Refuse To Live Reactionary

Oh how the enemy works hard to get us to live in reaction to his plot of evil and destruction. Because he knows that if he can get us even slightly off course... even the littlest bit distracted from God's purpose... we have a better chance of succumbing to his schemes, believing the lie, and thus relinquishing control of our devotion.

I could feel it rising within me even as she spoke. The words she said that stirred me to instant discouragement and despair.

"This is what they said about you."

And we can say all day long that we don't care what "they" think or say, but in reality the pain is the same nonetheless.

I felt it, this immediate disappointment.

And that's just what the enemy wanted me to feel.

Disappointment. Rejection. Fear. Isolation. Bitterness. Failure.

You see the truth is that the enemy cannot read our thoughts.

But he can read our countenance.

And he can identify the areas of weakness we possess based on our reaction to his methods.

And so in that moment I had a choice to make.

1.) Give in and live reactionary to his deliberate destruction.

OR

2.) Live from the victory Jesus died for me to have, and refuse to be influenced by the liar.

The enemy works hard to get us to live in reaction to the powers of darkness. He works hard to keep us offended by what "they" think and by what "they" say. He has designed an entire system to confine us to a pattern of disability that will eventually steal our joy, kill our advancement, and rob us from the full life God intended for us.

Jesus didn't model this behavior.

He only did what He saw the Father do.

He only said what He heard the Father say.

And He refused to be impressed by the enemies tactics.

Ephesians 5:12 says, "It is shameful to even talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret."

We've got to live unimpressed with what the enemy is doing and remain locked in to what Jesus has said.

We must REFUSE to live reactionary to the enemy and his strategies.

It matters more than you think!