But God has other plans for you, better plans, where you can experience intimacy, rest, and joy beyond your circumstances. See, your God has just told you that even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you don’t need to fear any evil. Did you catch the operative word in this sentence: through. Your Shepherd didn’t just say you’re going to the valley. He said you are going through the valley. In other words—you are going to make it. I’ve been through enough storms to know the harsh reality of those feelings, so I’m not going to pretend following the advice I’m giving you is a cakewalk. If you feel like you’re surrounded and there’s no way out, I’ve got game-changing news for you—you are surrounded! But it’s better than you think. Our minds spinning seemingly out of control with thoughts that are not only unproductive, but potentially destructive and harmful. So often when we are asked how things are going, we reply something like, “Man, I don’t know if I’m going to make it through this season. I’m not sure I’m going to survive this semester. I don’t know if we’re going to get through this time.”

Don’t give the enemy a seat at your table | Devotionals Don’t give the enemy a seat at your table | Devotionals

In Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table Pastor Louie Giglio uses Psalm 23 as a framework to offer biblical insight on how to…But if we’re not careful, the enemy will pull up a chair at our table, and we’ll start reflecting his attitude to everyone instead of the Lord’s. Instead of feeling more secure, we’ll grow more paranoid. Instead of increasing in confidence, we’ll become crippled by fear. Session 1 Don’t give the enemy a seat at your table From Is the Enemy at Your Table?: A 5-Day Devotional First, if you’ve heard recently that it’s better at another table, then you can be certain the Enemy is at your table. Jesus’ table, the one He prepares for you, is about life and life abundantly ( John 10:10). Any table other than God’s table is about stealing, killing, and destroying. When the Devil sits at your table, he often points to another table and talks about how amazing it is somewhere else. He points to a place that’s not the table where God is and says, That, over there. That’s the solution to your problem. This is how God delivered His people from bondage in Egypt. He didn’t build a bridge over the Red Sea; He parted the sea so they could walk through it. Oftentimes God’s plan is not to build a bridge over troubled waters. Instead, His miracle plan is to give you the grace and the power to miraculously go through the troubled waters. “Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters—a pathway no one knew was there!” ( Psalm 77:19 NLT) You are going through whatever circumstance you’re currently in. And your Shepherd is going through it with you. The way you renew your mind is to wrap your thoughts around Scripture. You can take control of what you think about. You deliberately plant the good seeds/thoughts of God in your mind. As these thoughts take root and grow, they will help remove the destructive weeds that the Enemy tries to plant in your mind.

How to Recognize and Defeat 5 Lies the Enemy - Crosswalk How to Recognize and Defeat 5 Lies the Enemy - Crosswalk

Imagine that your mind is a garden. Seeds can float in on the wind or be dropped by birds or be scattered in your garden by any number of things. But you as the gardener are responsible for what grows there. You have the power to water the good seeds, cultivate the good seeds, and pull out any weeds that come from seeds you don’t want. When you believe the lie that everybody is against you, you are convinced everybody hates you. Everybody at your job hates you. Everybody in your family hates you. Everybody in your church. Your pastors. Your professors. Your parents. Your children. Your friends. Your colleagues. Your neighbors. Even the waiter spit in your soul. This is the voice of fear-based illogic, of paranoia, a voice that encourages you to mistrust everybody in your life.Certainly, there are subtler forms of this lie. The Enemy is great at sowing seeds of doubt, at working to undermine your confidence about what God says is true about you. You might not exactly hear the word hate, but maybe you are hearing yourself say words like this: Well, that person didn’t even look up when I walked into the office—I bet she doesn’t like me. See those people talking over there—I guarantee you they’re talking about me. They are out to get me. Look at that friend—I bet she never wants to talk to me ever again. I don’t have any friends. All my friends do things without me. No one ever invites me anywhere. Nobody likes me. But the Spirit of God is interceding for you: Lord, open her spiritual eyes; Father, let him see with the eyes of faith.

DON’T - Christianbook DON’T - Christianbook

What’s the truth? Well, it’s possible that somebody hates you. Sure. But it’s not likely that everybody’s against you. What’s more likely if you’re hearing that lie is that you’ve got your fist clenched and you’re ready to strike. Somewhere in the past you developed a defensive posture, an untrusting nature, and now it has become your default. Your walls are up.

Here’s the thing: you need to know the “not enough” anthem was composed in the pit of hell. It’s crippling. Debilitating. Paralyzing. Suffocating. It didn’t come from the Good Shepherd. When we spend time with the King in the presence of our enemies, we realize we have everything we need to face the situation at hand. We start reflecting His peace to the people around us — including our enemies. Instead of seeing you squirm, your enemy sees you getting stronger.

DON’T GIVE THE ENEMY A SEAT AT YOUR TABLE DON’T GIVE THE ENEMY A SEAT AT YOUR TABLE

This lie isn’t a reflection of true humility. It’s a club that beats you over the head. This lie whispers to you that you’re useless. You will never have what it takes. Have you been called to lead a small group at your church? This lie insists it can’t be done. Have you been called to lead your family with integrity and compassion and kindness and strength as a wife and mother who follows God? This lie tells you that you’re not good enough; you’re never going to amount to anything, so don’t even bother trying.How do you cultivate, weed, and water the garden of your mind? Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is— his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Whatever you give shelter and sustenance to in your mind is ultimately what will grow in your garden. You’re going to reap what you sow. The truth is that you need to let the Good Shepherd lead you by still waters. When God is walking you through the valley, you can stop worrying about managing all the outcomes. You can stop looking over your shoulder. You can take the boxing gloves off. In the beautiful comparative picture, we have of the Good Shepherd in John 10, Scripture tells us Jesus “lays down his life for the sheep” (v. 11). Jesus has put it all on the line for you! Break free from the endless cycle of destructive thinking and recapture your freedom to your thoughts and emotions It may be true that circumstances are closing in. Enemies have taken up their position in the night. Your whole world is surrounded by threats, accusations, missiles, and hate. But here’s the thing: That’s only half the story. The Enemy wants you to believe you are doomed. That there is no way out.