You Shall Not Pass!

In most movies scenes where there is a chase- its pretty standard. Good guys chase the bad guys or vise versa. Sometimes however, you will find that one person will "take one for the team". Meaning, they will let the others run ahead to safety while they stay behind try to hold off the other side with a weapon, ambush or distraction. One scene from the Lord of the Rings plays this out that shows the ultimate in sacrifice. As usual, the good guys were running from an ultimate bad guy and Gandolf the grey- the protector of the good guy (Frodo) sees teh severity of the situation and stops running. He turns around to face the monster thus letting the good guy group get to safety unharmed. In facing this monster he says a line that rang loudly in my heart for me as a mother...and as step mother- YOU SHALL NOT PASS!

So often I stand between the enemies of our families respective pasts and declare "you shall not pass". At our wedding our Pastor proclaimed "All things new" and in my opinion there is nothing outside of "all". So, no more running from the issues that irritate me. The old way of doing things cannot pass over to our new lives. The old habits, insecurities, hindrances, curses, and habits shall not pass. The grief, the feelings of inadequacy, the ungodly behaviors of yesteryears..shall not pass. There are trends that I see now that my husband and I faced in previous marriages that can't come either. It shall not pass. Dishonor, disrespect and indifference shall not pass over. Folly, silliness, and inappropriateness cannot pass.

Now mind you...Gandolf stopped, turned around to face the monster and let the others run free. In the movie...he casts his sword into the ground to create a gulf between good and evil and initially he "died" and was willing to die with the monster falling into the fiery gulf with him in order for the good guys to go free. But later we find that not only did Gandolf not "die", but for his sacrifice he returned as Gandolf the white...as in he had been tried in the fire and come out as pure gold. When he returned he was more powerful and had more insight than he did before.

So stepparents, understand you may have to back burner or "stop" somethings in order to focus your time, energy and attention on breakthrough for your family. You may need to feed the dreams of your husband, wife or children by letting them run ahead...while stand your ground against the enemy that you see on their heels. But I am a witness if you sacrifice now and declare victory in your prayer time, in your confession, in their bedrooms, in your spouses car, and all through your home...that breakthrough will happen. Tell the enemies of your family head to head and toe to toe that that YOU SHALL NOT PASS..create a gulf in their lives through prayer and trust me you will come out as pure gold and with more power than you had ever imagined.