Help! I'm Under Attack! (Four Things the Enemy Does to Defeat You)

Have you ever felt like everywhere you turn, something is going wrong?  You're trying to serve God, but it seems that for every step you take forward, it ends up two steps back.  This has happened before in my life.  I remember when I was just finishing my freshman year in college and had returned home for the summer to work at a local bank.  I had woke up feeling pretty good.  The previous week, I was a victim to a stray rock, a child that was bored in the parking lot of my church, and my poor unsuspecting rear window of my car.  So financially I was hurting, but I felt things would look up soon.  With this happy outlook, I dressed and headed out the door to work, only to realize that I had left the keys to my car on the table.  This wouldn't be bad except for the fact that my parents had already left for work, and my house key was connected to my car key.  I knew the widows to my parents' house were either too high off the ground or too small for me to shimmy through, so that left alternative methods for getting to work.  I noticed my neighbor cousin was still at home, so I hiked down to his house avoiding his dogs that were trying to lavish their licking love on me and my clean clothes.  Once I stepped into the bank, barely on time, I felt the worst was over.  I was wrong.  I went about my job thinking that some poor customer must have hygiene issues.  However, after about thirty minutes, I realized the putrid smell seem to get stronger.  This was when I looked down to see a streak of gunky stink smeared in my bank teller booth.  I had stepped in my cousin's dogs' doody.  I washed my shoes in the sink and scrubbed the floor to the heckling of my co-workers.  Eventually, the day improved, but it seemed like everything was unraveling while I was in the midst of my traumas.  Nehemiah had big problems, too.  God had called him to re-build the wall around Israel to protect the Israelites.  The only problem was that for over 100 years, no one had succeeded in doing this.  But in Nehemiah 4, you see where the attack gets real.  The enemies, Sanballat and Tobiah the Ammonite, had managed to keep Israel from uniting and repairing the wall.  When they saw Nehemiah stepping up to the plate and finding success at unifying a nation, they had to stop him.  They started the first strategy the enemy uses to attack you. They ridiculed him.  They told Nehemiah and the Isrealites that they would never succeed because their wall was too weak and shabby.  Ever hear the enemy telling you that you aren't good enough?  You'll never be good enough?  This is his first strategy.  How did Nehemiah fight it?  He prayed to God.  God gave Nehemiah strength and favor.  Since this plan didn't work, the enemy moved on to his next plan.  The enemy plotted with others to attack and divide Israel.   This would be where the enemy brings in gossip, slander, and division.  If you are busy fighting each other, you won't fight him.  How did Nehemiah fight this strategy?  They prayed and were on guard day and night.  Are you seeing a pattern in Nehemiah's warfare?  So this brings us to the enemy's next strategy.  The wall is coming up, and the enemy is angry so he plants seeds of discouragement.  The laborers got tired and started doubting what God had called them to do.  Nehemiah fought this by placing families at different gates and sections of the wall.  Why?  He knew the laborers valued their families and would fight for their well-being.  Today, that is why God has churches.  We are those families.  We encourage each other and fight for one another when we get down.  When one is attacked, we stand beside them and fight for them, not against them.  While some are working like Nehemiah, others stand guard and fight spiritually by praying for those who are working.  Eventually, the wall was successfully re-built.  Why did it succeed after 100 years of failure?  Because they unified and fought the enemy.  You may be under attack, but Satan's tricks are not new.  1.He will try to discourage you and make you think you are worthless.  This is a lie!  You are a valued creation of God!  2.He will try to attack you physically, financially, and emotionally, but we run to our defender through prayer.  3.He will try to divide through social media, gossip, slander, jealousy, anger, envy.  4.He will discourage you and tell you there's no point in trying.  This is where plugging into a church family that will stand with you is important.  You need people that value you, make you feel loved, notice when you aren't there.  Why?  Because they will pray for you and encourage you when the enemy attacks.  But most of all, you need to pray without ceasing.  Prayer isn't about words- it is your heart crying out to God.  So brothers and sisters out there, don't be deceived.  You may face attacks, but you are not alone.  Keep doing what God has called you to do, and He will faithfully get you through the attacks!

Have a great week high-heeled warriors!