Dodging Bullets Sent by the Enemy

Have you ever experienced a period of time at work where everything seemed to be going well? The ideas were flowing, our ability to influence others seemed vast, conflicts were resolved fairly simply, and wow, we were making a real difference! Sometimes this season can last for weeks or months, but inevitably Satan notices the impact we are having and sets his mind to derailing our efforts. The next thing we know, the tide has turned. One by one, Satan's fiery darts fly our way in multiple forms challenging us to give up for one reason or another. Perhaps, you get a physical ailment...a migraine, a simple cold, or worse; you receive anonymous negative feedback from a client or customer full of untruths about your work and attacks on your character; or maybe even an incident requires you to make a tough decision that you know will be unpopular. At that point, many of us are left asking ourselves, "What happened? Who ripped the rug out from under me?"

Satan specializes in sending specific barriers and trials our way that will take our breath away and are intended to stop our forward progress for God's Kingdom. How are we as Christians to respond when Satan's darts make direct contact? What can we do to keep proper perspective, pick ourselves up, and keep working to share what is good, right, and true?

First, turn your persecutors over to God. This is easier said than done, yet it is what we must do. Whether we know the identity of our attacker or not, we are to let God take care of him or her in His way. In Psalm 64, King David says, 1-2 "Lord, listen to my complaint: Oh, preserve my life from the conspiracy of these wicked men, these gangs of criminals. 3 They cut me down with sharpened tongues; they aim their bitter words like arrows straight at my heart. 4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent. Suddenly the deed is done, yet they are not afraid. 5 They encourage each other to do evil. They meet in secret to set their traps. “He will never notice them here,” they say. 6 They keep a sharp lookout for opportunities of crime. They spend long hours with all their endless evil thoughts and plans.[a]7 But God himself will shoot them down. Suddenly his arrow will pierce them. 8 They will stagger backward, destroyed by those they spoke against. All who see it happening will scoff at them. 9 Then everyone shall stand in awe and confess the greatness of the miracles of God; at last they will realize what amazing things he does. 10 And the godly shall rejoice in the Lord, and trust and praise him."


Second, stay prayerfully focused on doing God's will. In Romans 15:14-16, Paul emphasizes how important our work in sharing the gospel and connecting others to God is. He says, "Personally, I’ve been completely satisfied with who you are and what you are doing. You seem to me to be well-motivated and well-instructed, quite capable of guiding and advising one another. So, my dear friends, don’t take my rather bold and blunt language as criticism. It’s not criticism. I’m simply underlining how very much I need your help in carrying out this highly focused assignment God gave me, this priestly and gospel work of serving the spiritual needs of the non-Jewish outsiders so they can be presented as an acceptable offering to God, made whole and holy by God’s Holy Spirit."

There will always be people who say and do things that hurt. They may not even know at the time that they are in fact are the very vehicle that Satan is using to discourage us. Our best course of action is to be prayerful. Psalm 37:7 Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him. Don’t bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.



Psalm 46 TLB, we are reminded that...God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble. 2 And so we need not fear even if the world blows up and the mountains crumble into the sea. 3 Let the oceans roar and foam; let the mountains tremble! Nothing in our world is stable or inherently safe. We can find shelter and rest in the Lord. Even when everything else is wobbly and unclear, our faith in God will never be.

The third action we should take is to be boldly confident in God's promises. Psalm 91:9-16 NIV states, "If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he[a] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” God gives us absolute assurance that He will rescue those who love Him. This gives us the promise that when people and circumstances turn against us, God is for us.

Furthermore, in Ephesians 6:10-13 NIV we are reminded to take full advantage of The Armor of God. Verse 10 says, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Whether you are comforted by singing your favorite Christian songs or by quietly reading passages that encourage you, run to God and fellow Christians for proper perspective.

Dear Almighty Father,

We place our lives and work before you. We pray that you bless our words, decisions, actions and use them to connect others to You. Protect us from the devil's darts. Help us to view setbacks and barriers properly knowing that trials often come in response to the good work we have done. Help us to pray for those who grieve us and give them over to You. Teach us to rely on your promises and stand fortified by You and Your word as we push forward. It is in the Powerful Name of Jesus Christ we pray....Amen.

