In The Crosshairs

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Sistahs…we are being preyed upon. We’re being stalked. We’re being hunted.

There’s a hunting term called “being in the crosshairs” that hunters use to describe having their prey in perfect target. You’ve seen those graphics of looking into a lens and you see two simple, thin lines, one vertical and one horizontal that cross directly in the center. When a hunter goes out to kill his prey, he aims and must have the target in his weapon’s crosshairs, in that specific spot where the two lines meet in order to hit a bull’s-eye. Anything within that intersection of those two lines is subject to the hunter’s bullet and will be taken out.

Sistahs, we are continually in the crosshair of the enemy; have been since Eve told the Lord that the enemy tricked and tempted her…and will be until Jesus comes back again. God cursed the enemy, not us when He said in Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman...” Enmity is a directed, focused, unrelenting hatred for another person. We as women, just happen to be the object of that wrath because Woman responded as, “...The serpent deceived me, and I ate...” when God asked her why she disobeyed and ate of the forbidden fruit.

We told the truth and shamed the devil!

The enemy has us in his “sights” and he is ready, willing and able to take us down on a moment’s notice. This is what he spends the majority of his time doing, taking us out methodically and systematically. He has been doing it literally since the beginning of time. He did it to Eve shortly after she called him out to the LORD. So he attacked her and her family. Just as he attacks you and yours.

It’s not just physical attacks; he can set his sights on your mental health. Depression. Stress. It is truly a battlefield of the mind. He knows that if he gets into your mind and begins to shoot bullets of self-doubt, low self-esteem, self-hatred eventually your body will follow suit and you’ll be down for the count. This is a slow death; taking months, perhaps years to destroy and kill your spirit and soul. It’s not like the quick and dirty barrage of attacks that hit you physically; such as health issues. He can hit you with a poisonous arrow that will take you down in a matter of minutes.

He can shoot with flawless precision any part of your life, health, finances, jobs...whatever takes you out with the most misery and pain. He doesn’t believe in a quick kill. It’s not the thrill of the hunt for him, like it is with most hunters. He’s not stalking his prey for food or for protection or for survival, as do predators. He’s been cursed with pure unadulterated enmity toward one of God’s own. He is getting his thrill by seeing us suffer. By seeing us breakdown. By seeing us struggle. By seeing us defeated.

But don’t think he works alone. He has an army of minions perched and waiting to shoot us down when we least expect it. While we’re so busy focusing on our careers or trying to keep up with the Joneses…the enemy is trying to take us out. We’re not even aware that we’re being targeted. We think it’s just some generational curse why our finances are still in the negative. He will use a good friend or co-worker by stirring up jealousy and envy over a promotion or a raise (“She just got hired! She won’t be able to handle that position!”) and when you’re finally beat down by the negative feedback that should have been a pat on the back from those close you, he sets you in his crosshairs, aims and FIRES! We are being corralled by the enemy’s foot soldiers away from the protection of God’s Word, out into the open field where we’re ambushed. There’s so many of us that are dealing with a laundry list of issues, situations, ailments, etc. that we have no idea how we’ve gotten ourselves mixed up in it. He will use those close to us, like relationships that are toxic, to distract us from God’s will and purpose. He will use co-workers to push your “If She Says One More Word I’mma…” button. He will use your finances to have you robbing Martha to pay Mary. Now you’re depressed…sounds familiar? Now you hate going to work…yep, that’s me.

Now that same verse in Genesis 3:15 goes on to say, “...and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Now we all know that the “offspring” represented refers to Christ, but we can also be assured that the enemy will attack our own offspring as well. So not only will he attack you personally, he’s after your children as well. He will attack your kids, piercing them with arrows of disrespect, laziness, etc. and while you’re vulnerable trying to cope with your kids’ sudden moodiness, he strikes at you with unrelenting force.

“I don’t care about school! Just leave me alone!”

How do we protect ourselves when we are the constant targets of destruction? How do we not allow ourselves to be used as pawns in the enemy’s war against us? How do we keep our children from falling by the wayside and becoming tools of the enemy to destroy our own families?

God prepares us for ANY of the enemy’s attacks in Ephesians 6:10-18, 10, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

Once we are equipped with the armor of God, we can withstand any attack from the enemy or his army. It’s not good enough to simply speak with our mouths that we are protected, we must believe it! We must apply it in everyday life! We must instill this principle in the lives of our children! We must share this spiritual body, mind, & soul ARMOR with our friends, family and co-workers! Just because we apply the armor of God in our lives doesn’t mean we will never be attacked, but in doing so we will be victorious when we are.

Sistahs, it's time to Suit Up!