Lateral Defense
“Lateral defense is often a literal sidestepping, in an abrupt or fast way to get around the opposition.
I want to get you to do the same spiritually, more so, that the enemies you are encountering will be put to dismay!
The enemy often steps up from behind, or will bring a confrontational type affront through another individual.
When the arrows are coming from someone directly that you know, it is possible to make a lateral defense by sidestepping the issue often. But you need to come to Me, to teach you how to do this at that moment.
Confrontation is not the ONLY way to deal with opposition. Sometimes, when I was confronted on earth, I answered back, but sometimes I stepped out of the situation by sidestepping all the attack and I disappeared out from under the attack.
Sometimes the enemy had the pharisees attack Me in one way, like when they brought to Me the woman caught in adultery.
Instead of confronting them verbally by calling them hypocrites like I did at other times, I accepted the challenge, but in that case I wrote in the sand, and made a comment back to them… ”He who is without sin, cast the first stone.”
I didn’t counter that she deserved to be stoned, but rather confronted their own sin in light of their accusations of her.
This is a lateral defense. It takes MY WISDOM to make a lateral defense and you are going to need MY wisdom more and more in the days ahead.
It is not useful or expeditious to get into arguments. But rather to divert the argument by a heavenly retort or question.
When the pharisees tried to trap Me about paying taxes. I asked them a question… ”Whose face is on this coin ?” They answered Caesar, so then I could say what My Father guided Me to say… ”then render unto Caesar what is Casesar’s and to God what is God’s!”
Train you senses to stop when confronted, and to ask your heavenly Father, for advice in that moment.
The Holy Spirit will answer you what you need in that moment. If you are daily reading The Word and filling your spirit with the Word, then the Spirit can call to memory anything you need to say.
The best defense is often a lateral defense — a maneuver that skirts the intended reaction to put them on the defensive!
Remember that the person is not who you are fighting, but that you war against principalities and powers.
The battle is with the enemy of your soul. Practice makes perfect, so you need to practice turning to Me for advice in those moments when you are not sure how to respond.
Ask for the grace to do so and I will give it. Seek first the Kingdom of God, I’ve said.”
“Making your ear attentive to skillful and godly Wisdom and inclining and directing your heart and mind to understanding [applying all your powers to the quest for it]; 3 Yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek [Wisdom] as for silver and search for skillful and godly Wisdom as for hidden treasures, 5 Then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of The LORD and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God. [Proverbs 1:7.] 6 For The LORD gives skillful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding,” Proverbs 2:2-6 AMP.
“Behold, You desire truth in the inner being; make Me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart,” Psalm 51:6 AMP.
“There is another lateral defense you need to know of. It is worship and praise in the face of opposition.
When someone discourages you or puts you down or rejects you — to praise Me and to thank Me!
It catches the enemy off guard because you are not giving the response He expected. When someone expects you to get angry, enticing you to anger, if you don’t give in to the anger but instead Praise Me — watch what will happen!
Your victory will come through PRAISE! The enemy is watching always to trip you up. His goal is to steal and rob your joy and happiness, and to accuse you, and to accuse Me to you.
But if you respond in rejoicing instead of sadness, it is side-stepping all the emotions that come with giving in to his thoughts and jabs. It will quench the attack!”
I was then reminded of a story by Merlin R Carothers how he had a teen who started cursing her mother, and she had just read one of his books. So she turned to the daughter and said, “Praise The LORD!” and the daughter got very angry and began to curse some more! Then the mother turned again and said once again, “Praise The LORD!”
The daughter then turned on her heels, went into her bedroom and locked the door and didn’t come out till morning and never cursed her mom again!
hahaahaha. We war not against flesh and blood!
~ Priscilla Van Sutphin
PRISCILLA VAN SUTPHIN is the founder of Upstream Ministries, California, online at www.upstreamca.org and blogtalkradio.com/ Upstream. Donate to Upstream: via secure Paypal by sending as gift to upstream.ca @me.com or send to: Upstream, PMB 545, 14311 Newport Blvd, Suite G, Tustin, CA 92780, USA.
Profound.