Fishing for Men, Women, and Children at Work

How do you win others over for God's Kingdom at work? Most of us generally try to be a good example of grace, forgiveness, patience, humbleness, and other positive character traits in order for our co-workers to possibly notice God's Spirit within us. We may even verbally thank God or tell a co-worker that we are praying for him or her. Who is going to get upset with us when we offer to pray for them? We might talk about the sermon we heard at church and how it affected our thinking. Is that enough? Is that what God had in mind for us when he said “Go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matt 28:19)?

Have you allowed yourself to think deeply about the message you send in your words and actions each day? Most of us have not, because we get caught up in "doing" the daily responsibilities of the jobs, and when we do take a moment, fear can often take hold and paralyze us into inaction.

We, as believers, are called to take some risks so that God’s Kingdom may grow! Do you ever have a great idea only to talk yourself out of it? Maybe it will fail; maybe people will laugh at me; what will everyone think? Often our fear gets in the way of doing our best work. But God wants us to go forth boldly, sometimes taking a risk, so that we may accomplish great things for Him. Yes, sometimes we’ll get it wrong and there may be a hard lesson to learn. But we will learn– and eventually great things will happen as result of our courage and persistence!

In Psalm 31:24 MSG, we are called to...Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up. Expect God to get here soon. So, what can we do about it? Matthew 13:23 MSG says, The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. We cannot afford to wait quietly in the wings to let others do the work. God’s Kingdom won’t grow unless we start taking some risks! We are "good earth". How do we do that successfully?

Be alert and aware of your word choice and tone of voice. In Colossians 4:5-6 MSG we are called to ... Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don’t miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

Be sensitive to God's leading and bold in carrying it out even when it involves risk. Psalm 119:41-48, says Let your love, God, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promised; Then I’ll be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word. Don’t ever deprive me of truth, not ever— your commandments are what I depend on. Oh, I’ll guard with my life what you’ve revealed to me, guard it now, guard it ever; And I’ll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for your truth and your wisdom; Then I’ll tell the world what I find, speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed. I cherish your commandments—oh, how I love them!— relishing every fragment of your counsel.

Being bold does not mean being reckless. It means trusting in God's strength to express our effort in the manner it will be received best. Psalm 21:13 emphasizes, Show your strength, God, so no one can miss it. We are out singing the good news!

Matthew 5:10 says, You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

Be humble in your deeds giving credit to God and not yourself. In Matthew 6:1-4 MSG we are advised, Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘play actors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.

Dear Almighty Father,

Fill us with your strength and confidence to win others over for the Kingdom. Give us the words and direct our actions to help others be convinced of your love, grace, and life giving ways. Let us be tools you use to share the good news of salvation and grace through Jesus Christ. We love you and thank you for the sacrifice of your Son. It is in the powerful name of Jesus we pray...Amen.

Opportunities in Disguise: Interruption, Disagreement, & Contention

What do you say? Is it "It's Monday!" or "It's Monday...meh." The week starts afresh and new and we have a choice as to which attitude we take with us. For some, a quick look at the calendar and the appointments, meetings, and tasks within in it will direct our feelings and attitude toward the week ahead. Do you have a meeting with an unhappy parent or client? Do you have an important presentation to make? Do you have a low key week with nothing too exciting planned?

Regardless of what the calendar reads, we never know exactly what is coming around the corner for us at work. In fact, on days where very little is planned out of the ordinary, the personal to-do list usually goes out the window with unplanned, unforeseen challenges. Do you get grumpy when pulled away from the plan? Maybe you sigh with frustration at the interruption. Our outward responses send clear messages about us. What do your responses say about you?

Quite honestly for many, the natural response to unknown and possibly unpleasant challenges at work is to be angry, frustrated, and short; to anticipate the week or the next moment with dread, fear, and pessimism. The truth is that we have to discipline ourselves to develop habits to express what God has done in us as Christians. Remember who you represent at work, Team Jesus, Team-Me, or Team No One (See 10/27's blog). Our words and actions not only show who we represent but also act as an expression of our new selves and our relationship with Jesus. So, how can we express what God has done in us as we face contention, disagreements, and disagreeable people and situations? Below are three ways we can find joy in the disagreeable.

