Drive them all out

Perhaps you will think to yourselves, ‘How can we ever conquer these nations that are so much more powerful than we are?’ But don’t be afraid of them! Just remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all the land of Egypt. Remember the great terrors the Lord your God sent against them. You saw it all with your own eyes! And remember the miraculous signs and wonders, and the strong hand and powerful arm with which he brought you out of Egypt. The Lord your God will use this same power against all the people you fear. (Deuteronomy 7:17-19)

As the small nation of Israelites was about to inherit the land God had promised to them, he gives them the instruction to destroy all the inhabitants of the land, one by one, and even destroy their places of worship. Many of these nations had much more advanced military might, strong leaders of their armies, and ruthless kings. Yet, God's instruction is clear - destroy them all, one by one, until none remain - and remember - remember the way God intervened to bring your deliverance from Egypt. As we face some of our toughest enemies it is good to 'remember'. To recall the things God has already done for us and recall the promise he gives to be with us always. It seems like God is saying there will be times when everything in front of us looks bigger than life, but when we take time to remember all he did when we faced things 'bigger than life' in our past, we might just find the courage to move forward in his powerful presence.

Just remember... Remember the moment he stopped your car from spinning out of control on an icy roadway. Remember the time when your finances seemed to be smaller than your need, but every need was met without ever missing even one payment on one bill. Remember the time your child's fever was so high and you prayed so long through the night to find them well, hungry, and ready to face the day with smiles the next morning. Remember the struggle with that one sin you indulged so often and the moment you realized it had no pull on you ever again. Remember... God isn't done yet - whatever lies ahead is not greater than what has come before. He was with you then - he is with you now - he will be with you with each new challenge you face.

Memory is a powerful thing when it is used as God intends - to recall the times he has revealed himself more powerful than our worst fears, bigger than our worst nightmares, and stronger than our toughest enemies. Maybe this is why God tells us to remember - because we want to remember the power of our enemies and not the supreme goodness and care of our great God. When we shift the focus from what we remember as fearful and intimidating toward what is gracious and good, we begin to see that God goes before us, stands united with us, and surrounds us with armies mightier than any we face that he commands us to 'drive out'. So, don't just stand there - start driving them all out! The tougher they are, the harder they will fall under God's mighty hand. Just sayin!

Ruthless people are no threat to us

But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat. For the oppressive acts of ruthless people are like a storm beating against a wall, or like the relentless heat of the desert. But you silence the roar of foreign nations. As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat, so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled. (Isaiah 25:4-5)

A tower of refuge to the needy in distress. The more we read of God's power to protect his creation, the more it should drive us into his arms. Why? We live in a world where 'oppressive acts of ruthless people' can get us down quicker than we know. We need the protection of God's presence, but we also need the protection of his Word. The Word is a powerful tool to combat the lies of the enemy and to expose all manner of deception - the deception 'ruthless people' seem to operate under.

Ruthless people operate in a realm where they take no pity on anyone. All are up for grabs - everything is fair game to them. They are cruel and merciless. There is no middle ground where they are concerned. As much as they are unrelenting in their attacks, they are also as unforgiving in their attitude. They have a tendency to be rather barbarous in their behavior. We might find them a bit too 'callous' for our liking. There seems to be no end to their cold-hearted attacks on the innocent and weak. 

We cannot always avoid difficulties or the threats of difficult people. We live with them, work with them, and find them while standing in line at the supermarket. They are just 'there'. What we must do is learn how to use what God gives us to stand strong in the midst of their attacks. His Word reminds us he is stronger than anything that comes against us. It bolsters our waning faith with the reminder he never leaves us or forsakes us. When we feel abandoned, that is a lie straight out of the pit of hell.

A refuge is a safe place. We are not to fear individuals or things that threaten our well-being in either a physical or spiritual sense. While we might all want to live within the shelter of 'refuge' every minute of every day, we all know the reality of being 'vulnerable' to attack. We actually might find ourselves in 'difficult situations' that try our faith and create a sense of 'unease' in our lives. Even in the midst of these 'difficulties' God is our refuge from whatever 'storm' rages around us. We just have to learn within the shelter of his arms. Just sayin!

The Lord is for me (and you, too)

Let all who fear the Lord repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.” In my distress I prayed to the Lord,
and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? (Psalm 118:4-6)

The more we interact with people around us, the more we realize it is almost impossible to please everyone. There will always be someone in the group who thinks differently, opposing every move we make. What do we do when we face opposition? If you are like me, you get a little distressed by the resistance at times. You might want to just pull in like a snail inside its shell, but that doesn't solve the issue, does it? I have learned to take my distress to the only one who can 'de-stress' it - God. I bring the issue to him, but I also bring the 'players' in the issue - including me! There are times when my attitude is the one needing adjustment, while it is the attitude of others that needs it at others. Who am I to judge which one of us needs the adjustment? I have found it is much better to leave that one in God's hands.

What can mere people do to us? If we have lived our lives trying to be people-pleasers, then we think those individuals who we have worked so hard to 'please' can do a great deal to us, but nothing could be further from the truth. People cannot destroy us - though they may try. People cannot get at the Spirit of God deep within us - try as they might, the presence of God is our refuge, and it is where we flee when under attack. Sometimes I need to remind myself over and over that God is for me - all the fear that is trying to rise up from within my emotions is never going to change the security I have in him. It won't change it for you, either! We may have to tell ourselves over and over that God is for us and we will not fear, but that is okay. God knows we sometimes battle against those emotions, and he stands at the ready to help us rise above their attack.

The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things! (Psalm 118:14-15)

The strength within isn't always evident - sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we walk in a power not our own, a victory that has already been won, and a placement that remains secure regardless of the enemy's attack. Just sayin!

Spent as he sees fit

Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on the remnant of his people. (Amos 5:14-15)

We all face the enemy, but he doesn't always use the same attack for each of us. His attacks are all aimed at the same thing - getting us to turn our backs on righteousness. James 4:7 reminds us to "...humble ourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from us." Amos tells us to actually run from evil - either way, we are supposed to put some distance between us and our enemy! It is this 'distance' that can give us the time to regain right perspective in the midst of the battle. Without the 'distance', we could be overcome by the chaos of the attack!

How do we 'create distance' in our lives? If we are always living so close to the edge of making the right choices God desires of us and choosing to go our own way, we haven't created enough 'distance'. We need 'room' to think what our actions should be, but thinking through actions isn't going to work well if we do all our thinking 'in the moment'. This is why it is good to have time apart with Jesus each day. To give him our best and first. Then when we need time to 'think through' some decision to pursue one course over another, we have already had some groundwork prepared for that 'battle decision'. 

Hate evil and love what is good. The only way to develop the proper perspective about what is 'evil' and what is 'good' is to ask Jesus for that clarity - not just in the moment of temptation, but in those quiet times we set aside to learn from him. Does Jesus get your attention more than just during church service? If we aren't getting into the Word daily, we won't have the ammunition to fight the battle at hand during the week. Satan doesn't just attack on Sundays - he is right there with all of his 'evil intent' every day! We need to prepare for battle on a daily basis.

When I first tried to spend time each day with Jesus, there were lots of distractions that stole my attentiveness. I found myself giving into those distractions too often - the phone, the TV, the computer, the reminders on my calendar. I found that those distractions had to be 'managed' if I was to actually take even five minutes with him. My time with Jesus started as just that - five minutes in the morning. For those of you getting all 'judgy' on that one, don't! Five soon led to seven, and seven to fifteen. Now I don't even watch the clock. God manages my time - I just spend it as he sees fit. How about you? Just askin!

God, I think I have enemies

When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them. (Proverbs 16:7)

Wouldn't it be great if we all lived together in perfect harmony, never again raising fists to fight, or sending missiles high into the air to wipe out entire communities? We don't always do a very good job at living 'at peace' with others - much less with our enemies! Living at peace with each other doesn't come naturally to us. It is a direct result of us aligning our lives with Jesus and then allowing him to live through us. This doesn't mean we will never have enemies - it just means God will allow our enemies to see godly character in us. They will still be our enemies, but they won't 'war against us'.

We should live in such a way that others desire the things they see in our character. Maybe our enemies will still be our enemies, but they will admire what they see in us, even when they don't know exactly why it is we are the way we are. I have had 'enemies' who didn't understand my actions - hard actions I was compelled to take because of my ethical standards. They might not have understood, but they trusted me because they knew I lived by those standards. Christ isn't telling us we won't face uncomfortable circumstances, or always be understood by others. He is reminding us to seek him first, know his ways, endeavor to live within those standards, and let him take care of our enemies.

Maybe the greatest part of this verse is the reminder to keep God first. As we give him the right place in our hearts, seeking his truths and living as he shows us to live, we find ourselves in circumstances where our enemies cannot really touch us. Whenever we try to please others first, putting God in any other position than FIRST, we find it difficult to 'live at peace' with others and vice-versa. When God is first in our lives, our response toward our enemies will be kinder and a whole lot less defensive. We will allow God to be our defense and just lean in a bit closer to him. Just sayin!

Life Hack #29: Pay it Forward, Not Backward

Life Hack #29:

Like it or not, we all have at least one enemy in this lifetime. It is an honest part of human nature to want to see some harm come to your enemy. The very word "enemy" suggests someone who is your opponent, operating with some type of antagonistic behavior that makes the two of you adversaries. To want good for your enemy is counter intuitive. They are out to harm you - so why should you be out to bless them? Yet, we are not to revel in their fall, nor celebrate their collapse. We are to leave their "outcome" to God - something harder said than done!

Don’t laugh when your enemy falls; don’t crow over his collapse. God might see, and become very provoked, and then take pity on his plight. (Proverbs 24:17-18)

Enemies can be personal adversaries - such as someone bent on making your life miserable - all attacks aimed at you alone. They can also be generally around us - such as public officials who don't represent the needs, wants, or beliefs of the public they are designed to serve. The clear instructions are that we need to be very, very careful in our dealings with our enemies. This isn't just because we could get hurt by their attacks, but because God's business is to take care of their wrong-doing - ours is to pray for them, bless them, and serve them as much as physically, emotionally, and spiritually possible.

There are several examples in scripture worth mentioning as it pertains to dealing with the enemy. A woman caught red handed in adultery had many accusers. Those who did the accusing sought to end her life - by the once practiced punishment of stoning. She is at their mercy - and they have no intention of extending any! This is often the case when our own actions may have not been the best - our enemies capitalize on our failures and make them a point to take advantage of us whenever possible. Jesus did something we could learn from. Instead of pointing out that the woman needed mercy, he allowed her enemies to come to the conclusion they were not without faults in their own lives. In so doing, through his simple statement of "Let the one without sin among you cast the first stone", he silenced her enemies. God has the "insight" into what is at the core of our enemy's behavior, and he knows how to silence him! Best to leave it in his hands!

A woman believing she'd never have a child of her own sought to ensure some offspring to ensure the continuation of the family line, allowing a slave woman to bring forth a son for her husband. Her name? Sarah. Her husband? Abraham. The outcome of this rash decision was a son born to Hagar, a servant woman. In time, Sarah did bear a child - in God's timing. In rather short order, the child grew and became the heir apparent to the inheritance of his father. Animosity grew between Hagar and Sarah. Sarah regretted her decision to encourage Abraham to father a child with the servant; Hagar resented all the attention and favor shown to the child born out of Sarah and Abraham's union. 

This is one of those cases where our own actions actually create the enemy we deal with. We all have done something similar through choices we have made which we later regret. God's actions on our part are no different - he has a way of extending grace where it is most needed, but the consequences of our having gone our own way might still be there to "haunt" us for quite some time. Rash, poorly planned decisions cost us, but God is in the business of restoring even what becomes our greatest nightmare. God may not have desired the results we reaped through our decisions, but he certainly has a way of restoring what we cannot "undo" on our own!

The point God makes is that we are not to "deal with" our enemies - HE is. We are not to relish their downfall - but remember them in prayer. We are not to return negative with negative - but to bless them. The only way we will ever do this is when we hold tightly to God's hands and allow him to walk us through it. He may not deal with our enemies as we "think" he should but trust me - God always deals with them in a way which is right, just, and in just the right timing. We have to stand on that and trust he knows best - even when we think they are getting off "too light". We will need mercy more times than we can count. When we behave poorly, do we want God being quick to extend mercy, or to bring swift judgment? Just askin!

Get to know your enemy

"The battle of life is, in most cases, fought uphill; and to win it without a struggle were perhaps to win it without honor. If there were no difficulties there would be no success; if there were nothing to struggle for, there would be nothing to be achieved." (Samuel Smiles) All 'battles' have a battleground. All 'wars' have some strategy of warfare. The hardest battles are those where we find it hardest to zero in on the 'right' form of warfare for the battle at hand.

O Lord, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight against me. Put on your armor, and take up your shield. Prepare for battle, and come to my aid. Lift up your spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Let me hear you say, “I will give you victory!” (Psalm 35:1-3)

There are battles of words and there are battles of wits. Which one would you want to fight? Words can be harsh or healing, helpful or devoid of real depth, critical or poignant - maybe that is the battle you will fight. Wit can put you in a place where you perceive something a bit better than another - perhaps this is the battle you should fight. Wit is what actually reveals the connection between the words and the intent or meaning of those words. 

