The Bottom Line, Ministries Christian News, Articles, & Poetry 
It has been awhile since I’ve written an article. It wasn’t supposed to be this way, because I enjoy writing and would be sharing something almost every day unless something interfered. The truth is, even now it’s hard for me to write. My head isn’t completely where it needs to be, but you know…lesson learned! NEVER DROP YOUR GUARD!
The truth is, I got sick. I’m diabetic and I wasn’t eating as healthy as I should. It’s a struggle. You see something good and you want to eat it. Of course there are consequences. Your blood sugar gets too high and then the symptoms kick in. Fatigue, headaches, and even weakness. But what was causing these symptoms? It wasn’t just sugar. I learned a hard lesson.
What Happened
There is a “healthy” yeast that lives in all of us called Candida. It feeds off the sugar in our bloodstream and in general it’s harmless to us. But I messed up, and I was letting my sugar get too high. So what came next really caught me off guard. The Candida in my body overpopulated from the excess sugar and then all the symptoms kicked in. I even had a rash quickly form on my shin that was around 12-14 inches. It hit fast and it hit hard.
Now I quickly diagnosed that it was Candida. The symptoms were all there, so I began fixing my diet and taking healthy supplements to kill off the extra Candida. The problem with doing this is that Candida doesn’t go down easy. When it dies, it can release anywhere from 70-80 toxins into the bloodstream. When these toxins get into your bloodstream, it can alter your personality and even give you brain fog. I think I got the worst of it because I definitely wasn’t myself. I was cranky, moody, angry, and everything else horrible I could be.
It’s Complicated
Oftentimes when we think of spiritual warfare we take a very straightforward approach to it. However, the enemy is dangerous and efficient. I would gander that in some ways the enemy knows more about us than we know about ourselves. At least what’s going on in the inside. So what’s so complicated? Well, the enemy tempts us into doing things that we really shouldn’t. Even if it’s eating a little extra sugar. He knows that it can wreck us and that’s what he wants to happen. This is what happened to me. I dropped my guard and I got wrecked for awhile. Unfortunately, getting wrecked took me out of the writing game well over a month and I’m still trying to repair myself to see it never happens again.
Protect Yourself At All Times
If you’ve ever watched a boxing match, the fighters and referee usually gather in the center of the ring before the fight, and the ref tells the fighters to “protect yourself at all times.” And rightfully so. You drop your guard for one moment and your opponent will drop you.
The same type of thinking needs to be applied to our lives in general. This isn’t to say we should be overly paranoid, but rather keep ourselves focused enough on what may be looking to throw a jab at us. When we take this type of approach to life, we will be able to dodge and roll away from the attacks that come at us.
Beyond The First Dimension
The thing with protecting ourselves is it’s not a one-dimensional thing. We have to guard ourselves mentally, physically, and spiritually. Truth be told, each one of these areas affects the others. We need to keep it all together in all three areas so that we don’t get picked apart.
Now that I’ve learned this lesson the hard way, I know to defend myself and focus on the enemy’s schemes more. Again, I won’t become paranoid, but I will become effectively aware.
Final Thought
I’m still not where I would like to be. My head isn’t as sharp while I’m still recovering, but in some ways I’ve become sharper in that I know that I need to watch for certain dangers in my life, or I’ll get wrecked again. It’s not going to happen. For I may have lost the battle, but I refuse to lose the war. Thank you for reading and God bless.
1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
What secret battles might you be facing? How can you shutdown the enemy?
May your health continue to prosper “from victory unto victory.” I like the comparison to spiritual struggles.
Emily,
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement. And I definitely felt a lot of it was a spiritual struggle. I think the enemy likes to try to bait us even when we don’t realize it’s happening. Sometimes temptation is silent. God bless.
Awesome article, Joel. As a diabetic myself, I understand the battle you described. While many diabetics are able to indulge, we still must realize we are taking more sugar into our blood. It is so easy to get off the straight and narrow. I know I have days where I am off my game, and if I think about what I ate the day before, I can see why.
Glad you are recovering, and appreciate this article. You are def on the mark with this one. Welcome back, writer!
Thanks Lili. It’s good to be writing again. I certainly missed it and appreciate your comments. God bless.
Joel,
I really enjoyed reading your article. Your genuineness came through in your writing and I know it will serve to help others. As someone who has battled with adrenal fatigue syndrome, I can relate to what you are going through. The enemy usually strikes us at our “weak” points. Praying that the Lord would infuse you with His healing, and that you will be fully restored. I am so blessed to be a part of this ministry team, and I thank God that He gave you this vision for TBL.
Blessings to you,
Stephanie
Stephanie,
Thanks for the kind words, and you’re right…the enemy does look for our weak points. Sometimes the weak points are things we don’t even realize are there. I’m just glad that the worst of it seems to be over. Still a little fuzzy headed at times, but I expect a full recovery. Also, hope your battles with adrenal fatigue end. It’s always nice to be feeling healthy and I certainly wish this for all our family at TBL. God bless.
Thanks, Joel, for the explanation of the “fight”. You are winning the war because of your great Supporter! I like the way you tied it in to the spiritual battle the enemy brings into our lives. Yes, he is waiting – always – for us to drop our guard. Thankfully, if and when we happen to drop it, our Comforter, Holy Spirit, is ready and willing to jump into the ring with us to give us the victory. Amen!