Do you see a weapon?

Date: 5/25/2025

Introduction: Bible verse Isaiah 54:17 became a beacon of hope and strength, transforming my outlook on life's challenges and relationships, especially with my family. In this post, I will share my story of how this verse has influenced me, breaking free from fear and finding strength through forgiveness and faith.

Scripture:

Isaiah 54:17

No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And their righteousness is from Me,”

Says the Lord.

When I read or hear this verse, my mind thinks about your typical weapons. Guns, knives and the like. What weapons do you think of? When I came to the Lord and would read or hear this verse I would think of sickness, financial troubles, abuse, missed opportunities or being passed over for jobs/promotions. A weapon isn't always what you would consider a typical weapon. One weapon I have found that isn’t typically considered a weapon is people. Especially family! They use their words, some use their tone of voice, their facial expressions, their attitudes and more.

One day I went to a pool tournament. It was outside and in the garage. I was so excited about the freedom I had just found in Jesus. The party goers weren’t as excited for me as I was. The typical pool tournament stuff was happening (eating, drinking, music and laughter). It was my turn to shoot. As I lined up my shot, I could hear in the house my nephew crying and another family member screaming for him to stop. I looked around and it seemed that the party goers weren’t missing a beat. I thought, “Am I the only one who hears this?”. I took my shot and looked around. The party goers didn't seem to hear anything. There was still screaming coming from the house and still the party went on. I took another shot, looked around and still no reactions from the party goers.

I grew up with the discipline of a paddle referred to as “the Board”. Personally, I’m not against the paddle, but I am against abuse. A topic for another time. The family member screaming at the baby is the one who would use the paddle. The person I feared the most.

I stepped up to the window. I was outside and the screaming and crying was inside. I saw Grandma holding the crying baby and the family member screaming in his face. Suddenly (literally) my mouth opened and said, “You stop”. I thought, "Who said that?" The person yelling stopped and looked at me with surprise and disbelief that I would dare talk to them like that. I was equally surprised and in disbelief that I dared to speak to them like that. I wanted to slap my hand over my mouth to keep me from saying any more, but my hand wouldn’t move.

This family member said, “What did you say?”. It was like my mouth was not my own and there it went again, “I said, stop it!” I thought, “Who said that?” It felt like my eyes were bugging out in fear. This family member stepped back from the crying baby and said, “You better watch it or you’re next!” That was the threat that people used to get when they stuck up for me as a child. The threat that would stop people from sticking up for me.

Without a blink, my mouth took off without me again, “Come on!” I thought, “Oh No! You didn't just say that!" It was like I was living in a cartoon with the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other shoulder. The devil is saying, “Awe, now you’ve done it. You’re going to really get it this time!”

The family member turned and headed my way. I stepped back from the window, which was right next to the door that this person was now headed for. In my head I said, “Heaven, get ready. Here I come!” This still small voice that had no fear in it at all began to tell me, “Heaven isn’t ready for you yet!” I thought, “Well, you better get ready. And I mean real fast cause here he comes!” The family member is outside now, and the devil is saying, “Here he comes. You are going to really get it this time!”. I think, “Heaven, are you ready?”. That still small voice says, “No! Heaven isn’t ready for you yet!”

I put my forearms up to block my head/face. This person grabbed my arms, and our eyes met. It was like time stopped. This family member couldn’t even squeeze my arms tight. I no longer heard the party. It was like being in a dream, but it was real. My mouth said with a gentle voice, “Please stop”. Then I blinked and the world started back up. He took his hands off of my arms and began ranting threats and jesters that were not nice. Our eyes met again. Again, the world stopped and with a gentle voice I said, “Please stop being so angry!” Then I blinked, and the world picked up where it had left off. I was not aware of what the party goers were doing but by this point they were watching in disbelief as he stormed away.

I just stood there trying to take in all that had just happened. Someone named Barry (I changed the name) came up to me and asked if I was alright. I said, “Yes”. Barry then went to find the family member who stormed off. The party goers have never experienced this behavior from this person. Matter of fact, grandma had never seen this behavior either and wasn't sure what her next move was going to be. My younger sister had left earlier and missed the whole thing. I'm really glad.

I thought, “WOW! OH, MY LORD JESUS! Did you see that? Oh, WOW! You did that! The person who caused me to fear the most, I stood up to him. You protected me from his anger. Wow! Thank You Jesus!" That family member was no longer the one who causes me fear. It was like this family member was being used as a weapon formed against me and I was a weapon formed against him. The devil had used our past pain and hurts to bring us to this point where things could have gone really bad. The Holy Spirit helped me forgive fast (almost in advance) so that neither weapon would prosper (achieve what the enemy had intended).

I don’t fear that person and they know that I don’t fear them anymore. We are no longer available to be used as weapons formed against each other. We enjoy each other's company.

I found myself praying like this:

Lord Jesus, I know Your word is true, and it's true now, and it's true for me. Your word says, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. My family makes me feel like I'm being torn down, rejected, afraid and put out. I love my family, and I want them to prosper. So, right now, in the name of Jesus, I pray for my family. Holy Spirit help them to realize the results of their words, their actions, their tone, and their attitude. Whatever is causing them not to feel or express love or respect, please reveal that to them. Help them to be victorious. Help them to have the breakthrough over the fear that makes them available to be used by the enemy as a weapon. Help them to see any wrongness of their attitudes or opinions. I choose right now, in the name of Jesus, to forgive them. Forgive them like it never happened. You know, the way Jesus forgave me when He was on the cross. I plead the blood of Jesus over my family because I don't want my family to not prosper. So, Holy Spirit, please don't let the enemy use my family as a weapon formed against me. Please don't let their tongues rise up against me in judgment because I don't want to condemn them. I thank You Lord for Your righteousness and that it comes from You. I thank You that You adopted me into Your family and now I am the righteousness of God in Christ. In Jesus name.

Feel free to use this prayer and add names as needed. Make this prayer your own. When people let fear drive them to be a weapon against us and we don’t forgive, that unforgiveness makes a weapon against them. The cycle must be broken, and all this hate needs to end.

The Lord told me once that I should pray for victory in the tough times. I chose not to let my family be a weapon formed against me because my father in heaven will work it all out for good. And I choose not to be a weapon formed against anyone by holding on to unforgiveness. I still say the wrong things and my actions aren’t always right. I try to pay attention and ask for forgiveness fast. Even then I don’t always get it right.

Dear Lord, When I gave You my life, it includes all this hurt, pain and mess. They can’t pay back but You can work it out for good. I chose to allow You to do that. In Jesus Name.

Now, when I spout out this verse, I sometimes feel like I am some kind of tough chick and that the ground should start to shake any minute. Just laugh with me because we all can be used to hurt. Let’s watch over our mouths, minds and hearts. If anything is about to come out that doesn’t add quality of life, choose to say no to those actions and words and then speak the Word instead.