In the past week, I have seen several people struggle with reacting to circumstances. I, too, had such a test. I call it a test because I believe that is what it is - if the enemy can't get us to react, the weapon he has formed, or attempted to form against us, won't be able to prosper.

One friend has a situation arise where someone had broken their word to her and she reacted badly, this allowed the matter to get worse and worse. Although initially she wasn't the one in the wrong, her bad reaction caused an even worse reaction and it opened the door to the enemy to come in and attack.

Just a couple days later, someone else close to me heard some news and reacted quickly and it allowed strife to come in and allowed the enemy a way in. I have found this happens most of the time when we react.

To react means to return an impulse. You may recall years ago God showed me that we weren't to react to situations but to respond according to the word of God. Most of the time when we react it is in anger or agitation and that never, ever produces good fruit.

James 1:9 warns us about this very thing. It says let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;   As I studied this scripture I found some great insight and I want to share it with you.

To be 'slow to speak' means to be slow to use words in order to declare one's mind. It also means to be slow to disclose one's thoughts. To be 'slow to wrath' means to be slow to anger, slow to movement of agitation of soul, to be slow in impulse. Wrath is defined as anger, temper, impulse, any violent emotion, revenge, anger exhibited in punishment.

So often I see people being quick to disclose or declare their thoughts in a negative way. I find people being quick to show their anger, agitation and violent emotions. They are literally exhibiting anger and hoping the person they are angry at is being punished through their reaction. This is not of God. The Bible says a soft answer turns away wrath.

I firmly believe this is a tool of the enemy - he sends something your way in HOPE that you will react because when you react in anger, it gives him an open door into your life - don't react.

I also believe this is something the enemy is doing right now, in this season, sending situations or words or people into our life in hopes that we will react in a bad way - he knows if we refuse to react, that weapon formed against us will not prosper. Of that I am convinced - if we refuse to react badly, that weapon has no life in it and it will simply fall to the ground without producing any harvest in our lives.

I too, had such a situation come up last week. I was having a problem with a particular aspect of work, I reported the problem and I felt it was handled in a very poor way. As I saw the response, I wanted to react, but God prompted me to NOT react while my emotions were involved - therefore I didn't react or respond. That weapon formed did not prosper.

I encourage you today to watch for instances where the enemy would love for you to react...then refuse to react. Stop and wait and listen for the Lord. Remember, when you were young and you were taught how to respond before crossing the street? Stop, Look, and Listen. Apply the same thing here - stop. Don't react, just stop for a moment. Look. Look to the word of God and see what He has to say about the situation. Listen. Listen to what God is saying. Don't immediately respond in anger and agitation. Don't declare your own mind, listen for God's mind on it and respond in that way.

If you do this, it will stop the enemy from having access into your life - it will keep the door closed to the enemy. The Bible is very clear; it says 'no weapon formed against us shall prosper.' We have a part to play in that also. When the weapon appears before us, we can stop it in its track by simply refusing to react with our own impulses, and instead wait on the wisdom and direction of the Lord, then follow His leading.

In this day of fast food and microwaves there are some things that we still need to be slow about - be slow to speak your own mind especially when it is in anger or agitation or wanting revenge. Be slow to wrath, be slow to impulsive emotions, be slow to violent reactions, be slow to revenge and agitation. In this case...slow is good. Slow is best and slow is what is required.