War Zone- Week 2 Tactics of the Enemy vs. Strategies of the Believer (Fatigue)

This week we will begin looking at the tactics that the enemy uses against us and the strategies we can use to defeat them!! 

We will begin with fatigue.  Note: not all fatigue is spiritual, yet all fatigue can affect our spiritual well-being.  Use wisdom in distinguishing the causes of fatigue in your life.   

There are two causes of spiritual fatigue that we will look at in this study: Weariness in doing good, and loss of first love. 

First, weariness in doing good.  

This is illustrated in the life of Moses. Numbers chapter 11 opens with the people of Israel complaining and whining, God's anger being kindled, and fire falling and consuming some of the people on the outskirts of the camp. We see here that Moses interceded for the people and God stopped the fire. However, in verse four, we see that the people again began to grumble, and this time they were saying, “Who is going to give us meat to eat?” They then began reminiscing about the “good things” that they had in Egypt: cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.  What about slavery?  Just a thought.  

We know that God had provided manna for the children of Israel, and every day they had enough for everyone. However, after reminiscing about the good things in Egypt, they began whining and complaining about the manna.   

Moses heard the people weeping and complaining and was displeased. He then said to the Lord, “Why have you been so hard on your servant? Why have you laid such a heavy burden of all these people on me? Why must I carry them alone? If this is how you're going to deal with me, please just let me die.” (vs. 11-15) This is the Larabee translation, however, if you read this passage in the scripture, you will find that this is really the heart of the matter. Moses was feeling fatigued because of the constant battle of being the go between, between God and the people. He was fatigued from dealing with the complaints and the whining and murmuring of the children of Israel. And he was also tired of having to stand up and intercede for them when they made unwise decisions and God decided to destroy them. 

I could only imagine, by now, Moses felt between a rock and a hard spot. God miraculously brought the children of Israel out of Egyptian slavery, and yet they were constantly whining, complaining, and forgetting the amazing things God had done for them. They just kept looking at what they did not have or what they perceived as their lack. 

Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines fatigue as: a state or attitude of indifference or apathy brought on by overexposure (as to a repeated series of similar events or appeals). This is exactly what Moses faced.  Repeated series of similar events, a.k.a: whining and complaining.  

Moses was ready to throw in the towel.  How many of us have ever felt like that?  Maybe we keep facing the same battles over and over again. Or we repeatedly find ourselves making the same mistakes or falling back into the same life patterns.  Or maybe we are living in a situation that is less than God’s best for us.  Any of those hit home?  If so, you have probably dealt with spiritual fatigue.  The enemy knows that repeatedly facing the same issues and battles, or living below God’s standard for our life can cause the believer to become exhausted, so he pushes and pushes and pushes until we succumb to fatigue.   

Like Moses, many of us are actively pursuing God, living a righteous life, however, repeated battles or situations we face, or even our life circumstances can cause fatigue.  In Matthew 10:22, after describing the hard road that lay ahead of the disciples, Jesus told them it was the ones who endure to the end who will be saved. Then in Galatians 6:9, Paul tells the church, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (ESV)   

You are probably asking, “Ok, Melissa, how do I endure to the end?  How do I keep from giving up?”  I’m glad you asked.  We will look at the strategy we can use to overcome spiritual fatigue after we look at the second cause: loss of first love.  Hang on!!! 

Second, the loss of first love. 

In Revelation 2:1-7, Jesus addressed the church of Ephesus.  He acknowledged their good deeds, hard work for the kingdom, the fact that they did not tolerate evil, and that they had endured trials and persecution for his name.  However, he points out that, in spite of all of this, they had lost their love and the passion for him that they had in the beginning.   

They were still going through the motions; however, their heart was no longer in it.  How many of us have ever found ourselves just going through the motions?  When we lose our first love and our focus on Jesus, we will quickly face spiritual fatigue.  

