Captivating a 6-Day Study to Restoring Your Feminine Heart by Stasi EldredgeПримерок

## Day 4 ## A Special Hatred If you will listen carefully to any woman’s story, you will hear a theme: The assault on her heart. It might be obvious, as in the stories of physical, verbal, or sexual abuse. Or it might be more subtle, the indifference of a world that cares nothing for her, but uses her until she is drained. Forty years of neglect damages a woman’s heart, too, dear friends. Either way, the wounds continue to come long after we’ve “grown up,” but they all seem to speak the same message. Our Question is answered again and again throughout our life, the message driven home into our hearts like a stake. What is to account for the systemic, often brutal, nearly universal assault on femininity? Where does this come from? Spiritual warfare is no strange thing. It is not reserved for the few, the leaders of the world and the church. Peter assumes that every Christian is under regular spiritual assault (1 Peter 5:8-9). It is a normal part of the Christian life. It’s true. And it’s true for you. In John 10:10, Jesus tells us: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Too often, in church, we only hear about the second part of this verse. But Jesus said them in the same breath. In order to have the life that Jesus wants for us to have, we have to be aware that we have an enemy who is busy about trying to steal, kill, and destroy our lives and the lives of those we know and love. There is a struggle. There is a battle. And you are in it. In fact, the story of your life, of every woman’s life, is the story of the long and sustained assault upon her heart by the one who knows who she could be and fears her. It is also the story of the long and sustained pursuit of the One who knows her best and loves her most to woo and win her heart for himself. But you are under regular, spiritual assault. When you believe that the devil has no fiery darts flying your way, when you believe that every wicked, hurtful thing that comes your way is either your fault or God’s—you end up blaming God for the things the devil is doing, and your view of the good, faithful, loving heart of God is badly skewed. It can destroy your relationship with him. And the devil just loves that. In order to have the life God wants for you, you must rise up and take your stand in him. There is a fierceness that God placed in women and this is what it is for. Men aren’t our enemy. Women aren’t our enemy. But you have one. There is no reason to fear him, but you must not close your eyes, plug your ears and hope he just goes away. He won’t. You must resist. There is an audio attachment for this devotional. You can [ download the audio ]() if you wish.