Where the battle comes from...
I am in the midst of battle. Things have gone really well for the first six weeks of the new business. Now, a battle is coming after me - professionally and personally. I am - no easier way to say this - under assault.

The assault is going after my wife as well. Why is that? Why my wife? Satan came after Eve in the garden - not Adam. What is the best way to cripple a man? Take out his wife.

I had breakfast this morning with my band of brothers and Chuck joined our group. He attended Wild at Heart in Colorado in August. He is a pastor of a mainline protestant old-money downtown church. In a few words he said, "that weekend changed my life." Amen. It changed mine too. "For the first time," he continued, "I see the enemy. We don't talk about the enemy in my denomination. We don't talk about battle. I see now very clearly the 'big picture' and the battle all around me." Amen to that as well - that was clearly my #1 take away from Wild at Heart.

He then zeroed in on a key point that struck me right where I am today - "I realized that what I battle is coming IN on me - NOT from WITHIN me."

The enemy's great lie is "see, you really are a failure". "See Richard, this business won't work - your former co-workers will destroy you. You'll be seen for what you are - a failure."

NO. NO. NO. That is just wrong and when we hear that, we need to claim it for what it is - a foul lie hissed by the evil one.

The foul one makes us think it is our problem - that we are far less than pleasing to God. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The battle is coming IN on me. It is coming from the outside. It isn't inside me. Deep down, I am not rotten. Deep down, I have a new heart in Jesus and I have been wiped clean. He fought for me. He rescued me.

He liberated me - He set me FREE. I am FREE of that and Satan has no hold on me. Yes, tough times will come and yes there will be hardships in launching a new business but we shaped this business around God and we sought Him in every step along the way. Like Elijah, God just asks us to trust Him and He will take care of us. Yes there will be some hunger along the way but the Liberator will make every provision we need.

Never forget - the attack comes IN on you - not from WITHIN you. Also never forget (as Brad Evangelista said recently) - Jesus isn't some meek, kind, tame man - Jesus is THE King. THE Lord of lords. He is a warrior and He doesn't save the game by coming from behind to beat the devil with a last second hail mary. No Jesus fights for us and wins for us ALL THE TIME!

Soar!