Blog Interview with Jené Walker (JW) by Crystal Flanagan (CF) of Fruitful Concepts
The decision to give one’s life to Christ is one that is exhilarating, joyful and full of hope with the desire to embrace and serve God on a higher dimension. However, with the acceptance of the Christian faith comes many challenges and attacks from the Enemy not only within the natural but spiritual realm as well. In her new book, Dr. Jené Elaine Walker discusses how readers can better equip themselves against the enemy’s attacks in, Meditations for a Surrendered Life: Winning Daily Spiritual Battles against the Enemy.

CF: At what point did you realize and accept God’s assignment to write your new book, Meditations for a Surrendered Life: Winning Daily Spiritual Battles against the Enemy?
JW: Both the realization and the acceptance of God’s assignment to write my new book manifested gradually. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I have been ministering through social media for at least the last three years and became a licensed minister as of January of 2016. As a result, God’s people have been blessed by the Word God has given me. God used so many of my “friends” in social media to plant the seed about my writing the book. One Facebook friend suggested that I would write a book, a manual of sorts, for ministers. Others weren’t as specific as they encouraged me saying, “I can’t wait to read your book” or “I wish I could go back and review your posts because they really bless me.” Then finally, approximately two years ago, a woman with whom I’m now really close called me after 10:00 pm. I answered, somewhat perplexed about why she was calling so late. When I answered, she said, “I just want to be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading.” She said, “I believe you have some books God is going to birth in you.” Well, then I was fully alert and she had my attention. She continued, “God gave me a vision of you. You were seated at a table and there was a line wrapped around a huge building. People were waiting for you to autograph their book.” When she said that, I leaped out of my bed and immediately began praising God.

Although several others had planted seeds before her about my book, it was that prophetic word from this lady that caused me to accept and actually complete God’s assignment to write this book. Through total surrender of my life to God and walking in obedience to His instructions, I was able to hear God more clearly when He would speak to me. Through total surrender to God, I was able to relinquish any preconceived fleshly thoughts I had about the book and how the book was to be organized. God later revealed that for my first book, I would compile my writings and quotes and organize them into themes or categories of meditations that will help His people during their moment by moment struggles each day.

CF: You discuss the importance of being equipped to fight the spiritual battle? How important is it for Christians to be in communion with Christ on a daily basis?
JW: Chapter 3 is entitled, “Communion with God.” Communion in this chapter refers to “our” daily communication with Him, our desire for Him to be with us, and our obedience to His promptings through the Holy Spirit. When you are in communion with God, you are able to hear the Holy Spirit when He gives you instructions because you read God’s Word daily.” Reading God’s Word daily builds spiritual capacity for God to speak to us through His Word. I have received the answers to many of my questions about life, love, relationships, and next steps for my life through God’s Word. I have especially learned about spiritual warfare and engaging the Enemy through His Word, which is my defensive weapon. God speaks to me through His Word; He teaches me how to fight using His Word.

In addition to the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, another very important piece of armor for me and I think all believers is prayer in the spirit without ceasing – for yourself and others. Prayer is another means for us to communicate with God. Being still and listening for God’s response after prayer is another opportunity for God to speak to us. I need to hear from God about how He wants me to handle every situation in my life. I’ve already done life my way. Now, I have to hear from God before I move.

I had to stay in God’s Word and pray and fast to be delivered from the spirit of rejection. The spirit was strong and on me since childhood. It caused me to have low self-worth. That is spiritual warfare. That is a spiritual battle. In order to be equipped for battle and to win daily spiritual battles, believers must employ all the spiritual armor of God. Every piece of armor that Paul identifies in Ephesians chapter 6, requires us to be in daily moment-by-moment communion with God.

CF: Your book stresses the importance of living a “surrendered” life. How vital is it for Christians to surrender to God?
JW: When I think of my story and ultimately who I am, I can sum it up in a few words, “I am totally surrendered to God – finally.” Before I clearly began to hear from God, my life was so noisy and cluttered. I tried doing everything on my own and in my own strength. I tried to manage my son, my job, my money, my relationships, and my life my way. It wasn’t that I wasn’t in relationship with God. I’ve always been an avid Bible reader, Sunday School and Bible study attendee, and one who fasts regularly. But what God revealed to me is we can do all those things “religiously” and still may not have submitted our entire lives to Him. He told me to surrender. (Please understand that surrendering is a daily process or at least it is for me.) And the things of the world to which I held on began to fall off as I surrendered them to God. I remember when God told me that I was still holding on to worldly things. I asked God, “Well what else do I need to release? I’ve given up ungodly relationships and so many other things. He clearly said to me, “You’ve given up so many things? My Word says for you to present your body as a living sacrifice, Holy and acceptable unto Me. That is your reasonable sacrifice.” Jesus showed me that although I had physically given up some things, that my heart was still going astray. Surrendering isn’t just the act of giving up things while yet still longing for those things or being disgruntled because you gave them up. Surrendering is also the transformation of the heart. Yield your desires to still hold on to the word to God.

