I Stayed: Healing Past Hurt, Betrayal & Infidelity

Please login to bookmark

Please login to access.

Through this devotional, Ernestine Hopkins leads women who have chosen to remain in their marriages following hurt, betrayal, and infidelity in finding inner healing through the guidance of Christ. Upon completing the devotional, you will walk away with a plan that guides you towards a renewed mind, personal growth, a deeper relationship with Christ, and readiness to fight for your marriage and your peace!

Ernestine Hopkins Consulting

Day 1

Scriptures: Ephesians 2:10, Psalms 139:13-14, Luke 12:7

Who Are You?

Hurt. Betrayed. Deceived. Alone. Misunderstood. Broken. Afraid. Angry. Lost. Sad. Ashamed. Embarrassed. Disappointed. Unsafe. These are some of the many things I felt the day my husband listened to God and told me the truth about what he had done in the past. If you are in my shoes and decide to stay married after infidelity, I want you to know (1) you are not alone, (2) you are not crazy, (3) you still have value, and (4) choosing to stay does not change your position.

Do you know your position and who you are?

I will never forget the time I received an anonymous email from a woman attempting to let me know what my husband had done. She said, “I hope you are completely blind and don’t know what is going on because this may serve as some form of enlightenment and hopefully, indicates that you value yourself as a woman.” She insinuated that if I knew what was going on and chose to stay that I did not value myself.

The world will tell you that you’re delusional, that you’re weak, and that you don’t value yourself as a woman if you stay. Your mind and the enemy will try to convince you that because your husband did the things he did, there’s something wrong with you. Yes, we all have room for growth, but his choices were his. The enemy will try to make you feel that if you were only prettier or if you looked different physically, then this wouldn’t have happened. None of these things are true because the only truth is what God says about you.

God says that you are His handiwork, you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and you have more value than many sparrows. This remains true regardless of any choice your husband has made and regardless of your choice to stay. So yes, you may feel broken right now and you may not feel very confident in who you are but hold on and stand firm in who God says you are.

It is important that as you go through this process of healing, you get your unhelpful thoughts and feelings out of your head, and that you make a habit of speaking life to your situation. Good ways to do this include speaking with a faith-based licensed professional counselor and journaling daily.

Read and meditate on today’s scriptures and spend time journaling your thoughts and feelings. What is your desired outcome of this devotional? Conclude your thoughts with a life statement where you speak life to your situation. For example, “Today I’m feeling broken, but I will not always feel this way.”

Keep fighting. You will grow, you will overcome, and you will heal past hurt, betrayal, and infidelity.

Day 2

Scriptures: 2 Samuel 11:1-27, James 1:13-16, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalms 37:23-24, Psalms 91:1-2

God Didn’t Do It

Why God? Why did you do this to me? I found myself asking these questions as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I was staring at a woman who was confident in who she was but wasn’t confident in what she was experiencing.

In difficult times like this, you might find yourself blaming God for what transpired. “Why didn’t you stop my husband from doing what he did?” you might find yourself asking God. Let me assure you that God did not make your husband do the things he did. Just like God gives us the choice to follow Him, He also gives us the free will to make our own decisions.

For example, in 2 Samuel 11 God did not make David sleep with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife. Nor did He take away David’s free will before he decided to commit adultery. The same goes for your husband.

God still loves and cares for you and still wants the best for you. Do not allow this situation to cause you to lose faith in Him. Yes, this season is unfair, but put your trust back in Him. He still has your back, and He orders your steps. Even when it doesn’t seem like it, He is holding your hand. You are not alone.

Read and meditate on today’s scriptures and spend time journaling your thoughts and feelings. Conclude your thoughts with a life statement where you speak life to your situation. For example, “Today I’m feeling broken, but I will not always feel this way.”

Keep fighting. You will grow, you will overcome, and you will heal past hurt, betrayal, and infidelity.

Day 3

Scriptures: Revelation 12:11, Psalms 103:12, 1 Peter 4:16, 1 John 1:9

Shame Cannot Live Here

One of the tricks of the enemy is to use what you’ve been through against you. He uses shame to make you feel embarrassed and less than others. I remember being consumed with thoughts of what people would think and say once they found out. When I shared what I’d been through with a close friend, she confirmed what I was afraid of: that people would look at us differently because of the choices we’d made.

