Beware The Slow Blade

In the Sci-Fi book series Dune by Frank Herbert,  Paul Atreides notes: "In shield fighting, one moves fast on defense, slow on attack ... Attack has the sole purpose of tricking the opponent into a misstep, setting him up for the  sinister attack. The shield turns the fast blow, admits the slow kindjal!"  He is referring to fighting with a body shield that repels fast attacks from an opponent.  The slow attack is permitted to enter the shield and can be just as deadly as the fast attack.  In one scene in the book, Paul is practicing with a mentor and without warning looks down and discovers his 'opponents' (training mentor) blade has penetrated the shield.

There are times in the spiritual life we are so busy countering the attacks that come at us fast and furious that we neglect to look for slow gradual attacks.  These attacks are just as damaging as a fast attack if we are not looking for them, and can attack us without us even knowing.  Let me give you an example:  Recently I have been looking and watching for the fast obvious attacks coming at me from Satan and his henchmen.  Without realizing it, while I was busy countering those attacks, his slow blade had penetrated my 'shield'.  I had no clue.  The attacks came so subtlety that I did not see it and just thought it was just my own reactions to life situations around me.   I now know it for what it real was, a slow blade.

Just as in Dune, we are attacked hard and fast to distract us from the slow attack that creeps in with the attempt to destroy us slowly.  It is these slow attacks that we need others to be our eyes to watch out for us and to warn us of the slow blade.  If someone asks you if something is wrong and you don't think there is, consider the idea that it could be the slow blade penetrating your carefully constructed shield of faith, the armor that you think is impenetrable.  We need each other to counter these slow blade attacks.  Without the spiritual awareness of others, we could miss them and become bound by attitudes that can keep us from gaining all God has for us.

What are these slow blades?  There are many.  Some are failure, depression, anger, bitterness, etc.  They creep in so slow that we do not know they are tangling us up in their grip.  Listen to those that are spiritually attuned and know you well to help detect these slow blades.   Accept their observations and listen to them, and allow them to pray for you.  You may be surprised at the slow blades that have attacked you, keeping you from walking in victory in Jesus Christ. I learned my lesson, I pray that you can be made aware of the slow blades attempting to penetrate your shield so you can counter them.