The Attack

Yesterday I performed my first funeral. Honestly, it went really well thanks to the grace of God and an incredible mentor walking me through it. Funerals are an important time, my mentor said that funerals are when a pastor bonds with his people. They are one of the best opportunities for ministry as well. People are grieving, and it is an opportunity to show the love and compassion of Jesus. All that being said, I can't believe it took me so long to realize what was happening Wednesday night.

My wife and I were getting ready for bed, and suddenly we were really frustrated with each other. Honestly it was out of no where. It was getting late, neither one of us was looking at sleeping very well, we had both left the room on separate occasions not wanting to be around each other. And finally when we were both back in the same room it finally hit me, this is an attack.

I don't remember which book John Eldredge talks about this in, Wild at Heart or Walking with God, I really think it's in both. But he talks about how the enemy attacks us. As I was laying there listening to my wife, and thinking about the events of the following day, it hit me. Satan was trying to put me in a bad mood, to divide my wife and I, and put my heart and mind in a bad attitude for the funeral.

Immediately we stopped and prayed. God gave us a great night sleep, and the funeral went really well. My wife and I have become a stronger couple because of it. Our marriage has received some more welding and that has made it more unbreakable.

The Bible says, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5.8). Satan doesn't want anything good to happen, and so he sneaks in at the right moment, and tries to destroy things before they happen. We were both tired, and it didn't take much to push us to fighting. Had we not realized what it was and immediately begun to fight against it as a team who knows what would have happened the next day. The family, and the church, needed their pastor, and I was able to be there.

Satan does prowl like a lion waiting to devour us. If we don't recognize the attack and simply continue to let it happen many things will suffer. My marriage could have been negatively affected because I might have said things that I didn't mean out of anger. Again, I don't know what would have happened at this funeral. I know I would have apologized to my wife the next morning, but there would have been a lot of damage done that wouldn't be able to be fixed by a simple, "I'm sorry."

We must be on the alert at all times, but especially when Kingdom work is near at hand. We must be prepared for battle at all times. This is why prayer and Bible study is crucial, our minds are focused on God and we are able to better recognize things that aren't of God. It's important to read other things as well. John Eldredge is a favorite author of mine, I've found several of his books to be very relevant at this stage of my life. Honestly, I don't know that I would have realized it was an attack and responded as I did without having read his books.

We must be on the alert, waiting for the attacks of the enemy. We must be ready for battle and end them as quickly as possible. God will be with us as we work for His Kingdom. Satan is looking for someone to devour, be on guard so it isn't you.

Peace be with you