BEWARE OF THE ENEMY
01st Aug 2018
The Bible is very clear about the nature of satan, he comes to steal and kill and destroy. God in contrast comes to give life in all its fullness. Everything God is, satan is opposed to and a personification of that opposite. Good/evil; love/hatred; joy/sorrow, etc.
I recently listened to a pastor speaking to his congregation after a tragic accident in Missouri USA, where an amphibious dukw sank and drowned 17 people, including a member of his congregation.
Pastor Keith Moore didn’t try to explain how or why it happened, he was instructed by the Lord to speak about what he knew. He knew the Lord wasn’t in the wind or storm, an enemy had done this. In Job 1:19 “a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the house”, and all Job’s children died.
In 1 Kings 19:11 “A great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart ….. but the Lord was not in the wind.” On Lake Galilee a sudden storm arose and Jesus rebuked it, “Peace, be still.” He certainly knew it was not from God.
There are many things we don’t know, many “why” questions that cause doubt and confusion. Whatever is happening around us in this world, don’t underestimate the venom of God’s enemy satan.
Constantly keep close to the One who has promised protection and guidance. Proverbs 1:32 says, “Whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Heed those nudges of the Holy Spirit, train yourself to respond when you suddenly feel anxious or uneasy about a decision you have taken.
Some years ago, early in the morning, our daughter in law had an overwhelming urge to pray for our house. She lived quite near and knew it was urgent to pray, and she did. Very unexpectedly and without warning a small tornado had formed in the Bristol Channel, moved rapidly inland and was heading up the A370 in the direction of our house when it suddenly turned 90 degrees and caused great damage to a row of houses behind us, roof tiles blown off, windows broken, cars and trees thrown in the air.
We knew how close it had come to our house as a ridge tile was blown off, but there was no other damage. She had been sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and we were spared trauma and loss.
We do not live in a neutral world, we need to be constantly alert, not looking for trouble but knowing what to do in the face of attack, whether physically, mentally or emotionally. Isaiah 54:17 says, “No weapon formed against you will prosper.”
by Joyce Sibthorpe
