The Enemy Attacks at Dawn

“Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat. Refuse to give in to him, by standing strong in your faith. You know that your Christian family all over the world is having the same kinds of suffering.” ~I Peter 5:8-9 The enemy loves to attack “fruitful Christians” more than anyone else! As long as we are just going to church, not witnessing to anyone, and believing we are doing our best; we are no threat to him at all. Fruitful Christians, on the other hand, are attacked daily. I am a worship leader at church. Leading worship is welcoming the Spirit into the church service through singing and testifying. We need to keep our minds and hearts focused on the Spirit's moving during every moment. At times the song service changes the entire way the remainder of the service will continue that day! The enemy will try in every way to disrupt this at his best. On many occasions, the enemy will attack me before dawn on Sunday morning! I may have trouble sleeping the night before, then wake up in the early dawn where the enemy is filling my mind with every mistake I've ever committed, trying his best to ruin the day. Sometimes, it will be a plumbing break, a broken A/C unit, a car that won't start, or a flat tire on the way to church. Last Sunday marked 3 years since my reverse shoulder replacement with no rotator cup. I planned on leading the song, “The Battle Belongs” in celebration of where the Lord has brought me from the day of surgery till that morning. I struggled for 3 years to restore my guitar playing ability since that shoulder is the same one that helps me form guitar chords. I chose this song because it has 16 chord changes in just the chorus alone! Oh but the words! “When I fight, I'll fight on my knees with my head lifted high; oh God the Battle belongs to you...” I woke up that morning with a pounding headache, my ears closed, and the right side of my face felt numb. When I rehearsed the song before the service, it sounded, to me, like I was singing into a bowl. I asked the pastor's son if he wanted to lead that one? He said, “I know your ears are closed but it sounded fine to me.” Of course, I was praying and as I played the intro to the song, my ears suddenly opened and I was able to play and sing freely! Through faith, prayer and determination, the Lord won that battle! Even though it was a first time led song, everyone seemed to know it and sang it loudly with conviction in their hearts! The devil's main goal is to make every Christian an ineffective one. An effective or “fruitful” Christian must be prepared for an attack.... even at dawn on Sunday morning! As we pray, read scripture and listen to His voice and really “Live Him” we are on alert! Attacks are coming! As the Scripture in Ephesians 6-10-11 & 16 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his great power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can fight against the devil's evil tricks. And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows of the evil one.” Be aware and be ready because it's not the question of if, but when the next attack will come. But our victory is in Jesus, and the battle belongs to the Lord. He equips us to be warriors in his service!