Perception is paramount to success on the battlefield. We need to understand our enemy and then be open to formulating a plan that actually shows how well we perceive our enemy's every move. How do we get to know our enemy that well? I think we find out most about the enemy we are fighting by observing what he does. His words will reveal one thing, but his actions reveal something else. See what causes him to advance and formulate the plan to staunch his advance. See what causes him to halt in his path and create the plan that stops him dead in his tracks.

Get into the Word of God - learn how God moves and you will surely recognize when the army advancing against you is NOT his! You don't have to get to know the devil as much as you need to get to know your God! When you recognize the movement and tact of the one who sits as Commander & Chief in your life, you soon recognize when any movement is contrary to how he moves. That contrary movement is sure to be something cooked up by the enemy of your soul! Just sayin!

I'm challenging that...

You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. (Matthew 5:43-45)

How on earth do we let our enemies bring out the best in us? That seems like an impossibility. If we are to allow them to bring out the best in us, we need a change in how we view the potential we have 'against' our enemies. It isn't that we are setting ourselves up 'against' them, resisting them and entering into war. We are 'embracing' them in a way they have no clue we are even capable of doing! Respond with the 'supple moves of prayer' and see how much difference this 'stance' can make when encountering our enemy's moves. They won't expect it. They won't even know we are doing it most of the time. They will begin to sense there is something 'amiss' with our response to their attack, though. They will expect a 'counter-attack' for certain, but they won't expect us to embrace their attack in prayer!

Prayer does more than you might imagine because it 'moves us out of ourselves'. It takes our thoughts away from how we 'feel' when attacked and allows God to begin to 'counter' the attack with his 'special moves'. There are no 'moves' we can make that are quite as effective, or to the point. God knows what will move our enemy. He knows what will shut-down their attack and send them running in the opposite direction. He also knows what will cause them to notice something within us that makes them just a bit more curious about the grace of God! He can use our prayers as a means to open the door for his grace in the lives of our enemies. Most of us don't even begin to think about God's grace being extended to our enemies while under attack, but God challenges us to get out of ourselves and allow his grace to get into us! In turn, his grace will begin to impact the lives of our enemies. 

I am going to be totally transparent here today - I seldom think to pray for my enemies as the 'first' maneuver. I admit to 'getting into myself' a bit too much when under attack. I want to 'counter' the attack with as much hurtfulness as my enemy has launched against me. Am I in this position of being a little bit too much 'into myself' while under attack? I don't think so, because some of you just felt a little twinge of guilt when I asked that question. I don't always understand the power of prayer because I don't always see the immediate answer to prayer. I do know it works - maybe not in the moment, but in the long-term. I do know prayer moves me into a place where I am able to remove myself from the 'feelings' associated with the attack of my enemy and into the place where God can talk clearly to me about the response I should have toward them. 

Prayer may not be our first thought when under attack, but I am praying God will help our enemies bring out the best in each of us, not the worst. In order to do that, we might just find ourselves taking things to God we never have before - things like our hurt feelings, our sense of 'injustice', and our pride. Who better to deal with those things than God himself? In turn, God will begin to change our 'point of reference' - helping us see how our enemy needs our prayers. One thing I noted when I began to embrace praying for my enemy - those prayer times usually begin with getting things right in ME long before they change to asking God to get things right in THEM. Just sayin!

But...you weren't being nice!

We probably all know how easy it is to be nice to nice people, but tell us to be nice to someone who isn't being nice back and we just wanna throttle both of you! The idea of being nice to someone who isn't being nice is like fingernails on a chalkboard - it gets our dander up and we just wanna scream! The idea of loving our neighbor isn't all that hard - but ask us to spend the 'energies' of prayer on our enemy and we might just think that is the biggest waste of our time. After all, can a leopard change his stripes? Our enemy will always be our enemy - right? They will always act as foolishly as they have been - right? Things aren't going to change - or are they? Maybe the change might not happen with them, but with us!

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that." Matthew 5:43-45 MSG

Some would propose there is not end to the 'hard stuff' God asks us to do in the course of our lifetime. This idea of praying for our enemy ranks up there as one of the harder ones, doesn't it? After all, they earned the title of 'enemy' for some reason - there was some action, attitude, or animosity shared that set things on edge between the two of us. We don't want to encourage them, so why would we respond with any kindness toward them? Wouldn't that just enrage them and make them behave toward us in an even more 'enemy-like' manner? Maybe so, but in turn, God asks us to respond with even more energies of prayer. Perhaps that single action is not so much for our enemy as it is for us - because God doesn't want us to form any sense of resentment and bitterness toward them!

Resentment and bitterness is all about us - although we may want to blame the other guy for it existing, it is entirely our own doing. Bitterness and resentment are rooted in our own reaction to our enemy - not necessarily in the actions of our enemy. We form anger, respond in unkind ways, and in time, we come to 'hate' what the other person stands for or who they are as a person. We don't let that 'hatred' end with them, though. In time, we begin to 'hate' what has become of us in our attitude toward them and others like them. We are angry and resentful - and that spills over - in time, affecting other relationships that should not have been affected. 

A 'hard time' is given - what is your response? Isn't it based on where you are at that moment? If you are well-rested and kind of in a 'good mood', aren't you a little more likely to let it just pass? If you are tired and kind of grumpy because of all the effort you have put into your day, aren't you less likely to let it pass - probably! You can see how our response could be very 'situational' - it depends on us a great deal. Maybe this is why Jesus emphasizes US taking the issue to God in prayer - with some energies exerted in prayer. The 'situation' may just change a little when we get our attitude right and our heart renewed - and there is no better place to do that than in times of prayerful consideration before God.

I know I begin to prayer for my enemy by complaining a whole lot about him or her. This is only natural, after all, and God doesn't mind me getting things out into the open with him. He respects that I need that time to 'deflect' a little by telling him why I am angry with the individual. But...rest assured, he isn't going to let me 'deflect' very long. Jesus is going to let the tides of those prayers change a little, bouncing those words of complaint right back onto my hearing ears. In rather short order, he shows ME just where I need the greatest amount of adjustment in the situation. What began as a complaint AGAINST my enemy becomes an acknowledgement of MY need for help to be the light of Jesus TOWARD my enemy. 

It may be that we feel like we aren't good enough to respond this way, but let me just begin by saying we all begin somewhere. For some of us, it will be in bringing our complaints to God, instead of sharing those with another who doesn't need to hear all about our circumstances with that individual. To others, it may come when we stop complaining just long enough to consider the other person's own naivety in the situation. Regardless of what is revealed to us in prayer, it begins by us beginning to talk - not so much to others or even our enemy - but to God about our enemy. Amazingly, we may find the conversation begins to focus not so much on the enemy as it does on our response toward our enemy. In short order, God shows us how to responds in kindness, even when others aren't being kind toward us. Just sayin! 

And don't for a minute...