God gently reminded me that people have the right to think and feel what they want, just like I have the right to think and feel what I want. What people think and feel about me, my husband, and the decisions that either of us have made is none of my business.

After my husband was obedient to God by telling me the truth, the enemy could no longer use shame against him for the things he’d done. The enemy can no longer use shame to keep me silent and to stop me from moving forward with what God has called me to do. I’m not ashamed of my testimony and I will not be silent. Don’t allow the enemy to muzzle you. The Bible says that they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony. We overcome, and other people will overcome, through our testimonies. Shame cannot live here. Give your shame to God.

Keep fighting. You will grow, you will overcome, and you will heal past hurt, betrayal, and infidelity.

Day 4

Scriptures: Philippians 4:13, Ephesians 4:32, Acts 5:29, 1 Samuel 15:22, Deuteronomy 13:4, Genesis 7:1-21

Seeing the Way God Does

“Don’t divorce your husband.” I remember those words prophesied to me years ago like it was yesterday. I had gone to visit my neighbor unannounced, not knowing what was waiting for me inside. When I arrived, I was surprised to find an older woman there whom I had never met. As soon as our eyes connected, she stared at me intently and said, “You know you’re not here by accident, right?”

“Sure!” I replied, confused.

“Don’t divorce your husband. He treats you the way he does because he was abused as a child, but God is going to heal his heart. God wants you to see him the way He does.”

At the time, I didn’t know everything my husband had done, but I did know that he didn’t consistently treat me the way I deserved to be treated. So, after receiving that prophecy, I found myself asking God from time to time, “Ummmmmm, Lord? When is your prophecy going to come to pass?” Over time, I grew weary and often wanted to end my marriage.

Fast forward eight years and my husband and I were walking at a lake when he told me everything. He said that God had been dealing with him to tell me the truth. After he told me, as the days went by, I began to see that prophecy unfold before my eyes, but not without a fight.

God reminded me of the command I received in that prophecy. I say command because that’s what it was. I knew it wasn’t merely a suggestion. God wanted me to see my husband the way He does.

The day I left my neighbor’s home after receiving that prophecy, I walked next door to my house and found my husband in the garage, fixing my son’s bike. But when I saw him, I saw him with a new set of eyes. I saw a young hurt boy who had been taken from his hero, his father. I saw a boy who had been physically abused by his mother’s boyfriend. I saw a boy who had been sexually abused by a trusted youth leader at church.

I saw a boy.

I saw a boy who had reached out for help, but those who should’ve helped him didn’t. I saw a boy who was let down by everyone he gave his heart to. I saw a boy who went through life allowing his trauma to make his decisions and dictate his every move, including pushing me away for fear that I would hurt him like everyone else.

Now, are these things excuses for what he did? Of course not. God didn’t say to me, “Make excuses for what he did.” God said, “See him the way I do.” So, I chose to be obedient, and I stayed, and saw him the way God does. I read online once where someone said, “Women who choose to stay after being cheated on are so delusional. They wear staying with a man who cheated on them like a badge of honor.” I’m not wearing staying after being cheated on as a badge of honor. I’m wearing obedience as a badge of honor. No matter what people may say or think, if you hear God telling you to stay, and if you feel in your heart that you should stay, stay. Just like how Noah was obedient despite what people must have thought, so should you.

Should he have done the work to heal before we got married? Of course. But that’s not how our story went, and that’s ok. Because God knew that boy in the garage was going to heal as a man one day, and he equipped me to walk alongside him as he healed. After choosing to see him the way God does, I no longer saw him by his mistakes and my love for him grew. At that point, I wanted to stay. Not because God told me to, but because I wanted to. I wanted both him and our marriage.

Your husband and even you may have some healing to do from past trauma. Whether from your childhoods or from things that happened to you as adults. I encourage you both to see each other the way God does and do the work to heal. For us, that work included a faith-based licensed professional counselor. God was at the center of our healing and He’s now at the center of our marriage. Push past your pain, and put God back in His rightful place. He is the center. You can do this.

Keep fighting. You will grow, you will overcome, and you will heal past hurt, betrayal, and infidelity.

