In Ephesians, Paul warns of being deceived by false spirits in cosmic places. Our battle, writes the Apostle, is "not against flesh and blood, but against wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world." (Ephesians 6:10)
In our daily physical environment, believers are at constant spiritual war with the deceitful tactics of the enemy. In our pursuit of the so-called good life, we seek love, the fulfillment of our dreams and the security of our loved ones.
If we aren't careful, though, we will succumb to the treachery and trickery of the evil one and find ourselves deflated, demoralized and defeated.
In the game of life, it's important we as believers step up to the plate with the confidence of Christ and with a keen eye on the deceptiveness of the enemy!
Using baseball as an analogy, let's take a quick look at how the enemy - as the pitcher on the mound of darkness and the believer at the home plate of righteousness - can use three common but deceptive "pitches" to cause our belief to "strike out" and leave us deflated, demoralized and defeated.
The Sinker
In baseball, the sinker is an "off-speed" pitch, in which the pitcher creates movement and variation in the speed of the the ball. The speed and variation causes the ball to sink as it approaches the batter.
The aim is to either get the batter to swing over the ball and miss, or, bat to ball, to produce a ground out, rather than a line drive.
How We React:
The speed of our success can be astonishing at times. We see an opportunity: a new love; a new job or a new business venture. We have done due diligence in sizing up the opportunity and have thrown our all into the venture. We're swinging for the fences, so to speak, but drawing nothing but air. What looked good in the beginning turned out to be bad in the end. Life's sinkers have "sunk" our expectations.
What the Bible Says:
Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33
The Change-Up
The change-up is the perhaps the greatest tool in the arsenal of a pitcher. It's a matter speed and velocity, depending how a pitcher releases the ball. The batter has been conditioned by previous pitches to expect a fastball. In a change-up, the ball is released with less velocity, thus slowing down, or "changing up" the speed. So a 97 mph ball can push the plate at 87 mph, tripping up the batter and causing him to swing ahead of the ball.
How We React:
The enemy knows how desperately we want to succeed in our endeavors, and, given our lack of resources at certain points in our lives, the enemy knows we will likely swing at the first pitch - and get ahead of ourselves by losing focus and a sense of what's really important. Desperate times produces desperate measures.
What the Bible Says:
Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Never rely on what you think you know.
Proverbs 3:5,6
The Curve Ball
The curve ball is one of the most exciting pitches in baseball. These are the pitches that, using air pressure, appear to verticalize toward the batter's chest before dropping into the strike zone - like an eagle swooping in on its prey - as it reaches the plate.
How We React:
The curve ball is mostly disguised in the people who pop into our lives and appear to be exactly the fresh air and wind beneath our wings we need, but, when the smoke clears, are revealed as the opposite. Such people do the "right" things, and say the "right" words, but their intention from the get go has been the strike zone - to rob, deceive and steal the treasures of our heart.
What the Bible Says:
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.
1 John 4:1
In the game of life, it's important we as believers step up to the plate with the confidence of Christ and with a keen eye on the deceptiveness of the enemy.
Pastor C. is the Believers Coach! Contact: www.pastorwericcroomes.com
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