The Line between Harvest and Spiritual Warfare
I recently saw a TikTok talking about how people hide behind God and blame the devil when they face the consequences of their own choices. I know I struggle with this myself, knowing that my actions affect what I go through. There is a fine line between personal accountability (reaping what you sow) and spiritual discernment (recognizing external spiritual or emotional influences). When we blame "the devil" for things we actually caused through poor choices, we lose the chance to grow. But if we take the blame for everything, we might miss the moments where we are being tested or just dealing with the "randomness" of life.
In John 4, right after Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well, He tells His disciples, "One sows and another reaps" (John 4:37). The Samaritan woman was at the well at noon—the hottest part of the day—likely to avoid the other women because of her "reputation." Jesus directly addresses her past (five husbands, and the man she was with wasn't her husband). We see here she was living in the "harvest" of her own choices. She couldn't blame the "devil" for her social isolation; it was a direct consequence of her lifestyle. When Jesus calls her out, she doesn't get defensive or blame external forces. Instead, she recognizes the source of the truth. She moves from seeing her "bad luck" to seeing a "Prophet." Discernment is the ability to stop looking at the "reaction" (the mess) and start looking at the "Source" (the truth).
Jesus tells His disciples that they are "reaping" a harvest they didn't work for (the Samaritans coming to believe). Sometimes we experience good things we didn't "earn" (Grace), and sometimes we experience hard things we did "earn" (Consequences). Discernment is knowing which is which. It is often easier to spiritualize a problem than to admit a mistake. Sometimes people use "spiritual warfare" as a shield to avoid the discomfort of saying, "I messed up." Blaming an outside force like the devil makes us the "victim" in the story rather than the "architect" of the problem. It feels better to be attacked than to be wrong!
Discernment isn't just about spotting the "bad guy"; it’s about seeing the source.
Self-Reflection: Ask, "If I hadn't made [Choice X], would I still be in this position?" If the answer is no, it’s a consequence.
The "Pattern" Test: Discernment is often about noticing patterns. If the same thing keeps happening, is it an attack, or is it a habit that needs to be broken?
We can't always control what happens to us, but our reaction is 100% our own. This means realizing when your "reaction" is actually an old trauma or a bad habit flaring up, rather than a spiritual battle.
Checklist for the Soul:
1. Is this a harvest? Did I plant the seeds for this outcome weeks or months ago?
2. Is this a test? Is this a situation where I am being called to show character I haven't used before?
3. Is this a distraction? Is this "drama" keeping me from my actual goals?
We talked about recently about a hardened heart. A hardened heart isn't always the devil’s doing; it’s often the result of repeated personal choices. Sometimes our "consequences" aren't just external problems, but an internal hardening that makes it harder to hear God’s direction. It’s the "use it or lose it" principle—if we keep ignoring accountability, our hearts get calloused! We see this in the Pharoh the longer he refused the harder his heart became not caring of his people being collateral damage for his decisions. Am I losing this opportunity because I messed up (Consequence), or is God cutting it away so I can grow (Pruning)?
What feels like a "consequence" or an "attack" is actually God pruning us (John 15).
Consequence: You broke it, and now it’s broken.
Pruning: God is removing something that used to work to make room for something better.
The term stronghold (2 Corinthians 10:4) refers to a "mindset" or a "fortress" of thought. This is where the devil actually operates. He doesn't always "make" us do things, but he builds "strongholds" of lies that influence our reactions. Discernment is realizing when a reaction isn't just "you being you," but a stronghold of fear or pride that needs to be broken. Instead of just "accountability," use the term stewardship. Stewardship is the management of what you’ve been given (time, relationships, words). If we are "bad stewards" of our words and hurt someone, we shouldn't pray against a "spirit of division"—we should apologize and practice better stewardship of our tongue.
The devil is busy, but sometimes we’re the ones giving him the overtime by doing his work for him. In a worked if deflecting situations into God and even others we must always be honest. The truth sets us free, no matter what the truth is God will always love us, we just have to be honest with him.