Beware of the DEADLY D's ...

[George]

Shalom everyone,

In this life, we're facing an enemy on a daily basis, and when we forget that we are in the midst of a war, then you'll soon find yourself facing -- the deadly D's.  So what are the deadly D's you may ask?

Discouragement, Discomfort, Dissatisfaction, Distraction, Disappointment, Disgruntledness, Disruption, Disillusionment, Disqualification, Dispossession, Disturbance, Distortion, Disunity, Destruction, Deception, and finally Doubt. 

While I'm sure there are many other Deadly D's that I haven't mentioned (feel free to add this list), we have to remind ourselves that we're fighting a war and it's not some distant war -- but rather in our day to day lives!

When Paul said,

Eph 6:12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

The word that Paul used for the word Wrestle was a word used to describe hand to hand wrestling!

In ancient Greek culture, two wrestlers had no rules in the ring -- and fought until the end -- in most times ended with one side dying.  If you decided to leave the ring -- the loser had his eyes gashed out!  So it often ended with death!  We are in a hand to hand battle -- with an enemy that fights with no rules -- trying all he can do to destroy you. 

But there's something we MUST always remind ourselves of -- We have the victory continually!

1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, who gives (present tense of the greek word) us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So this could be translated -- But thanks be to God who continually gives us the victory through our Messiah!  Are you continually walking in victory?  If not, perhaps you need to recognize you're in the midst of a battle -- in hand to hand combat!  

Learn the tactics of the enemy -- what he's trying to do -- then fight -- in hand to hand combat and continually CLAIM YOUR VICTORY CONTINUALLY!

Don't let the enemies tactics of the Deadly D's to influence you -- be an influencer of change!

Your brother in the Lord with much agape love,

George

[Holly Joy]

Love this post. I think many of us have issues with living the Victory with all the pressures/trials of life. As time grows short, things get worse every day. Thank you for reminding us that this is only temporal; Christ has already won the Victory for the love of us.

[warrior12]

54 minutes ago, Holly Joy said:

Love this post. I think many of us have issues with living the Victory with all the pressures/trials of life. As time grows short, things get worse every day. Thank you for reminding us that this is only temporal; Christ has already won the Victory for the love of us.

+1

The OP has pointed out the stratagems that the enemy uses and the ones which we uses to gain advantage over him.  Put on the full armor of God, is a strategy that each believer must not take lightly as the enemy seeks ways to gain entrance to the castle as so depicted in John Bunyan masterpiece "The Holy War".  It is an allegory, but nevertheless so true as to the believers battles .  Download that small pdf and have a read, its free, just google it.

Taken from the introduction of the book 

"The Holy War is in this volume presented to us by an old, experienced, faithful warrior; it is an allegorical narrative, written by a master hand, guided by deeply penetrating, searching powers of mind. It is his own severe brunts with the great enemy, who is aided by his army of pomps, vanities, lusts, and allurements, many lurking within, disguised to appear like angels, while under their masquerade dress they are very devils. It is written by one who possessed almost boundless resources of imagination. It is more profound, more deeply spiritual than the pilgrimage from Destruction to the Celestial City; and to understand its hidden meaning, requires the close and mature application of the renewed mind. There are, alas! comparatively few that are blessed with spiritual discernment; and even of these, there are but few inclined to mental investigation and research. These are reasons why it has not been so popular a book as the ‘Pilgrim’s Progress.’"

Edited May 5, 2018 by warrior12

[turtletwo]

On 5/2/2018 at 4:44 AM, George said:

While I'm sure there are many other Deadly D's that I haven't mentioned (feel free to add this list)

Despair.

On 5/2/2018 at 4:44 AM, George said:

But there's something we MUST always remind ourselves of -- We have the victory continually!

 Thanks for this encouraging message.

[Retrobyter]

On 5/2/2018 at 5:44 AM, George said:

Shalom everyone,

In this life, we're facing an enemy on a daily basis, and when we forget that we are in the midst of a war, then you'll soon find yourself facing -- the deadly D's.  So what are the deadly D's you may ask?

Discouragement, Discomfort, Dissatisfaction, Distraction, Disappointment, Disgruntledness, Disruption, Disillusionment, Disqualification, Dispossession, Disturbance, Distortion, Disunity, Destruction, Deception, and finally Doubt. 

While I'm sure there are many other Deadly D's that I haven't mentioned (feel free to add this list), we have to remind ourselves that we're fighting a war and it's not some distant war -- but rather in our day to day lives!

When Paul said,

Eph 6:12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

The word that Paul used for the word Wrestle was a word used to describe hand to hand wrestling!

In ancient Greek culture, two wrestlers had no rules in the ring -- and fought until the end -- in most times ended with one side dying.  If you decided to leave the ring -- the loser had his eyes gashed out!  So it often ended with death!  We are in a hand to hand battle -- with an enemy that fights with no rules -- trying all he can do to destroy you. 

