The Enemy Has No New Tricks
By MaryEllen Replenished Hope Ministries
When I was 23 years old, I had broken off a relationship where we had both wanted to marry each other but circumstances were just not going to come into alignment for that to happen. I started dating someone new who was really a rebound relationship for me. We were both managers for a financial company and we enjoyed a friendship. I can’t say there was much more to the relationship on my end. I knew there were sides to him that “preyed” on weak minded people, but I was far from a weak minded person, so I didn’t experience that aspect of his personality. About 10 months into the relationship, he started to shift towards me. I am not someone who engages in fights with people as a general rule, but I surely can hold my own when it comes to my door. He had a habit of verbally attacking by saying completely ridiculous and false statements about the other person so that they spent a ton of energy answering the absurdity, until they eventually got too weak to continue. He considered that a victory if he could get the other person off center and on the defensive. It really didn’t matter what the core of the “discussion” was about, he was going to throw nonsense statement after nonsense statement at the person. Your only option was to leave the area completely. Personal attacks and button pushing were his specialty.
It did not take long before I realized that he was not going to stop behaving in this manner nor was I going to be baited into this cyclical web from satan. I spent the next few weeks evaluating my options and where I wanted to take my life. I was not staying in this relationship. I was enrolled in college and went to one of my professors to get his take on my options. He had become a good confidante and friend over my time at this college. Although temporarily dropping out of college was not what I wanted to do, I did ultimately decide to take a job in NYC and move out of the area completely. I needed a whole new change in my life on every level. The ex-boyfriend spent the next year begging me to come back and I never even remotely entertained the idea. I have high standards on how I should be treated that I will not bend on.
In 2012, God introduced me to someone who He wanted me to be connected in ministry with. At first, I was excited for the adventure, but soon things started to go south. They seemed to be in competition with me concerning mantles and anointings. They were in competition on who had a stronger ability to hear from God and know His movements season to season. Everything God prophetically gave me, they would challenge, mock, and undermine. BUT God always showed up to protect me. I tried for a while to make things work because I felt that is what God desired. There became a point where their free-will to be out of alignment with God was harming me personally. I had to walk away completely.
I compare these two moments in my life for a reason. The attack from the enemy was exactly the same. This second person would throw a million topics of attacks at me hoping I would jump at one or all, trying to defend who I was in God. They would attack every aspect about who I was to the absurdity that not even slightly truth. As a last attempt, they attacked my looks which really just shows what type of person this is. I sometimes wonder what God was hoping for in this connection. The years of questions have quieted because I just simply do not care any longer the reasons why.
I have felt for the past few days that many have been in or are currently experiencing people around you that are “repeats” from the enemy. The patterns are so familiar even right down to the words used against you. Not much you do or not do matters in having better interactions. Your peace even bothers them beyond measure. I will say that God does not intend for you to be abused by anyone. There are surely times when you must take your Spiritual Sword and sever all connections for good. We all have choices in how we will conduct ourselves day in and day out. I have a simple philosophy; if there is no good fruit, prune off that branch. I do not have the ability to make bad fruit turn into good fruit. Only God truly can.
This is a Season like None Other. Do not waste your time with what is only toxic towards you in the end. Let Go, Move Forward, Press On! So much better awaits you just around the bend. Our time and energy can be better served for us and the Kingdom when we choose to not entertain demonic distractions. Walk in Freedom. Let the days of Shame and Condemnation wash off of you. God is for you! Let today be the day of total Change and Transformation in your life!
~Many Blessings,
MaryEllen Replenished Hope Ministries Replenished Hope replenishedhope.com