The word love here means agape, “agape occurs when an individual sees, recognizes, understands, and appreciates the value of an object or a person, causing him to behold this object or person in great esteem, awe, admiration, wonder, and sincere appreciation. Such great respect is awakened in the heart of the observer for the object or person he is beholding, that he is compelled to love.”i 

I want to address three potential causes for the loss of our first love. 

1. Familiarity. When we become too familiar with the ways or doings of God, it often leads to apathy, which causes us to take the redemptive work of Christ for granted.  

Familiarity must be distinguished from intimacy.  When we grow in intimacy with God, there is no place for familiarity.  Intimacy draws us deeper into God. It develops in us a respect and reverence for Him, we begin to agape Him more fully. Familiarity, on the other hand, leads our hearts to feel comfortable in our relationship with God. This level of comfort prevents us from seeing our need to draw into intimacy with Him.  Familiarity is the opposite of agape!! 

“My love threatens to grow cold when the familiar becomes taken for granted and neglected.” Greg Morse 

2. Focus on works rather than relationship.  Like the Ephesian believers, we too can get so caught up in working for the King that we forget to spend time with the King.  Intimacy is replaced with busyness. 

3. Distractions. Distractions come in all shapes and sizes.  Many distractions are specifically designed by our enemy. However, more often than not, the things that distract us are the basic cares of life (which of course can be influenced by the enemy as well).  How to make ends meet financially, how to manage our household and children, how to care for aging parents, the list goes on and on. No matter the cause of the distraction it keeps our focus from Jesus. 

The constant feelings of fatigue affect our spiritual life in many ways.   

1. Bible reading/studying 

2. Prayer 

3. Church attendance 

4. Fellowship with other believers 

How then do we overcome spiritual fatigue?  Following are three steps we can take to overcome spiritual fatigue.  

First, Remember. 

Do you remember when you first came to Christ?  The longing in your heart to spend time in the Word and prayer?  The desire to know him more?  The excitement you felt whenever you were with God’s people?   

Psalm 42:6a David wrote, my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you—(NLT)  

Psalm 73:25, Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. (NLT) 

We must ask Holy Spirit to rekindle the joy and excitement in our hearts again.  To create in us a hunger and thirst for intimacy that goes beyond anything we might already have known and experienced.   

Mark 11:24, I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. (NLT) 

Matthew 7:7, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” (NLT) 

Luke 12:32, “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. (NLT) 

Second, Repent. 

When we realize we have fallen prey to spiritual fatigue, we need to repent.  Hebrews 4:16, So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (NLT) 

We are promised in Hebrews 4:16 that we will find mercy and grace when we come to the Father.  He has already made the way for us to come to Him and for us to be restored to right standing and relationship through the sacrifice of Christ.  We only need confess and ask for His restorative work to be done in our lives.  As we ready in Luke 12:32, it is God’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom.  He desires to lavish His love and grace upon His children.  However, as we read in Mark 11:27, we must ask in faith, believing in order to receive! 

Finally, Return. 

After we repent, we then return to building our relationship with God.  We restart doing all the things we did when we first received Jesus (pray, bible reading/study, fasting, etc.). Praise God, He does not ask us to rush to make up for the time we lost, he asks us to begin again to keep ourselves in His love. Jude 21 says, and keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously and looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ [which will bring you] to eternal life. (AMP) 

In conclusion, spiritual fatigue can be caused by growing weary in doing good or losing our first love.  Thanks be to God; we do not have to stay in this condition.  We can be restored by remembering, repenting, and returning.     

Romans 8:1-2, So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One. For the “law” of the Spirit of life flowing through the anointing of Jesus has liberated us from the “law” of sin and death. (TPT) 

Romans 8:38-39, So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! (TPT) 

Friend, if you currently find yourself struggling with spiritual fatigue, ask Holy Spirit to reveal the cause and then pursue restoration through the steps above. Remembering that you do not live under condemnation, but in the love of God, which nothing can separate you from!!!!! 

Works Cited: 

i https://renner.org/article/thou-hast-left-thy-first-love/