Deep in thought...
In battle, regardless of which side you are on, each side shares a same focus...finding the weak side of the enemy. I can picture the old battles of the Revolutionary War, each side discussing which area they were going to try and target...a soldier comes over of a particular rank and says, "Captain, we've lost our left flank! What are the orders?" Every soldier has a task and those in 'intelligence' focus on finding the weak areas of the opponent and taking them out there. The thought being, if you can make them weak you have your in! Does that make sense? There must be an old saying somewhere that says, "if you've fallen once, you'll fall again!" I'm not sure, but it feels like a saying, otherwise I just made it up. Lol! Anyhow, when I think of "the enemy" and all his deceptive plans against us, I think of how he targets the "weak" areas. He goes for an area we may have struggled with before and tries to get us to fall again. Reminds me of that scripture, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1 Peter 5:8 KJV). The enemy is waiting, sunken down low in the brush, watching our every move, waiting for an "in"...oh how easily at times we give that up, deliver it right into his hands, shouting out, "hey I'm weak right here!" and then thinking that we are safe!
Oh don't give me that look, you all do it! Yes YOU! You haven't taken care of your body with healthy food, exercise, and rest like you know you have needed to and now your tired, constantly running on low energy reserve, using fake energy givers like caffeine, trying to survive this crazy life, crazy people, and maintain a regular routine...sound familiar? It's one of the many pictures I could paint. Do you not think that leaves your left flank weak, so to speak? The enemy is closely watching and waiting. If you are tired then you aren't in 100% mode and it's slightly easier to trip you up because you are not completely on guard. You're man on the left flank is dozing off, the enemy's going to infiltrate, you will lose, and now you must retreat because part of your ground has been taken...the bible says Be Sober, Be Vigilant! That means be Awake, Be On Guard! Why? Because your adversary, your enemy, The Devil, as a roaring lion, walking about seeking whom he may devour. I have posted about this scripture before, but it came to mind today as I was reading the Word.
Sometimes we think we are just FINE and if you know me, you know I dislike that word greatly...when someone says FINE they are saying, "I'm not ok, but I don't want to talk about it." FINE is FAKE! You're not FINE, your struggling, having a hard time, trying to grit your teeth and move on. Well just say THAT then. Say, "I've been better", or "Not the best, but I'll be ok", or even "I have had much better days, but I'm going to proclaim victory even when I can't see it." Or dang it just say, "I'm alright." It's an acceptable answer that doesn't always lead to 20 questions about your life. If you say FINE enough times, that becomes the bar at which you set your life. You become used to operating in FINE and then are in shock when you get blind sighted by something that actually knocks you down.
Let me put it this way...have you ever stayed up super late, for whatever reason, until some crazy A.M. hour, maybe 2am or 3am in the morning? You know you have to be up early for that "thing", but you decided you will down a coffee or those awful 5hour energy drinks and suck it up the next day. Anyone? Yeah, you know what I'm talking about...hahah! You may even wake up easily without something in the morning and you are just FINE until later in the day when you will inevitably have a crash...some people can do this for a couple days, and sadly some live this life daily. What happens is, your body is fighting so hard to survive this crappy lifestyle and you are leaving your left flank wide open for attack (sickness, weakness,....the enemy's attacks). You may be able to carry on seemingly undetected, thinking your weak and open spot has been unspotted....but oh how clever is the enemy. He is not just gonna march in Your grounds just cause the opening is there...oh no! He is waiting, watching, studying your moves. He knows that time will come where you begin to believe and buy into your own FINE statement, you're not on guard....He's IN!
Where does that leave you? Fighting harder than you ever needed to, barely making it, on the verge of defeat.
I tried to abstain from sharing this scripture figuring it would take too much connecting of the dots to explain how I got from one place to another, knowing I probably lost most of you already in this message, but I'm compelled to share it.
Revelation 2:3-5 in the Amp says this: "I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary. But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love]. Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent."
We get used to operating in Auto Pilot mode...or drink that caffeine for energy mode....or operating on 80% as if it's 100% instead of actually being 100% for a change. Sure, we worship God hard, give our "all" or offer our "all we have left to give", we are devoted, dedicated, hard working, Christians...WE, surely we, are the True Worshipers as stated in John 4:23-24. Hahaha...are we? This scripture hit hard because God is saying, I know you have endured, you're staying true to Me, you haven't given in, you're enduring, but...and that But was huge...you have forgotten your First Love! When we operate in a "less than" mode, we are putting ourselves before God. He asks for us, and our love for Him draws us to offer Him our best...give Him more...I love the saying my Pastor gives..."God doesn't ask for much, just All of you!" hahaha...I love it! When it's your First Love, you give it all, you go over the top, above and beyond..you're in love. Somewhere along the way, our relationship got old, went on auto pilot, and now we are giving 80% as if it's 100%.... giving God our "all we have left" instead of our "all"... Bottom line is we need to take care of ourselves. Be the best we can be, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually...yes God knows your busy life, He knows the cost of the Call, He sees where you are at...forget not...."It's not by (your) power, nor by (your) might, but by MY spirit says the Lord!" Operate in His power and strength and your 80% will become His 100%...and think of what could happen then....and yet GOD IS BIGGER THAN EVEN THAT! Ha! Love it!
If you stuck with me this long, Thanks! Just getting out what was in!
Loves,
Christina
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