The 5 D's
I am what you would call a ' Big God' person. By that I mean, that I don't focus on the enemy when I pray - I focus on God. I don't go looking for demons under every bush or rock, and I don't see the demonic everywhere and in every situation.
BUT....and here's the BUT.....I have been reminded in the last ten years or so, that I can't be naive. We ARE in a war. We DO have an enemy, and that enemy's goal is to kill, steal and destroy everything he can in my relationships: with God and with others! So....in order to defeat this foe, I have to understand his tactics. Yes, warfare is inevitable.
As a leader, I have to be aware that am going to be 'contended for'. As a leader, I can't let false humility lead me into dangerous traps: eg. " Oh, who am I to ask people to pray for me." or better yet, ' I'm nothing special - just little 'ol me'! No way! We have to understand 'who' we are and fight accordingly. The enemy wants to stop leaders ( and every Christian) anyway he can. The reason why I emphasize what leaders need to do tho, is simply this: if you are being a leader, that means you have people following you! That, by it's simple definition means, if you fall, quit, give in, burn out, step down etc., then that action will not only effect you, but those following you! So...that is why I keep saying that Leaders must get consistent, intentional prayer coverage AND be aware of the tactics of the enemy.
One such tactic is: the 5 D's. I'll give you a brief description of them. If you want an in depth look at these 5 D's and their effects, check out Rick Joyner's book, " Epic Battles of the Last Days". (It's an oldie but a goodie!) There are two categories of D's. First is the Deadly D's. Then I'll write out the 5 D's.
Deadly D's.
1. Disappointment - when our expectations are not met
2. Distraction - when we are focusing on anything else, except what is truly important.
3. Deception - which can often be the result of distraction. (you don't have time for the Word, or spending time with God.)
5 D's...( Spiraling down into Defeat)
1. Disappointment - our expectations are not met: consequently we are not happy and become disturbed
2. Discouragement - we are without courage - we want to give up or quit. We become disheartened and are ready to run, rather than deal with the situation. Our fighting spirit is gone.
3. Dejection- a lowness of spirit - a feeling of spiritual and emotional fatigue.
4. Despair - Hope is completely abandoned and is replaced with apathy or a spiritual numbness. Fear begins to take root and can be overwhelming.
5. Demoralization: At this stage our lives can feel filled with disorder and that, can cause us to make reckless decisions or take reckless actions - regardless of the consequences.
Leader's need to be able to recognize these 5 D's, especially in their own lives, but also in the lives of others around us.
As far as I know, the first person to write about the 5 D's was Dr. Joseph Carroll of the Evangelical Institute of Greenville in Greenville, S. Carolina. He's given credit for it in Kay Arthur's book , " As Silver is Refined ". Rick Joyner also mentions the 5 D's in his book, " Epic Battles of the Last Days". If you haven't read either of these books, I highly recommend them!
BUT....and here's the BUT.....I have been reminded in the last ten years or so, that I can't be naive. We ARE in a war. We DO have an enemy, and that enemy's goal is to kill, steal and destroy everything he can in my relationships: with God and with others! So....in order to defeat this foe, I have to understand his tactics. Yes, warfare is inevitable.
As a leader, I have to be aware that am going to be 'contended for'. As a leader, I can't let false humility lead me into dangerous traps: eg. " Oh, who am I to ask people to pray for me." or better yet, ' I'm nothing special - just little 'ol me'! No way! We have to understand 'who' we are and fight accordingly. The enemy wants to stop leaders ( and every Christian) anyway he can. The reason why I emphasize what leaders need to do tho, is simply this: if you are being a leader, that means you have people following you! That, by it's simple definition means, if you fall, quit, give in, burn out, step down etc., then that action will not only effect you, but those following you! So...that is why I keep saying that Leaders must get consistent, intentional prayer coverage AND be aware of the tactics of the enemy.
One such tactic is: the 5 D's. I'll give you a brief description of them. If you want an in depth look at these 5 D's and their effects, check out Rick Joyner's book, " Epic Battles of the Last Days". (It's an oldie but a goodie!) There are two categories of D's. First is the Deadly D's. Then I'll write out the 5 D's.
Deadly D's.
1. Disappointment - when our expectations are not met
2. Distraction - when we are focusing on anything else, except what is truly important.
3. Deception - which can often be the result of distraction. (you don't have time for the Word, or spending time with God.)
5 D's...( Spiraling down into Defeat)
1. Disappointment - our expectations are not met: consequently we are not happy and become disturbed
2. Discouragement - we are without courage - we want to give up or quit. We become disheartened and are ready to run, rather than deal with the situation. Our fighting spirit is gone.
3. Dejection- a lowness of spirit - a feeling of spiritual and emotional fatigue.
4. Despair - Hope is completely abandoned and is replaced with apathy or a spiritual numbness. Fear begins to take root and can be overwhelming.
5. Demoralization: At this stage our lives can feel filled with disorder and that, can cause us to make reckless decisions or take reckless actions - regardless of the consequences.
Leader's need to be able to recognize these 5 D's, especially in their own lives, but also in the lives of others around us.
As far as I know, the first person to write about the 5 D's was Dr. Joseph Carroll of the Evangelical Institute of Greenville in Greenville, S. Carolina. He's given credit for it in Kay Arthur's book , " As Silver is Refined ". Rick Joyner also mentions the 5 D's in his book, " Epic Battles of the Last Days". If you haven't read either of these books, I highly recommend them!
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