Refuse To Highlight The Enemy's Work

It’s been close to five months now. It really is unbelievable the way time moves at warp speed, isn’t it?

And have you ever had someone speak something to you, and in the moment it was leaving the lips, even, you knew it was something marking you beyond that single moment in time?

It was a simple middle-of-the-week conversation in early October. And although it’s likely not the reason for the telephone call, it would be the most memorable part of our conversation.

It started innocently enough. Truth being told, it WAS innocent enough. And I suppose that the fiery dart that was the targeted by the enemy straight at my heart might have lodged itself good if I hadn’t seen it coming.

Because wasn’t it Jesus who said to His students three times (and quite possibly more), that the way of successfully navigating temptation of any kind is to… “Watch and Pray”? (Mt 26)

And wasn’t it Jesus in that cold and desolate garden who would be the one to find them fast asleep… immobilized, disarmed, and apparently depleted of all sustaining power to keep awake?

Because the enemy is crafty and will use all sorts of things to bring us to our breaking point. And on this day, he was almost triumphant at accomplishing his aim at destruction.

And to react defensively was my immediate temptation. Because when lies or insults are hurled at you from 3 layers of gossipers, it’s often the most logical reply - as though our mouths are “naturally” set to autopilot.

Defensiveness is usually most acceptable… because it is most reasonable.
But it never makes for a contented heart.

And so, as God would often teach me, this, too, was an invitation.
An invitation to pray, radically, for the heart that’s hurting and the mouth used by evil to retell untrue stories.

All is an invitation to the one who is desperate to look more like Jesus.

And because He didn’t behave irrationally, I must not behave irrationally.
Because He didn’t retaliate, I must not retaliate.
Because He didn’t use defensive behavior and embittered language, I must not live defensive or embittered.

And I would write it in my prayer journal after the name of the one who needs to know, and might only come to know because of the prayers whispered for them by the very one she spoke ill of.

Because living a reactionary lifestyle is dangerous… hazardous to my spiritual health even… and I cannot afford the tactic of distraction shot directly from the gates of hell.

I’ve gotta refuse to highlight the enemy’s work even in another person. I shall choose to see only that which God has bestowed even if it’s the smallest amount of goodness.

I will write all the qualifications I can right next to that name every day until the Lord does the work inside my heart only He can do. And I will seek to intentionally see good, speak good, and live according to the redemptive work of the cross.

He said it is finished… and often we live contrary to that declaration.

It IS finished.
As long as it depends on me… it is finished.

The danger isn't in what the enemy is accomplishing, but in my constant recognition of how he’s advancing! And that alone should frighten me enough to steer clear of anything that doesn’t draw me directly to the feet of Jesus.