Do you sometimes feel insignificant, as if whatever you do will go unnoticed by everyone? If you are a child of Yahweh don't you believe it. There are more eyes on you than you can possibly understand. You see, the enemy knows what kind of influence you have and he looks for every opportunity to diminish that influence. Meanwhile, the world is looking for someone who actually believes and lives by the words of Jesus. The world wants to see if there is any sincerity left. You have more eyes on you than you can possibly know.
The enemy hates sincere believers; those that trust and live by the words of Jesus. He hates those who desire above all else to know Jesus and to walk in his footsteps. He hates and wants to destroy a powerful testimony. So he will push and prod and lay down traps to try to destroy you. His biggest tool is fear. He may not cause situations but he will try to use the good things Jesus is doing in your life, twisting them to produce fear. A glaring example of this is found in Nehemiah.
Nehemiah had come back from captivity to give oversight and encouragement to the rebuilding of Jerusalem but there were many enemies who wanted to stop him. However, Nehemiah was there under the authority of the king of Babylon. He had full authority to do what he was doing so the enemy had to be crafty in their discouragement. Sound familiar? We have full authority under our King to do what we do but the enemy does all he can to bring in discouragement.
In this case, the enemy tried to use an informer, a traitor in their midst, to produce fear in Nehemiah. He told him that his enemies were going to do a sneak attack and kill him. He advised him to go into the temple and lock the door to stay safe. He wanted to produce fear in Nehemiah so Nehemiah would take a cowardly act to preserve himself. This would have brought a halt to the work, discouraged the people and showed a lack of faith. But the enemy forgets that we are well equipped in our relationship with Yahweh to see through such traps:
And I said, “Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!” Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me. (Nehemiah 6:11-13)
Jesus has given you a testimony so he may be glorified through you. Your life is no longer about you but about everyone Jesus can influence through you. Often the difficulties we go through are not about us but about Jesus using us to show sincere faith to the world. He is shining through our weaknesses, our circumstances, as we hold to our faith and trust, not complaining but praising. When people see us in our trials giving praise to Jesus it confuses them. But when they see Jesus answer our needs they begin to see the quality of his love for us. This is the thing the enemy wants to destroy.
There is a reason we are told to put on the full armour of God; we need it. The reason we need it is because on our own we cannot stand up against the fierceness, boldness and trickery of the enemy. The armour and the position we are told to take is all about defense. We are told that after we have done everything we can to stand, we are to stand. We have been given a testimony; stand in it. We have been given territory to defend; defend it. We have been given instructions from Jesus; follow them. Don't turn to the right or to the left. Don't listen to the little whispers. Pay no attention to the rumours that produce fear. You are a fierce warrior in the Lord's army so act like it as you place all your trust in the King.
No matter how insignificant you feel at times, you aren't. So many eyes are watching you, trying to decide whether you are the real thing, a real believer, a real child of Yahweh. Do not allow the enemy to steal that from you. Don't give your testimony away. Even if you have to lay down your life to preserve it, understand, Jesus is able to keep what you have committed to him. I leave you with our brother Paul's words:
For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. (2 Timothy 1:12)
Fight on!
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