She was a master manipulator. Others regarded her as sweet and charming, but there was venom hidden underneath. Unfortunately, I was already entangled in friendship and in ministry when I began to notice the red flags. It was too late. The ministry I dreamed of ended up being harmed by her treachery. I had to shut the doors on what I believed I had been called to do.
In the midst of the pain, I questioned the Lord. Through the healing process I learned that the Lord had allowed an enemy to teach me. I ignored warning signs and proceeded ahead, causing devastation that could have easily been avoided. Now I have learned the difficult lesson which will protect myself and others in future ministry and life endeavors.
The Lord allows the enemy to win in the short term to teach His children a lesson for life.
2 Kings 5:1
Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram.
The nation of Aram was an enemy of Israel. Naaman, Aram’s commander, was in charge of military raids against the Hebrew people. There were citizens killed, others taken as slaves, people robbed, and families torn apart. Yet, it was the Lord who was giving victory to Aram over His people of Israel. God allowed the enemy to win! Why? Because of the idolatry in the land.
2 Kings 3:1-3
Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.
Joram was king of Israel at this time. His father was Ahab, meaning his mother was Jezebel. They are regarded as the most wicked king and queen in Israel’s history. Joram took after his parents, just not as evil, but still evil. This caused the nation to continue in idolatry. Thus, Aram was allowed to have victory battles over Israel. There was a divine purpose behind the pain. The intention was to sound an alarm to the hearts of the people, to draw them away from their idols, to repent before God, and seek His help. The Lord’s allowance of the enemy’s victory was to lead the nation back to God.
The Lord uses this strategy in our lives as well. God allows us to see the futility of our ways in order for us to learn to choose His ways. He will allow us to experience consequences in order to help us to want to repent. He will allow failures in order to teach us better choices. The Lord does all of this out of His love for us.
Hebrews 12:5-6
And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
The Lord is our Father. His discipline, even allowing the enemy to temporarily win, is to teach us, to grow us, to change us. His discipline proves His love toward us.
Hebrews 12:7-8, 11
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all… No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
True sons and daughters, what discipline are you experiencing right now? Do not shun it! Instead, learn what your Father is teaching you. Are there idols you are turning to instead of Him? Lay the idols down. Are there repeat patterns that keep surfacing? Acknowledge the sin and repent. Out of love, the Father allows these circumstances to help you release what is not good and to embrace Him alone. God allows the enemy short-term wins in order for His children to have long-term, life-changing results. That is the Father’s love toward us.