⚔️ When the Enemy Attacks Before Breakthrough
How a "Failed" Gym Class Became Four Divine Appointments and a Personal Record
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28
The alarm buzzed at its usual time, and I rolled out of bed with purpose burning in my chest. Today's plan was simple: hit 24 Hour Fitness for the 9 AM total body aerobics class, push my limits, and continue this transformation journey God has me on.
But sometimes God's plans look different from ours.
When I walked into the gym, ready to sweat and worship through movement, I discovered the class had already started at 8:30. For a split second, that familiar whisper tried to creep in—the same voice that attacked me at 5 AM on July 29th when my phone died and I had no swim gear.
"Just go home, Marco. This isn't meant to be."
I've learned to recognize that voice.
"Not today, devil," I declared out loud, right there in the gym lobby.
When God Redirects Your Steps
Instead of retreating, I opened the 24GO Fitness app. There it was—a 30-minute high-intensity spin class starting at 9:30. "Psycho Sprint" they called it. Perfect. Sometimes God's Plan B is exactly where He wanted you all along.
I walked into that cycling room and took the seat next to Vernon, a distinguished 68-year-old man with kind eyes. In the five minutes before class started, this stranger became a brother, sharing pieces of his story—losing his father 35 years ago to a heart attack, his mother 10 years ago the same way. Yet here he was, encouraging a newcomer on his first cycling attempt.
"You got this, man. You can do it."
Iron sharpens iron, even in the most unexpected moments.
The Breakthrough Hidden in the Setback
After crushing that spin class, something stirred in my spirit. I felt led to hit the treadmill for a mile sprint. What happened next still gives me chills.
The numbers on the Precor display told a story of breakthrough:
Distance: 1.00 mile
Calories: 165.3 burned
Average Heart Rate: 148 BPM
Max Heart Rate: 164 BPM (98% of my maximum capacity!)
Pace: Nearly a 10:00 mile
Just weeks ago, my record was 10:48. Today, I potentially shattered that by almost 50 seconds.
The enemy tried to stop me from that aerobics class because he knew what God had planned—a breakthrough that would have never happened in that original room.
Divine Appointments Don't Happen by Accident
Walking through the cardio area, cooling down from my record-breaking mile, I noticed an older gentleman on the stationary bike. Something in my spirit said, "Go talk to him."
"Hey, why don't you join us in the cycling class?"
He laughed, a warm sound that filled the space between us. "Oh no, I'm too old for that."
"How old are you? You look about 65."
"Eighty years old, if you can believe it."
Eighty. Looking sixty-five. His name was Enrique, from Guadalajara, Mexico.
What he shared next stopped me in my tracks.
Twenty years ago, doctors gave him months to live. Cancer. Terminal. Done. But here he stood before me, not just alive, but thriving, working out, defying every medical prediction.
"I don't understand it," he said, his voice heavy with wonder and confusion. "Why me? There are others more deserving. I lived a loose life—bartending, loose women. I'm not worthy of this miracle."
I looked into his weathered eyes and felt the Holy Spirit rise up in me.
"Enrique, there's a perfectly good explanation. God has a purpose for your life. Even at 80 years old, He has a purpose for you, and it's going to be revealed very soon."
He laughed it off, but I saw something flicker in his eyes. Hope, maybe. Recognition.
"Your family is Catholic, right? Your mother, your grandmother, your sisters—they probably prayed for you a lot."
"Yeah, they probably did..."
"Those prayers are still working, brother. Twenty years later, they're still working."
The Running Partner Revelation
Before heading to the sauna, I caught up with Dallas, one of the gym employees I'd met earlier this week. When I shared about Dave's friend who completed a 100-mile mega marathon in under 24 hours, his eyes widened.
"That's crazy! Are you serious? Wow, that's dedication."
Then he surprised me: "You know what? I'm going to be running the 5K myself. There's one in Huntington Beach next month."
My heart leaped. "Perfect! I'll probably be doing it too."
