My wife and I live in a very nice suburban development and our house is approximately 15 years old. It is nestled in-between two other well managed and kept homes of similar age and our backyards butt up against a small tree-lined ridge overlooking Alum Creek. Our home is well built, tightly constructed, dry and well maintained. It's a peaceful place to live and for now we are both content to spend the next couple of years here. With that said, this is where our family and friends can find us. Our doors are open to them and we welcome their visits. We like to think of ourselves as a pretty hospitable couple. The only thing we prefer that they do is let us know in advance when they plan to stop by for a visit. After all, most of them live over an hour away and my wife and I keep a pretty busy and active lifestyle. Other than that, no stipulations. We welcome them whole heartedly.
It's the unexpected visitors that I don't care for, especially like the one that called on me one recent Friday evening.
My den is the finished basement of our home and more often than not that is where anyone stopping by will find me. I am usually down there either watching the Cleveland Indians or at my computer doing any number of tasks. That's exactly where I was that Friday, at my computer searching Ebay. At 12:30 a.m., the long day finally caught up with me so I shut my computer down, strolled across the room and began to place my foot on the first stair-step when my unexpected visitor made his presence known. With a loud yell, I bolted back away from the steps and actually shivered at the sight of an eighteen inch snake, wiggling and struggling to find shelter in the corner of the carpet!
Once my pounding heart was back in it's rightful place, I regained my composure and found my walking stick. With it, I pinned his head down, grabbed him gently and carried him out back. There I tossed him over into the woods and hoped he wouldn't find his way back. Even though it was a snake, I couldn't help but talk to him as I carried him away. "Where did YOU come from?!" "How did you get into my house?" "You know, you're real lucky that I don't end your little life right now!" Of course, he didn't answer me but still I had to ask. Once back inside, I nervously started looking around my den and thought on those questions. Just where did he come from and how did he get into my house?
Satan or the Devil or the Deceiver or whatever other name you put on him is a lot like that. He shows up when we least expect him to. Often, we're so caught up in the daily activities of life that we aren't even aware the enemy is lurking by, especially if everything has been going smoothly. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us to be "Self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Self-controlled and alert. Obviously that night I was neither! I hadn't been alert to what was going on around me. I was feeling overly safe and secure in the comfort of my own home. After all, this was my domain, my space, my place of shelter and refuge. And our spiritual life is like that as well. When things are going great in our relationship with God, it is easy to let our guard down to the ways of the devil. That's how he wants it to be, so that he can quietly and slowly slither back in and hang around the nooks and crannies and crevices of our lives. That old adversary knows, if left undetected, he can wreak havoc and fear.
The good news is, we as believers have the power through Christ to shake off that fear and become self-controlled when we do become aware of the danger. Ephesians 6:10 and 11 says "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."
Once I recognized that snake beneath my feet for what it really was, I was able to muster the courage and take authority of the situation. Let me encourage you to do the same in your own life when you recognize the enemy moving in to wreak havoc in your life. Let me encourage you to stand firm on Ephesians 6:10 and 11, to stand strong in the Lord and in HIS power so that you can take your stand against the great adversary.
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