Be On Guard

Evil is always there when you speak of it. I’m not sure who told me this or if it is something I invented in my own mind, but it is true. If you dare talk about the secrets of evil, of the devil and his demons, you can bet they’re there. They want to hear and observe all that happens when they are being discussed, whether in seriousness or of joke.

I think I like to be ignorant. I know there is a war for my soul. I know there are forces that I cannot even imagine that are watching my reaction to situations and wanting to destroy anything that may just wake me up spiritually. I know they want to see me gulp loud in fear at thoughts concerning them. I know they plant ideas in my head to make me fear and feel defeated and hopeless. They can’t read my mind, only God can, but they can definitely plant ideas in it.

I was talking to my friend yesterday and she was telling me a story about a situation that happened at her mom’s concerning spiritual warfare, concerning darkened figures, shadows that were trying to attack. I have no doubt that her story was true, after all, I have had my fair share of darkened figures in my dreams that have attacked. But as she spoke of this experience, I felt the chills. I call it chills because I have no other word for it. Chills as an utter awareness that there is something raging outside of my recognition or sight. There are talons of evil trying to enslave me, distract me, destory and kill me. It’s like tingles over the surface of my skin. In that moment, though I didn’t tell her, the phrase above came to mind, “Evil is always there when you speak of it.”

And I knew this. Two stay-at-home mamas that loved their kids love crazy, lovers and pursuers of Jesus, women mad in love with their husbands, and flawed in all ways but saved by the blood of Jesus, of course evil would be quite curious to see what these two women were discussing concerning them.

Once I got home, I thought nothing of our conversation before. But it wasn’t long before it all surfaced. Bank account issues surfaced and left us more broke. Huge fallout with my husband that included me throwing a bowl at him (I’ve never done this, but have observed it in a movie). Health issues and behavioral issues with my children. Then me feeling depressed and just wanting to binge on food, only to melt marshmallows and mix honey nut cheerios to gorge on. No, it really wasn’t that good. I am pretty sure I would have puked if I hadn’t decided to go to bed early. Then, as I woke up from Olivea’s cry at 1 am, I felt the chills again.

I felt paralyzed. I knew why I felt that way, but fear was so all-encompassing that I was too fearful to even mumble a word to it. I shook Tyler and asked him if he could come downstairs “to make sure everything was alright.” He answered with a zombied, “what?” I repeated and then blurted out, “something’s not right.”

Well, if that isn’t an invitation for evil, I don’t know what is.

He was sweet and came down. I could tell he wasn’t thrilled at the idea, but he loves me…he does too much for me because of how much he loves me. He curled up in a blanket and sat next to me as I fed Olivea. Then a thought was planted in my head that said “you think he’s going to protect you?” I looked and his eyes were closed, practically sound asleep.

I shook it off and tried not to think about it.

When Olivea was done, he was quick to race upstairs. He was cold. I was racing up the stairs behind him, like some monster was chasing me. We snuggled in bed and I grabbed his hand and thanked him.

Then a very odd squeal of distress came from Olivea downstairs. A sound I had never heard, ever…and I know her sounds! In my mind I said this is ridiculous! This is enough! I got up, again, chills and tingles trickling up and down with severity and I went to the center of the house and said in my loud voice, “This. Is. Enough. Leave my house, in Jesus name! You have no authority here and I rebuke you. Leave my daughter and my son and my husband and me alone. You have no authority here.” At that moment, nothing physically happened, but there was a dramatic release and stillness.

I fell back to sleep. Soundly. I woke again to Tyler shovelling the sidewalk outside at 5:30 am. A thought was planted again saying, “now you’re alone. Who’s going to protect you now?”

Thoughts like these continued and I continued to spit out verses and rebukes in Jesus’s name.

Then as I went to the basement to jog, evil felt concentrated. I continued to sing praises to Jesus, praying, thanking God for His goodness. I turned on Joyce Meyer to jog to and she opened with scripture and the power we have in Christ.

Power? Huh? With a single word of Scripture, the tingles swelled and were gone.

More happened that I did not include here, and while I am sure some people think I am being overly dramatic, I wanted to report this to remind you evil dwells in the most secret places.

The devil is sneaky. He prowls around looking for someone to devour and to destroy. To discourage and break apart. He looks to distract and inflict confusion and defeat. Sometimes he even comes in a very innocent form. An unassuming form.

To the Child of God, you can bet one of the devil’s followers are nearby almost always. Of course we’re a threat to him. A threat to reveal all his ugliness and the truth that he is trying to drag as many people down with him in his defeat. If you aren’t a Child of God, he already has you. You are his slave and he is accomplishing all he wants through you without much effort. It’s sad.

That being said, however, if any person reading this ever wants to talk about having a relationship with Jesus Christ, I’m always willing (and excited) to talk about the hope that is within me. Jesus scooped me up from my darkest pit and broke my shackles of sin and darkness and set me free. He can do the exact same for you. He loves you.

Ephesians 6:10-13, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. 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.” Read more in Ephesians 6 about the full armor of God. Nothing can overtake a Child of God who calls on Jesus. Nothing.

Praise Him!