It Is Hard to Rise When You Have Enemies in Your Camp

There is an old saying that it is not the enemy on the outside that can destroy you, it is the enemy within. Whether in families, workplaces, organizations, or even ministries, nothing will drain momentum or weaken progress faster than hidden opposition inside the camp. When those who should be for you are quietly against you, it becomes hard to rise, build, or win. Enemies in the camp do not always come with a warning label. They may smile in your face, attend your meetings, or clap when you win, but their hearts may not truly be aligned with your success. Sometimes it is envy, other times insecurity, or simply the discomfort they feel watching someone else shine. Whatever the reason, their quiet resistance can be just as damaging as open hostility.

I have personally experienced seasons where I thought someone was a genuine friend or teammate, someone who shared the mission, the vision, and the purpose. Then, little by little, things began to unravel. Their actions revealed a hidden agenda, and what I thought was collaboration turned out to be competition. It was painful, but it also taught me valuable lessons about discernment, grace, and boundaries. There are ways we can recognize warning signs. Enemies in the camp often reveal themselves through patterns, not single moments. Some of the early warning signs include subtle undermining questioning your decisions in front of others or planting seeds of doubt. Selective support can also be a sign where they show up only when it benefits them. Another sign could be when you feel drained repeatedly the more you are with them. They may even cause you to question yourself.  Learning to recognize these patterns is not about becoming suspicious of everyone, it is about being wise. The truth is, not everyone who walks with you is meant to build with you. Some are there for a reason, some for a season, and a few for a lifetime. I also remember hearing, who got you here (where you are now), may not be the same ones that continue to get you where you need to go.

The challenge comes when you realize that someone in your camp does not mean you well, yet you are called to rise above the hurt. That is where strategic grace comes in. Strategic grace does not mean being naïve or pretending everything is fine. It means responding with wisdom, restraint, and integrity, choosing peace without losing your power. Throughout history, from biblical times to modern boardrooms, we see examples of people who faced betrayal within their inner circles. Even Jesus had Judas among the twelve. That reminder alone helps us understand that betrayal is not always a reflection of our failure, sometimes it is proof that our mission carries weight. In those moments, it is essential to pause and reflect rather than react.

When betrayal hits close to home, it can shake your confidence and make you question your judgment. But here is the beautiful truth, even the pain of betrayal can serve a purpose. Sometimes God allows people to reveal themselves, not to break you, but to build your discernment and strengthen your spirit. Every disappointment, every hidden agenda, every enemy in your camp becomes a lesson in leadership and love. You learn that you do not need everyone to support you, you just need the right ones. You learn that silence can be stronger than retaliation. And you learn that when you stand firm in integrity, you can walk away with peace. It is hard to rise when you have enemies in your camp, but it is not impossible. When you choose faith over fear, purpose over pain, and grace over gossip, you rise stronger than before. You learn that your power does not come from who is around you, but from who is within you.

At the end of the day, success built on sincerity will always outlast schemes built on envy. The ones who are truly for you will celebrate your rise, not resent it. And for those who do not mean you well, bless them, release them, and keep moving forward with strategic grace. Because when your purpose is bigger than your pain, no enemy, not even one inside the camp, can stop you from rising. #thepurposepartner #coachwendy

Wendy is the Purpose Partner helping women go from Crossroads to Confidence, from Shaken to Unshakable, from Purpose to Power. To learn more visit WendyGladney.com and ForgivingForLiving.org