Power


 

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Submit yourselves then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7  

For some reason, don’t ask me, I couldn’t possibly tell you, I decided to do a little renovation project. Due to the fact that it involves a fairly large piece of furniture and some pretty noxious smells, I’m doing it outside on our porch.

          When I first went out there this morning, I had the lovely accompaniment of bird songs. I had my music playing and the birds seem to just blend in with that, so precious. The second round was the same but on my third time out there a crow decided to throw a party. This may or may not be fact, but it appears that the way a crow summons his buddies is to squawk as loudly as possibly. LOUD! First it startled me, then it irritated me. “Shut up!” I yelled at it, loud enough for my neighbor to turn his head. Oops, not you sir, not you. No, I was not yelling at my neighbor, I was yelling at the ugly, disturbing sounds of that crow. That crow, which had jarred my mind away from the beautiful praise song that was playing….. Oh!

          That’s when God really got my attention. You see, the crow did shut up. Granted several of his little crow friends arrived on the scene shortly after but there was no more squawking. Two little words, spoken loudly and with authority that I don’t really have, I mean, I don’t control crows, made the awful distraction stop. Message received Lord.

          I need to speak to the devil that way. When he intrudes on my thoughts, my faithful, joyful, God-honoring thoughts, I need to say, “Shut up!” Then redirect my thoughts and place them right back on God.

          In fairness, that crow and his buddies have far more right to be in my yard than Satan has to be in my head.  Yes, the crow was annoying but he can’t hurt me. Satan can do huge damage in a very short amount of time with minimal effort on his part, if I let him. Read that again. If. I. Let. Him. NO! Shut up!

          I’m happy to report that on my next foray to the porch, (this is a spray, wait, spray, wait, project) our very majestic hawk was meandering in the yard, quietly, as is his nature. My music played, I was able to keep my mind set on Jesus, pray that I am not totally ruining this lovely piece of furniture and praise Him for reminding that where the enemy is concerned, I do have power, the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

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