Day 5

Scriptures: Philippians 4:6-7, Philippians 4:13, 2 Timothy 1:7, Joshua 1:9, Hebrews 11:1-31

Breaking Up with Fear

Fear is a silent assassin. It tries to creep in when you least expect it to and steals your peace. Before you know it, instead of walking by faith as God instructs, you find yourself walking by sight. Yes, what you see is true: he cheated, but that doesn’t mean you have to move forward gripped by fear, afraid to do what you hear God telling you to do. I once saw a quote by Pastor Tony Evans that said, “The opposite of faith is not doubt. It’s disobedience.” Do not allow fear to push you to do the opposite of what God is telling you to do concerning your marriage.

When my husband shared with me what he’d done, God reminded me that He told me to stay in my marriage and promised me that things would turn around. After this reminder, I had a friend tell me, “Ernestine, if you do choose to leave, you’ll be ok.” I spent time with God and thought about what she said. I realized that I didn’t want to be “ok”. I wanted to be obedient, understanding that in my obedience my reward would be greater than I could ever imagine because I would be in the perfect will of God.

However, as time passed, I recognized that my every action and thought was being fueled by fear. I was afraid my husband would cheat again. My thoughts and feelings were valid, but the way I was living was not fair to me. I was not living the full and peace-filled life God intended for me. This was the case because I was constantly worrying and wondering what my husband might have been up to. Then one day it hit me. What it all boiled down to is that my fear gave birth to a lack of faith. This lack of faith was not in whether or not my husband was going to keep his word and not cheat again. Although I had never said this out loud, I recognized that I lacked faith in God sustaining me through whatever I went through.

Sis, you have to know and be confident that no matter what your husband does, God is going to sustain you. I had to break up with fear and believe in my heart that I was and am safe to be obedient and stay because God has me, no matter what!

Some of you have been walking hand in hand with fear for a long time now. For years, it has stopped you from being obedient and walking in what you hear God telling you to do. I encourage you to break covenant with fear and join hands with faith. Rest in God’s peace.

Repeat this after me, “Lord, I break covenant with fear back three and four generations. Today, I am putting my trust and faith back where it belongs – in God.”

Keep fighting. You will grow, you will overcome, and you will heal past hurt, betrayal, and infidelity.

Day 6

Scriptures: 1 Peter 5:8-9, Ephesians 6:10-11, Philippians 4:7, Psalms 46:1, Isaiah 40:29

Prepare To Take Your Stand

One of the things I quickly realized was that the enemy will try to use what you’re going through in your marriage to dismantle every other area of your life. It can look different for different people, but for some, this could include (1) your self-esteem, (2) your peace, (3) your health, (4) your finances, (5) your relationships, or (6) your belief in God, to name a few. I myself was attacked in almost all of these areas. Now, is every attack we experience from the enemy? No. Sometimes, the attack is coming from us, because we can be our own worst enemy at times. But other times, the attacks are definitely coming from the enemy. In fact, the Bible says in Ephesians 6:12 that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

So, what do we do? How do we combat these attacks? Ephesians chapter 6 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” Notice it doesn’t simply say to “be strong” but it says to “be strong in the Lord.” In times when I didn’t feel strong enough, the Holy Spirit reminded me that I didn’t have to be, because God is strong enough. He is more than able to carry the load. We just have to be willing to surrender it to him.

Once I understood what the full armor of God was, I was equipped to use it so that I could stand firm, and guess what? You can and will too! The schemes of the devil to take you out will not work. The only way the devil can win is if you let him because he has to have your permission. Join me as we learn how to fight God’s way. Hold on to hope.

Read and meditate on today’s scriptures and spend time journaling your thoughts and feelings. What are some areas of your life where you’re being attacked? What are some areas where you don’t feel strong enough? Declare in your writing that you are giving these things to God. Conclude your thoughts with a life statement where you speak life to your situation. For example, “Today I’m feeling broken, but I will not always feel this way.”

Keep fighting. You will grow, you will overcome, and you will heal past hurt, betrayal, and infidelity.

Day 7

Scriptures: Ephesians 6:10-15, John 3:16-18, Ephesians 4:22-24, John 15:4, Galatians 5:16-26, Psalms 91:1-16, Philippians 4:7, Colossians 3:15, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Stand Firm (Part 1)

Let’s take a look at the full armor of God that we are to fight with. The first three parts of the armor of God mentioned in Ephesians 6:14-15 are the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and shoes, which are the readiness given by the gospel of peace. These are all items that you need to have at all times.

