SET UP YOUR DEFENSES

Today’s Focus: With proper preparation, you can counterattack when the enemy tries to weaken your creative commitment.

Have you ever seen a museum, government building, or bank without a guard?

Probably not.

We all expect buildings with valuable contents to have people stationed around them to keep them protected.

Just one moment of inattention from these individuals can result in tragic circumstances.

So, a guard’s primary job is to stay watchful and to do whatever it takes to maintain their post.

What about the treasures in your own life?

The Bible tells us, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23, NKJV). Sounds pretty important.

The word ‘diligence’ is mishmar in the original Hebrew, which is translated guard, deposit, or watch.

If we are to watch over our hearts, there must be a treasure to guard and a thief looking to take it from us.

The creative goals and dreams in your heart are a treasure that God has placed there, and your enemy has every intention of stealing them.

If he can’t take them from you, he’ll make you miserable while pursuing them.

If you want to prevent this, you’ll need to set up your defenses in advance to protect yourself and your thoughts from theft and ruin.

Thankfully, God has already provided you with a laundry list of defenses against these evil schemes.

Your Defense List

One is the shield of faith, which we mentioned earlier in our first lesson.

Faith in this instance is not simply a general belief in God. The Greek word pístis implies a deep conviction or persuasion that you are standing on God’s promises.

This is a key element to defending yourself against thoughts that the creative lifestyle you’re striving to live is unrealistic or unsustainable.

When the enemy tries to hit you with discouragement, you must counterattack with conviction.

You have to know and trust that God is the one leading you in your creative calling and He will fulfill his purposes through you.

Another attack you can prepare for is fatigue and weariness. Every soldier knows that you can only fight for so long before the wear and tear makes you more vulnerable.

The non-stop pace of the artistic lifestyle can make rest feel like defeat, and taking a break seems like losing ground.

To combat the weapon of weariness, the Scriptural pattern is clear - your rest must be routine. Whether it’s the weekly Sabbath, the consistent rhythm of taking time away from your work, or taking vacations or stay-cations, you can fight against burnout by dimming the flame yourself.

After almost every major miracle, Jesus either retreated to a desert place or told his disciples to immediately move on to rest and recover. The same should be said for us before and after any major creative effort.

Recharging and restorative time is a key for sustainable creative work, and it allows us to refresh our spiritual resources before undertaking other projects.

There’s no inspiration without respiration.

In other words, stop and breathe.

If you have your defenses prepared for these kinds of attacks, you’ll be able to see your way through the mental battles that threaten to take away your creative treasure.

What’s the last step in setting up your battle plan to win the creative inner war? We’ll tackle that in our conclusion.

APPLICATION FOR TODAY

Think over the times that you have felt discouraged or weary in your creative activities. What was your response? Today, commit to setting your foundation of faith as a constant response to any discouragement and intentionally plan moments of prayer, rest and renewal to counteract the weight of weariness.