Spiritual Warfare

I feel tired today.

It’s been a draining week—physically, psychologically, and emotionally. I woke up this morning after enough sleep, but not fully rested. The cobwebs in my mind feel unusually thick.

Still, the day begins.

I gather enough energy to get out of bed, metaphorically put on the armor of God, pick up my cross, and make my way toward a splash of water and the first cup of coffee.

I’ve walked with Jesus long enough to recognize that these are the days the enemy prefers. When the body is tired and the mind is foggy, the defenses aren’t as sharp.

Earlier in my walk with Christ, those attacks often caught me by surprise. Sometimes the enemy would sneak up quietly, stirring thoughts in the shadows of my unconscious mind. Other times the attack would come in plain sight—fear, anxiety, or agitation suddenly appearing without warning.

But along the narrow path, the Holy Spirit has taught me what to watch for when my strength is low.

This morning I noticed a headline that read something like, “I’m OK, but I’m irritated.”

I didn’t click on the bait.

The enemy has been using the “I’m OK” message since the beginning. But Scripture reminds us of the deeper truth: apart from Christ, none of us is truly OK.

The Apostle Paul said it plainly—there is none righteous, no, not one. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Without the blood of Christ, I’m not OK.

That headline also reminded me of something from graduate school over forty years ago—studying Transactional Analysis and the famous phrase, “I’m OK, you’re OK.” The idea was that we affirm our own worth by affirming the worth of others.

On the surface, it sounds harmless.

But without acknowledging our fallen nature, it quietly ignores the reality of sin.

Now the language has shifted again: “It’s OK not to be OK… just irritated.”

But irritation itself is a signal.

If I say, “I’m OK, but I’m irritated,” the truth is that something in my spirit is out of alignment.

God has already given us a plumb line to measure that alignment—the Fruit of the Spirit.

When irritation shows up, something else is usually missing.

Patience may be thin.
Kindness may fade.
Peace may feel distant.

The misalignment becomes obvious.

When I’m tired, I know these attacks will come. So instead of arguing with the feeling, I take it to prayer.

I ask God to restore His qualities in me—the Fruit His Spirit produces.

And something remarkable happens.

Patience replaces irritation.
Peace settles in.
My spirit, mind, and body come back into alignment with Him.

The tiredness may still be there.

But the battle has already been won.

And tomorrow… tomorrow is a new day.

_______

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11(NKJV)