10 Landmines to Avoid in the Walk with Christ

Soldiers are trained in all known aspects of warfare. They are trained to battle the enemy on the
land, sea and air. These are the words a recruiter might say to a new military recruit. I want to
make a comparison to the training they receive which prepares them to look for landmines and
our Christian walk.

A soldier will have a tool that they use to sweep the ground before they walk on it. These
landmines secretly planted by their enemies are just under the earth and sometimes hidden
within dead animals. If they step on a landmine it will either kill them or lame them for life. They
are used by the enemy to disable any person or vehicle by an explosion of fragments that are
released at high speeds. Landmines can remain active more than fifty years after they are
planted in the ground. Fifty years, can you imagine that?

Our enemy Satan and his hoard of demons started setting landmines before we were born; they
set them for our grandparents and their grandparents, and so on. Some of those landmines went
off in our families past and we see the results in some of our lives. However, remember, they are
still landmines that we ourselves have to be aware of on a daily basis.

A. Pride

Proverbs 29:23 A mans pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
Pride based on the world's values always breeds competition, which leads to division and strife.
Instead of thinking, I must get ahead [of her or him], ask God to help you be the best you can be
at work, at home, and in your community. God wants us to learn how to work together to
accomplish all that He has given us to do.

B. Jealousy or Envy

James 3:16
For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
A jealous person is fearful of being replaced by somebody or something...The solution to jealousy
is not to deny it because you can never defeat envy and resentment on your own. It is found in
admitting it to the Lord, asking Him to forgive you, and then praying that He would help you to see
your life from His perspective.

C. Insecurity

Phil. 4:13
One of the most important steps is to ask God to expose the problem of insecurity. As painful as it
may seem, be willing to open up your heart to Him and confess your feelings of low self-esteem.
This is the key step to healing, and it is an essential step to gaining God's strength for your
situation.

D. Compromise
Ephesians 6:10-14

1
The Whole Armor of God
10
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not
wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this age, [a]against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
13
heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand
in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of
righteousness,

You do not have to compromise what you know is right. If you are unsure about a situation, ask
God to provide the wisdom and discernment you need. He always will. And if there is a question
in your mind regarding right or wrong, wait for Him to make His will clear.

E. Unforgiveness Towards Others

We are to forgive so that we may enjoy God's goodness without feeling the weight of anger
burning deep within our hearts. Forgiveness does not mean we recant the fact that what
happened to us was wrong. Instead, we roll our burdens onto the Lord and allow Him to carry
them for us.

Matthew 18:21,22
21
Then Peter came to Him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I
forgive him? Up to seven times?
22
Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

F. Unforgiveness Towards Oneself

When we refuse to forgive ourselves, we run the risk of suffering deep heartache and depression
- the kind that can follow us through a lifetime. And if we fail to accept the forgiveness extended to
us by God and others, we can end up suffering the same emotions. We never come to a point
where we truly enjoy the goodness and joy of God's blessings.

Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, [a]who do not walk
according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

G. Disappointment
You may feel as though your life is a mess...but never forget that God - who is infinite in
knowledge - can take the most troublesome circumstances and turn them around for good. The
question to ask whenever trials come is this: Lord, what do You want me to learn in this difficulty?
How can I become more like You by suffering this pain, traveling this road, and submitting to this
heartache?

James 1:2-4
Profiting from Trials
2
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your
faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing.
2
H. Fear
When our hearts are full of fear, we won't try new adventures. This is because fear limits our
ability to achieve the goals that God wants us to reach and enjoy...Here is the age-old truth about
stepping out on faith: it is much better to try and fail than it is to shrink back in fear and live far
below the level God has for you to live.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

I. Immorality
Never tell yourself that what you are doing will never hurt someone else. It does....He knows the
way to bring fulfillment apart from sin, but you must trust Him and learn to be still in His presence
- not agitated and fretful because you want something He has forbidden...He will show you how to
live with a pure heart.

Proverbs 4:25-27
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
26
Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27
Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.

J. Slothfulness
God expects us to live disciplined lives...To defeat laziness, we must be committed to the task
and to God. People who achieve success have several things in common: ability, commitment,
discipline, desire, and a stick-to-it attitude. They do not give up when life becomes difficult - and it
always does.

2 Thessalonians 3:13
But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

Sure these landmines are spiritual and cant be seen with our natural eyes, but we still face the
consequences, if we over look them. Sin in all its varieties are landmines to destroy us. Believers
in Christ are made aware of sin landmines and must guard themselves from the temptation that
so easily besets us.

I have good news to tell you! The Holy Spirit is our landmine sweeper! We must follow his
guidance and leadingkeeping our Spirit in tune with the Holy Spirit allows us to know things
much faster than our mind will. The Holy Spirit as the Bible says will guide you into all truths and
he will protect you because he walks along beside you, but you must LISTEN to him!

Dont lose your communication with the Holy Spirit, you need him minute by minute, hour by hour,
day by day, week by week, year by year You need him until you pass from this life and awake
in Heaven. You keep him foremost in your life and the landmines wont destroy or harm you; you
will be alerted to them before you fall into their trap because of God living inside of you!