Protecting Your "Achilles' Heel" With a Solid Inner Circle

"Therefore admit your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed..." [James 5:16]

"iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy praise]" [Prov. 27:17 AMP]


Greek mythology includes a legend of the great and powerful Achilles, which is worthy of our reflections today. According to the Legend of Achilles, when Achilles was a baby, his mother, Thesis, dipped him into the magical River Styx (a river that supposedly offered powers of invincibility) in hopes to make her son immortal and invincible. While he was being dipped, however, his heel did not get bathed by these waters because his mother was holding him by the heel. As a grown adult, who'd had a great track record as a decorated and mighty warrior, he was shot with an arrow to his heel and died instantly. His heel had been his most vulnerable spot.

To this day, we have referred to this legend of Achilles and his heel in a metaphorical way (rather than literally), to describe an individual's "deadly weakness in spite of overall strength that can actually lead to a downfall" [ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achilles'_heel ]. Simply put, our Achilles' heel is that weak and vulnerable part of our characters that can lead us to sin and ultimately cause death in parts of our lives (or worse, literal death).

"Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin: and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death." [James 1:15]

Just as Achilles' heel was a seemingly small point on his physically toned and strengthened body, spiritually, our Achilles' heel may be seemingly small to us, but a crucial weakness that could lead to our demise. It is my opinion that in our lives, Satan is highly aware of our Achilles' heels. In all of our strength, he is in touch with the weak areas of our lives that cause us to stray from the Word and sin. In the bible, he is referred to as a serpent; and as a serpent does, he slithers and creeps up on us from behind when we are least expecting it. As a snake, his motives and plans for us are not to our benefit, but to his alone.

"The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy..." [2 Corinthians 2:11]

Considering all of this, it makes it all the more important for us to have a solid "inner circle" of believers that will have our backs and protect us through prayers and admonition from falling to an arrow in our Achilles' heel.

If you are struggling with an area of weakness in your life, it is imperative for you to have at least one person that you can come to and "be real" about your struggle and sinful thoughts and actions. According to God's Word, he implores us to "admit your sins to each other". But the purpose in admitting your sins to your friend is not to expose and shame you, but it is in fact so that you can, "pray for each other so that you may be healed..." [James 5:16]. We need our closest friends and "inner circle" to help keep us accountable,"in order that Satan might not outwit us". We need to be WELL-AWARE of his schemes, and protect ourselves with loving friends who is "sharpen" us and steer us aright from the destructive paths we may be venturing down.

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." [Hebrews 10:24]

"as iron sharpens iron, so a man (inner circle friend) sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy praise]" [Proverbs 27:17 AMP]

I won't completely "go there" and expose all possible Achilles' heels we may struggle with, because I think we are all well aware of our own personal ones deep within our hearts. However, some of our Achilles' heels can take the form of secret addictions to drugs or pain medications, thoughts and desires to cheat on our spouse, food addictions/eating disorders, fornication and sexual promiscuity... and this list could go on....

Whatever and where ever your Achilles' heel is in life, take heed from one that also requires her "inner circle" back- up to keep her in check:

• Be sure you did your "inventory" (suggested earlier this week), and have a solid "inner circle" of believers.
• Put down your pride and fear, in order to admit your weakness or sins to a trusted person who will pray for you and support you in the Word.
• Pray for yourself and believe that "whom the Son set free is free indeed." With prayer, God's help, and through the results of Christ's death and resurrection, you CAN be free from whatever is entangling you. [John 8:36]
• Finally, "Submit yourselves , then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." [James 4:7]

Protect Yourselves From Getting An Arrow to Your Achilles' Heel...

Let Your Inner Circle Get Your Back!

Mad Luv~Teri