But there's something we MUST always remind ourselves of -- We have the victory continually!

1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, who gives (present tense of the greek word) us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So this could be translated -- But thanks be to God who continually gives us the victory through our Messiah!  Are you continually walking in victory?  If not, perhaps you need to recognize you're in the midst of a battle -- in hand to hand combat!  

Learn the tactics of the enemy -- what he's trying to do -- then fight -- in hand to hand combat and continually CLAIM YOUR VICTORY CONTINUALLY!

Don't let the enemies tactics of the Deadly D's to influence you -- be an influencer of change!

Your brother in the Lord with much agape love,

George

Shalom, George.

Philippians 4:8-9 (KJV)

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

It seems to me that the answer to the "deadly D's" is to switch one's focus from oneself to God Himself. Look for the OPPOSITES in God that counter these "deadly D's!"

Instead of "Discouragement," realize God's ENCOURAGEMENT!
Instead of "Discomfort," experience God's COMFORT!
Instead of "Dissatisfaction," anticipate God's SATISFACTION soon to become our REALITY!
Instead of "Distraction," experience God's FOCUS!
Instead of "Disappointment," realize God's PRIDE in you, His DEAR CHILD, whom He LOVES VERY MUCH!
Instead of "Disgruntledness," experience God's PATIENCE and ANTICIPATE His GLORIOUS FUTURE He has PLANNED for YOU!
Instead of "Disruption," find God's WONDERFUL PEACE! 
Instead of "Disillusionment," discover God's CONCRETE REALITY and your part in His INTRICATE PLAN!
Instead of "Disqualification," know that God makes NO MISTAKES and you are INFINITELY QUALIFIED for whatever He has planned for YOU to perform!
Instead of "Dispossession," know that God has made you ACCEPTED in His Beloved and you are CO-HEIRS with His Son, the Messiah Yeshua`! 
Instead of "Disturbance," relax in God's LOVE and JOY!
Instead of "Distortion," see with God's CLARITY!
Instead of "Disunity," know that God is ONE and that...

John 14:20

..."ye shall know that I (Yeshua`) am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." 

Instead of "Destruction," know that God gives us ETERNAL, ABUNDANT LIFE!
Instead of "Deception," know that God is TRUE and that Yeshua` said "I am the ... TRUTH!
Instead of "Doubt," TRUST the God who knows and controls every subatomic particle in the entire universe that expands into countless galaxies each consisting of countless stars and somewhere in between, probably closer to the subatomic particles than the stars, He cares for US!

And, as per turtletwo, instead of "Despair," TAKE HEART and have CONFIDENCE in our WONDERFUL, AWESOME GOD!

[Buddy D. Mouse]

Another Deadly D is Depression

[Retrobyter]

6 hours ago, Episcopius said:

Another Deadly D is Depression

Shalom, Episcopius.

Yeah, I suffer from that one, too. I've never been "diagnosed" as such, but I've struggled with my "ups and downs" all my life. Here's the verses that help me:

Malachi 3:6-7a (KJV)

6 For I am the LORD (Hebrew: YHWH), I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

and

Hebrews 13:8 (KJV)

8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Both God, Yeshua`s Father, and the Son of God, Yeshua` the Messiah (which many of you think is redundant) are CONSTANT. That's the stability that anchors my life.

[turtletwo]

@Retrobyter  Thanks so much for your uplifting posts. The Lord knew I needed them right now. Because my mom was rushed by ambulance to the hospital last night. I'm awaiting more info. Please pray.

It's cool that you posted this. The Lord's perfect timing. Because I just wrote a poem that talks about topics in keeping with this. It even has the scripture you quoted from Hebrews! I'd like to share it.

In case you (or others) might be blessed by it, I am posting it in the next reply box. God bless you. 

[turtletwo]

Written from a heavy heart as my mom  

faces yet another medical crisis...

 

Only God Remains The Same

 

No matter how we do our part

To carefully prepare

There will always be those things

That catch us unaware

 

Hold on loosely to this world

And everything that's in it

Unexpected circumstances

change life in a minute

 

Trials we can't control will come

And leave us hurt and frail

Friends will sometimes let us down

For sinful humans fail

 

Jesus Christ will be our Rock

Amidst life's shifting sands

So when we trust in Him alone

We're in the best of hands

 

Yesterday, today, forever

Jesus is the same

In our storms He's our strong tower

We run into His Name

 

Only God remains the same

With every changing tide

How we need to have Him near

And in His love abide!

 

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10

[SisterActs2]

Keep on writing these beautiful poems, turtletwo.  Here's that "E" again - encouragement.  Thank you.