The Bible says to us very clearly that Satan is a thief (John 10:10). One of the attributes he steals from believers over and over again is our faith. Not our faith of eternal salvation, but our faith of day to day victories as we walk through this life as Christ's ambassadors. Ambassadors who bring healing and hope to our generation. And the clever way the devil chips away at our faith is to get God's leaders entangled with unnecessary warfare. The following are four categories of mistakes that I continually see the devil using to keep God's servants from being free to walk in great faith and victory every day.

1. PANIC-PROMPTED MISTAKES:

These kind are usually made out of fear or hurry; a result of worry. We panic and make wrong decisions.
Genesis 12:1-7, 10-13 (NKJV): " . . . Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land." (Famine - things get tough and Abram panics). "And it came to pass, when he was close to entering  Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, 'Indeed now, I know you are a woman of beautiful countenance.  Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that thay will say, 'This is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you."

Three Things to see here: 

• Whether Abraham lives or not doesn't depend on Sarah.

• When we panic, our whole focus gets twisted; we forget what God has said. Proverbs 3:25-26 (NKJV): "Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being taken."

• We tend to give attention to what people think - instead of what God's Word says.
  

2. GOOD INTENTION MISTAKES:

This is a mistake made ignorantly with an absolutely pure motive.
* Moses in delivering the Israelites from Egypt.
Middle age says, "I'll do it my way." Age has nothing to do with making mistakes! Job 32:8-9: "But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. Great men are not always wise, nor do the aged always understand justice."
Moses' good intention led to tragedy and the sin of murder. Problem: Moses thought everybody would understand his "good intention mistake." Acts 7:23-25: "And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian. For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God, by his hand, would deliver them, but they understood not."

3. NEGLIGENT MISTAKES:

Men, especially, suffer from this one. A result of laziness or oversight.
1 Kings 1:5-6: "Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself (Haggith was King David's wife - one of many. If you study the genealogy of David, you'll discover that he was grossly guilty of polygamy; at least 18 wives), saying, 'I will be king'; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, 'Why have you done so? . . . '"
A picture of passive negligence. Benjamin Franklin once said, "A little neglect may heed mischief: for want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse, the rider was lost . . . "

4. BLIND SPOT MISTAKES:

See Galatians 2:11-14. Blind spot mistakes are so obvious to everyone but the victim! Double mindedness is caused by "blind-spot" mistakes.
As believers, there are two kinds of warfare. The first comes because of who we are in Christ. Paul said to Timothy, "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12).
But there is a second kind of warfare that the devil has nothing to do with, but certainly will take advantage of, if we live in denial. This warfare I call "Unnecessary Warfare." The kind we bring upon ourselves because of poor judgment.

Let your faith today be released to a new level by avoiding:
                1. Panic Prompted Mistakes.
                2. Good Intentioned Mistakes.
                3. Negligent Mistakes.
                4. Blind Spot Mistakes.

Bible  Readings:  

Meditate further on the chapters that Randy has shared with us. And Psalm 86.

Please Pray This Prayer: