Called!

About 2 years ago before my husband and I were married I was called to preach. I was given a sermon and I was pumped. It's funny though because I was still too scared to preach it.There was sermon after sermon that was preached and the altar calls at Merge were given that said..."If you feel that you are called to preach come down to the altar and we will pray!" I remember lots of people flooding the altar and I stayed behind scared like "Nuh-uh Lord...you haven't called me! The devil is a Lie lol!" Because I was nervous! So I guess you could say that I was running from what I knew God had called me to do! Well let me just tell you how funny God is! He has a sense of humor that is for sure! One day I was driving home from student teaching (Brian and I were married) and I was praying! I was saying "Lord please help me when I teach! Help me to have the anointing when I am up there Lord! God I pray that you would give me strength!" I was going on and on and then all of a sudden out of no where I said, "Lord, anoint me to preach your Word!" LOL The Holy Ghost snuck it in!! It was insane lol...but after that I laughed and surrendered to God! I accepted that I had been called to preach and I began to preach at Merge! Since then I have preached about 10 sermons and I have been invited to the Nazarene church to preach to a youth group! IT has been awesome! But I will say this! The war fare started immediately! It was pretty weak in the beginning! However it has heated up recently...it is tough! About a month after I surrendered to the call (About 9 months ago) my pastor heard that I had been called and he quietly spoke to me in the altar one night and he said this..."With the anointing to preach comes a great battle, but do not fear the battle and trials, because God is in control!" That was very encouraging at the time but I guess I didn't realize just how much truth was in that statement! I remember the first 3-4 sermons that I preached I was sick in my body EVERY time! One week I was having stomach issues, the next time a cold, the next time a sinus infection! After about the 3rd time I realized...ok seems to be a pattern and I began to pray a little more before I was about to enter into that time frame! The it picked up a little! I began to experience spiritual warfare on a whole other level! I began to be depressed and oppressed by nothing! Everything was going good but I felt as if I was falling apart! After a season of that I had some friends take authority over it with me in Jesus name. Thank GOD that left! HA but lately I have had some more intense spiritual warfare...I have had Satan trying to tear my integrity down! Trying to make me leave my church because of different situations! Crazy! OR as my good friend says.."Cray Cray" LOL. It is unfortunate because of the situations around me...however it is really an honor! To suffer because of the call of Christ on your life is kind of exhilarating! I think about that one story about the men who tried to cast out demons and the demons said Paul I know, and Jesus I know but who are you!" I hope that the devil knows who you are in Christ!I hope that he is threatened by who you are in Christ! We in ourselves are nothing for him to be afraid of, however a Christian full of the Holy Ghost walking in their calling is a force to be reckoned with for the Devil....and I am not afraid! Because I know whose I am! I am going to keep preaching and keep on keeping on! The devil is a fool and a BIG LIAR! HE wants to discourage you and keep you down! If you let him...he will win!