What started as me inspiring others had come full circle—now we were inspiring each other. Sometimes the best accountability partners are the ones God places right in front of you.
The Sauna Sanctuary
After my workout, I felt drawn to the sauna. Sometimes God's most profound encounters happen in the most ordinary places.
I found myself sitting next to a couple I'd seen at the pool before, sharing stories about my kids being over six feet tall while I'm stuck at 5'9". The man next to me started laughing at my joke about demanding paternity tests.
"That's funny, dude."
His name was Urbano. Los Místicos tribe from Puebla, Mexico—an Aztec lineage most people have never heard of. He'd moved from Arkansas to California to care for his wife’s Mother, who struggles with bipolar disorder and has dementia.
When he mentioned bipolar, my heart skipped.
"I understand completely," I said. "I was diagnosed bipolar in 2010."
The connection was instant. Sacred.
Surrounded by about ten people in that cedar-lined sanctuary, I began sharing my testimony. Speaking with authority about how God is rebuilding this temple, about the Jesus parallel in my transformation journey. Urbano listened intensely. Others leaned in.
One woman got annoyed and moved to the other side. That's okay. Seeds were planted. Not everyone is ready to hear, but someone always is.
The Pattern God is Weaving
Four divine appointments in one day:
Vernon - the encourager who lost both parents to heart attacks but still shows up to cheer on strangers.
Enrique - the walking miracle questioning his worthiness, needing to hear that God still has purpose for his life.
Dallas - my gym friend who got so inspired by the mega marathon vision that he signed up for the Huntington Beach 5K. We might run it together.
Urbano - the caregiver carrying burdens I understand, needing to hear testimony from someone who's walked through bipolar darkness and found light.
Each encounter perfectly orchestrated. Each person representing a different facet of the testimony God is building through my life.
The Truth I'm Learning
The enemy attacks before breakthroughs because he sees what's coming. That "failed" 8:30 class wasn't a setback—it was a setup for four divine appointments I would have missed otherwise.
From 330 pounds to potentially breaking my mile record. From spiritual darkness to walking in prophetic gifts. From questioning my own worthiness to speaking life into an 80-year-old cancer survivor's "Why me?" moment.
God is positioning people in my path for this great testimony He's preparing. Every attack confirms that something significant is about to break forth.
When the enemy whispers "go home," God is saying "go deeper."
When plans fall through, divine appointments open up.
When you feel like quitting, breakthrough is often one decision away.
The Beautiful Exhaustion
Driving home, my muscles aching from the spin class and mile sprint, my heart full from four meaningful encounters, I marveled at God's orchestration. What started as disappointment became one of the most productive days of ministry and athletic breakthrough I've experienced.
That glucose monitor beeping at the perfect moment during my Dave encounter yesterday. The "failed" class timing today. Even the obstacles are perfectly timed for God's purposes.
Tomorrow I'll be back at the pool or gym, not just training my body but positioning myself for whatever divine appointments God has planned. Because I'm learning that consistent obedience creates extraordinary opportunities.
The Prophetic Declaration
Today wasn't just productive. It was prophetic.
Every victory, every encounter, every breakthrough bears God's fingerprints. From Enrique's 20-year miracle survival to Urbano's caregiving heart to Dallas's mutual inspiration to Vernon's encouraging spirit—God is weaving a tapestry of testimony that will impact lives I may never know about.
The temple rebuilding continues, one workout at a time, one divine appointment at a time, one "Not today, devil" declaration at a time.
All glory to God. The best is yet to come.
What setback in your life might actually be God redirecting you toward something greater? Sometimes our biggest disappointments become our most powerful testimonies.
The enemy attacks before breakthrough because he sees what God has planned. Don't let a changed schedule, a closed door, or an unexpected obstacle convince you to retreat. Your divine appointments might be waiting on the other side of that disappointment.
Marco "Faith Warrior" Benavides Friday Evening - August 9, 2025
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