Satan's Tools: Stress and Severance

Last night I watched a National Geographic special about the human body from birth to death. The show was very educational. Information about stress really stood out to me. Did you know that stress actually accelerates aging? When we feel super upset, our blood pressure goes up and our heart works overtime which over time causes our blood vessels to harden--lose elasticity, which will lead to a greater demand on our heart to work harder; sometimes causing our hearts to enlarge. In the end, stress is a bad thing.


Did I hear someone say 'duh!'? Yes, we all know that stress is not good for us, but have you ever thought about how pleased the enemy (Satan) is when we are stressed? His job is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), and if stress is stealing our joy and destroying our lives, would it not make sense that stress is Satan's tool?

Stress shows up in our lives in various forms, but I think one particular and significant source of stress is directly tied to relationships-- specifically hurting relationships. Can you think of anyone in your life that you are not on good terms with? It may be not be your fault, or it may be, but nonetheless, it is a fractured relationship. Do you get stressed out by them or does your blood pressure rise when you talk to them?

My husband and I had a tiff the other night. I think I aged at least three years in thirty minutes. Our "discussion" was stressful and I was so mad at him, but because I have been more aware of the spiritual battle for our hearts I stopped long enough to confess in a hushed prayer that I needed God's help. To be honest, I hardly ever do that in times like that! This happened to be one of those divine instances where God was at work in me. My eyes were opened to the reality that the emotional reaction I have when my feelings are hurt leaves me wanting to sever the relationship, to divide, to disconnect, to run away and that is not from God! It is a lie from Satan!

When I realized that my enemy was Satan and not my husband, my attitude started changing and I was conscious of my need for God's strength and wisdom especially if I wanted God to have the victory. Jesus said, "If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand" (Mark 3:25). I did not want to my husband and me to be divided; severance was not the answer. Later on, I picked up my Bible and read Ephesians 4:1-3 which says:

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

Just a word of truth to us, ladies: our friends, our families, our co-workers, our children, our husbands are not our enemies. "For our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the...spiritual forces of evil in the heavens." (Eph. 6:12) Satan wants to destroy our relationships and he will use stress and severance to do it. So watch out!

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness... Hebrews 3:13...