In yesterday’s post, Pushing My Panic Buttons, I shared how anxiety easily mounts into panic attacks if we are not on guard. We focused on 1 Peter 5:8 where the Apostle instructs us to be ALERT and “clear-headed.” If we are filled with anxious thoughts, fretting, worries of any kind, we will not be “clear-headed” nor can we be alert.

We need to grasp how critical it is to be vigilant because of our enemy. The Apostle John gives us a detailed description of the enemy we are fighting. John calls him a murderer who hates the truth because truth does not dwell in him. His nature is that of a liar. He is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). He is everything God is not! The Devil is all about promoting fear and anxious thoughts, anything that keeps us from turning to TRUTH. He loves to cause doubts and muddy our thinking with half-truths. There is power in knowing that God causes ALL things to work together for good for all believers (Romans 8:28). But the Devil wants us to concentrate on what’s not good instead of what God can do!

My favorite hymn from yesterday’s post, spoke of the strength we find for each trial besides trusting our wise Father not to allow anything in our day that would not be His will; so, we have no need for worry or for fear.

I think another big part of keeping peace in our hearts and minds throughout the day is detaining “every” thought until it is weighed against the TRUTH of Scripture and passes the test of obedience to Christ. Then and only then is it a thought worth thinking! (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

So that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.                

2 Corinthians 2:11, ESV

Do not be outwitted but understand how he operates and turn to the Lord for wisdom and strength!