This morning I am like a dog with a bone on a subject that is near to my heart. Why? Because I have just walked through taking the bait of the enemy. The trap he set for me was discouragement. Anyone been there lately? The enemy doesn’t play fair but God always wins… if we seek Him, pray and look to Him for help.

Last week, I had two days of working with a strategist from Atlanta. She is quite a wizard, loves the Lord and is a wise counselor. She led our staff at Drawing Near and our executive board through the process of resetting for the next 20 years. Is our vision the same? Are we certain we are doing the things to strengthen our cause? So just to bring clarification for those of you who are just tuning into my blog and the Drawing Near Community, we started 20 years ago as a community wide Bible study and now are a ministry with supporting arms such as compassionate care,  a mentoring program, and a conference. Our target is women at our Bible studies series that I have written over the years, and men get involved in other ways. My heart’s desire is to see women draw near to the Lord, and be filled with the Holy Spirit; to be healed and bring healing wholeness into their families. I have seen marriages restored, families restored and hearts healed. 20 years later I can still say it has been so worth it. Going forward we are resetting for the next 20 years. So here is where the enemy came in to rob, steal and destroy. The enemy gets to work and sometimes we inadvertently help him.

Did you say reset? 

Did you say that women’s lives are being transformed and thus families are being transformed? 

Did you say that women are finding their identity in Christ and their purpose in serving Him. 

Not on my watch. 

The enemy does not play fair and if he sees God’s kingdom advancing through you and your calling he rolls up his diabolical sleeves and gets to work to discourage you.

So all you fearless leaders, beware. The more fruit you see in your lives, the angrier he will get. What can we do? Worship! Rise above the dark voices that you here. Listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd. Stand tall and hide the Word of God in your heart. Straighten your crown. Ask faithful friends to pray for you. That’s what I did when I bit the bad apple of discouragement. I made a choice in the middle of the storm to say like Job: ” I don’t know what to do but my eyes are on you.” Little by little my heart bent towards God. My weakened state of a branch was strengthened by Jesus the vine. He did not forsake me. I just needed to look up.

I am the branch and you are the vine… 

Look up my friends when the enemy strikes and remember you are a daughter of the King. He always wins.