attacks on faith-based writers, the enemy is encouraging and enabling those writers who aspire to publish works that are quite the opposite. Looking at a list of secular material that people are seeking to publish sends chills up my spine about options the next generation will have for reading – not that every call for submission is dark, but I think it’s safe to say there’s a trend. The Lord is convicting me to keep my hands on the keyboard every day to counter what this culture is producing. He has irrevocably gifted and called us for a reason – and for such a time as this.
Thank you for this word of encouragement this morning, Debbie. Much needed and much appreciated.
The spiritual warfare has been heavy on me recently. I so appreciate you naming it for what it is. I am a Bible study teacher, so I know that the warfare increases with every study I lead. But I never thought about the fact that my writing would be under attack as well. I am thankful to God that the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world. I am also thankful for you for writing this blog! May God continue to bless you.
That was beautiful and perfectly timed. It’s so easy to lose focus on the “why” of what we do and consider it work instead of a ministry. It is indeed a calling and an opportunity. Thank you for letting God speak through you.
This made me smile. Not in “Oh, how cute.” or “Isn’t that funny.” More like the smile exchanged between two people who, without a word, communicate, “I get it.” I’ve been teaching Christian Yoga classes for two and a half years. The physical practice is permeated with Biblical teaching. Last week (for the first time ever), my class lesson was lost. Poof! A day’s worth of writing evaporated into thin air. The topic? The Unshakable Kingdom. I was definitely shaken as I made the discovery 20 minutes before the start of class. But then I realized something. There was nothing Satan would have loved more than for me to be completely shaken before teaching. I took a breath and decided, “Not today Satan.” I taught what I could remember. By God’s grace, the message went forward. The class said they loved it. I’m not so sure what the enemy meant for evil God turned into good. 🙂
Thank you, dear Debbie, for sharing these encouraging words with us.
What it looks like to me to “lean into Jesus rather than spiraling down in discouragement” is to turn to the Word. My latest need to lean into Him took me to Psalm 119. I jotted my favorite verses from it into my journal. Then I wrote out a prayer using a beloved acronym.
God is good to give us the go when we go with Him.
I appreciate your good timing. It’s always a gift to be reminded we’re not alone.
Blessings ~ Wendy Mac
Thank you Debbie, I know so well the challenges you’re discussing here. Satan is our ever-present antagonist. I use two things to combat this offense against my work. First, like you, I praise because God inhabits our praise and Satan can’t remain in God’s presence. Second, before I begin to write I listen to an old Irish hymn – Be Thou My Vision (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TascsWZPj8U) a sort of prayer that I will hear God’s word, not focus on the lies of Satan.
Excellent article. My whole podcast is about writing being a calling. Shameless plug: Write Into Your High Calling podcast.
Wonderful. I needed this. Thanks for the inspiration.
This is excellent, Debbie. Thank you!
I needed this today. Feeling discouraged by the reality of the history I am writing about in my novel as well as current reality I became aware of in Moscow, ID today, where friends of my children are current students. So much death. But God is the creator and sustainer of life. May my novel breath his life into others.
So needed today. Thank you for your words of wisdom.
I wrote down I Peter 5:7-10.
It’s incredible how a verse has always been there, but comes at a much needed time for me.
Thanks so much. I’ll keep on writing because the completed process makes me smile instead of smirk.
Very encouraging. Thanks.
Debbie, this is exactly what I needed to hear. I have been so stuck and depressed.
Your words woke me up. I shall praise my King and write through my tears as He wipes them away.
Debbie,
At the moment I’m thanking Him for you your powerful encouragement. (It’’s food for my soul.).I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 💛🍁
Deb
Thank you, Debbie. This is just the encouragement I needed to continue writing!
Blessings on your day…