Tough Times / Spiritual Warfare / Breaking Through
A good friend, a fellow warrior, an inner circle member is really struggling. He has already broken through and is way ahead of me in this process yet he is really having a hard time. The enemy is attacking him on all sides.

I am having a break through of some sorts but, the honeymoon is over. Warfare is ramping up on me. I am losing the battle against stress. My job is killing me. As a financial advisor, I carry the weight of my client's investments. There is absolutely no glamour in what I do for a living. It is an extraordinarily hard business. The past week has beaten me to a pulp. I want nothing more than to make all my clients money on a consistent basis and yet, there are times when nothing I do is right. Satan uses times like this past week to beat the hell out of me as he pounds me with "you see, you are no good", "you're a phony", "your clients don't trust you", "you're a loser", "so-and-so is far smarter than you are", etc.

It is a tough business. Since 1999, it has been nearly impossible to make money for clients on a consistent basis. Even your very best clients (those that truly trust you) are always prone (it is human nature) to say "what have you done for me lately?"

I'm OK with it and I will survive it. It has just been a very tough week and I see that there is warfare going on all around me. My friend is struggling with it and now, I am.

This is why it is called a break through. The image of literally breaking through a wall implies a degree of difficulty and pain. Like getting through a wall of sheet glass - it ain't easy and you're going to bleed but there is something wonderful on the other side of the pain. Part of the break through for me professionally is a release of my control over this - I turn it over to God. He knows exactly what will happen and He knows fully the outcome of my life. He has given me talents and abilities and it is up to me to employ those in a way that will bring honor and glory to Him.