Walking With JohnSample

  

The Enemy Within 

By: Kristi Valentine 

Steal. Kill. Destroy. Jesus speaks these words of war in John 10:10.

Ironically, we’re hardly aware enough to fight it. The robbery can be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. And although nothing may be literally stolen from you, I challenge you today to dig deeper with me into your thoughts and feelings. Insidiously, our enemy works to destroy, steal from, and kill us through our thought lives. Take the time to stop and do some extra examination!  (1 Peter 5:8)

Smoothly and seamlessly, the devil tricks us by planting worldly, negative, harmful ideas in our minds: “This is too hard; I can’t do it anymore.” “These kids are driving me crazy.” “I’m bored.” We blindly receive these unbiblical ideas as “normal.” After all, they match with most other moms’ thoughts. But did you know that those sweet mamas are under attack too? We shouldn’t be comparing ourselves with the people around us. Instead, we should be asking ourselves, “Do my thoughts and feelings line up with Scripture?” 

As a mom, when you feel anxious and overwhelmed, is it easy to stop, gently look into your children’s eyes, and smile at them? No! Your sweet children feel like a frustrating distraction, right? And as a wife, when you feel irritable because of the things your husband does wrong, are you able to lovingly, joyfully go the extra mile to make your marriage thrive? Absolutely not! You feel mistreated! Your feelings are surely under attack. 

As a mom and a wife, God’s calling is for you to love your family well, with soft eyes, kind words, and servant leadership. On the other hand, the devil is doing everything he can to keep you from fulfilling that. The battle is real! 

Sweet mama, what feelings need to be in your heart in order to respond more gently to your children? How can you adjust the voice in your mind to appreciate and invest in your husband? Ultimately, what can you do to fight for your family? 

Every morning when you wake up, quietly pray out loud for yourself and every person in your family, resisting the devil for them in Jesus’ name and placing each piece of Christ’s armor on them, especially the shield of faith, which extinguishes all of the flaming arrows of the enemy. 

This battle plan is directly from God’s Word (James 4:7). Philippians 2:9 says that the name of Jesus is above every name. And finally, Paul says in Ephesians 6:10-17, immediately after talking about family relationships, that we are to clothe ourselves in the full armor of Jesus Christ every day. Wearing the armor, we’ll be able to stand firm, resist the devil, and be victorious against all his attacks. 

Friend, your family is a battlefield, and if you are not aware of it, then you can’t even fight. Be alert. Arm yourself. And be encouraged that you are able to win the battle against the enemy! 

Questions to Ponder 

-What can I do to be more aware of my thoughts and feelings? On what truth can I meditate to transform my thoughts to godly ones? 

-Are there times when I’m more vulnerable to worldly, negative, harmful thoughts and feelings? Are there books, shows, websites, or situations that tempt me to believe the lies of the enemy? 

“The devil steals from people in such a deceptive way that he often accomplishes his evil goal before they even know he has stolen from them!” ~ Rick Renner