So often in life we find ourselves on the defense. Something happens and we react then something else happens and we react. When we become overwhelmed it is because many things happen all at once and we get stuck in a reactive mode.
How do we get out of that anxious, fearful place of what next? What shoe is going to drop next?
I do not know much about football, but I know that there is an offense and the defense. When the offense has the ball, they are storming the other team's end zone. The defense is trying to defend their end zone saying nope don't let him get a touchdown! Do not let that person holding the ball get to our end! Now it is difficult on the defense. Why? Because when someone is running full force towards you with an object in their hand you must stop the impact with your body.
It is the same in life. When unexpected events, sickness, financial problems, employment problems, family problems even down to a broken appliance or a car issue occurs it is the enemy running at us with an object and daring us to stand in its way and stop it.
The object in the enemy’s hands is something we care about or something we vitally need to make our life work well. So, we go at full forced to stop the only way we know. We stand there, and we just yell and scream and cry. We try to fix it with our own might but even our fixes only lead to more problems or despair.
See the enemy of God knows he cannot stop our Salvation; he cannot stop us from loving and seeking God, but he can bombard us with so many offensive moves that all we can do in life is to be reactive. To be on the defense.
Going back to football, when the defensive team is able to steal the ball and run all the way down to the offensive team and get a touchdown it is an explosion of cheering and awe! Why? Because it is rare that the defensive team can gain any ground on the offense.
That is why we must be on the offense all the time. We must put the enemy of God on the defense!
How do we do that? The same way as in football… strategies!
We must get to know the enemy. Our enemy, God's enemy, Satan, How he works, what maneuvers he uses!
We must also get to know ourselves. What our weaknesses are. Is it your body? When your body gets sick or has pain do you stop being productive and become depressed about it? Is it your finances? When things breakdown and you do not have the money to fix it does it cause you to just become angry and bitter? Is it your family? Are they more of a burden than a blessing? Do you feel inadequate to provide and take care of them or is there just too many responsibilities? See all these things are a normal part of our everyday lives, but if it is your trigger it is your weakness.
There is nothing wrong about having weaknesses!
We stifle them when we try to deny they exist. That is how the enemy can use them. He will expose us for who we really are, and we try hard to cover it up.
We also have to learn our tools. What do we have to rush the enemy with? If we are on the offense, then we're the ones rushing the enemy's territory! What is our “football”? We have to learn the tools of the Kingdom of God! We must plan! We must have goals and we must understand that we can achieve our ultimate purpose!
Number one, identify your enemy. The enemy of God is the enemy of those who are called by His Name. His downfall was pride and often pride is also our downfall. He knows that this system we live in acknowledges those who are on top and degrades and pulls aside those who are struggling. Deep down inside we have learned this rule of the system of this world and we want everyone to think we are always on top. That is his football! That is why he is ramming it in our face. We must understand that pride is the root of fear, anger, depression and so many other struggles we have.
We must ask God, The father to search us and show us any unrighteousness within us. We must be willing to see ourselves through His eyes, His Word, His ways. Be humble enough to see our weaknesses.
Once we realize and except where we are vulnerable, we must have an offensive strategy. What tools has The Word of God given us to rush the enemy! He has given us declarations in his word, promises. He has given us an armor a protection found in Ephesians 6:10-18. It begins with this, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. God has given us the ability to speak to him through His Son Jesus! He has given us The Blood of Jesus which protects us and cleanses us of all unrighteousness and the body of Christ which heals us of all sickness and disease.
We must recognize then what we desire most is where Satan will try and attack. We must bring our desires to the will Of God. we must understand that the father's will must take president over our well!
A football player on the offense has been given a play to run by the coach or the quarterback, the head of the team. But I can bet you there are times that one of the players running the ball sees an opening sees a way that looks like it will get them to the end zone, but it is not the play he was instructed to do. That player does not go on his own, he stick to either the quarterback or the coach’s plan. Why, because he trust them, He trust that if they said it it is the right move.
We must humble ourselves to understanding that God The Father, His Son Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit have a playbook for our lives. That playbook takes into account all the enemies’ schemes. When we humble ourself and submit to the will of God and bring everything under that obedience: our actions, our plans, our goals, even our thoughts and desires and when we ask God to order our steps in his word then we will be able to continually be on the offense. We will be the one rushing the enemy's territory!