The enemy within

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “A fresh start in a new year”

Our Bible verse for today: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “The enemy within”

“We have met the enemy and he is us.” That quote has been wrongly attributed to many famous people who never really said it. It actually came from the mind of cartoonist Walt Kelly who created the classic newspaper comic strip “Pogo.” Pogo and his friends were animated animals who lived in fictional “Okefenokee Swamp” and who often commented, in a humorous way, on the foibles of human nature. On this day Pogo the possum was reflecting on the truth that we humans are often our own worst enemies and we do things that are not in our own best interests.

And he was right. Our human nature is such that the biggest enemy we face in life is ourself. And the fiercest battle we fight is the one that goes on inside our head. The mind is a battlefield and if we are going to win in life, we must first win the battle going on inside our own head. How we think matters, and we frequently defeat ourselves by thinking inaccurate or defeated thoughts. Our thoughts sink us long before our circumstances do.

One of the ways to win the battle going in your mind is by means of the resolutions we have been prayerfully thinking about and making all this month. When you find ways to make your mind, body, and soul stronger, you become more confident. That then leads to more accurate and positive thoughts about yourself, which then motivate you to keep going and to try even harder. Success begets success. Make a resolution to improve in some area, develop a plan to do so, apply the discipline to get started and to keep at it, and soon you will find yourself winning the battle instead of losing it.

And the good news is that you do not have to do this alone. Remember, God wants you to live your best life. That is why, in the Bible, over-and-over again, He has given us promises like that found in Isaiah 41:10 (above). God exhorts us to remember that He is with us; He will strengthen us for the fight; and He will help us to have victory over the circumstances. Therefore, we do not fear; we are not afraid; and we do not shrink from the challenge. Instead, we do our part and we trust that God will do His part by helping and strengthening us.

“We have met the enemy and he is us.” Yes, unfortunately, that is often true. But it’s also true that you can be your own ally and asset. Rather than the enemy within you can be the ally within. You have to be part of the solution. You have to help yourself. Whatever improvements that need to be made in your life, you and God can accomplish it together. Just make sure you are being part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

Share this:

Related

Leave a comment Cancel reply