SLIPPING, SLIDING AND STUMBLING

SLIPPING, SLIDING AND STUMBLING
Dear One,
    You know how easy it is to be preoccupied in your mind with cares, problems, toxic situations or unpleasant circumstances and you miss a step, fall down, injure yourself or break something. (Matthew 13:22)  You realize immediately that you weren't paying attention to your surroundings but were, instead, in your mind replaying some unpleasant event that happened or you were imagining some bad thing that might eventually happen relating to your present bad circumstances.   
    That is a perfect picture of how your enemy, the devil, works.  He sidetracks your mind with vain imaginations that cause you to stumble, slip or slide into more serious circumstances that he has already set the trap for you on your day's journey.  The trap has been set, so all he has to do is bring to your mind something injurious that a person said to you, a betrayal, an envious situation, a fearful quote by a religious or political person, anything to get your mind off of your present journey which needs your full attention.  As a result of being preoccupied, you slip, slide, stumble or fall into a more serious injury.  In that scenario, the devil's work was effective, which was to further your confusion and injury by getting your attention on his evil works that he had already performed in your life.
    Picture another scenario.  Instead of letting cares, problems, toxic situations or unpleasant events occupy your mind, you are thinking good thoughts, pure thoughts, thoughts of faith in Me, thoughts of a good report, thoughts that are virtuous, thoughts that are kind and loving. (Philippians 4:8-9)  Because you are thinking thoughts that are from My family and Me, I can alert you to any impending trap that has been set by the devil to trap you in an attempt to injure you.  Your thoughts are on Me, your Guide, and I can sound an alert in your mind about any of the devil's traps that he has already set for you to injure you and destroy your peace.  I can lead you right around them instead of your stumbling, slipping or sliding right into the midst of the traps and having to suffer the consequences.
     That is the advantage of being led by My Spirit. (Romans 8:14)  Number one, I flood your mind with loving, good, kind, merciful thoughts from me which attract good things to you.  Number two,  I alert you to the devil's traps even before you approach them.  You are spiritually attentive, in other words, because your mind is linked to My mind and I can alert you to danger.
    I warned you that your enemy, the devil, as a roaring lion walks about the earth seeking the people he can devour.  (I Peter 5:6-11)  In that warning I also told you how to avoid slipping, sliding or stumbling into his traps.  I said, first of all, to humble yourself to Me, which means to keep your mind upon My goodness and kindness, keeping at the forefront of your mind My love for you. keeping your mind in communion with Me.  I said that I will exalt you in due time, if you keep Me at the forefront of your mind.   I also said to cast any cares you have upon Me because I care for you.  So instead of meditating on the cares, the problems, the bad incidents in life, you must cast those onto Me and meditate on My goodness and kindness toward you in the past and in the future.
    I also said for you to be sober and vigilant, meaning to be serious about watching for invasions in your mind from the devil, being on the lookout for any negative thoughts that slip into your mind which require your concentration on something distressful.  I said to resist those thoughts steadfastly with My faith, knowing that the same temptations and afflictions are being experienced by others throughout the world. Paul added that when you resist those damaging thoughts that you should pray in the Spirit for My solutions to enter into the situation. (Romans 8:26)  Then I promised that eventually, after you have suffered the temptations and resisted the devil's images and prayed, I will make you perfect, established on My rock, strong and  settled into My peace mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically.  You will glorify Me abundantly again after the battle is over and the victory is won. 
    Those instructions of My Holy Spirit through Paul and Peter are wise and knowledgeable.  They tell you how to succeed in life, even though the devil seeks to devour you. 
    I said first to humble yourself to me and be vigilant to watch for negative thoughts.  Secondly, I said any care that comes into your mind from negative thoughts, that you must cast them upon Me.  I said to resist the negative thoughts of conflict, envy, anger, hatred, jealous and strife until they leave you.  I said that when you have done those things, I will exalt you, making you strong, steadfast and peaceful.
    My Instruction Book is full of ways to defeat the evil in the world, but you must be attentive to watch for the evil traps set to ensnare you.
    Now that you know how the devil works, that being in your thoughts and in using other people to upset you, you can be the watchman that I called you to be, always recognizing the evil temptations in your mind and through others.  My instructions always make you victorious over evil and make you successful in life.
    Your Father of Excellent Strategies.