Deadly D's

This week one of my kids experienced something I've experienced from time to time. Something that they experienced didn't live up to all they had imagined.  I knew by the look on their face. As we talked it through what came out was there was a gap between the expectation and the reality. The result was disappointment. I've been there.

Ironically, but not accidentally, God has been showing me this very thing in multiple ways over the past week. I know when He shows me the same thing, in multiple ways, He is teaching me something valuable. 

I have a few flip calendars throughout the house with scriptures and short little devotionals. On June 1, this was the message on one of them:

Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 and the devo that followed was this -

 Has disappointment ever caused you to go into an emotional tailspin? Then, my friend, you have engaged in warfare with the evil one and allowed him to penetrate your line of defense. Let's take a look at how you can be more than a conqueror overs Satan's Five Deadly D's: Disappointment, Discouragement, Dejection, Despair and Demoralization.

June 2: Disappointment~ 
But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord, I say, "You are my God." My times are in Your hand. Psalm 31:14-15

The first deadly D is Disappointment. To counter attack disappointment you need to launch the Christian's Strategic Defense System ~ Faith that in meekness praises God in every situation by seeing it as God's sovereign appointment.

June 3 - Discouragement
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

The second deadly D is discouragement. After Moses died, God was careful to admonish Joshua to be strong and courageous. Years earlier the Israelites believed the report of the spies who became discouraged by the giants in the land God have given them to occupy. So they wandered in the wilderness 40 years!! What about you? Have you listened to the world's analysis of your condition rather than courageously believing your God!?

June 4 - Dejection
But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. Psalm 71:14

Have you ever found yourself mired by the mud of dejection? Instead of joy of the Lord being your strength (Nehemiah 8:10) you are about to faint (Isaiah 61:3). When dejection pulls you down to it's depths, reach up and take hold of His hand with the act of praise.

June 5 - Despair
Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. Psalm  42:5

The fourth deadly D is despair.  To despair is to lose or abandon hope. Despair leaves you apathetic, your mind is numb. O precious child of God, when you are in despair, look for a specific promise of God to counter each cause of despair. Then you will find yourself saying Psalm 42:5.

June 6 - Demoralization
For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, of love and of sound mind. 2 Tim 1:7

The final deadly D is demoralization. Demoralized people run in circles.  They cannot get their act together in any of the disciplines of life. Many times they are paralyzed with fear. But God has not given a spirit of fear. God loves you. If you are His child, you have His power. Use it.

Beth Moore writes in one of her books about disappointment and it's her belief that we can get caught up in a stronghold of disappointment. Never a meal good enough, no friendship good enough, no movie good enough ... She goes on to say what if we put our hope and expectation in God and believe He is about to do something new! Isaiah 43:19 - Forget the former things, do not dwell in the past. See, I am doing a new thing!

We cannot go through life wrongly believing no matter what it is, we have faith it will not work out! That is from the enemy! 

Beth goes on to write: God hears our prayers. Every one. He is either going to give what we ask OR He is going to bless you with more than we knew to ask!! Pray boldly!!

Sometimes our destinies hang in the balance with those answers. Sometimes dreams are delayed because larger issues within God's plan are at stake. Sometimes there is a spiritual war being fought. One of my personal favorite reminders of this can be found in Daniel 10:12-14

Do not be afraid Daniel. Since the first day you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard! But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me 21 days! Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained. (there was most definitely a spiritual battle being fought) 

Prayers are heard by God every single time. We cannot lose faith. 

Louis Giglio said "In the end it will be OK. If it's not OK, it's not the end."