Where does a warrior find strength? I watched a show this weekend about the great warrior chiefs of various American Indian tribes as they were being asked to sign treaties to no longer attack the white settlers. The thing that struck me was not just that they were fighting for their land, but for their way of life - they valued their beliefs, customs, and traditions. These included how they viewed and treated the land and the animals inhabiting that land. They were willing to fight for them. The warrior has a different kind of 'heart' and 'mindset'. The warrior knows what he believes, stands upon those beliefs even when pushed to give up on them, and trusts those beliefs because he trusts what is behind those beliefs!

And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take. (Joshua 1:8-9)

Joshua became the leader of Israel right after Moses passed away. Moses passed the torch on to him as he was next in line to get the Israelites out of the wilderness territory they had wandered in for long enough and into the Promised Land. He was commissioned with a huge purpose - cross the Jordan - get the people across safely and into their inheritance. It was finally the time for Israel to take what God had given to them when he delivered them from in Egypt. The promise to Joshua was pretty clear - "I'll give you every square inch of land you set your feet on". If that was not enough to get Joshua motivated to move into the land, God promised to be with him just like he had been with Moses. As a new leader, knowing you had the 'backing' of the one you believed in more than anything else was huge!

The "success" Joshua enjoyed in taking the land of Canaan was based on him keeping God's Word clearly before him and the people - obediently pursuing the revelation God had given through Moses. If we look at how this sentence is structured, we will notice that it is an "imperative" - it demands our attention and our action. There is an unavoidable obligation - keep the Word before you - practicing every word of it - none of it was to be neglected or discounted. We also see a tremendous promise or word of assurance that reminds Joshua that there is to be an order to the victory Israel will win. First, God will be in his right position. Then his Word would be the guiding force of their lives. As each of these were rightly aligned, they would realize success in their endeavors. This is definitely something we can learn. When we get the "order" right, victory is just the next step away.

There is something extra-ordinary in getting this right: God is with us every step we take. When God is in the right position in our lives (at the center of all we do) - the hunger for his Word is also there. His presence at the core of our being and his Word continually being turned over in our minds is certain to guide our steps. Joshua received two other reminders: Be strong! Be courageous! The strength here is not that of physical strength - muscular enhancement that just let him fight like a warrior. It is also the mental strength that would keep him focused in the times when defeat, not victory, seemed more like a possibility. It is the emotional strength to doubt his doubts and continue on in the faith that God was with him each step of the way. The courage of a warrior - the strength of a leader - Joshua was expected to have both and so are we. Strength and courage are based on keeping our focus right - God first, his Word constantly before us, and our steps will be ordered of God. We will do well to learn the lesson of Joshua - Be Strong! Be Courageous! The Lord Thy God is With Thee! Just sayin!

Taunt on...go ahead...I'm not budging

There are basically two responses to life - facing it head on, or ducking for cover - although there could be different versions of both, it basically boils down to head on or turning tail. The first requires some element of determination, faith, and commitment. The latter simply requires a spirit of complacency, an overly sensitive emotional response to fear, and a whole lot of discouragement. David was in a real "pickle" when he pens these words - perhaps like some form of "pickle" a couple of us might feel we are in right now, or will inevitably face from time to time in life. Friends had turned their backs, enemies were all around, and everything he had counted on seemed to be failing - except God (remember that one, will you).  So, in the midst of this, he turns to the one he knows will never fail.

Take a good look at me, God, my God; I want to look life in the eye, so no enemy can get the best of me or laugh when I fall on my face. I've thrown myself headlong into your arms—I'm celebrating your rescue. I'm singing at the top of my lungs, I'm so full of answered prayers. (Psalm 13:3-6)

When we look deeper at what he says in the midst of his disappointment, we find that he is not going to 'give into' the doubts that come - doubts like God has turned his back on him in the midst of his circumstances.  He is not going to give into the disbelief that his friends have all scattered like the wind - because he still has his most important one - God.  He is not going to succumb to the "woe is me" emotional roller-coaster of missed opportunities, delayed answers, disappointing outcomes, and inadequate responses - because he has learned to trust. Instead, he faces God - asking God to keep his face turned toward him so that God can take a good look into his life.  He invites God to search him - to uncover anything that is not honoring to him.  Why?  Simply because he does not want his enemies to have even one thing that they can boast about - one thing David can look back upon and wonder if he had done something different at that moment, perhaps things would have turned out better.  He wants his reputation to be pure.  He wants his testimony to be strong.  This purity and strength is proven (tempered) in the presence of a holy God - so he runs headlong to God, asking God to expose his character to all who would look upon him.  

He can do this because he knows God has been working in him to form the quality of character that stands up under the pressure of life's negative stuff.  It is not easy, but it is true - we can stand strong in the midst of life's "junky" moments.  If we faithfully come to God with our responses, desires, fears, unbelief, etc. - he takes each open exchange of our time together and begins to use those times to mold us into the image of his Son. The goal is to have a strong reputation - not because it is a bragging point, but because it is evidence of the grace and love of God in his life.  For us, it is to be a man or woman of God that our enemy cannot speak a negative or accusing word about.  The enemy of our souls is the accuser of our souls - he looks for opportunity after opportunity to accuse us - relentless in his pursuit.  Why?  Because those accusations eat away at us - they allow doubt to enter in, they invade the personal peace of our soul and the space of our minds which should be reserved for meditation upon God's Word and enjoyment of his revelation.  God invites us into his arms - enjoying the intimacy of those moments - in order to build us up where we have been torn down by life.

We are invited into his arms today and every day of our lives.  There, he delights in creating a freshness of spirit, a renewal of joy, and a treasure-load of hope - because of his grace.  In those moments of intimate sharing, our character is being transformed - our reputation is being "re-written" so that the world sees only Christ in us. The hope of glory! We might want to turn tail and run, but when we learn to stand in the midst of fear, trusting in the one who holds us closer than imaginable, we learn to look beyond the enemy's frightful taunts and pursuing tenacity. We see instead the glory of God revealed in us. Just sayin!

Never to be seen again

Battles come our way - not those fought on enemy soil with automatic weapons, tanks, and grenades, complete with every 'military tactic' operational - but those things that give us "fits" internally (emotionally, spiritually, and sometimes even physically).  We struggle with the outcome because we try to remain in control of the situation instead of turning it over to God.  The battle becomes a burden we "slug" through rather than having the unlimited resources of heaven at our disposal. It is time to stopping being 'slugs' when it comes to these battles - they need a quicker end than we are capable of in our own efforts!

Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you're never going to see them again.  God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!" (Exodus 14:13-14)

Moses was given a direct message from God to tell the people - the battle lies ahead and here's what you should do in the midst of the battle!  Most of us don't get some "authoritative" messenger of God sent into our lives after having had such a dynamic conversation with God himself, armed with the message to stand firm in the midst of the fight.  At least, not one that we recognize as a messenger!  The message God gives him to bring to the people tell us a great deal about how it is we are to face the battle. Let's look:

• Don't be afraid - the idea is that we are not to be filled with fear or apprehension.  Our concept of the situation (perception) produces either fear or trust. Another word for these perceptions is suspicions - we develop various suspicions about the reason for the battle, the outcome, and even the enemy we are battling. Anticipation and awareness of danger both produce fear and anxiety. Do not be anxious about ANYTHING, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. (Phil. 4:6) There is a time in the battle when we have to "reign it all in" and lay it all out before God. In so doing, we begin to be in a place to see clearly what it is that is before us. Our suspicions are addressed, not with our ideas, but with God's accurate perception.
• Stand firm - maintain your position, hold your course, and remain firm. To maintain your position is to hold the position of a witness - be alert, be attentive, be accurate. Weakness and uncertainty do not play a part in being a witness in the courtroom of life. The witness is to give a testimony that is free of revision or change. God is asking us to be well-founded in our beliefs and values. Steadfastness is really what is pictured here - accurately perceiving the circumstances and then able to navigate them.
• Watch for the deliverance - it is inevitable when the battle is in his hands. We may lose the battle in our own ability, but in his hands, the deliverance is sure to come. When we actually see something, we are recognizing it and placing that into actual experience. In other words, stand firm, without fear, and God will be on the scene to bring the deliverance (making it a reality). Deliverance is liberty - it is rescue, or being set free. The promised, desired, and expected results will be -produced - when we stand firm, with our fear under his control.
• You will never see that enemy again - Moses was speaking to Israel about the Egyptians. They were an enemy that could have slaughtered them, bringing an end to their existence. Yet, he says with total assurance, that they would never see them again. What is pictured is the idea of total deliverance from the bondage of a task-master that is demanding, unyielding, and controlling. Kind of like the image we have of sin's control in our lives, huh? God is the one that will cause it to become a reality that we move from a place of total bondage into total freedom - never to be under that condition of bondage again.  
• Keep your mouth shut - this is not easy in the midst of the battle. Instead of being still, at peace, and in control of our emotions, we are a miserable wreck! It is not easy being in a place where we stand with an assurance when the end of our bondage seems to be impossible, and then to stand settled, calm and in a place of peace. Yet it is the very thing that God expects of us in the midst of the battle. When trust is placed in the right (true and accurate) place, the battle is assured.

To that, I can only add some words from David: Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:10-11) See the emphatic statement here: I WILL BE EXALTED! God is not a mamby-pamby kind of God - he is supreme, sovereign over any other force on this earth, in your life, or in mine. He WILL be exalted - stand firm, be assured, and be still. He is in control! Just sayin!

Avoid that pile...

I once heard a coach tell his team they needed to find out what the other team was going to do - paying close attention to their formation, footing, eye contacts, etc. Then he said to them that this how they could take that next move into their own control - making it almost impossible for that team to 'make that next move'. Maybe this isn't bad advice for our daily lives either. If we were to pay a little closer attention to the enemy of our souls, observing his moment, noticing how he is 'setting things up' so we can take a fall, maybe we'd have a better understanding of how to counter those attacks!

8 Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart. 9 Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these sufferings too. (I Peter 5:8-9 TLB)

I think many of us feel it is impossible for us to actually 'stay ahead' of our enemy's attacks. It is like we stand there and just continue to take the beating time and time again, him scoring full-on hits repeatedly in our lives. I honestly believe God has given us all we need to not only recognize his attacks, but to begin to understand his strategies. When we become more familiar with the strategies of our enemy, this is the fuel we need to form a solid defense against him!

God gives us his Word, complete with very specific illustrations and examples of how the enemy of our soul opposes us, setting up attack after attack. For example, the story of David would give us an illustration of why we don't want to attempt to stand alone in life. We need the companionship of others, especially when it comes to facing our enemy. David had a couple very specific examples of when he didn't do very well at resisting temptation when he stood alone - like when he sent his warriors off to 'do war' and he stayed back. That opportunity presented that infamous encounter with Bathsheba and his fall into adultery. 

From this example, I might come to realize I don't do well resisting temptation when I am not doing what it is God has planned for me to do. David was the leader of the army - he was their king. His place was with his soldiers, not back at home camp killing time in leisure activities. I might also recognize that where there is a weakness in my life it becomes harder and harder to 'look the other way' when the temptation is right there in front of me. Either way, I have been given these examples so that I can learn (and you, too) how to recognize where it is the enemy plans on making his attacks. The plans of the enemy are best thwarted when we are paying attention to learning how he moves!

We are also given immediate help - because the Holy Spirit of God indwells us with his presence and power. When we may not immediately recognize we are about to step into a trap, we can count on him to give us that little niggling that lets us know our steps are about to get us into a pretty big pile of poop which will leave a pretty nasty effect that lingers for a lot longer than we might like! Some of what we learn is by studying - at other times, our learning is more by the power of observing. Both are necessary if we are to ever understand and respond to our enemy's attacks. Just sayin!

Bring on the enemy!

Most of us have heard that saying to "keep your friends close, but your friends closer" right? Ever think about the meaning of that one? Keeping our friends close makes sense because they bring awesome things into our lives in special ways by their laughter, hugs, tears, and even their wisdom. We WANT that stuff in our lives. Our enemies, on the other hand...well....they don't bring the kind of stuff most of us would label as "awesome". You might think keeping your enemies closer is so that you can wreak as much havoc in their lives as they have in yours, but just when they aren't looking! Is it possible the real meaning of this saying is keeping our enemy "closer" might just reveal some stuff about ourselves that otherwise would go undiscovered?

“There is a saying, ‘Love your friends and hate your enemies.’ But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too. (Matthew 5:43-45 TLB)

Jesus put it slightly different, but he wanted us to realize the potential in our enemy. If we keep them close to us, we find ways of allowing them to help us grow - to discover strength we didn't know we had or needed. That 'enemy' actually reveals stuff about "YOU" that you didn't know existed until they got too close for comfort. They reveal both the good and the bad - the latter being why we might just not want them all that close to us!

Let me ask you this - what one thing has someone you have labeled as an "enemy" in your life revealed about you just by their presence in your life? Chances are, if you really take some time to think on that one, you will begin to realize they drove you to your knees on occasion, had you searching for answers you had yet to discover, or perhaps even taught you a thing or two about what it truly means to love unconditionally. Our enemies have a way of helping us to realize behavior WE need to correct, not just that THEY need to correct!

