Barbie Loflin

At the end of every year I begin to pray and ask God what might be on the upcoming horizon. I look for prayer directives, simple instruction, direction, insight. Something that will allow me to head into the year with hope and deeper perspective. I want to know what to watch out for and take note of the things of which I should be more conscious. He inevitably gives me some sort of revelation. perhaps not huge in scope, but full of potential nonetheless.Well, this past year, no matter how hard I prayed or how many tears I shed, I just wasn’t getting anything. Not a hint, an impression, a twinge, or even a relevant speculation. So, when I went to bed on New Years Eve I must say that when my head hit the pillow it was a bit frustrated. I mean, how do you enter a new year flying blind? I, at the very least, wanted to be able to pray in the right direction. But alas, it was not to be so. A little whiny and a lot disconcerted, I closed my eyes and slept.

At 6:00 am New Years Day my eyes popped open of their own accord and running through my spirit were these words: This is the year you will face your giants. Excuse me? What giants? I felt a bit of fear begin to crawl up my spine. When I spoke the next words it sounded a bit like Whatchoo talkin‘ ’bout Willis? But then, as if reading the rise in my blood pressure, the Father spoke again, the words shifting somehow and the emphasis coming onto the word you instead of giants. With that subtle shift I understood that I would pursue my giants rather than my giants pursuing me. Huge change. Monumental, in fact. For I would most definitely rather be the one running up to the battle than the one running from.

I spoke the words over again, This is the year you will face your giants. I spoke them and tested their weight in my spirit. Yes, these were most definitely God-words. I could feel the upward momentum beginning to coarse through my veins. Like John Travolta in the movie Michael, the words BATTLE! came to my lips. In one startlingly clear moment I could see David bending by the brook gathering the five smooth stones with which he would take down Goliath, and I could feel the rush of air as he chose to literally run into the valley to face his enemy. Yes, God-words… they always contain this life force, something far beyond your imagination or capability to comprehend, yet steeped in so much divine stuff that they fill you up and make your heart surge toward the innate hope of otherness. Yes, God-words. They wake the slumbering warrior and arm him with strength… and purpose.

So today, I carry within me a hope, a calling, and a challenge – the triple dare of all triple dares – to go up and face my giants. You know the giants of which I speak. These are the ones who have yelled and taunted from the valley for most of your life. The ones that says you can’t make it, won’t do it, aren’t capable enough, smart enough or brave enough to do anything about them. The ones who haunt you, torment you, ridicule you and dog your steps. The ones who remind you of your failures and whisper all of your shortcomings. Remember now? Yes?

Well, it is time to take them down. And just like David, we will not settle for a wound or a knock-out, we are going for the death blow. The giants are not going to rise up in your life ever again.

So, having said all of this, I ask you to pray and seek the Lord regarding the weapons with which you will fight this battle. What are your five smooth stones? What will you carry with you as you face your enemies? Will prayer be your weapon? will worship be a tool in your hand? Will the Word fortify you and keep you from running in the face of fear? What has God placed in your hand for this time? Make sure you know why you are fighting, and what you are fighting with. This will be vital in your equipping. But above all, know that the battle belongs to the Lord and He wants you victoriously free. He is The Mighty Warrior and He knows everything about the business of battle. Trust me, He is in it to win it, and He is fighting for you.

Yes, there is an anointing on this year to face giants. Not exactly what I was looking for when I began to call out to God for direction, but now that I have it I press forward. Not only do I press forward, but having this new hope and vision, I can literally awaken each day and look forward to running to the battle.