Scary movies are not for me.  Monsters, demons and walking dead people frighten me, cause my heart to race and make me nervous…and I KNOW they are just actors.  As a kid, I used to love watching all of the scariest movies available.  But today, I am conscious of the real evil that lurks in the darkness and I’d rather not face it unless I have to.

Obviously, when I think of ‘the darkness’ being real…it sends goose bumps down the back of my neck.   Talk about scary!!!  Who’s going to protect me from this bad guy?

Well, thankfully, we are all offered a defender and a savior through Jesus Christ.  WHEW!!!  I was starting to shake in my boots!!!

This bad guy goes by many names such as the devil, Satan or Lucifer.   He is real.  And He wants you and me.

According to Answers.Yahoo.com, the bible mentions Satan 47 times, the devil 32-57 times (depending on the version you are reading) and Lucifer once.   God obviously thinks we should be wary and warned to keep guard against the devil’s shenanigans.

“And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” 2Corinthians 11:14

God warns us for good reason…the devil doesn’t play fair.  He takes advantage of me on the days that I am emotionally, mentally or physically tired.  It stands to reason that this is because when I’m exhausted, I’m usually the weakest and more prone to give in to sin.  (It is hard enough to walk the straight and narrow on my good days!!)

It’s kind of creepy to say that there is a war underway in the world and in my heart, but I think it is true.  There are so many things vying for my attention and God wants to be Number 1.  Unfortunately, I succumb to sin more often than I’d like to admit.  In spite of my sin, God gives me courage and strength to withstand temptation and evil.

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:11-12

Any good general or commander of an army knows his enemy.  That is why I think it is absolutely imperative that I understand that the evil one is a real guy who would like to see me fall away from loving my Heavenly Father and having faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

However, there are two wonderful pieces of GREAT news!!!

1.  We are in control of our choices!  The devil CANNOT win unless we let him.  He cannot make us do anything we don’t want to do.  He cannot choose for us.  Again, he CANNOT win unless we allow him free reign to do so.

• “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

2.  Jesus Christ has already WON!!!!  In fact, He sent the Holy Spirit to guide us through this treacherous world!

• “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26

There is no doubt that we live in a fallen world and that we are faced with opportunities daily to choose between love and hate.   But we are not without HOPE!  God gave us Jesus Christ to illuminate our path in the midst of this dark world.

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1John 4:4

What tools do you use to resist wrongdoing?

Some Wisdom for Today:  Proverbs 1:22-23 – How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?  How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?  If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.