People are often quick to blame the enemy for their troubles. We give him far too much credit when we assume he is the source of every hardship, challenge, or moment of suffering we face, though. Sorry to say.
In doing so, we forget something important: God is not only a Father, He is a teacher to warriors.
He gives us trials and challenges not to harm us, but to teach us the power we have in Him, the bond we share with Him, and the authority He has placed in our hands.
Warriors in Training
Warriors in training are not sent into an enemy’s camp to learn how to wield their swords. They spar with one another and with their teacher. They train in controlled environments so their strength, skill, and discernment can grow.
Yet when we face hardship, our instinct is often to assume we’ve been thrown straight into the enemy’s territory.
Let me say this plainly:
If God sends you into the enemy’s camp, you will know before you arrive, and you will not be sent unarmed.
The danger lies not in the trial itself, but in how we interpret it.
When we misread our circumstances, we hand power to the wrong place. We shift authority when we credit the enemy for something God has allowed for our growth.
Relearning the Language of My Body
For most of my life, I believed I was in constant battle with my own mind and body because of high anxiety.
Recently, I learned something that challenged that belief completely.
What I called “anxiety” only became anxiety when I gave fear the authority to name it. However, this feeling I had mistaken for anxiety was something that was coming from God.
I know that sounds wrong at first, so let me explain.
Every anxiety attack, panic episode, or spiral of overthinking I’ve ever experienced began the same way: a tightening coil in my chest, just behind my collarbone. Every time. Without exception.
But here’s the realization that changed everything for me:
That sensation was never anxiety until I decided it was.
God’s Hand, Not Fear’s Grip
Through prayer and reflection, I’ve come to understand that this sensation was never fear tightening around my heart.
It was His hand.
God had been the source of the feeling in my chest that I was calling “anxiety”.
I now picture it as God grasping my heart to guide me; a physical manifestation of strength meant to remind me that He is present and near.
What I once interpreted as panic was actually an invitation to listen.
So now, when I feel that familiar coiling in my chest, I’m choosing to respond differently. I’m challenging myself to sing praises instead of bracing for fear. And I believe I will begin to experience that sensation in an entirely new way.
Where Power Is Given
You cannot remove power from God, hand it to something negative, and then wonder why you feel trapped.
Even in the depths of darkness, power must be given to God first. Even if it truly is the enemy tormenting you, God is going to be the one who saves you.
Discernment is the only way to know when something truly comes from the enemy, and discernment requires a relationship with God strong enough to recognize His voice.
Until that relationship is fully formed, I would rather mistake something as God and be wrong than label something evil when it is, in fact, a message from Him.
Leave a Reply