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I read an interesting quote this morning, again from the writings of Watchman Nee. He says, "The tactic of Satan is to wear out the Saints." He referred the reader to Daniel 7:25 where the word "persecute" literally means "wear out." Do you feel like the enemy is wearing you out in a particular area of your life? Just flat wearing you out?!Nee continues, "Wearing out has in it the idea of reducing--a little here, a little there--thus, the wearing out is virtually imperceptible (difficult to perceive). We must ask God to open our eyes so that we may discern how Satan desires to wear us out and how we should combat this tactic."I felt worn out last night. The tactic of the enemy? The whining of three children for much of the day. There is something about a whiny, negative spirit that just gets into my ears and makes me crazy. Maybe I am alone on this one but by the end of the day it can wear me out. I am not saying that my children are pawns of the enemy--I do not fully understand how the spiritual realm works--but it truly wore me out, and I did finally explode. No, no one was hurt but I did look like an idiot.We are not at the mercy of the enemy's schemes. We as children of God have been given weapons, mighty in Him. I can tell when I ride the waves of my emotions because they inevitably lead to a crashing experience for everyone. So what are our weapons? Prayer and the Word of God! In the very first moments of sensing that "wearing out" we have to bring our thoughts into obedience to truth. Speak His truths out loud so the enemy will flee. Intercede on behalf of those you love. Otherwise there is a good chance that we will look ridiculous at some point, and our witness may be affected.How is he wearing you out? I pray this day we would have wisdom to identify the enemy's schemes and strength to submit fully to the Spirit of God. Our Lord came and died that you and I could walk these days free and victorious over the power of sin.
To any of you reading who are unsure about this "Christian thing," I don't mean to freak you out. But there is something very evident throughout the pages of Scripture. We are in the midst of a spiritual battle. In fact Paul tells us in Ephesians that we ultimately are not battling flesh and blood--your spouse, your coworker--we are battling principalities of darkness. Wow. Thinking in those terms really sheds light on the topic of conflict.It makes me ask, does the enemy know who I am?There are a number of times where God reveals in the Bible some of the happenings in the spiritual realm. And it seems that the enemy of God makes requests to God to attack certain children of God. Did you catch that? He has to ask. And it appears that he attacks those who may be a threat to his agenda. So again, does he know who I am? Or does my witness not cause from him a second glance?In Luke 22 Jesus actually tells Simon Peter, "Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." The flip side to the enemy's request is that God sometimes allows his sifting--but not without purpose! Trials and tribulations in this life, whether self-imposed or a product of spiritual attack, hold with them the ability to grow your and my faith. But we have to keep our gaze upon God. In some ways, to truly experience "victory through trials," we have to allow God to "show off" in our lives. Trust Him and allow Him to work through your situation. Seek Him and His ways. Let Him prove Himself faithful to His Word. Though there is a spiritual battle, we know the Victor. The enemy may try to distract us or even ruin our witness, but ultimately God can use all things for His good. If you call yourself His child--meaning you have accepted the sacrifice of Christ as your own--then you can trust that He will only allow that to come into your life that has passed through His hands. The result of deeper intimacy with your Creator will be worth the fight.So keep at it, friend. Fight this fight of faith.
Do all kids have some circuits blocked that prevent a move from hearing to doing? I know they hear. How? Because I can whisper chocolate, TV, or pizza and they come running from the other side of the house. But ask them to get their shoes on, brush their teeth, or clean up toys and it seems as if I am speaking in Chinese.Just yesterday, as I was feverishly preparing for us to leave, I said to my daughter--who had been playing princess dress-up--"Baby, we have to be in the car in 5 minutes. Go change clothes so you will be ready." I watched her leave the room and then heard her little feet scamper up the stairs. "Wow, she obeyed so well," I thought with a touch of pride in my heart over my parenting skills.After I finished my preparations--including bags, drinks, dinner, diapers, clothes, and more--I ran upstairs to announce our departure. She was sitting on her brother's floor helping him "thread" a necklace. Yep. That is where she had been for the last 7 minutes. Now I was "behind schedule"--if there is such a thing with three kids under age 5--and a bit irritated that she was still dressed like Sleeping Beauty.Everyone finally had their tushes in their respective car seats approximately 20 minutes after my first announcement of our exit. WHY??? Primarily because I feel like I am herding cats at times--like they each have their own agenda and zero time awareness. And I can get so frustrated when I actually have a commitment!I tried to explain to all three while I pulled out of the driveway with raised blood pressure, "Do you guys understand that half-obedience is still disobedience? Hailey, when I said go upstairs and get dressed, you disobeyed. You did go upstairs but did not get dressed." "But I was helping my brother!" she defended. "Yes, and that was very kind, but still disobedient."Then I realized something. They are just like I can be in my own natural self--disobedient, self-focused, and stubborn. The truth is that I can just hide it better because I don't walk around whining and pitching fits--at least on good days. But ultimately my heart, left to itself, rebels from this loving, holy, gracious God. I don't want to halfway obey, because that is just disobedience often disguised in niceties. If God directs me to do something then I want to do it completely. When He instructs me to forgive fully, love unconditionally, speak only words that bless, and be slow to anger, then for me to be obedient I have to fully obey. Wow. That is why He sent His Spirit to indwell believers--we cannot do those things on our own. It has to be Him working through us, by His power. We must let go of the reins and allow Him to live.I learn so much from my kids--sometimes it is the innocence of faith and other times the depravity of my own heart. God is so very faithful to teach if we are willing to learn.