The belt of truth

The belt of truth is the word of truth, which is the gospel, the good news! The good news is that God loved the world so much that He gave his only son, Jesus, so that everyone who believes in Him, will not perish, but will have eternal life. We must believe and embrace the truth of the good news with all of our hearts.

The breastplate of righteousness

Once this truth is encountered and embraced, through Christ we are counted righteous. To further explain, when you become a believer in the truth, you are to take off your former way of life and put on your new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth. There should be a change in your behavior and this happens by remaining in Christ. It says in John 15, “Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.” When you remain in Christ, you will begin to bear righteous fruit. The fruit of the Spirit will be evident in your life, but you must dwell in the shelter of the Most High.

Shoes: the readiness given by the gospel of peace

When I began my healing journey, I was speaking with a pastor about the attacks I was experiencing and the mental struggles I was enduring. She said, “Girl! Don’t let anyone steal your shoes! Put your shoes back on!” Think about it, if you’re going somewhere, you’re not completely ready until you put your shoes on. Readiness means to be prepared and because of the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ, we have full access to the peace of God. The enemy wants nothing more than to steal that peace or convince you to willingly give it away. God’s peace is always there. It’s like a constant stream that never leaves us. The truth of the matter is, we leave it. It’s time to run to His peace, and it’s time to fight. You fight by taking every thought captive. You achieve this by telling any disruptive thought that pops in your head the truth. Any thought that tries to take away your peace, you immediately tell it what the Word of God says. Speak life to the lie.

Jesus Christ died on the cross so that you could have full access. Run to His peace. Put your shoes back on and take every thought captive.

Read and meditate on today’s scriptures and spend time journaling your thoughts and feelings. What are some thoughts that have been stealing your peace that you need to take captive? Practice telling those lies the truth and tell those lies what God says. Conclude your thoughts with a life statement where you speak life to your situation. For example, “Today I’m feeling broken, but I will not always feel this way.”

Keep fighting. You will grow, you will overcome, and you will heal past hurt, betrayal, and infidelity.

Day 8

Scriptures: Ephesians 3:12, Ephesians 6:16-18, Daniel 3:19-28, Matthew 4:1-11

Stand Firm (Part 2)

Let’s take a look at the last three parts of the full armor of God we are to fight with. They are the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. Notice that these scriptures all start with “take” or “take up.” We have to take these things and put them to use. God is not going to do it for us! It requires action on our part.

Take up the shield of faith

The scripture tells us that with the shield of faith you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. We have salvation through Christ by faith, so believing is an imperative part of the equation. In fact, Ephesians 3:12 says, “In Him we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.” Take up your shield of faith as you go to war for your peace, your marriage, and your life. Know in your heart that, just like God was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire, God is with you as well and will quench the flames. But you have to believe this with your whole entire heart.

This makes me think about Pseudocyesis, the clinical term for false pregnancy. This is the belief that you are expecting a baby when you are not really carrying a child. A woman’s body may produce some pregnancy signs, like a swollen belly, enlarged breasts, and even the sensation of fetal movement. The woman’s brain, what she believes, then misinterprets those signals as pregnancy and triggers the release of hormones (such as estrogen and prolactin) that lead to actual pregnancy symptoms. If a woman’s brain can misinterpret signals and release hormones, what do you think will be released in your life if you truly believe and have faith in the good news and in God’s hand on your life? It’s time to start believing. Take up and use the shield of faith.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit

Because we are saved by faith, we are protected from the blows of the enemy. Will it always be easy? No. Will it sometimes hurt? Yes. But it will not take us out unless we let it. Keep your helmet on. The enemy will try to attack your mind, to make you lose your footing, but know with confidence that you’re not fighting alone because God’s going to fight for you and with you. Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and use it. When you’re telling yourself negative things or when the enemy is whispering to you to throw you off, tell the lies the truth. The truth is the Word of God. Use it in this offensive battle every time. If you don’t, the thought you chose not to deal with can take root and grow out of control.

In Matthew chapter 4, even Jesus used what was written when he was attacked. For example, when the tempter said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” He answered, “It is written, man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” We are to use the way Jesus fought with the Word of God as a template for how we are to fight the enemy. The enemy even tried to use what was written to persuade Jesus, but Jesus did not fall for it. He told him, “Go away Satan!”

