While driving to work this morning, I had 2 people to pull in front of me and had I not being paying attention I could have had a wreck yet I’m thankful because I had my eyes open and my mind focused. Now, when I got to my desk I begin thinking about it and I realized that the enemy was trying to detour my path and had I not being paying attention, he probably would have succeeded. Then it made sense because while we’re working on this Christian journey , the enemy’s job is to make us unbalanced but if we’re paying attention God will have our eyes open to see the enemy’s traps AND then avoid them. Isn’t that great news? See, had I been texting or messing with the radio I could have had an accident the first time and when that didn’t work, he tried again but Oh, my God still has work for me to do here so the enemy’s attempts didn’t work. Yea, I know the devil’s sole purpose is to throw us off of God’s path but I’m reminded every day that God has us surrounded with his protection as long as WE STAY in his protection. Psalm 91:1-6 says, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” See, God’s protection for us doesn’t change but we sometimes change the direction in which we’re walking which takes us from under it. You know good and well that God didn’t tell you to meet that man/woman at the hotel on lunch and now you’re mad at him because somebody backed into your car but had you had your tail at Taco Bell like you said your car would be fine. Oh and if I shall tell the truth you’ve been some places and done some things you shouldn’t have and the only reason why you didn’t get caught is because of God’s protection. (So I’ll pause and let you say thank you Lord).
The enemy uses the moments that we’re distracted to slip in because he knows we aren’t paying attention and we surely aren’t talking to God then so it’s his prime opportunity. That’s why the bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” He knows you had an argument before you left home so he sends your coworker by, smelling all good, to see how you are and before long you all have exchanged numbers. Now, you’re walking around the house being real rude so that you can have an excuse to use that number in your phone but James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Or the kids have worked your nerves all the way to church so he allows you to go into worship with anger on your heart because he knows the Holy Spirit isn’t abiding in you and now you leave church worse than before you came and you want to blame the preacher. No, child; it isn’t the preacher, it’s all you because Ephesians 4:27 says, “For anger gives a foothole to the devil.” You have to stop being so wishy washy in your relationship with God and so easily persuaded. If you’ve made a vow to stop smoking, don’t give in just because somebody said you can’t do it. If you’ve committed yourself to making your marriage work, then stop responding to the text messages that are being received. You don’t have to go the wrong way just because you have the chance too because an easy route doesn’t necessarily make the best route to take. I’ve told you before the devil can make a patch of dirt look like fresh green grass, that’s if you’re looking through natural eyes, and you’ll fall for it every time. We’ve got to get back to this spiritual thing. See, in your natural eyesight you’ll see trust but in your spiritual eyesight you’ll see God saying it’s just temptation. In your natural eyesight you’ll see love but in your spiritual eyesight you’ll see God showing you that it’s just lust. In your natural eyesight you’ll see marriage but in your spiritual eyesight, God will show that it’s just misery looking for company. That’s why God says in 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Please note this … Not all things we go through are caused by the enemy because God sometimes sends us test just to see if we are ready to be elevated but if you haven’t been studying His word, you won’t be able to tell the difference. That’s why you have to, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” as it says in 2 Timothy 2:15. Study God’s word and pray with a clean heart so that your eyes can be opened to see the traps, messy folks and situations that have been set by the enemy in order for you to avoid them or at least get the strength you need to handle them. If you go into a fight blind, you’ll lose every time. Be careful of the folks you call friends because not everyone has your best intentions in mind. Be careful of the roads you’re traveling because not all have signs letting you know that danger is ahead. Be careful of the Spiritual Guide you’re following because not all of them are reading the map correctly. Study for yourself so that when you seem to be off course, you’ll notice it in enough time to get back on it. Open your spiritual eyes and then look again because not everything is as clear cut as it seems.
Lakisha, the Author 