Adoption Series

Day Five: The Enemy

Remember how I said that I am self reliant to a fault? Well, it turns out that the Enemy loves that part of me. He loves to exploit it and to make me miserable.

Maybe you’ve never experienced an onslaught of battle from the Enemy. You can guarantee that once you say yes to adoption, you have walked right into a very real and very dangerous battlefield, full of landmines, fox holes, barbed wire fences, and bullets aiming to take you out of commission.

There is a lot at stake during an adoption. There is a little one who needs you, many people who are watching you, watching to see grace (hopefully) under pressure, watching to see how you handle disappointment, how you handle hateful words, and plenty who will challenge the calling on your weakest of days.

God calls Satan an accuser of the Brethren in Revelations 12:10. He hurls ammunition meant to discourage you, to confuse you, to shove you down and make you want to give up.

The author of confusion and voice of discouragement has caught up with me plenty of times. One particular lesson was learned the hard way. Of course, I thought I was fine just floating on my raft on the ocean of waiting. I had my lemonade and I was content gazing at palm trees from my place in the calm waters. Then a storm blew in with epic waves that pushed me out to sea.

I was all by myself (seemingly). I felt so discouraged. So very very alone. I even asked myself, am I absolutely sure that I heard God right? Are we supposed to be adopting? Maybe He decided that I wasn’t good enough. Maybe I made Him mad. Maybe I should tell my husband that I am sorry, that I am just not right for this job.

During my wallowing, my raft popped and I discovered I was no match for the waves….I felt like I couldn’t swim. I felt like I was legitimately drowning! I called out for help from God and He answered me and pulled me from the waves. I sought godly counsel on what had happened from my amazing group of friends, many of whom are adopted, are adopting, are pastor’s wives, and are missionaries (I am immeasurably blessed with godly counsel).

I realized that I had listened to the deception the Enemy hurled my way and got lost in the waves of his awful lies. Jerk!

I listened to his lies because I truly thought I could handle all of this by myself. Oh my old foe…self reliance. I have learned to handle the Enemy by first calling on my Father, who has promised to stand with me.

We have asked for friends and family to pray for us, and to fight the enemy after putting on the whole armour of God. I try to guard my heart with the scriptures God has placed in the Bible to teach and encourage me. Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (HCSB)

Verses of the Day:

Therefore, submit to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. James 4:7-8 (HCSB)

Finally be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength, Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, having prepared everything, to take your stand. Ephesians 6: 10-13 (HCSB)