IBS: The Predator and The Pray

Ephesians 4:27—

And give no opportunity to the devil.

Satan is stronger than me, but he is not stronger than God who is in me.

This verse makes me think of horses. The other day I was out riding horses and as I was talking to Margret (Pastor G’s wife) I told her it was intimidating, knowing full well that the horse was holding my life. In one quick motion it could choose to take off in a gallop or buck me off. I was afraid of the horse, but then she explained to me something that shocked me. Horses see humans seven times bigger than we actually are, so to them, we tower over them, and we are the threat.

The devil is like that to me. He seems bigger than me; he seems like something that I should be afraid of. The things he throws at me stumble me and stand in my way, but I need to realize that as long as I have Jesus on my side, Satan is afraid of me. I am the predator and he is the pray. I have the power to say, “In the name of Jesus, I rebuke you!” and as for the things that he puts in my path, well I’m learning how to recognize them as what they are and who they are from. It’s still a battle, but with Jesus on my side I know I will win. I desire nothing less than for the devil to have no opportunity for anything in my life. I long for him to leave me alone once and for all, but as long as I’m carrying my sword for Christ, he’ll be there to battle me. I need to remember that I’m in control. I have no need to fear, for Christ is with me!

Someone once told me that if you feel like you are being spiritual attacked it’s probably because you are! If Satan is after you it’s because you’re a threat to him, and he knows you’re going to do great things for the Kingdom of God. In Acts chapter 19 the evil spirit says to the seven sons of Sceva, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” The enemy only knows your name if your know Jesus. If you are truly following hard after the Lord in a selfless faith, working towards the expanding of the kingdom, till the whole world hears…Satan will know you. You want Satan to know you by name, to consider you an enemy, because if Satan considers you and enemy, Jesus considers you a friend. Along with this responsibility of being an enemy of Satan and friend of Jesus, you must be prepared to fight, to give no opportunity to the devil.