Warrior's Way
(Exert from chapter 10 Stepping Out of The Boat)
I love this picture of the warrior woman. It reminds of the day that God revealed how intentional He was in naming me. I became aware of God’s intentionality in my life while sitting in Theology class one day. We were listening to a lecture on the importance of names, and I was thinking how my parents were going to name me Janice at birth, but changed their minds at the last second, and named me Scharlotte, instead. I had looked up the meaning of Scharlotte before and knew that it was the feminine of Charles and meant free man, or petite, or little womanly. I was thinking that the meaning wasn’t that significant, and I heard Holy Spirit say, “Well, look up the meaning of Charles.”
I got on my phone and searched the meaning of Charles and one of the meanings is ‘Army Warrior’. I just sat there in shock for a minute. From the very beginning of hearing God’s voice within, He has been calling me kiddo and Princess Warrior. My parents probably didn’t understand what they were doing when switching my name at the last minute, but God is intentional with what He calls us. He had been calling me by my name from the beginning – Warrior, and Holy Spirit chimed in again with, “But first my daughter – Princess.”
I began trying to wrap my head around the enormity of this revelation. God was not taken by surprise in all the tribulation I would face growing up in an abusive setting. He designed me as a Warrior, to withstand the assaults of the enemy, and He brought healing in ways that left my scars as testimonies to reach people under enemy attack.
I was reminded of a time when one of my sons had typed my name wrong on the score board at the local bowling alley. I was called Schars for short (because my name is long) but he miss typed it and entered Scars. Well, the whole family grabbed on to this and began calling me Scars. My husband thought it was tough name, but it sort of bothered me. Scars are ugly, but as I was reflecting on this incident, Jesus reminded me that He still boldly carries His scars as a testimony of our worth to Him. And just like that – His revelation gave new meaning and purpose to God’s plans for my life. God turns what we see as ugly, into opportunities for healing and freedom for people being held captive to their past. He brings, “Beauty from ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified!” (Isaiah 61:3, NKJV).
For much of my life, the enemy has tried his best to destroy me and turn me from my calling, but nothing that the enemy has attempted to destroy me with has succeeded, because God says no weapon formed against me shall prosper. God is the Author and Finisher of my life. God created me to persevere in the exact place I was raised up in. God knit me together with all the giftings and tools I needed to overcome.
God has allowed many hard and difficult things in my life – to strengthen me, to teach me, to build my character and my faith, and to prepare me with an understanding of pain and trauma so that I can reach women who are walking through hard times. In the same way a natural father must remove the training wheels and let go of his child’s bicycle for them to learn to balance and take a fall, and gain understanding, and finally succeed in riding a bike; similarly, Father God does not cause our painful circumstance but allows them to strengthen us and build our faith as we grow in spiritual maturity. God is with us through it all – preparing us for victory.
If I had not experienced the things that I did, I would not have had the testimony, or the gift of perseverance, or the enduring strength and victory over my enemy, which fuels and empowers the ministry God has designed me for. All great warriors train and condition themselves for battle and victory over their enemy. I have been there, and God has brought me through and empowered me as a warrior for His kingdom and glory. Nothing in my life has come as a surprise to God. None of the enemy’s tactics are new or original – he is a distorter of things that were created as Very Good. He is a twister and deceiver of Truth, but we shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make us free (whole/restored).
As we practice His presence, He shows us who He created us to be, He reveals our true identity as His child, as being fearfully and wonderfully designed and gifted by His hands and His overflowing love towards us. We are created with purpose – first, for a relationship with Him, then as an ambassador for His kingdom, to have an impact in this world for His glory. Our greatest weapon is His presence in our life.
Each of us have a unique war story – things we have personally battled with and overcome. Experiences that have strengthened and empowered us to come along side others who are fighting similar battles. The enemy would love nothing more than to keep you trapped in the pain or disappointment of your past – because those things blind us to the fulness of who God created us to be. The enemy is the accessor of the brethren and wants to steal or hinder our testimony because he understands that’s how we overcome, as the body of Christ. Revelation 12:11 says we overcome (the enemy) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. Jesus’ work on the cross was finished and His blood was enough to cover all sin for all time. Our testimony is the story of our personal walk with Jesus, what God has brought us through and empowered us to overcome; and the testimonies carry the spirit of prophecy that says, “Do it again God.”
As yucky as my past is, let it not be said that I was silent, or that I buried the power of my testimony at the expense of others’ freedom. As we open our mouths and share our experiences, it brings light to the darkness where our past has been hidden in shame, but shame and oppression must bow to the name of Jesus. So, let’s do something right now about any oppression you may be feeling. The body of Christ, our Christian brothers and sisters are a safe place to experience healing and freedom.
As we process this information, find someone to talk to and bring light to the dark places you are struggling with. Get in the yoke with the body of Jesus and His body will lift you up and encourage and comfort you as they come-along-side you in the power of the Holy Spirit.
