Spiritual Warfare #48

An Extreme Danger by Charles Stanley
The motto of a slothful person is: "Don't do today what you can put off until tomorrow." He is not motivated to work or to try to do his best. Often he will procrastinate and refuse to accept any responsibility.

This type of person may start well but never finishes what he begins. Deep inside, the lazy person may want to achieve great things but cannot find the right amount of energy or determination needed for the challenge.

The message we send our children is extremely important. If you are content lying back and allowing others to support you without your lifting a finger to work, then you are telling your children it is okay to be lazy. They will grow up lazy, and even worse they will grow up not knowing the potential within their lives.

God created each one of us for a purpose. When we live in slothfulness, we miss doing His will because we are engulfed by selfish thoughts and longings that will never come true.

Laziness and Your Emotions

What are some of the characteristics of laziness?

Lack of priorities, goals, and ambition.
Selfishness.
Lack of faith in God's call and ability.
A sense of pride.
Insensitivity to the lord and to others.
Unfinished tasks.
A damaged testimony for God.
Weakened relationship with God.
Ignorance of the truth.
Feelings of depression, anxiety, and fear.

Satan is always on the move, looking for places to hide his landmines. He wants to truck you into doubting, ignoring, and rebelling against God's will and purpose. Laziness is just one of his wicked tactics. If you give this struggle room to grow in your heart, you will face
problems
stress and pressure
emotional as well as physical pain
a lack of peace
poverty
penalty

Tomorrow we'll finish up the book with chapter 12, Diffusing the Landmines Along Your Path. I think we'll take a break from covering books in depth for awhile, and just share some nuggets of wisdom I've been collecting along the way the last few months. I'll share some of what I heard at the Awaken 2008 conference and point you to the websites of some of the great pastors who were present. I'll share some brief words from some of the books I've read the last few months and the wisdom of God's word. Each day will be something new to stimulate your mind and heart. I'm looking forward to sharing with you! Have a blessed, joyful day!