We can curse the darkness, or we can light a candle to see what is revealed in that darkness! The enemy we might want to push away is the very thing we need to 'push us' closer to Jesus, or deeper into the discovery of his truths contained in his Word. I'm right there with you - I'd like to just 'be rid of them' as much as the next guy - but God asks me to love them - embrace them. Why? If I do, there is something that happens to BOTH of us in the process. I get to know myself (and my Lord) in ways I didn't know before AND they get to see just a little bit of Jesus (something they might not ever see otherwise). Just sayin!

Friend or Foe - Who Goes There?

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. 45 If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:43-45 ERV)

I wonder if someone has to tell or teach us to hate one another, or if that is just something we come by naturally. Maybe it comes when we foster some sense of entitlement in our lives, believing others "owe us" because of something we believe we deserve. Perhaps it develops over time when we focus more and more on what we want more than on what another could want or need. It might even come when we get so caught up in comparing our differences that we cannot help but be angry or bitter over another's fortune, their status, or even their ability to enjoy life's simplicity. Regardless of how hatred develops, I know there is but one way for love to really take hold in our lives - through Christ Jesus.

It was Martin Luther King, Jr. who said, "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend." He was right - nothing short of love will ever overcome a sense of entitlement, the mystery of being so self-absorbed that we don't see others, or too enraged over dissimilarities that we cannot look past them. Love is impossible apart from God, for God is love "personified" - he is love in action. No matter how vile the mistreatment of Jesus was as he walked this earth, he didn't react with hatred or with "smiting" anyone. He is observed repeatedly giving light and truth, responding in kindness, and giving what was unexpected by those who didn't even know they had need.

Love isn't easy at times, because we find ourselves in situations where it is "hard" to love. We don't "feel" the love and it is hard to give out what we don't "feel". It is much easier to allow our feelings to dictate our responses, isn't it? We want to retaliate when wronged, because our feelings get us going in that direction. We want to throw a pity party when we don't get our way, simply because our feelings didn't get stroked the way we wanted them to be stroked. Feelings are fickle and are not very good indicators of the best actions to take, though! In fact, most of the time, unless the Spirit of God is invited to help us know when a feeling should be acted upon, we act upon some pretty "wrong" feelings!

Love may not be the easiest response in the light of disappointment, frustration, or fear, but it is the right one! It is possible only as long as we invite the Spirit of God to help us "filter" those emotions that get in the way of truly loving. It is only then we find ourselves on the path of transforming enemies into friends. Just sayin!

Pray for our enemy? What!

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike." (Matthew 5:43-45 NLT)

We all pretty much know how insanely difficult this scriptural principle is to live out in our everyday practice. Loving our neighbor, helping a friend out when they are in need - these are things we don't really think about - we just do these things because it makes sense and our heart is moved to respond that way. To actually do something good toward an enemy - well that's another story! In fact, our most frequent thought might be that they get what they have coming! Remember, I said this might be our most frequent thought, but I didn't say it was biblical - just human!

Look at what Jesus instructs - we don't have to like them - we just need to pray for them. Why do you think Jesus instructed us to pray for our enemies? I imagine it might have something to do with the fact of it being impossible for us to really pray for them AND to harbor resentment toward them. In essence, Jesus is helping us to recognize the importance of bringing that individual and their actions against us to him, because he knows when we take this action, we are less likely to hold onto them until their actions damage us with deep-seated roots of anger, jealousy, bitterness, etc.

What prayer does is "re-center" our thoughts away from what THEY did TO us. It doesn't become all about us any longer - it turns the focus toward God and their need - for his work to be done in their lives. If you think about all the things that take root because we have been wronged by someone - jealousy, anger, bitterness, ill-will, etc. - these are things that take root not in THEM, but in US, actually bringing harm to US and not them. We blame them for these roots ever getting started and then the responsibility to allow God to deal with US never happens.

In prayer, we bring those feelings to him - allowing him to show us that when we release those who have injured us, he begins to release us from those roots that hold us so "bound" to their actions against us. In turn, when we begin to pray FOR them, bringing THEIR need to God's throne of grace, we aren't asking God to do terrible things to them - it is the throne of GRACE, after all! Maybe that is why it so hard for us to actually pray FOR them - we pray AGAINST them easier than we pray FOR them. We want vengeance, but God's ultimate goal is GRACE. He might take them through a period that seems a little harsh, but it isn't to harm them, it is to humble them until they understand their need for grace.

Our heart matters to God, so he reminds us to bring our enemies to him in prayer. First, so we don't allow those feelings within us to fester until they do damage. Second, so we move from wanting harm for them to a place where we remember they need grace more than anything else. Lastly, so that we might be able to be an instrument of his grace and love that reveals the magnitude of God's love for them. It won't be easy, but nothing worth very much really is that easy. It won't be instant, but as we continue to forsake those feelings at the throne of grace, we will realize new feelings toward our enemy. God's reminder to pray is mostly so WE guard our hearts against the harm these feelings can cause when allowed to have their way in our lives - the blessing of our enemy is just a bi-product of us caring enough to be obedient to the things God asks of us! Just sayin!

Principle 28: Deal Kindly With Your Enemies

It is part of human nature to want to see some harm come to your enemy. After all, the very word "enemy" suggests someone who is your opponent - there is some type of antagonistic behavior that makes the two of you adversaries.  To want good for your enemy just is counter-intuitive.  They are out to harm you - so why should you be out to bless them?  Our instruction today is to not revel in their fall, nor celebrate their collapse.  Instead, we are to leave their "outcome" to God - something harder said than done!

Don’t laugh when your enemy falls; don’t crow over his collapse. God might see, and become very provoked, and then take pity on his plight. (Proverbs 24:17-18 MSG)

Enemies can be personal adversaries - such as someone bent on making your life miserable - all attacks aimed at you alone.  They can also be public - such as public officials who don't represent the needs, wants, or beliefs of the public they are designed to serve.  Either way, the instructions in scripture are quite clear - we need to be very, very careful in our dealings with our enemies. This isn't just because we could get hurt by their attacks, but because God's business is to take care of their wrong-doing - ours is to pray for them, bless them, and serve them as much as physically, emotionally, and spiritually possible.

When I look at the examples set in scripture, I see several worth mentioning:

- A woman caught in adultery had many accusers.  Those who did the accusing sought to end her life - by stoning.  She is at their mercy - and they have no intention of extending any!  This is often the case when our own actions may have not been the best - our enemies capitalize on our failures and make them a point to take advantage of us whenever possible.  As Jesus dealt with the crowd of anger filled individuals who were indignant toward this woman's wrong-doing, he did something we could learn from.  Instead of pointing out that the woman needed mercy, he allowed her enemies to come to the conclusion they were not without faults in their own lives which he was well aware of, but would not make a public affair.  In so doing, through his simple statement of "Let the one without sin among you cast the first stone", he silenced her enemies.  You see, God has the "insight" into what is at the core of our enemy's behavior and he knows how to silence him!  Best to leave it in his hands!

