Francesca Battistelli - This Is The Stuff

On Sunday morning, this song came to me as I was waking up to get ready for church. Many of my readers know me and can understand where I'm coming from when I say God uses the strangest circumstances to shift our focus... I will be the first to tell you the hospital is the last place I would have imagined getting closer to Him. But it did.

As rewarding as it is, I find myself more than ever susceptible to that of spiritual warfare: after all, anyone who is a Christian is a part of God's Army and a target of the Enemy. And although we're eternally protected, we're still vulnerable to schemes of this world. Below are just a few of the tactics highlighted in yesterday's sermon that proves my point:

• Distractions-Distractions can be anything from our circumstances, our job, and our family that consume our focus away from God. But in the end, the things of this world really don't matter. It's only the things done for God/Jesus that will last in eternity!




• Deception-Deception can be any lie/belief or anything else that is not supported by the Bible




• Discord-by discord, I mean arguments with anyone in your church body. Anger and disagreements make it even easier for the deceiver because we focuses more on ourselves, then our impact on the world at large!




• Disappointments-too often, we have high expectations for ourselves instead of focusing on what God intends for us. This can lead to jealousy if those around us receive things that we think we should have. Remember, God's timing is always best..
  And finally,




• dissertion-My pastor put it best by describing a soldier lost from his unit at war. In short, he said a church was the same way and when you leave because of a disagreement.. You are putting yourself at risk because we all need the support of a group of believers