I’m happy to feature an author interview with my dear friend Misty Phillip today. Her new book, The Struggle is Real But So Is God, is an excellent Bible study on overcoming in spiritual battles.
How I Met Misty
Misty and I are both Christian bloggers. I remember meeting her online through linkups, and then we became Facebook friends. Before I attended She Speaks 2017, she messaged me and encouraged me to sign up as soon as the registration opened. She also told me that if I was staying at Embassy Suites where She Speaks is held, I should book my room the minute I registered. I followed her advice and had a life-changing experience!
When I attended She Speaks again in 2018, I met Misty in person. She is a beautiful woman on the outside as well as the inside. I could sense her heart for God and women in the first five minutes after our initial hug. Misty set up interviews for her podcast, and I was honored to interview with her at the conference. You can listen to my podcast with Misty here.
Misty and I have also written for A Wife Like Me. We are both proud to be featured in the top-charting book Dear Wife, a devotional for wives. Her devotional in Dear Wife brought me to tears and taught me well. I also love the posts she’s written for A Wife Like Me. Misty writes with honesty and vulnerability, and those treasures shine wherever her words go, including in her new book, The Struggle is Real.
Author Interview with Misty Phillip
I was pleased to serve on Misty’s launch team for The Struggle is Real. Her Bible study is ideal for personal or group use. You’ll learn how to overcome both small and large struggles with deeper faith. You’ll also learn more about spiritual warfare and how to stand strong on God’s Word. Here’s my exclusive author interview with Misty Phillip.
1. Which piece of God’s armor, described in Ephesians, has been most useful to you as you birthed this book?
When we set out to serve God, it puts us in our enemy’s crosshairs. As you can imagine while writing a Bible study on overcoming the struggles of life, I experienced a lot of spiritual warfare and many battles along the way.
The Ephesians passage tells us to put on the full armor of God, so I think each piece is critical to living a victorious life. The two pieces that I relied on most were my shield of faith and the sword of the spirit. With my shield held high to protect me from the flaming arrows of the enemy, and the Word of God to guide and direct along the way.
Our faith and belief in Jesus Christ is the key to an effective Christian walk; without faith, it is impossible to please God. Hebrews says the Word of God is alive and active; it is sharper than any two-edged sword. By meditating on the truth of God’s word, I was able to combat the lies of the enemy as he came against me.
2. In the book, you tell us that praise in an effective way to overcome spiritual battles. Can you share some practical ways we can use praise in our daily lives?
A daily practice of gratitude and thanksgiving help take the focus off of me and shift my thoughts towards the Lord. This can be done in my quiet prayer time or by meditating on scripture passages throughout the day as I am in communion with God. Documenting my gratitude in a journal is an excellent way to keep track of all the things we have to be thankful for.
Another way to overcome spiritual battles is by listening to Christian music and singing praise songs. Praising God helps me to regain a proper perspective on God and the faithfulness He provides. We were made to worship Him. So if I am really struggling, I will crank up my praise tunes and belt out an offering of praise.
3. How do you overcome spiritual battles in your thought life?
Taking my thoughts captives to the obedience of Christ and understanding that much of our Christian battle is spiritual, not physical, battle. The battlefield is in my mind, so I must guard and protect my thought life.
I spent an entire day of the study focusing on our weapons of warfare and the passage from 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 ESV that says,
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”
We should compare every thought that enters our mind to the truth of scripture. Our wrong thinking leads to sinful behavior, so that is why it is crucial to police our thought lives.
4. Which person in the Bible inspires you most as an overcomer?
We can learn so much from all of the men and women throughout the Bible. If I had to pick only one, I would probably say Paul. Paul gives me hope that God can use anyone. Before his conversion experience, he was persecuting Christians men, women and children. At one point in our lives, we are all like Paul. We may not actively persecute the church, but until we meet Christ, we are all on a path that leads to destruction.
However, once we encounter the Living God, we are forever radically changed. Despite Paul’s past, he was God’s chosen instrument to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles. Everything that happened in Paul’s life served a purpose in his calling. God didn’t waste a thing in Paul’s life, and He won’t waste a thing in my life either. All of my past mistakes and sin is forgiven, and even I can be used by God to share the gospel.
5. Which book of the Bible helped you understand how to become an overcomer?
We can learn so much for all of the books of the Bible on being an overcomer. If I have to pick only one book, I would probably say Philippians. It is only four chapters long, but they pack a mighty punch of faith, and I believe faith is the key to overcoming and living in victory.
For example, in chapter 4, since the battlefield is in my mind, these verses tell me how to guard my heart and my mind.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:4-7 ESV
Thank you Misty for this in-depth look into your walk of faith!
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My Review of The Struggle is Real
I gave a 5-star review of The Struggle is Real on Amazon and Goodreads. Here’s what I had to say:
“Misty has written an excellent Bible study on facing struggles with God’s help. She shares personal stories of her struggles with deep honesty and love for the reader. She also helps us understand how to wage warfare in the spiritual battles we face. Her study is full of biblical stories of overcoming battles with Jesus’ leadership. I enjoy the declarations she shares throughout the book. This study is full of powerful truths. I highly recommend The Struggle is Real, But So Is God!”
I hope your curiosity is now piqued about The Struggle is Real after this author interview with Misty Phillip. You can order your own copy through my affiliate link. Thank you in advance from both Misty and myself!
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