Enemies Archives – Brewing Ground

Side Note Before We Begin:

God really laid this on my heart as I have friends, family, and myself in the midst of war. I hope this encourages and blesses you.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12 KJV

One day you are jolted by reality. You are still in the middle of your Brewing Ground fighting the longest war of your life. This is not just a battle; this is a war which is composed of multiple battles all revolving around the same situation. You wonder, “Will it ever end?”

You realize that you are exposed in the middle of enemy territory AND with no map. This has you at a huge disadvantage. The enemy knows the area like the back of their hand – you do not. You have no idea where you are. What you do know, is that you are days from civilization. Your adrenaline surges as you realize that your enemy is closing in on your location; you have no idea where you can even take cover. You have been fighting this war for soooo long and are so tired and weary. All you need is a place to take cover, regroup, think, replenish your supplies, rest. You start to panic as you are realizing there is no way out.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 KJV

Then, peace rushes over you as God reaches out to grab your hand to remind you that He is with you. He reminds you that He knows the way out. He made the terrain and knows your enemy. He knows your Brewing Ground; He knows where the enemy is and what their plans are. He knows where to find cover and regroup. God is your only way out. You must grab His hand, close your eyes, and just trust. This is your ONLY option for survival.

“10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. 11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. 12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.” Psalm 66: 10-12 KJV

As God is leading you, He will take evasive measures in order to avoid and lose the enemy. You will go through fire (scorching desert or forest fire) and water (raging river). You may have to climb mountains, trudge through quick sand, or who knows what else. You may feel like you have been through the wringer; and you have – it’s God’s refining fire. As God is taking you through your Brewing Ground to avoid the enemy and survive your war, He is also refining you. Refining you by removing the impurities. God is heating you up to just the right temperature so that He can then transform you into His masterpiece. He is forming and creating; buffing and polishing. But, this takes a toll. During this time, you may grow weary and only God can offer the relief you need. Let Him lead you to His sanctuary for restoration. He will give you rest.

“23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. ³He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1-3 KJV

God will make sure that you not only survive but thrive. He has so many promises that we can hold onto. I am currently in the midst of my own war that has been raging for years now. Through it all, He continues to lay on my heart a particular promise.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 KJV

Please, do not miss the important parts in this verse. He will work ALL things (not some but ALL) for good for those that love Him, His followers, that have a relationship with Him. War has casualties; people get hurt. God will take the terrible in our life and He will use it for good. But, in the middle of it all – you can’t always see that big picture. You have no way of knowing how God can use it all for good. Sometimes, it just doesn’t seem possible. That is why you have to trust Him. The ending of our war may not come when we want it to. It may not look like we think it should. It may not end the way we want. God is so creative! He has a way of weaving things together in our life in such a way that, once you can see it all, it is so amazing. However, it may look very different from what you thought it would. God is not just full of promises, but also surprises!

Has your war ended? Is it just beginning? Or, has it not started yet? The end to my war is not in sight just yet. Lately, I have found myself very weary and wondering if it will ever end. In response to these feeling God continues to remind me that whatever happens, He will use it all for good. In fact, God has recently been whispering a new promise to me.

“And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” Hebrews 6:15 KJV

This verse is actually talking about Abraham and God’s promise to give him a son, Isaac. When I came across this verse God whispered something a little different to my heart. He reminded me to be patient and to keep on keeping on. There Is An End! He not only promises that there is an end, but, by continuing on I can claim, with confidence, all of His promises. Until my war ends, I claim the promise that He is with me always! I claim that He will lead me to still waters if I will trust Him; He will give me rest and help restore me when I am weary. I claim that there IS an end and it will be Glorious! Thank You Jesus! Claim Your Promises!

Let’s Brew!

