A bunch of years ago a friend shared with me a way to overcome the assault of the enemy on our minds. They encouraged me to “agree with the enemy!” I was instantly offended and almost stopped listening because for many years that what I was doing and the result was depression, terror, fear, anxiety, and defeat. However, at that time, I was learning how much my listening muscle needed to be strengthened and I was intentionally being quick to listen and slow to speak. I also was choosing to not just look like I was listening, but to be actively listening. So I listened!

As they continued, it was explained to me that the plan of the enemy is always to hit us in our weakness. He always likes to kick us while we are down, and speak hopelessness into the area we have the hardest time believing God for to begin with. When he unleashes his arsenal into a weak point, it is usually a more effective attack, because we often come into agreement with his lies much easier then if he attacked a place we were confident in and firmly believed God for.

So, why agree with the enemy? Isn’t that ludicrous? Well, what they were trying to convey was to take the point of attack as a tip off to one’s weaknesses. Use the enemy’s spotlight of a certain area in your life, identity, relationships, or circumstances to take that specific thing to the Lord.

For example,a part of the call on my life is to have a voice. The Lord has called me to say what He tells me to say, to use my voice to set the captives free, and to not fear rejection of man because He is with me and for me. So most often the attack on my mind sounds something like, “No one cares about what you have to say,” or, “You talk too much, they are tired of listening- you are being selfish by saying so much- you should let someone else have a turn.” Sometimes it comes through individuals, often who I have felt “safe” or “known” with- who have declared that I am a fraud and am living my life the opposite of what I say I believe. OUCH! Both hurt, and both make me want to sit down, shut my mouth, and blend in. BUT GOD SAYS what?

This is how we “come into agreement” with the enemy. We say, “Oh Lord, can you remind me what You say about the voice You have given me?” “Lord, remind me of how You called me?” “Lord, bring to the forefront of my mind the purpose for which You created me?” “Lord, You know my innermost parts- can You search me and show me any offensive way in me, and also Lord, will You show me what you love about who I am?”

So you see, I have allowed the attack to cause me to draw near to God. I use the attack to highlight the weakness in my believing or agreeing fully with what God has said. I allow the Lord to use the attack for good by bringing it to Him immediately, choosing not to lean on my own understanding to draw conclusions about what is true. HOW POWERFUL!

As I began intentionally handling the assaults on my identity with this strategy, do you know what happened????? The enemy QUIT attacking me this way because I was gaining so much confidence in who God says I am, and specifically what I am called to do and why.

That was years and years ago- and sometimes- in the busyness of life- we can forget a particular strategy. Yesterday, was a battle for me. I was struggling with where I am at and why I am here and what choices I am making and needing to remember my why. I was seeking the Lord for clarity where confusion was growing and asking Him to show me, to remind me, to say again what was true! I was led to Psalm 18 which was incredibly amazing, affirming, and a huge blessing. Then, my Bible literally turned to Nehemiah 6 on it’s own. I began reading and for the first time I saw this strategy in scripture.

CHECK IT OUT!

Nehemiah 6:8-9
New International Version (NIV)
8 I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.”But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”

Did you catch it? He was being accused, he stood on what was true, and then he took the specific attack, THEIR HANDS WILL GET TOO WEAK FOR THE WORK, straight to the Lord and PRAYED- NOW STRENGTHEN MY HANDS!!!!!!

How powerful! It’s scripture! And in the next chapter- just 52 days later- the work was completed! The work that was so desperately trying to be defeated- was completed less than two months later- it was just around the bend- and if he would have listened to the voice of the intimidator or the defeater, the work that was almost done- wouldn’t have ever been done. AND GUESS WHAT?? The finished work prepared a place for the exiles to come home to! 

What work is it that you have been called to? What purpose has God called you to that you just want to give up on? What voice or message are you coming into agreement with? Are you willing to try a new strategy or revive a strategy you have learned before and maybe forgotten about? YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER! Your victory is only around the bend. STICK TO WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO DO- and others will be brought home- to their rightful place- because you said YES to God in the face of all of the obstacles, attacks, and opportunities to give up. YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE even if no one but God knows it or believe it yet!

Galatians 6:7-10
New International Version (NIV)
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.