Be Prepared for the Attacks that Will Come

Be prepared for the attacks that will sneak up and hit you, run up to you and hit you, or drop down on you without notices.

Several years ago, I watched as a man (we’ll call him Dan) went before his superiors to discuss an upcoming promotion. One of the men leading the discussion questioned Dan about an event that happened when he left a job several years before.

“Did that happen?” The superior asked him.

“No, it didn’t.”

“I talked to your supervisor and he said that was the reason.”

“No, sir, it wasn’t.”

But the superior wouldn’t let it go.

Later, Dan contacted the supervisor from the questioned job. The supervisor had been contacted and he let the man know that Dan had left the job because of health issues.

With that information, the superior had questioned Dan in front of the rest of the committee with completely made up allegations.

Despite being confronted later about the made-up allegations, the superior never apologized to Dan, never told the rest of the committee about the truth of his conversation with the supervisor.

The committee will always be under the assumption that Dan had been accused of something completely made up.

It happens. People in places of authority will make things up to hurt other people. People in places of authority will manipulate other people to get what they want. People in authority will twist the truth to get what they want.

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How can you be prepared for the attacks?

The above story is based on a true situation. The details have been manipulated to protect the innocent who has already suffered enough. “Dan” lost his ability to trust in the process when this happened to him.

I have three boys, two brothers, a dad, a husband, four nephews, and enough male cousins to start my own sports team. Knowing they can be accused of anything at any time without any proof worries me.

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Several years ago, someone called me and told me my husband was having an affair. The accuser had no proof. The accuser didn’t even have a name of the person. The accusation came from someone I loved and trusted. Had my relationship with my husband been on a weaker foundation, we might not be together today. Why would someone I trusted lie to me about such a thing?

People lie. People misconstrue. People misunderstand. People do things that make no sense for no reason what so ever. People do things because that is what people do.

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Be prepared for the attacks because you never know from where they may come but you know know that the attacks will come.

When I was in high school, I was raped. It was an acquaintance. It was the 1980’s. Acquaintance rape in a small town would not have turned out pretty. I couldn’t tell you the date it happened. I couldn’t tell you everyone who was there. I could tell you where it happened. It was over thirty years ago, so I don’t remember the details.

It impacted me enough that I became a rape crisis volunteer when I was in college.

If I go through the story, I get physically ill. I don’t go through the story. I made the choice to forgive him, to hope he has done better and has gone on to live a good life.

You don’t always remember the details because you don’t always want to remember them. Sometimes you work hard to forget. It doesn’t make the issues any less because of my lapses.

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When Herman Cain ran for President in 2012, a woman came out with accusations he had said inappropriate things twenty years before.

I remember telling my husband then that I could never run for public office because I knew I had said things that were inappropriate when I was younger. “You probably said some things that were inappropriate yesterday” he offered (inappropriately I might add).

And that is where we are today.

What you have done for the last ten years or the last twenty years means nothing if you messed up when you were in high school.

You are not telling the truth if you can’t remember a trauma from decades back.

If someone makes an accusation then it’s true.

I don’t know where we go from here, but all I can do is pray and know that no matter what the world does, God’s Word stands.

That is where I have to go back to . . . back to the Word.

Prepared for the Attacks with the Word

Put the Word to work to be prepared for the attacks of the world.

• Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the full armor of God, so you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” It’s not IF but when the enemy attacks. The way to stand strong is to not do it on your own. Put on the full armor of God – which includes an investment and commitment to the Word.
• Joshua 23:6 “Be firm (and focused) to keep and do all that is written in the book of the Law of Moses so you don’t turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left hand.” The only thing you can depend on is the Word and without being firmly grounded in the Word and the Truth you will be challenged to turn to the right hand or to the left hand – instead of staying fixed on the Word.
• Proverbs 12:3 “Man cannot be made secure by wickedness, but the root of the righteous is immovable.” The answer isn’t in man. The answer isn’t even in self. The answer is in the Word and through the investment and understanding a growth into righteousness.
• James 4:7 “Give yourselves to God. Stand against the devil, and he will run away from you.” The power isn’t in your determination but in where you stand. If you stand in God and through God then the enemy has no other choice but to run.
• Exodus 14:13-14 “Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear! Stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord that He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today you will never see again The Lord will fight for you and you can be still.’” To put it as plainly as can be: God’s got this.
• Isaiah 40:31 “Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” The ability to keep going is fueled from a foundation in the Word
• Psalm 18:2 “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Sometimes you just need the reminder that you aren’t in this alone.
• Deuteronomy 3:22 “Do not fear them, for the Lord your God is the one fighting for you.” The world will be crazy. The world IS crazy. Knowing who is fighting – not only on your side but FOR you – can make it easier to stand despite the craziness.
• Philippians 4:8-9 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if there is anything good or praiseworthy the think on these things.” The focus you choose will be the focus you get. Choose to focus on the positive and the possibility for your life because you can’t fix the negatives of the world (trust me on this, I’ve spent enough time yelling at the television to know).

Turn to the Word to be prepared for the attacks.

It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than this.

No matter what you are seeing, no matter what you are hearing, no matter what you are facing, ultimately you have to turn back to the Word.

Be your best you, but also be aware the world (and the enemy) doesn’t care about you. It won’t be fair. It won’t be pretty. It won’t be comfortable.

In the end, if you know the Word then you know the winner.

Be blessed,