Be on your guard

 Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be strong.  
1 Corinthians 13:16


I was having one of those roller coaster days.  The sun was gorgeous and after being snowed in it was a refreshing taste of freedom to get out and about.  I hardly enjoyed the moment long enough to give God the credit before I turned my attention to my to-do list and scampered off on my way to do, what seems now, some menial task.  I got an unexpected blessing in the form of two girls taking a multiple hour long nap simultaneously - at my mom's house no less - so I was totally free.  I truly desired to spend the time in prayer but I pushed it aside as I accepted lie after lie that satan fed into my head.
"You won't be able to enjoy any quiet time until you get this done"
"This will only take a second"
"You'll have plenty of time later"
"You can finally do something for yourself! Take advantage of it!"
A few hours later I had accomplished absolutely nothing and was more desperate than ever to get something, anything, done so I could feel free to have some prayer time.  I frantically clawed at any sense of accomplishment I could find and in my haste made careless errors that cost me even more time and a whole lot of anger spewing from my heart.   I was tired from all the running around of the day, confused by this sense of needing to accomplish something and yet also needing prayer time, watching the minutes tick by on the clock knowing my free time was quickly slipping away and resolved that this day just sucked.  Nothing was going right and I was so desperate for communion with the Father but it just didn't seem available.  I needed to get done a few little things and a little bit of time with Jesus and I couldn't seem to pull it together enough to even do that.  It wasn't until this evening when I sat down for some much needed Bible study time that I realized what was going on.  When I sat down to read something came up that I had to take care of.  A minute later something else.  Something else.  All different things that caught my attention and caused enough urgency in me to stop what I was doing and pay attention to it.  My hypersensitivity to anything but scripture and prayer was the work of my enemy.   As the events of the day began to make more sense (I blew up at Jared for coming up the stairs to talk to me when I was upset. seriously- that should have been my first clue that thing's weren't right!) I remembered notes I had stashed somewhere that I thought would help me get off this roller coaster and back on the right track.  I don't know what the notes are from... maybe a book I read a few years ago.  It's been helpful for me to remember who my enemy is and just how deceptive and sneaky his tactics are.  Attacks are more easily prepared for when the strategy of the enemy is exposed. 


here are my notes:

Satan's weapons against prayer
1.) Fatigue
Ever hit the snooze button instead of getting up to pray first thing in the morning? Satan won.
Find a prayer time that works for your schedule, if it's too hard to commit first thing in the morning try a prayer lunch break.  

2.) Distraction
Satan has studied us every moment of our lives and knows us maybe better than we know ourselves.  He knows what will make our head turn that way and cause us to stall.  The sneakiest part is that his tactics are so personalized to us that we rarely even realize it's happening.  It's his job, and he's good at it.

3.) Inner Restlessness
Have you ever felt "off" ?  Things may not seem to be problematic on the outside but it just doesn't feel right inside.  Discontent consumes our thoughts. We can't focus on prayer. That wonderful Jesus-high is nowhere around and without being able to pinpoint a direct cause, there's inner turmoil and confusion.  When it feels like there's a storm brewing a heart of worship is hard to find.

4.) Haste
Find it hard to make the time for prayer and Bible study in your busy day? Don't let business keep you from God.  We have the same 24 hour day that Jesus had- it's our choice how we fill it.

5.) Despair
This world is saturated with excuses for despair.  But God tells us not to be concerned with the things of this world that are seen but what is unseen, instead turn our eyes to Jesus.  Look full in his wonderful face, then the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.  

6.) Indolence
Don't be lazy.  Don't procrastinate.  Don't be content where you are with God. Be very cautious with feelings of arrival. 
Revelation 3:15 "I know your deeds that you are neither hot nor cold.  I wish you were one or the other! Because you are lukewarm- neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth!"

Our Own Hinderances to Prayer
1.) Hands stained with blood. 
We need to confess to one another and to God the sins that separates us from Him and from one another.  We are required to make things right before we can come to the throne in prayer. 

2.) Open lips.
For every idle word we speak we will be held accountable. Every. Word. 

3.) Marital discord
Our spouses are (usually) the most influential people in our current situation.  When things are not well between us and the most important person in our life Satan steps in and makes it worse.  Ever have a big argument that started over something so small?  I've never noticed an upswing in my prayer life when my relationships around me are struggling, and when the foundational relationship of the family is shaken the entire unit if affected.

4.) Disobedience
 Is it any doubt that when we are in disobedience our relationship with God suffers? To obey is better than any sacrifice.  Ever feel God telling you to do- or not do- something and you chose your own route? Ever have that little voice in the back of your head that made you think twice but you ignored it? If you don't know if you're in disobedience there's an easy way to find out- pray this:

Psalm 139:23-24:

 ²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
      test me and know my anxious thoughts.
 ²⁴ Point out anything in me that offends you,
      and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

 When we ask God to point out what is offensive in us He will never need a minute to think of something.  If we are asking with an earnest heart desiring the truth He will show us what is keeping us from communion with Him.  When we ask, we must be prepared for an answer.