- A woman believing she'd never have a child of her own sought to ensure some offspring to ensure the continuation of the family line, allowing a slave woman to bring forth a son for her husband.  Her name?  Sarah.  Her husband? Abraham.  The outcome of this rash decision was a son born to Hagar, a servant woman.  In time, Sarah did bear a child - in God's timing. In rather short order, the child grew and became the one apparent to receive the inheritance of his father.  Animosity grew between Hagar and Sarah.  Sarah regretted her decision to encourage Abraham to father a child with the servant; Hagar resented all the attention and favor shown to the child born out of Sarah and Abraham's union.  This is one of those cases where our own actions actually create the enemy we deal with.  We all have done something similar through choices we have made which we later regret.  God's actions on our part are no different - he has a way of extending grace where it is most needed, but the consequences of our having gone our own way might still be there to "haunt" us for quite sometime.  Rash, poorly planned decisions cost us, but God is in the business of restoring even what becomes our greatest nightmare to deal with.  God may not have desired the results we reaped through our decisions, but he certainly has a way of restoring what we cannot "undo" on our own!

The point is - we are not to "deal with" our enemies - God is.  We are not to relish their downfall - but remember them in prayer.  We are not to return negative with negative - but to bless them.  The only way we will ever do this is when we hold tightly to God's hands and allow him to walk us through it. He may not deal with our enemies as we "think" he should, but trust me - God always deals with them in a way which is right, just, and in just the right timing.  We have to stand on that and trust he knows best - even when we think they are getting off "too light".  Remember this:  We will need mercy more times than we can count.  When we behave poorly, do we want God being quick to extend mercy, or to bring swift judgment?  Just askin!

Got any enemies?

Ever wonder how to get your enemies to settle down and live at peace with you?  I have and in fact, I have jumped through many a hoop I thought would "settle the pack", but in fact did nothing more than just entertain them - giving them more to poke fun at.  During a particularly challenging season in my life in my career, I learned something though.  In the darkness of that season, lasting about half a year, I was daily challenged as a leader, criticized for decisions made, and even received threatening and demeaning letters of accusation, some bordering on threats.  The times were challenging and I came close to throwing in the towel several times, almost thinking walking away was the best means to an end.  Yet, in the darkness of the hour, I learned something which I have held onto - my reputation may be criticized, torn apart, and even drug through the mud, but my "life" could not be challenged. Why?  Simply put - I chose to live my life in a manner pleasing to God - trusting my life would speak louder than any words in my defense.  The most profound defense I could muster would not compare with a life lived in alignment with God's Word, under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit, and continually worshipful in his presence.  

When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.  (Proverbs 16:7 NLT)

What had I learned in that season of testing?  

First, and probably foremost, I learned to not "manage" my own reputation, but allow God to manage it for me.  A life lived in alignment with his principles and committed to modeling the behaviors of a child of God was all I could muster some days - it was challenging enough in the face of such opposition, but absolutely necessary in order to not give up.  As long as my life was managed by him, my reputation was also in his control - regardless of what others might be saying or how they might be trying to mar it. Remember this - live for ONE and all the other voices you hear will not really matter in the long run.  ONE voice is strongest - ONE hand holds you the closest.  You don't "manage" your life - HE does.  You don't "manage" your reputation - it is made when you allow HIS life to be lived through you.

Second, the toughest battle was with my mind.  What I chose to focus on the most became key to how I handled the hurled accusations and demeaning criticisms.  It wasn't that "I" was strong, it was that "HE" was strong through me - to filter out those things which were untrue and to embrace those which were.  Even our worst enemies speak words of truth sometimes in their accusations and criticisms - so when I focused on Christ first, those words filtered through him - pointing out the truths right along with the untruths. Those things I could "own up to" and allow God to correct, I did.  Those things which I could not, I let go.  In choosing to focus on God's Spirit within to filter through those thoughts before they took root in my mind, I was ensuring an accurate "picture" of how things really were.

Third, peace is a matter of perspective, not a result of the circumstances you are in at the moment.  Although the circumstances create havoc and seem to disturb what some may view as "peace", peace is a determination of heart, mind, will, and emotions - get those in right alignment and others have less opportunity to disturb your peace.  Outwardly all kinds of unkind things were happening.  Inwardly all kinds of peaceful things were occurring.  Why? The determination of heart, mind, will and emotions to allow God to maintain my perspective - not me!  We get things all "balled up" whenever we try to maintain perspective alone - because emotions get involved, playing on our mind, impacting our will, and driving our heart.

Last, enemies are not always "made" - sometimes they just "are".  That might sound a little silly to begin with, but hear me out.  We cannot "make" anyone act a certain way - they choose to on their own.  Our actions may influence their decisions to act a certain way, but it is entirely their choice to act!  All we control is our actions - theirs are simply not under our control.  When we keep our focus right, we are not responsible for the actions of another - our lives are not to be fluctuating to match the perspective of our enemies.  We are to remain consistent and allow God to deal with their perspective.  Only he can turn their heads and hearts - not us!  Just sayin!

Re-engaging the mind

Unprincipled really just says someone is lacking moral scruples.  Scruples are standards we live by - agreed upon as the "minimum set" of actions on one person's part which result in some type of restraint or inhibits some other form of action.  Is it safe to say that the "scruples" of our society have changed over the past twenty years?  I don't think anyone would disagree with this observation.  It would only take about one-half hour channel-surfing to get a flavor for how "low" the minimum set of actions has become.  We have housewives from somewhere out there acting like absolute terrors toward each other, their husbands, and their kids.  There are wives and husbands battling it out over how many photos she takes in a given day. Survivalists pit one against the other to get some coveted trophy and a little prize money, all the while changing up who they will "side" with based on who seems to be doing the best.  Divas galore flaunt their stuff and act like "unholy"-terrors on the big screen.  Sheesh - I wouldn't say these folks even have scruples anymore - I'd say it seems they live pretty "unprincipled" lives!

The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.  (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 MSG)

Our writer puts it pretty well - it is indeed a dog-eat-dog world out there and that "world" is trying to make an inroad into our hearts and minds each and every day!  If we are to guard against this type of "principle-shift" or exchange of morals, we really need to understand how the enemy of our souls fights! To wage war without a game plan is to walk into the enemy's camp without armor, fully exposed, and as a sitting duck!  Let's examine exactly what we can see about our enemy's attacks and how we can combat them:

- First and foremost, the enemy of our souls doesn't "fight fair".  If any parent has ever had their child run home to them to report one of their friends for not being fair, you probably had to take a few moments to explain what "fair" really looks like, right?  In the eyes of the child who feels their friend is being "unfair", "fair" usually looks like getting their way, having the last cookie, or being the one to pick the games they play.  When these things don't happen, the child proclaims life as "unfair".  Oh that our battles were this easy to handle in our adult life!  The enemy of our souls has more than the last cookie on his mind - he has our soul on his mind!  He wants company in hell, and he isn't going to be content until he gets it!  "Fair" isn't one of his tactics - in fact, he uses "fair" as a means of getting some form of discontent stirred up in our minds and hearts so we will focus on how mistreated we are, or how "unfair" life has treated us.  "Fair" is the enemy to contentment - learn this and you might just get the upper hand on some of his greatest weapons of warfare!