“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.” Romans 12:20 KJV

Who doesn’t love a good campfire! The fun, family, friends, songs, stories, and s’mores – what’s not to love! Did I mention s’mores? So, let’s talk about the fire; the most important part that makes it all possible. Think about the science of fire for a minute. First of all, the fire must be started; this is sometimes the hardest part. Once started, the fire burns. As it continues to burn, it develops coals. Coals are defined as “glowing, charred, or burned pieces of wood or other combustible substance”. If you have ever been to a campfire or seen a fire in a fire pit or fireplace, then you have witnessed the wonder of coals. The coals, these seemingly insignificant charred remains, are essentially

the heart of the fire. This is what produces the necessary heat to keep the fire going as new wood is added, while also cooking and providing warmth.

In a society of convenience and technology, we take for granted how vital fire was for survival long ago; this is still the case in parts of the world today. However, caution is advised! Fire Burns! If care is not taken when dealing with fire, it can cause serious damage to yourself or property. Fire can be devastatingly destructive. However, this damage does also carry with it some benefits. Take for instance forest fires. Naturally occurring forest fires are a part of nature. These fires can quickly destroy acres of land. But, what happens after the initial devastation is what we want to focus on. As the fire burns, it also destroys any disease or pests that are currently damaging the forest. These fires provide the soil with new nutrients. Where there used to be very thick brush and trees, now there is sunlight. These new nutrients and sunlight pave the way for new growth. This offers the forest the opportunity for renewal and a new start. Fire – vital to survival, can be devastating, offers opportunity for renewal and new life – Hmmm. Keeping this in mind let’s read the verse again.

“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.” Romans 12:20 KJV

When there is a heated situation between you and your enemy, without a doubt, there is a fire raging which is producing coals. How will you use those coals? When first reading this verse, we tend to want to quickly skip over give your enemy food and drink and go straight to heap coals of fire on their head. I hear it now, “Yes, revenge; someone is finally speaking my language!” (You know revenge has crossed your mind.) Don’t get too excited yet! This verse does NOT give permission to set your enemy on fire! (Now, I hear all your sad sighs.) This is not the route to take; even if we are talking about your arch enemy. I can hear your next response, “But she deserves it; you don’t know what she did to me!” No, no I don’t – but God does; and He knows how to handle it perfectly. In this verse God tells us to give our enemies food when they are hungry and a drink when they are thirsty. Regardless of what they have done, God is calling us to bless them. Let’s look at another verse to double check.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;⁴⁵That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:44-45 KJV

Oh Man! Again with blessing our enemies! Well, why would Romans 12:20 talk about heaping coals of fire on our enemies head then? Look closely at the verses; we can find God’s true meaning. It is clear from these verses that God calls us to bless our enemies. If we are obedient, and do this as instructed, God will use our blessings to heap coals of fire on our enemies’. Our job is to bless; it’s God’s job to start the fire. He uses our blessings to set our enemies’ hearts on fire. This is His refining fire for them, so that He may brew something special in their lives. Don’t think for a second that He is not also using His refining fire on us too. Are you kidding – blessing your enemies! That is very easy to say and very hard to do. Especially if you are doing it with a happy heart. OH, I just said it – with a Happy Heart! If we serve our enemies their food and drink with hatefulness, anger, and disrespect – we just doused God’s refining fire with tons of water. Blessing our enemies with a happy heart has us right in the middle of God’s refining forest fire on our own brewing ground. So, how do we get to the point where we can bless our enemies with a happy heart you might ask? You may not be able to do this right away. Matthew 5:44 offers insight about what to do in these situations – Pray!!! Pray for them and keep praying for them! God will begin to brew heart change in you to get you to a place where you can bless with a happy heart. While praying, also ask Him to reveal how He wants you to bless them. Then, pray some more!!

Fire – vital to survival, can be devastating, offers opportunity for renewal and new life. How will you use your fire’s coals? They are vital to the survival of your current enemy situation. Will you throw them at your enemy in revenge and cause devastation? Or, will you give them to God to use for His good, to foster new life. God can and will use this fiery situation as His refining fire to brew something special in them…and you? You might even find that new life has been fostered and your enemy is now a friend. Next step, share s’mores!

Let’s Brew!