Enthusiastically allow the life of Jesus to manifest itself in you. No matter how disagreeable a situation or person may be, say – “Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this matter,” and invite Jesus to provide the words, thoughts, direction, and possibly even a new outlook. Galatians 5:22-24 MSG says, But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Look forward to challenges and accept them joyfully. James 1:2-4 MSG states, Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. Firmly believe that it is one thing to choose the disagreeable, and another thing to go into the disagreeable by God’s engineering. If God puts you there, He is amply sufficient.

View challenges as opportunities to show your faith under pressure. In times of blessing it is easy to demonstrate love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control all on our own, apart from Jesus. But in times of sorrow, challenge, and trial, folks expect anger, bitterness, and strife. Express Christ by responding differently with the fruits of the spirit. 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 MSG says, If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!


Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ. We thank you that we can express His life through us. We thank you for the opportunities to show others what You have done in transforming us to be more like You. Help us to see interruptions, disagreement, and contention as opportunities to express what Jesus has done in our lives. In Jesus's Holy Name we pray....Amen.

Reasoning or Arguing: What’s better?

Do you have a difference of opinion with a co-worker or a reoccurring challenge with another department at work? Maybe it is a difference in how to approach or solve a problem. Maybe it is how to address a client or a student. Whether you are in the role of leader or teammate, soft skills are extremely important to your ability to communicate your thought process effectively, even when we might be angry, and have a positive outcome. Below are some wise words written by George Whitten that give credence to using your emotional intelligence to manage workplace minefields.

Softer is better!

Thursday, March 22, 2012 (10:13 am) by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.

How often, in all the issues we have to deal with talking with people, we know or we feel we are right; our idea, our position, our interpretation is it, and we're ready to fight for it. Forget the fact that we may not be, or that there might be something we're completely ignorant of. The truth is that sometimes we know better, and sometimes we don't. But the scripture teaches us, and I've learned from experience (most of the time), that arguing, forcefulness, and violence in my own voice are almost guaranteed to start a futile and ugly war of words. People are naturally defensive, and often, naturally offensive.

But I can be the one to break the pattern…with a gentle answer. If my heart attitude is “Come, let us reason together, hear each other out, respect each other, speak softly, and trust the Lord for the outcome", and my tone of voice carries that spirit, I can actually help the other person to calm down and prevent a war. The fruit of the spirit is…..self control. What a blessing!

Do you want to start a fight…..or finish one? Give a gentle answer today and see what the Lord does!

How can we apply the lesson in Proverbs 15:1 and implement Mr. Whitten's words at work? So often we tell ourselves that if we can just get "it" out, our emotion, that we will feel better even if it comes at the expense of a relationship or trust of a coworker. But if we are honest with ourselves, hurting a working relationship with an emotional, harsh or angry outburst, can be of very little benefit to us. But, sometimes the outburst just creeps up on us and flies out of our mouths before we know it. The key is to prepare your mind and heart before you get to work each day. Below are three actions you can take to help you in working through a difficult conversation.



Praying for the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and minds even when we don't know what we need specifically. Romans 8:26-28 MSG says, Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. We can never truly know the thoughts of others, but God does. He will help us form value added words and thoughts if we let Him.

Ask Jesus to give you the ability to hold your responses captive before letting them out. Give yourself time to wisely consider your words and run them through your filter before speaking. 1 Peter 3:8-12 MSG says, Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing.

Whoever wants to embrace life
and see the day fill up with good,
Here’s what you do:
Say nothing evil or hurtful;
Snub evil and cultivate good;
run after peace for all you’re worth.
God looks on all this with approval,
listening and responding well to what he’s asked;
But he turns his back
on those who do evil things.

Trust Jesus to provide you with His words and not your own. Expect His response and provision. Matthew 10:19-20 says, And don’t worry about what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We pray for you to help us choose to reason rather than fight if at all possible. We pray for the ability to be soft even when we don't feel like it. Help us to hold our fleshly thoughts and attitude captive and allow your attitude and words to take over when we are weak and tired. Fortify our faith in You that You will provide all that we need when we need it. It's in Jesus's all powerful name we pray...Amen.