Saturday, March 5, 2011

The Enemy at the Door


The church service was glorious as the ministry team worshipped the Lord in song, inspired the congregation with their testimonies, and later laughed and talked as they enjoyed punch and cookies in the fellowship hall. It was a wonderful night until one of the visitors tripped over the porch step as she was leaving the building, severely injuring her ankles. Moments later the joys of the evening were swallowed by the scream of the approaching sirens and the flashing lights of the emergency vehicles. Later someone mused, “The devil couldn’t get in the building, so he waited just outside the door.”

This woman’s physical experience can happen to us spiritually. We revel in the love of God in our lives or delight in His presence in our various ministry activities. The devil has no opportunity to harm us when we are so covered in God’s glory. But the minute we step from that spiritual experience into more secular surroundings we find that sin is sitting on our doorsteps, waiting to trip us up in some way. If we’re not careful we may take a fall that cripples us temporarily from walking in the gifts and callings that God has placed upon us.

The woman who fell didn’t know the porch step was there, nor did she see it as she exited the building. And so perhaps our best defense against the devil’s wiles is to be aware of our surroundings and to know that he’s out there, looking to bring us down. We’ll walk more carefully as a result and are more likely to remain standing on our spiritual feet.

"…sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:7 NIV)

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