The enemy reminds me of an annoying fly, always buzzing around, trying to land on my food. I always ask my children, “How in the world did this fly get in? Who left the door open?” If you knew that a fly was waiting on the other side of the door, would you open the door? You either wouldn’t, or you’d be prepared to fight it once you saw it. Well, guess what? The enemy is waiting on the other side of the door of your life, trying to find any opportunity to get in. You know he’s there, waiting to steal your peace. Don’t open the door, and when you see him coming, be prepared to fight with the Word of God.

Keep fighting. You will grow, you will overcome, and you will heal past hurt, betrayal, and infidelity.

Day 9

Scriptures: Psalms 91:1-16, Psalms 27:1, Psalms 18:2

Reclaim Your Position In Your Home

One of the areas I used to struggle with is allowing the things I had experienced in my life to shove me out of my position. But as a wife and mother (if we have children), we are to set the tone for our homes, regardless of what tricks the enemy has up his sleeve.

To further explain, there are things we need to do to cover our homes and our families. Being a wife and a mother is the most important job we hold. We need to handle our job responsibly, no matter what life throws our way. Being triggered by something is even more reason to push through and do the things below. So whether we’re having a good day or a bad day, we must be consistent in the following ways:

Pray through our house frequently (at a minimum weekly).
Anoint our house and our husband and children with anointing oil frequently.
Dwell in the shelter of the Most High. How do we do that? By spending time with God daily (through prayer, reading the Bible, and listening to worship music, to name a few).
Pray with and over our husbands and children daily.
Verbally break covenant with things we struggle with (for example, anger, lust, fear, anxiety, etc.). The Lord is your deliverer.
If we notice that we’re triggered by something, do the work to heal in that area. This work may include seeing a faith-based licensed professional counselor.

From time to time, when I find myself out of position, I snap out of it and say to myself, “Girl, get where you’re supposed to be, dwelling in the secret place of the Most High God, and do what you know to do.”

Our positions can’t be dictated by Satan’s attacks. If we continue in that unhealthy pattern, we’re not fighting and we’re handing over our families to the enemy. Remember, what you’re fighting for is bigger than you and how you’re feeling that day. If you’re a mother you’re fighting for your children’s future. Keep in mind, similar to how various health conditions can be inherited, the enemy will attempt to pass down unaddressed challenges you face to your children, if left unconquered. Assume your position.

Day 10

Scriptures: Ephesians 4:26-27, Matthew 6:14, Matthew 5:44-45, Galatians 5:22-26, Romans 12:19, 1 Kings 19:1-18, James 1:22-25, 2 Corinthians 2:10-11

They’re More Than What They Did

Alrighty! Put on your seat belts because we’re about to go for a ride. I purposefully saved this topic for last because, for some, it may be a hard pill to swallow. One of the hardest places for me to get was to a place where I could forgive my husband and the person with whom he had an affair. It helped when it came to forgiving my husband, as I mentioned before, that God sent a stranger to me to tell me, “Don’t divorce your husband.” But I found that forgiving the person he had an affair with was a little more difficult.

I knew what the Bible said about forgiveness, but every time I thought about what happened, I got angry all over again. I had thoughts of publicly embarrassing her and making her pay for her involvement in everything. At the end of the day, it was my husband’s responsibility to be loyal to our marriage, not hers, but I was still angry with her because she was my friend, and I expected my friend to have a sense of loyalty to me as well. As anger grew in my heart, I knew I was out of line. God said in His Word, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” You see, the more nights that go by where you’re angry and won’t forgive, the more bitterness grows and hardens your heart, which is the complete opposite of the fruit of the Spirit. God also said that IF we forgive others, He will also forgive us. I knew in my heart that this situation was not worth God not forgiving me.

I was fighting hard to do what His Word said, but the thoughts of what happened were aggressively rushing at me. I already knew that forgiveness was for me, and my forgiving didn’t mean that I was saying that what she did was okay. Instead, my forgiving meant that I deserved to be free from the situation. I deserved to be able to sleep at night. I deserved to not feel anxiety every time I saw her. I deserved to be free.

I took it to God and told him, “Father, I need your help with this one. I want to be obedient to what you’ve asked me to do, but I need your help.” I heard God clearly tell me, “She’s not what she did. She’s more than what she did.” I stopped and thought about those statements for a moment. I acknowledge that what she did was wrong, but just like God has redeemed me, God could redeem her as well. Just like I’m more than my mistakes, so was she.

