Have you noticed that they Shark Week
is on toward the end of the summer?
As
I watched the different segments on sharks I was thinking about these people
that get in the shark cages to get a closer look at the sharks. Of course the sharks want what is inside of
those cages. They circle around looking
for an opening and bump the cage to find a weakness. This reminds me of 1 Peter 5:8
(NIV) Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil circles
around like a hungry shark looking for someone to devour. Respectfully, I swapped out the lion for the
shark, but it doesn’t change the image. The
devil, like the sharks mentioned above, does the same to us. He watches for our weaknesses or vulnerabilities
and then attacks them. He wants you to
fail, keep you stuck in a bad habit or relationship from being Christ like, He
will do anything to take you away from a relationship with Jesus Christ that
God intended for us to have.
There is
hope! God does not leave us without
protection from sharks. Ephesians 6: 10-20
gives us some instructions on how we can combat the devil.
Ephesians
6:10-20 (NIV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put
on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s
schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this
dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore
put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be
able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand
firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the
breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet
fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In
addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can
extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the
helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of
prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying
for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I
speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery
of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray
that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
All of us
have been attacked and hurt by sharks.
Maybe not the ones in the ocean, but sharks in our lives. Maybe it is an abusive relationship, loss of
a loved one, or things we have done to ourselves. God wants to heal you from those wounds and
take away the fear if we just ask.
All of us
have been attacked and hurt by sharks.
Maybe not the ones in the ocean, but sharks in our lives. Maybe it is an abusive relationship, loss of
a loved one, or things we have done to ourselves. God wants to heal you from those wounds and
take away the fear if we just ask.
May God
protect you with His armor.
Pastor Steve
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