- He uses warped philosophies to get at our minds.  Philosophies are really just a set of principles set forth which explain something.  There are moral philosophies which set forth standards of conduct.  Then there are natural philosophies which spend a lot of time showing the relationship between things in nature, such as gravity's force and the way it affects those under its influence.  Add to this the metaphysical philosophies out there and you get all manner of beliefs about human knowledge.  No wonder we get confused with some of the stuff going around!  The enemy of our souls takes all of these and meshes them together in order to muddle our thoughts, affect our actions, or lead us into inactivity simply because we are so confused.  The truth about warped philosophies is the fact there is always some "truth" in them!  When we add or take away anything from what is "true", we get a warped philosophy.  For example, if we know it is the colors of red and yellow mixed together which produce orange, to present anything other than this would be an outright misstatement of truth.  But...if we want to subtly change the "hue" of orange produced, we add in other colors such as brown and a little more yellow to produce the color we call gold.  It is still an orange base, but now it is called "gold".  Truth still exists, it is just "changed" to a different "hue" by the enemy of our souls.

- The enemy is a master at erecting barriers.  Nothing speaks more clearly of his involvement in our lives than to be moving in the right direction, evidenced by God's peace within, and then coming smack-dab into a mess of barriers which just seem to block us as we attempt to move forward.  His goal is to obstruct our progress, or keep us from accessing what it is which is just beyond the barrier.  They put guard-rails up on the sides of roads to keep the cars from careening off into the canyon below - so not every barrier is necessarily from him!  We have to become proficient at recognizing the ones God places for our safety and the ones he erects in an attempt to keep us from making progress - they are totally different!

- Lose thoughts, emotions, and impulsive behavior are his final set of tactics with which he seeks to add mayhem into our lives.  Let it be known, we all have the capacity to act a little impulsively at times.  One of the things which we often see when the brain has been impacted by a blood clot or an event which limited the blood-flow long enough is this lowering of "inhibitory" ability, causing the person to act quite "impulsively" at times.  Don't gloss over that one, friends - it is when the brain is NOT engaged as it should be that our inhibitions are lowered leading to the greatest opportunity for impulsive behavior!  Learning to re-engage the brain is the primary defense against this attack!

We don't fight "fair" in this battle because our enemy doesn't fight fair!  We fight from the vantage point of "victors" - we already know his game plan and we are miles ahead of him in countering his strategies, friends!  We don't need to fear his attacks - we just need to stand up to his unscrupulous dealings and put him in his place!  Just sayin!

Napping is bad for your health!

Ever feel like you have a "personal enemy" just lurking at your back?  You know, that eerie feeling that you just cannot escape some sense of doom and gloom that hangs heavy over your head?  Yep, we all go through that on occasion - no matter how "spiritual" we are!  Guess what - we DO have a personal enemy - he is called Satan.  His mission in life is to make our life miserable as much as possible - especially if we have committed to living by the principles laid out in scripture and entered into the grace God extends through the life of Christ.  He makes it his point to muster his forces to attempt to dissuade us from that pursuit.  Here's the good news - you'd not be the object of his attacks if you weren't living the way Jesus wants you to!

Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.  (I Peter 5:8-11 MSG)

So, in the midst of realizing we have a personal enemy, here's what scripture tells us - keep a cool head!  Don't get overwhelmed by the attack - but see it for what it is!  It is a cleverly manipulated scheme designed to get us off track with Jesus - plain and simple!  Something you may not have considered is the attacks from our "personal enemy" will not stop!  They may lessen from time to time, but they don't stop.  Why?  He wants company in eternity!

Four things come to mind as excellent opportunities for our "personal enemy" to overwhelm us - those times or seasons in our lives when it makes it just a little easier for him to get an inroad into our lives.  What are they?  The times when we are hungry, lonely, angry, or tired.  

- Hungry for the wrong stuff.  Our "personal enemy" plays on our emotions - he wants us to develop wrong appetites in life.  Not so much for the foods we eat, but for the stuff which will whittle away our time, sap us of our energies, and the like.  He wants us to misdirect our attentions to those things which really don't amount to much in the end.  If he can get our eyes off of Jesus and onto ANYTHING or ANYONE else, he has succeeded in taking us from a place of being satisfied in Jesus and being hungry for something else instead.

- Lonely seasons are the toughest seasons to navigate through.  Why?  Isolated people make good targets.  If you have ever watched the nature shows, you know the lion doesn't hunt the herd, he hunts the one who stands apart, who wanders out into the open.  This is a hunting tactic used by those who take their prey from the beginning of time.  If you think Satan is any different in his "hunting" tactics, he isn't!  He looks for the isolated because they make easy prey.  The work of separating them from the herd is already done!  So, to counter this attack, we need to be aware of our surroundings - know when we are getting on the fringes of the "herd" and in danger of pulling away from those who actually act to keep us in a place of safety.

- Anger is probably one of our toughest struggles in life - it is an emotion which is hard to understand sometimes.  We don't always "break down" our anger to see what is at the root of it, so it keeps emerging when we least expect it.  The result of anger is further relationship breakdown, the result of the further breakdown is the chance for isolation, or at least being surrounded by a crowd who may not help you be hungry for the right things!  The sad part of anger is its destructiveness - not just of others - but of us.  It eats at us until it forms a cavernous "ulceration" which just bleeds and festers all the time.  So, if our enemy can get us focused on what we see as something we might just want to get a bit miffed about from time to time, he gets us working on the responses which lead us to form more frequent bouts of anger.  It is cyclic.  If he can get us angry with God - he scores extra points on that one!

- Weariness or being continuously tired is probably the hardest one of these to counter.  You see, our personal enemy begins with our focus.  If he gets us distracted, he can get us to wander a bit.  If he gets us wandering outside of protection in our lives, he can get us to feeling isolated and isolated people find it easier to get angry when things don't go their way in life.  Distracted, isolated, and angry people don't rest well!  In fact, we drive harder, trying to outdo ourselves and others - eventually succumbing to the fatigue which acts as a shadow or cloud over our lives.  The fatigue makes us vulnerable to attack!  See it for what it is - his tool to make it easier for him to take us down!

I don't know about you, but recognizing what it is our "personal enemy" may be up to in our lives seems like a good idea to me.  If you know the plan of attack ahead of time, you can counter the attack.  Just sayin!