A Patient Enemy

    I'm sure most of us have heard the strategies of Satan.  How he tries to deceive, how he comes to destroy, how he wants to rule, and how he wants to accuse.  When have you heard about his main and most successful strategy?  The strategy I am talking about is patience.  Satan is perfectly content in taking it slow.  This is not to say that he does not work fast, as in the example of Eve, but then again it is.  He plants a single doubt in Eve's mind, and when she furthers that thought, he continues until his goal is attained.  He doesn't have to win the entire battle, he just needs to win today.  He will attack a little, then retreat.  This strategy is aimed at wearing us down, little by little.  Pretty soon you wake up one day and don't realize how you got to be where you are. 
    Satan will attack a little one day, move away, come back the next day, do a little more, move away.  Come back a week later, do a little more.  He is incredibly patient.  Why is he content attacking you this way?  Because it isn't as noticeable.  He would rather be successful than quick.  If you notice his attack because it is huge and important, you will resist him with Christ's help, but if it is so gradual that you can barely detect it, then it is very difficult to know what is happening.  So, what you would have resisted upfront, might become a reality over time. 
   So how do we protect ourselves against this gradual change?  What must we do to guard against his almost imperceptible attacks?  Well, sometimes we can detect it ourselves.  We get away from our time in the Word of God daily.  We become cold.  We become a little callous about our thoughts, even our tongues.  We know we're becoming a good candidate for Satan to tempt us.  Other times we may be blind to it and that's why having someone in our life, someone who can spot these signs, someone gracious enough to point them out to us-- is in many ways invaluable.  A spiritual running partner is what the pastor at Epic Church calls it.  Someone you can count on to tell you the truth no matter what.  Someone who cares about you enough to tell you something, even though it may upset you.  A Christian brother or sister who will be there for you and help you grow closer to God.  Of course, you should do the same for them, and anyone you develop that relationship with as a matter of fact.  I have a group of about 5, and we all watch out for each other.  We aren't afraid to tell each other God's truth and show Scripture to each other.  This protects us from the gradual attack of the enemy.  If you don't have someone like that in your life, start looking TODAY. 

God Bless