My heart has been heavy today and my spirit grieved. The times upon us are evil and we cannot take lightly all that is happening in the physical and the spiritual realms. We cannot walk in fear but we must take seriously the war against good and evil that is intensifying. As I was cooking dinner tonight I felt impressed to grab my notebook and write. The words that poured out are a warning to us as the body of Christ.

As the enemy weaves skillfully into place and prepares to attack, one of his strategies will be to have us take ourselves out or at least weaken the ranks. This is nothing new and nothing he has not tried before but his efforts are intensifying. There is a multitude of ways he will attempt this, including:

• Stirring up dissension and strife and causing us to fight among ourselves
• Using friendly fire to eliminate key and effective leaders
• Distractions – anything that will keep us from the purposes of God (loving each other as ourselves, forgiving, showing mercy and compassion, offering grace, etc)
• Causing us to “major on the minors” or things that have no eternal significance
• Raising up a critical and judgmental spirit
• Stirring up hate
• Destroying families, breaking up family units
• Disunity in the church
• Discouragement, disappointment, and hopelessness – anything to keep us from walking in the authority and power of Jesus, anything to keep us from praising God
• Compromise

We must be discerning and wise. Rise up, army of God! Recognize the schemes and wiles of the enemy! He is sneaky and cunning. Be alert! Stand firm! He is a defeated foe and his ultimate fate has already been decided but he can wreak much havoc and cause much harm if we allow him to. We must open our spiritual eyes, hear with spiritual ears, and let the sound of praise go before us. Gather your families! Link arms with your brothers and sisters in Christ! Recognize the enemy for who he is. Arm yourselves with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Take time to be renewed, refreshed, and strengthened in His presence. No matter what the enemy throws at us or uses against us, our God is greater!

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ~ 1 Peter 5:8

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ~ Ephesians 6:12

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. ~ John 13:34-35

For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. ~ Psalm 135:5

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. ~ 1 John 4:4

Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth. ~ Psalm 47:1-2