I was doing warfare in my house one evening and Holy Spirit said, “Pick up that book off the floor.” I looked down and it was a book entitled Pigs in the Parlor. I opened it up to a page that explained the most common symptoms of indwelling demons. God immediately takes my eyes to “Religious Error.” Hammond explains that involvement to any degree in religious error can open the door for demons. As I scratched my head, The Holy Spirit says read on. Hammond further explained that objects and literature from sources of religious error have been known to attract demons in houses. Well Hammond was specifically referencing, false religions, cults, the occult, and false doctrine; however, the Holy Spirit was leading me to my bookshelf. I went in my study and saw an extensive collection of African American fiction that is borderline erotica. Jesus said to me, “Totally surrender.” Needless to say, my son and I (whom I had exposed to this filth) took every book off the shelf.

What does it profit me to gain the whole world and lose my soul? Ask yourself that question. How long will Christians halt and limp between two opinions. If God is God, serve God totally. But if the devil is god in your life, serve him totally. God hates a lukewarm church so we must die to flesh and totally surrender ourselves to Him. I had to go “all in.”

CF: At what point, in your opinion, and spiritual discernment, do you believe that Christians either lose or win against the Enemy’s attacks?  
JW: The point at which we walk in the flesh and war after the flesh is the point at which we lose spiritual battles. Paul clearly states in Ephesians chapter 6 that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. We focus so much on “people” and situations that we fail to recognize that there is an invisible battle. The devil and demonic powers are at work in the world all day. Demons laugh at flesh fights among humans; principalities smile at rallies for racial justice; rulers of darkness think that “movements” for rights are hilarious. But at the name of Jesus, powers of the air tremble; they get anxious and uncomfortable.

God’s Word has power. The Holy Spirit empowers us to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the devil but we lose if we don’t use our authority. Stop focusing on the person being used by the devil and fight to win. To fight with your flesh when God has told us to use spiritual weapons, is to fight a losing battle. Pray, fast, study and use the Word of God in your defense, have faith, walk in righteousness, keep the peace of God, wear the helmet of salvation and you can’t lose.

CF: How has your faith played an impact in your personal and professional life?
JW: Chapter 4 of my book is entitled “Exercise Your Faith.” As believers, we live each day believing in God’s Word. We don’t have to see the promise; we just know by faith that the promise will be fulfilled. God has done so much in my life time for me, and my son. If I just look back over my life, my faith should increase far beyond mustard seed faith. What I have learned about the impact faith has in my life is the more I believe, the more God will exceed my expectations for me and my son. As I totally surrendered my life to God, my faith increased and my response to warfare improved. My focus has become the heavenly kingdom and not this earthly kingdom. I have set my mind on things above. So, because of my faith, my ministry as a mother, my book, my ministry of preaching and teaching, my ministry with my students at school, and my ministry in church have all become kingdom focused and under one umbrella – kingdom work.

CF: For an unbeliever that may not know about your ministry and is curious about your book, what is the first thing that you would tell them?
JW: The devil isn’t loyal to anyone. The difference between an attack from the devil on a believer and a non-believer is that believers have the victory through Christ Jesus and non-believers lose two times – once now and once and for all eternally. Our Enemy, Satan, has no power or authority over us as believers and his attacks come frequently, but your soul must be saved to win this spiritual war. If you don’t come to Christ now, the kind of suffering that your lord, the devil has you going through right now, will intensify and be eternal. You can see the judgment of God right now throughout the earth – typhoons, contaminated water, floods, fires and the like – but the final judgments will be unbearable.

There is no way to the Father except by Christ. In a world full of darkness, Jesus Christ is our only light. Through Christ, you are protected. Through Christ, you will have eternal life after death. Through Christ, although you will suffer on earth for the kingdom, you will be victorious. Through Jesus Christ, you will inherit the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and a peace that surpasses all understanding. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you are able to employ spiritual weapons to combat his attacks. Read my book as believers and non-believers alike share in the same kinds of sufferings. The Holy Spirit will use the meditations in this book to change your life. You’ve tried everything else, won’t you let Jesus, the Messiah, our King, the Saviour be your last “try?”

CF: Can you provide more insight on your ministry?
JW: The purpose of the ministry God gave me is to help believers to win daily spiritual battles and to draw unbelievers to Christ and to equip all God’s people for battle through preaching, teaching, writing, and speaking.

CF: What do you hope readers will gain after reading your book?
JW: Meditations for a Surrendered Life: Winning Daily Spiritual Battles against the Enemy provides daily, thought-provoking writings and sayings to help the reader to navigate a world infested with sin and an Enemy on a never-ending prowl for victims. Refer to the book any time to encourage you in your faith and to provide you with instructions for living a surrendered life and for winning daily spiritual battles.

CF: Will there be any additional projects in the near future?
JW: I’m continuously accepting engagements to preach, to facilitate women’s conferences, and to teach at youth conferences. In addition, God has given me the outline for my second book already about the power of positive relationships amongst women. The Holy Spirit has given me a strong presence in social media, including my blog. The Holy Spirit gives me something to say daily. I post focus scriptures almost daily as the Holy Spirit leads me.

To learn more about, Dr. Jené Elaine Walker or to purchase her book, Meditations for a Surrendered Life: Winning Daily Spiritual Battles against the Enemy you can visit her at http://www.meditationsforasurrenderedlife.com/. To access Crystal Flanagan’s Fruitful Concepts Blog, click here.