I was listening to an incredible interview between T.D. Jakes and Steven Furtick a few weeks back, and T.D. Jakes shared many thoughts that were compelling, but the one thought that struck a chord in me the most was ”one must study his life.” He continued on to say ” I look at my life. I look at my wife. I look at my kids, I look at my age. I look at my stage. I look at my influence and I stare at it. I stare and imagine, what it could be.”

” I build my strategy from my stare.”

T.D. Jakes

When I heard the word ‘study,’ I thought of a person that is hungry and alive. Studying means devoting time, attention and analyzing that subject. It’s not someone who is asleep but someone that is alert and hungry for better. Each one of us is driven to have better and to be better, if you don’t think that way, it’s buried deep within you. Hopelessness and disappointment may have buried that down deep, but it’s there. The irony of studying one’s life, is someone is studying you. How you operate, to know your weaknesses, your struggles and how to overtake you. To figure out your pattern and strategize a plan against you.

It say’s in Ephesians 6:11 ” you fight against the evil strategies of the accuser.” Evil strategies; a plan, a method, or series of maneuvers, to obtain a specific goal. His goal is to kill, steal and destroy you and everything you have. The enemy wants to throw you off your rhythm of success. To steal time from you, to distract you and remove your focus. We must be guarded and strategic against the evil one.

I believe this year is not only about goal setting, resolutions, or even becoming more ambitious but it’s time to strategize.

How can we strategize?

1. Study

It’s been said that 95% of your life is ruled by your subconscious. In other words you are sleep walking through life, not really thinking about the decisions you make or being intentional about the way you live.

As I mentioned in the beginning, we must study, be alert, and intentional with how we live. I recently got inspired by a course I took by John and Lisa Bevere, Reset 2020. You can get the free course, by clicking Here

They touch on family, finances, faith, fear, fitness/health, and focus. It’s a way to look at each dimension of your life and evaluate. What needs to change, what needs to be removed and what needs to be reset in my life. We need to ask ourselves frequently, “what do I need to do, to make this area of my life better?” We MUST ask ourselves the difficult questions if not, difficult times will come and we will be unprepared.

I watched many who are so hungry, and they had a rhythm. Momentum was building and success was on the brink. They missed one thing, they were not alert. They didn’t study, and the enemy brought a distraction, usually comes in the object of a relationship. They lost momentum, their rhythm of success was gone. They lost time, earned disappointment, and their time is now all committed to recovery. The enemy is watching and studying you! How to take you out, so you can never reach the pinnacle of success. This leads me to the next point, what’s your strategy against him?

2. Strategy

Enemy has a strategy to get to you, what’s your strategy against him? When you get a temptation, or a distraction? A moment of hopelessness and disappointment. What do you do so the enemy doesn’t take you off your momentum of growth?

I want to list a few things that will protect your spiritual growth this year:

1. Stand your ground, know your authority. Which means knowing who you are and whose you are.

In Ephesians 6:13-14 “you will be able to resist the enemy in time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground…” It’s not a question if opposition will come, but when it does come that you don’t question who you are.

2. Keep your spirit strong

Ephesians 6:10 “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” As yourself, “is it easy to get to you?” Are you weak in the spirit? Is it easy to tempt you, distract you, carry bitterness, unforgiveness, indulge in fleshly desires? Is your spirit strong and your heart guarded? We must be strong in the Lord. We can’t be strong if our prayer life is weak. I encourage you to make a goal in growing your relationship with Christ.

3. Put the garment of praise.

Isaiah 61:3 “a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Enemy cannot stand praise. When you are praising the Lord, you trouble the devil more than he can trouble you.

4. Be vigilant and alert on what’s going on in your life.

STUDY!!! 1 Peter 5:8 “be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion for someone to devour.” Don’t let that ‘someone,’ be you.

5. Be connected.

I believe this has been said the most in every blog on success and on growth. If you want to grow, you must surround yourself with those that are ahead of you. Who you surround yourself with, is who you will become. Find a local growing church, get connected to a life group, seek a mentor. Its time to stop waiting on others to help you grow, and rely 100% on yourself, because it’s no one else’s responsibility but yours.

6. Be filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 “instead, be filled with the Spirit.” There are so many resources out there! Podcast, youtube, books and courses. The only real reason why we don’t utilize these resources, is because we truly are not hungry enough. If we were hungry, we would be filled. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6 | Get Hungry!

I believe this decade is a time to really go to the next level in each dimension of our life, but we must be intentional. To study and to strategize. I pray this decade, you will stand your ground and you will implement these strategies against the evil one!

Let us know which strategy are you needing and wanting to implement into your life, this year.

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Blog by Mariana Parkhotyuk
Facebook: @mariana.parkhotyuk
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Blog: @Mariana Parkhotyuk