Dear People Who Keep Company With God,
I am not going give the devil too much focus; after all, he is a defeated foe (Col. 2:15). However, at the same time I am not going to ignore the warnings of scripture (1 Peter 5:8-9, 2 Cor. 2:11). If he could cause the likes of the Apostle Paul and Peter trouble I am going to be on guard for anything he may try to do in and around my life.
A few summers ago while mowing the lawn I was stung by yellow jackets on six different occasions. I got a little paranoid about getting on the lawn mower. What caught my attention is this occurred during a time that I was experiencing a lot of opposition from the enemy. God used this to reveal some of the scams and fraudulent schemes the devil uses to ‘sting’ us with distraction and discouragement so we will lose heart.
1. Bad News
‘See, the Lord your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’ Deuteronomy 1:21
The word that stood out to me is dismayed. This describes something coming against you and pushing you off the path God has for you. It implies that bad news has come against you to distract and ultimately discourage you. Be careful what/who you listen too.
2. Wrong Fellowship
‘Where can we go up? Our brethren have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are bigger and taller than we; the cities are large and fortified to heaven. And besides, we saw the sons of the Anakim there.”‘ Deuteronomy 1:28
The word melt literally means to be melted down. Our faith is melted down from hanging with the wrong people. Beware of people who focus more on what God is not doing than on what He is doing. Love them, but keep healthy boundaries.
3. Witchcraft
“He will not be disheartened or crushed until He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.” Isaiah 42:4
Disheartenment is a discouragement that comes upon you suddenly. Everything seems fine and suddenly without apparent reason nothing seems fine. Typically it begins as a thought. It is imperative to not agree or speak that thought. Resist, reject, capture it and send it back to hell.
4. Emotional Fatigue
Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. I Samuel 3:6
Here, distressed speaks of being emotionally drained because of circumstances, tragedy or extremely difficult situations. Many times when we experience loss or difficulty we start looking for someone to blame as we think that will give some relief, but only the Lord can relieve and renew our heart in those moments.
5. Feeling Inadequate
When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits. 1 Samuel 13:6
When we have no answers for the situation or circumstance of life the immediate response is discouragement and sometimes depression. In fact, you want to run away and hide. The place to run to is the throne of grace.
6. An unbalanced lifestyle
Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient because of the journey. Numbers 21:4
They became impatient because they were physically drained from the long journey. Exhausted people are irritable, moody, and up and down in their emotions. So many people seem to fall by the way side simply because they are worn out from all the doing. My goal is a balanced lifestyle meaning my body, soul and spirit are all properly cared for.
Many Blessings, BW