Back in September I posted about changing my sleep patterns (”The Man who sleeps late...”).  I did so well for a long while but as of late I find myself slipping in that area.  Once I began looking into all of this “In Relation to Food” stuff, Satan has pummeled me with one thing after another.  He knows my weaknesses all too well and has used everything in his arsenal in an attempt to reduce me to an emotional, sniveling pile of mush in the hopes that I'll give up on change.

I’m revisiting my “early riser” mission and will rise at 5 a.m. in the morning.  There are things I miss about my quiet early mornings.  I felt more focused.  Even if I didn’t accomplish much, I was ok with it because I had direction at least.  I know it will take me a few days to re-adjust but I know it’s something I really need. 

There’s been a sort of “revelation” happening in my heart resulting in spiritual warfare.  God has me poised to cross a new threshold to a deeper level with Him, Satan does not want this and he's seething with anger.  Maybe you don’t buy into all that demon/Satan stuff.  It does seem too much like a fictional thriller to consider the realm of influence such beings can have on our lives without us even being aware.  Yes, consider what the Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:11-13:

²    Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Satan is powerless to change the condition of my soul (bought with the blood of Jesus Christ), but he knows that if he can enslave me to sin, he can make me ineffective for the Kingdom of God.  That’s his mission for believers.  He fears us and will do whatever he can to keep us in bondage.  I’m reminded of The Truman Show and how Jim Carey’s character was in captive.  He didn’t realize it at first and while life seemed good, he was discontent.  Once he realized that someone else was controlling him and keeping him trapped, he sought to free himself.  As you may know he sets off in a boat and everything is tried to keep him in the grip of the “show”, even to the point of allowing him to drown if need be.  It’s like that with many believers.  Satan has us conned into believing that our bad habits, seemingly minute sins and such aren’t harming us.  So we hold on to them because well, life isn’t so bad that we need to change right?  But then, when we begin to try and break free, he furiously wants to send us running right back to our old “comforts”.

I’ve seen this time and time again in my own life.  Some things I’ve pressed through to the other side, sometimes being hit with horrible stuff on the way.  Other things, like food for example, I’ve run right back to the candy bowl of comfort.  Satan uses whatever he knows will get to you.  So, this is where I’m at, on the boat paddling my heart out.