Our weekend plans changed and the Salesman introduced me to a show where every time the hero arrived on the scene he’d announce:
“I’m US deputy marshal Raylan Givens.”
Y’all, I was tired of hearing the cowboy hat clad lawman announce who he was. I’m sure it had nothing to do with this show being plan B instead of the outing we had planned.
But here we were and Raylan just KEPT SAYING who he was as he’d pull back his jacket and let the bad guys see his badge & weapon.
The weekend turned to 4:30 Monday morning & the very first thought I had was a replay of a very personal rejection.
I’d rather have hit the fast forward button; but in waking up, I couldn’t find the remote of my thoughts and for a few moments the enemy replayed the hurt over and over ‘til I finally remembered who I was and the Lord used those blasted hours of watching the Wild West style lawman to remind me not only of who I was; but to announce it to the bad guys.
I upheld justice with the enemy of my heart and mind and thoughts the only way that makes him put cuffs on himself just like Raylan would make the criminals do.
In the wee hours of the morning, I slid one of my pillows onto the wood floor beside my bed and took the battle position of kneeling. Then the strategy came in a thought that entered my mind that I was:
“Accepted in the beloved”
In US deputy marshal style, I spoke out those words in the theater of my mind, and said like I was US deputy marshal Raylan Givens:
I am the Lord’s – Lora Lovin Osburn – accepted in the beloved of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As soon as I spoke these words in my mind – and without even brandishing my badge or gun – the thoughts of the enemy stopped.
My weapon was The Word. Show over deceiver. Truth stopped the lies that were speaking loud. And at some point – just like the bad guys in every episode of the show, the enemy will try again; but I know that he won’t win.
Maybe the enemy tells you that you are wearing a badge of rejection like he does me. I want to encourage you today, to accept and believe and remember who you are, and if necessary, announce the truth of Ephesians 1:6.
You are:
Accepted in the beloved 
