Satan 1 Peter 5:8,9 be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world.
Luke 4:13 “When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an a more opportune time.”
If you have not done so, please take a few extra moments and hide both of these passages in your hearts. We are in a ‘for real’ spiritual war. My hearts desire is to see revival in our country. One of the top temptations that Satan is using to destroy men and families is sexual temptation offered through pornography. Theses two verses directly apply.
Be watchful. Yesterday, I talked about being watchful for stress in your life and the trigger to alleviate that stress by self-medicating on porn and masturbation. Another favorite tactic of the enemy is to wait until you are TIRED. Someone once said, ‘fatigue makes cowards of us all’. When we are overworked and under-slept, we get tired. God made us and designed us for sleep and rest.
Even youths shall faint and get weary, and young men shall fall exhausted, but they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isa 40
In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for Thou alone makest me to dwell in safety. Psa 4:8
It is vain that you rise up early, going late to rest, for He gives to his beloved sleep. Psa 127:2
As for man his days are like grass. In the morning he is renewed and strengthened, in the evening he fades and withers. Psa 90:5,6; Psa 103:15,16
When we are tired we don’t think straight. When we are tired, we are not as vigilant. When we are tired, we lose perspective. When we are tired, our patience runs thin. When we are tired, we lose control of our tongues, slipping back into cursing and swearing. When we are tired, we just want to escape. Being on long deployments in war zones, leaves one drained and tired. The heightened sense of danger, being hyper-vigilant and always ‘on’ drains all our resources.
At these moments of extreme tiredness, this is an opportune time for Satan to attack. A co-worker starts looking ‘mighty fine’, or makes herself available. Flirting becomes suggestions and an invitation for fornication or adultery. An ‘adult’ movie or DVD becomes alluring. What once was repulsive becomes ‘acceptable’. The snare is set; the tired watch stander doesn’t see the threat until its too late.
I pray that you would take care of your vessel. I pray that you would make the time to get the necessary sleep that your body needs and that God wants to give to you. It will require self-discipline to let go and to delegate. It will require humility to say to co-workers that you need to get some rest.
I welcome, covet and need your feedback. Please feel free to email me at breehm@comcast.net
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