temptation & stew.

A great sports coach is knowledgeable about the team they are playing against.

he knows their strengths.

he knows their weaknesses.

he knows their plays.

he knows their start players.

he knows their history.

A great General is knowledgeable about who is he fighting.

he knows strengths.

he knows weaknesses.

he knows his own strengths and weaknesses.

he has studied their history

.

Coach's and Generals have the same goal: 

domination.

The Enemy is a very savvy coach and a meticulous General when it comes to battle against our hearts and lives. 

"the  wolf attacks the flock and scatters it"

(john 10:12)

The enemy not only desires to destroy us but 

also to scatter us from those we are walking with, 

so that it is in isolation we die.

he separates us by causing us to feel as if we can't tell anyone,

 or  puts barriers in relationships to avoid connection and accountability.

the enemy is not dumb enough to attack me in areas in which I am strong,

no he is very well aware

 of my weak areas,

my hidden areas,

my history,

my struggles,

my battles,

my secrets

and THAT is where he rages war.

without warning or indication, the enemy sets fire hard and fast against my heart, mind and life.

he watches my steps and when an opportune moment is seen, he takes it and runs with it.

he meets me there.

"now out came a woman to meet him,

dressed like a prostitute with crafty intent...

she took hold of him....' so i came out to meet you,

i have looked for you and found you!" 

(proverbs 7:10-15)

there's that saying that "history repeats itself", 

and you know why that is?

because we constantly being tested over and over 

again in our weak areas. 

i can tell you that my testing and temptation 

very often comes in a eerily  similar package

from the last time I faced it.

It may be a new f ace,

a new place,

a new situation ,

but I am not fooled, it is the same tactic as every other time.

this week I realized that I was SMACK DAB in the middle of a testing,

of a temptation, and yet for whatever reason I was surprised that it was the same

tune I've  heard a thousand times.

it is so easy to tell others how to deal with temptation, or even to plan how you will deal with such in the future.

but I bet you'll agree with me 

when I say that  when you are in the midst of it,

you have little to no desire to address it.

why? because it is so  comfortable and familiar. 

I'm not entirely sure what to do in the heat of this moment right now, except to seek the Lord,set safeguards and be open and honest with myself and my accountability partner. what i DO know is i DO NOT want my life to be described like this:

"All at once he followed her,

like an ox going to the slaughter,

like a deer stepping into a noose 

till arrow pierces his liver,

like a bird darting into a snare,

little knowing it will cost him his life"

(proverbs 7:22-23)

I continue to remind myself what Perry Noble talked about at Catalyst 2010,

he referenced the story of Jacob and Essau and posed the question,

how many of us give up our 

future

destiny

life

inheritance

dreams

for a moment of satisfaction? 

what is your bowl of stew?

i know mine....