Marching Towards Destruction

Ba-ba-ba-bum. Ba-ba-ba-bum. Ba-ba-ba-bum. Ba-ba-ba-bum.

The four-beat drum throbbed in my ears. Slowly, everything else faded from my mind until all I could see was a face… and the shadowy figure that danced on the edges of my vision.

I looked around, but everyone else seemed to be in a trance—the drumbeat had stripped away their sense of reality. I knew I couldn’t fight it. I felt dread. Fear. I was overwhelmed.

“Send an angel—I need help!” I prayed.

Immediately, the drums stopped. The face faded. The shadowy figure began to disappear.

The Reality Behind the Dream

I breathed deeply, reminding myself that I wasn’t alone. He has me.

With every breath, I recited truth:

He will never leave me or forsake me.
When I walk through the fire, He is with me.
He has given His angels charge over me.
I need only call upon His name and I will be saved.

I awoke with a strong sense that what I had encountered was a spirit of deception—the kind that causes confusion, creates chaos, and distracts people from what truly matters. From what’s real. And it wasn’t just targeting “the world.” It was numbing God’s people.

But it can’t have me.

I’m not going back.

The lies I believed in the past? The shame whispered into my ears during the darkest nights?

They no longer get a seat at the table.

It’s Not Just About Me—It’s About You, Too

As determined as I am that deception won’t have me, I’m even more determined that it won’t have you.

Here’s the thing: We give the devil and his minions far too much leeway.

We let him bang a drum that slowly drowns out reality.

Sometimes, we even hand him the drum ourselves.

We become spiritually sluggish, unsure of what God said, doubting that the spiritual realm is even real. But it is. And the devil? He’s been playing the same games for thousands of years.

Sure, maybe with a software update, but it’s still the same code.

Let’s Call Him What He Is

“Satan is a liar. He is the father of lies.” — John 8:44

His first move? Always lies.

He’ll lie to you…

Then try to get you to lie to yourself…

Or believe the lies others spoke over you.

I bought into that system for far too long.

I believed that because I was raped, I was worthless.

Damaged. Unlovable.

But Jesus came for the worthless.

The broken.

The ones the world writes off.

Because of His sacrifice, I am made:

Worthy
Whole
Redeemed

He binds up the brokenhearted.

He makes me white as snow.

And He lets me stand before God the Father—blameless.

When Shame Doesn’t Work, the Enemy Shifts Tactics

If Satan can’t get you with shame, he’ll try seduction. Not the obvious kind—the kind that looks like a small compromise.

“Just this once.”
“I’m forgiven, not perfect.”
“It’s not as bad as what that guy does.”

But 2 Corinthians 11:14 says Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

That means he looks appealing.

He feels right.

He won’t show up with horns and smoke—he’ll show up looking like opportunity, comfort, or “truth adjacent.”

Discernment Is Your Warning System

There’s a brilliant moment in The Fellowship of the Ring when Merry asks,

“How do we know this ‘Strider’ is a friend of Gandalf?”

And Frodo replies,

“I think a servant of the enemy would appear fairer… and feel fouler.”

That’s discernment.

Sometimes, the Holy Spirit doesn’t show you something first—He helps you feel it first.

You know that spiritual “ick” in your gut? That’s not paranoia. That’s protection.

Truth Is a Belt—Not a Suggestion

We’re told to gird ourselves with the belt of truth (Ephesians 6).

In Roman times, that wasn’t a cute accessory. It was the core of the armor. It held everything together.

It also sat at your middle—not your hips.

It gave stability. Balance. Strength.

Let me give you a real-life picture:

Some years ago, my mom traveled to Germany and ended up getting pushed down. She tore the muscle that runs from your ankle to your hip (yep, a hip flexor tear) and had to go through physical therapy to learn how to walk again.

Her therapist told her it could’ve been avoided if she’d had more core strength.

Core Strength Isn’t About Crunches (Praise God)

Spiritual or physical, your core is your stabilizer.

And before you panic: no, I don’t have a six-pack. My crunch record is about five (on a good day).

But a strong core helps with:

Balance and stability
Resistance to pressure
Alignment and posture
Movement that’s smooth and strong
Focus, digestion, and internal function

Likewise, truth—when it’s at the center of your life—makes you harder to knock over.

It helps you recognize lies faster.

Respond to attacks quicker.

Stay aligned with God and rooted in what’s real.

So What Do We Do When the Drumbeat Returns?

Because it will.

The beat always tries to sneak back in.

It’s subtle, like background music in a store—you don’t even realize you’re listening until it’s influencing you.

But you don’t have to let it.

When you feel spiritually overwhelmed:

Pray.
Speak truth—even if it’s just one verse.
Say His name.
Gird up.

Even whispering truth in the dark has power.

Even one verse can silence the beat.

Don’t Let the Beat Play You Out

You are in a battle.

But you don’t fight alone.

Don’t give the enemy the drum.

Don’t march to his rhythm.

Gird yourself.

Stand firm.

And don’t give up.