Be alert!

It was just a simple cotton thread that I wrapped round and round and round about him. He was a strong young man in his twenties and had volunteered to help me with my illustration. As I encircled him with the thread I talked about how Satan whispers to us concerning our sin," You can quit any time you choose and after all what you doing isn't really that bad". At first the young man was smiling but as I continued to talk he began to panic. By the time I finished with my second spool of thread he was desperately trying to break free. There was something that Satan was using to bind him and suddenly he became aware of the truth of my illustration.

I pulled out my scissors and explained," the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds". 2 Corinthians 10:4  He was struggling to break the threads I'd wrapped him in but it took the scissors to set him free. I explained that strongholds were not destroyed by our willpower but by the work Christ did on the cross. We are victorious when we by faith access the grace provided for us.

Again and again in Scripture we are told to be alert. Why? I believe it is because," we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12 I believe that one of our enemies greatest schemes is to lull us into complacency, like a spider wraps it's victim in thin silken thread until he is immobilized.

Lord Jesus, thank you that we are not powerless victims. Thank you for making us more than conquerors by your love for us. Thank you that neither death nor life, nor angles nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, not powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in you our Lord. But Lord Jesus, help us to be alert against the schemes of our enemy!