God’s Word tells us to pray for our enemies, so from there, I began to pray for her. I prayed for her health, her finances, her family, her emotions, her mental health, her well-being, etc. I did this because how can you hate someone you’re praying for? Me praying for her did not mean that I wanted to reconcile and become friends again because I most definitely did not.

Me praying for her did not mean that I believed I owed her anything because I knew wholeheartedly that I did not. However, my praying for her was me taking her out of my place of offense and back into the place she belongs, in the safety of God’s arms. When I initially refused to forgive, God asked me, “Are you a believer or not? Are you a doer of the Word? Are you a follower of my Word, or not?” It was at that moment that I realized that I couldn’t pick and choose which parts of His Word I wanted to follow.

Now don’t get me wrong, we all have moments where we may struggle with something God is telling us to do. Even Elijah struggled with fear when word got back to him that Jezebel was going to kill him. Even though he had seen the power of God many times before, he ran for his life and prayed God would let him die. What he faced seemed too much to bear. Later God asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Sometimes we allow what we’re going through to take us to places we were never supposed to go and to do things we were never supposed to do. Don’t cause God to have to ask you, “What are you doing here?”

Don’t be outwitted by Satan. God’s Word says in 2 Corinthians, “Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” His designs are to keep you bound, even when you don’t realize it because if you don’t realize it then you won’t change and become free. Forgive. Forgive so you can live. You deserve freedom. They’re more than what they did.

Keep fighting. You will grow, you will overcome, and you will heal past hurt, betrayal, and infidelity.

Day 11

Scriptures: Jeremiah 29:11, Revelation 20:3, Romans 12:2

Plans To Prosper You

I pray this devotional has brought you growth and healing as it did for me. Healing is a process, so your journey is just beginning, but fight to embrace the journey and give yourself some grace. On days when it may seem rough, dust yourself off and try again, and go through this devotional as many times as you need to. Healing can be beautiful, depending on which lens you’re looking at it through. I compare it to going to the optometrist for an eye exam. The doctor will have you look through various lenses mounted on a machine called a phoropter. You’ll notice that some of the lenses are blurry and more difficult to see through than other lenses. The eye doctor knows this and is comparing the lenses by asking you which ones are better and which ones are worse. With God guiding you and walking alongside you through the process, you’ll find that the lenses become crystal clear. Don’t let go of His hand. God has plans for you, plans to prosper you and for you to succeed. Let’s end this devotional with a plan to renew your mind that will aid in your success.

Plan – Part One:

Learn your adversary: the enemy has no new tricks. He uses what he knows works over and over again. This means that when he knows what works for you, he will attack you in the same areas and in the same ways over and over again. Take note of the ways he attacks you so that you can prepare ahead of time for what you will do when the attacks come. Think of it like this, what kind of army knows that a fight is coming, but doesn’t plan for it? Plan to succeed.

Plan – Part Two:

Make a list of scriptures that speak to your situation and remind yourself of those scriptures when things are going well and when fighting gets hard. Feel free to use any of the scriptures that were included in this devotional. Commit these scriptures to memory so that you can easily recall them when you’re fighting your thoughts.

Plan – Part Three:

Make a list of things you need to break covenant with. Repeat the prayer below for each thing on your list. Some things you may need to break covenant with are anger, fear, lust, pride, rejection, jealousy, envy, abandonment, manipulation, control, lying, anxiety, panic attacks, inner vows, low self-esteem, lack, poverty, procrastination, comparison, people pleasing, deceit, inner vows, and witchcraft.

“Lord, forgive me for the things I have walked with that have been the opposite of You. I break covenant with ______ back three and four generations. Just like how Satan was thrown into the abyss in Revelation, I throw it into the abyss, close it, and put a seal on it, so that it can no longer deceive me.”

Plan – Part Four:

Make a list of people you need to forgive and pray for them daily. Remember, you forgive so you can live again. Do not be outwitted by the devil.

Plan – Part Five:

Reclaim your position in your home, in the ways described in day 9.

Plan – Part Six:

Take up the full armor of God as described in days 7 and 8.

Plan – Part Seven:

Continue journaling your thoughts and feelings daily. Be sure to include life statements in your journal entries.

Keep fighting. Your journey toward healing is only just beginning. And as I always say, you will grow, you will overcome, and you will heal past hurt, betrayal, and infidelity.