When an enemy defeats you, he invites his friends to feast on you.

After the deliverance from the hands of Sisera, Israel enjoyed rest for forty years. That was quite a long period of peace and prosperity. Deborah and Barak had finally defeated Jabin, Sisera and their army. But as is usual with people who constantly forget the consequences of sin and the pains of slavery, Israel soon slumped back into sin. Well, when you break the hedge, the lurking serpent enters and begins to bite whatever is in sight.

So, we observe in Judges 6 that by virtue of the slavery of Israel under Midian, even the Amalekites and children of the East had the effrontery to come to fight Israel. We are told in verse 1 that God delivered Israel into the hands of Midian for seven years. The permission to be under the slavery of Midian in no way included the Amalekites nor the children of the East, but because Israel had become weak, porous and defeated, even smaller countries that wouldn’t have prevailed over her under normal circumstances came around for some booty.

You see, when an enemy defeats you, he invites his friends to come for a feast too. To maintain his control over you, the enemy is willing to use your resources (human lives inclusive) as a bargaining tool with his friends. Who knows, tomorrow you may want to revolt, and he’ll need the help of his friends to fight you. So, the enemy allows his friends to invade your privacy and chase you so much that you’ll find yourself threshing wheat in a winepress.

This is one of the reasons God asked Israel to crush all the enemies that dwelled in Canaan. The same reason He asked Saul to wipe away Amalek from the face of the earth. Because an enemy allowed to stay becomes a thorn in your flesh and in the flesh of your generations to come.

One enemy allowed is many enemies permitted. One foe left undefeated and allowed to roam means many foes attracted to form a confederacy. One careless agreement with a friendly foe is destruction from inside that will cost the heads of your king’s sons. Don’t let anyone in.

The same applies to sin: when you allow small lies and exaggeration, they’ll invite their siblings, that is, the big glaring lies and bizarre exaggeration. When you permit a little lust, it’ll draw outright immoral tendencies including fornication; pride calls arrogance; talkativeness draws talebearing/gossip; anger pulls to itself murder; fear calls despondency; unforgiveness calls separation etc.

Catch that little fox before it destroys the vine.

Handle that enemy before you die. Your children may war all their life if you fail.

Fix that character flaw before it destroys you.

Make your ways right with God and enjoy peace. Stay on the evil track and the consequences of sin will soon lead you into slavery.

Fix that ugly habit before it disgraces you.

Distance yourself from that sinful association before it ruins you.

Root out the weed before it stifles the good seed you’ve planted.

Flee from every appearance of sin before it builds her throne in you.

A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

It is the rat inside that tells the rats outside that there is fish in the basket of Mama Chika.

Always remember, the power of darkness is the absence of light. The light switch is in your hands, turn it on. Selah

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