Whitnee's journey with Christ

When Fred Sanford was ready to fight he always told his opponent to “put em up”. It’s funny how he always had Lionel around to hold him back from going toe to toe with Grady, Ester, or whomever else he was about to fight.

Like Fred Sanford it seems like I’ve been saying “put ‘em up” quite a bit lately. Honestly speaking, the last few months have been very trying. It’s been plenty of times I had to brace myself because the enemy doesn’t go down without a fight. I mean I’ve gotten some scrapes and bruises along the way but by the grace of God I’m still standing. He might of thought he knocked me down because he doesn’t play fair but I’ve got God in my corner and we know God’s got this.

Yesterday I had to “sit out for a round” because the enemy hit below the belt. I had to sit outside in the car on a two hour water break to regain my strength and get my composure together. You see the enemy is a dirty little something you hear me??!! He tries to hit you where it hurts. And when that doesn’t work he attacks and keeps on attacking until you break.

We hard body over here. This sucker might have made me sweat but I’m not through and I’m definitely not throwing in the towel. You see no one must of told the enemy that we going to TKO his butt and it don’t matter whether we go 3 rounds or 29 because we know GOD already won and the victory belongs to the Lord.

After I shed a few tears, after I hung my head low in exhaustion, after I prayed and cried and then cried and prayed some more God brought me peace while taking a nap. When I woke up I realized that because I’m not fighting this battle on my own everything is going to be alright. Then I thought about it “this isn’t my battle to fight, it’s the Lord’s.”

Sometimes the statement “God will not put more on you than you can bear” is an understatement.

I mean the enemy has gone after my health, my home, the cars, my step children, the mortgage process, my family, my marriage (being transparent), my relationship with my mom, and he didn’t stop there. Yesterday this sucker tried to attack all of it in one day- I mean he is a dirty little something ain’t he?!!

I’m reminded of what all Paul went through. He was faced with a lot of trials- things he did not bring on himself but he prevailed. Like Paul with the Lord’s assistance I plan to prevail.

I’m still praising God through my valley experiences. I’ve had to get down on my knees in prayer and ask God to help me and I’ve had to ask for strength like never before.

You see when you are in the thick of things words just cannot describe how you feel and when you share with people they often assume you are losing hope or you not standing on your faith. Well today I stand firmly on my faith and I spread the word of endurance and courage to all who are reading today’s message.

Scripture tells us that sometimes God allows us to go through certain things to get our attention. He allows us to go through things and be at a point of hopeless to get our attention. I had to tell the Lord I SURRENDER ALL! MY HOUSE, MY CAR, MY HUSBAND, MY KIDS, MY MOM, MY FINANCES, MY BROTHER, MY MIND….LORD I SURRENDER ALL!!!!!

I admitted a year or so ago I had trouble with wanting to be in control. Like my daddy would say, “He put me on my butt,” and let me know I’m not in control of nothing. He showed me time after time after time that Whitnee’ don’t control not a thing. And I thank the Lord right now for showing me He is and always was and always will be in control. He is the head of my life. He is my beginning and my end. He is my comforter and my strength.

In my weakest moments when I felt like throwing in the towel and saying the heck with the new home, the heck with the car, the heck with “them kids” and honestly I was at the point of saying the heck with family- the Lord allowed me to get to the place I am but He didn’t let me stay there. No you see even though I had moments where I felt hopeless I was always glad in Him because HE IS MY HOPE, HE IS MY STRENGTH, and He IS MY ROCK!

Sometimes we have to go through things and God never said it would be easy BUT HE said in His word that He would never leave us nor forsake us. I bless the name of the Lord right now for never leaving me. I bless His Holy name for never giving up on me- even when I wanted to give up on myself He never did. I thank God right now for wrapping His loving arms around me and for knowing me by name. I bless the name of Jesus for being my salvation. I praise Him right now for giving me strength to endure another day.

Folks if you don’t get nothing else out of today’s message remember that we serve a sovereign Lord. We serve an omnipotent father. We serve a God of all mercy and of all comfort. You see I don’t want you to feel sorry for me for what I’m going through because like Paul I am rejoicing IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. I’m rejoicing right now because just like He delivered Paul from his mess He can do the same for you and I if it is in His will.

Don’t judge me and think I’m depressed, overburdened, or have lost my faith because YOU DON’T KNOW MY STORY BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW MY PRAISE. This message is to encourage the one who too might be near or at the end of their rope. You might have been going toe to toe with the enemy and you told that sucker to put em up and He hit below the belt. You tell that joker that NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU WILL PROSPER! You tell that sucker that he might of got a jab or two in but THIS IS HIS FINAL ROUND BECAUSE GOD’S GOT THIS! Your breakthrough is on its way! Be encouraged and stay prayed up my brothers and sisters.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
For as the suffering of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
Now if we are afflicted, it is for our consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakes of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 NKJV 

In closing, I want you to know whatever trials and tribulations we face we must be comforted knowing we are not alone. We must be encouraged knowing God makes no mistakes and that nothing is impossible with God. Whatever we need we must take it to the Lord in prayer. Let’s stop asking God to remove the burden or the trial but to help us endure. Let us trust God in the midst of the pain, the doubt, the fear, the discomfort, or whatever else you may be feeling right now. God is in control. He will fight for us but first we must fight on our knees.