Shake it Off 

     I know I have mentioned the following story before - but I feel I should bring it up again today and remind someone to SHAKE IT OFF and ARISE.

            I read this story some time ago; it was about a donkey that had fallen down a well.  The farmer had no way to rescue him and after a while the donkey stopped moving and lay down, the farmer thought he was dead.

            The farmer called a few of his friends and told them that his donkey had fallen in the well and died and he needed them to come and help him bury him.  So the farmer's friends came over to help bury the poor donkey who had fallen down the well. 

            They began to throw shovels of dirt down into the well, shovel after shovel went down the well.  It began to hit the donkey on the head and woke him up.  What did the donkey do?  He shook the dirt off and stepped up on top of it.  Each shovel full came down and landed right on top of the donkey.  Each time he shook it off and stepped up on top of it.  Time after time the famers threw in shovels of dirt, trying to bury the donkey, but each time it hit the donkey, he simply shook it off, stepped up on top of it and kept going.

            Eventually the farmers saw donkey ears peeking up from the hole.  They realized the donkey had shook off each shovel of dirt and instead of allowing it to bury him; he used it to climb his way out of what was meant to bury him.

            This is how the enemy does many Christians he means to bury us when shovel after shovel of dirt; unfortunately some will simply lay down under the weight of it and die.  But we have to be like the donkey.  We have to take what Satan is trying to thrown on us and use it to cause us to step up higher and higher.

            Instead of allowing the enemy to bury us with those things he throws at us, we have to first SHAKE IT OFF.  The donkey could have allowed the dirt to bury him, to be the last thing he ever saw - but instead he used it - he didn't despise it, he used it.  He shook it off and caused it to work for his good.

            Often we go through things that are meant to destroy us - to literally bury us - but if we choose to shake it off then the enemy loses and there is nothing he can do to stop someone who refuses to stop.  If we choose to allow it to remain on us or in us - it will do what it was meant to do and destroy us, destroy our faith.

            After we shake it off we have to then make the decision to rise above it.  To arise.  To take what was meant for our harm and begin to declare the word of God over it, to declare that according to the word of God it will turn for our good.  Declare that everything meant for our harm will turn for our good.

            During these times we must be vigilant to declare the word of God, to pray and to worship God - as we do these things we arise higher and higher in God.  Just as the donkey did - before you know it you will realize you have risen to victory.

            Friends, I know the enemy has thrown things at you, whatever it is shake it off.  Shake off the disappointment.  Shake off the unforgiveness.  Shake off the anger.  Shake off the shame.  Shake off the attacks on your marriage.  Shake off the symptoms.  Shake it off and put it where it belongs...under your feet.  Use it to arise to a new place of victory. 

 Kim Potter