WHEN WEARINESS ATTACKS...

Amalek's attack on the Israelites, mentioned in Deuteronomy 25:17-18, is a type and shadow of Satan and the method he uses to assault, hinder, and destroy believers: "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10a). Amalek chose to attack the Israelites when they were faint and weary. Satan tries to wear us down to the point of exhaustion so that once we are in that position, he can intensify his attack to bring us down. If you, a Christian, are struggling with weariness - if you want to just give up and quit - you are not alone. Satan is bringing this attack of weariness on the Body of Christ to keep us from receiving the harvest God has for us. And God is preparing a great spiritual harvest! When we plant seed in the natural world, a lot happens underground that we cannot see. The root system needs to grow and be established before we notice any harvest. Because God's Kingdom is based on the principle of seed planting and harvest (see Mark 4:26-32), God is doing much work "under the ground," out of our sight, to bring our planted seeds to fruition. This "growing stage" is the point when many of us become weary and want to faint. When we are doing everything we know to do in God - and we are doing it again and again without seeing the results we desire in the natural world - we can become weary in well-doing. We may have planted our seeds of obedience in faith-fulness and diligence, but we have lost sight of the manner in which the Kingdom of God operates to grow fruit. We need to remember the wonderful promise of Galations 6:9: "And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint." When the enemy attacks you in times of weakness or fatigue, stir up your courage, muster your strength, and rise up against Satan with the truth of God's Word! This is a good time to behave as a bold, aggressive lion! [The Everyday Life Bible, Notes and Commentary by Joyce Meyer, Faith Words, New York, 2006].