Invader by Robin Densmore Fuson

 




 Have you been invaded? Are you under attack?

 

The invader caused a need for wall diapers. The attacker seeped under the walls. The floor swelled as it accepted the intruder. Too late, we discovered a disaster in the making.

We were in the process of remodeling our kitchen. Dishes, pots and pans, and food items were in boxes stacked in the dining room. This unfortunately covered the problem of water seepage.

As soon as we discovered the problem, we ripped out the swollen flooring, put towels down (which I call wall diapers), and called in experts. Dehumidifiers hummed through the night to pull all the water out of the walls and floor. A water sniffer came to listen to our pipes and climbed into the attic and on the roof. “Fix these places where the water might be invading.” We caulked the indicated holes and now it’s a ‘wait and see,’ game.

Without water, there is no life. Every living thing needs water. Rain is a wonderful thing. It cleanses the world as it breathes life into parched soil, feeds growing things, and fills streams, rivers, lakes, and the ocean.

Life’s essential elements are not always your friend.

Sixty inches of rain in four months is excessive. Our house is not surrounded by water. The rain didn’t seem to be a problem until we found evidence to the contrary. Water became the unsuspected intruder. Confining the liquid took top priority.

This mayhem got me thinking of other silent invaders we have in our lives. I thought about how we can protect ourselves from those infiltrators. With our home, we needed to caulk and repair. The ground should slope away from the house so rain follows the contour of the land out to the street to flow to the drainage ditches.

We also needed to protect our spiritual lives, by putting on our armor. The Bible makes it clear where our battle lies and how to protect ourselves.

Ephesians 6: 10-18 NKJV says, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. 

How?

The last verse holds the key—pray. Daily we need to be in a mind of prayer. Talk to the Lord about everything. Focus on Him and His love for us. God knows our thoughts anyway so we might as well talk about them with Him. Ask for help in tasks that are difficult or new. When faced with a challenge, pray. When unwanted thoughts come, take them captive, and banish them and ask the Father to renew your mind. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NLT)

Are we wearing our armor? Did we start our day wearing the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, slip on our shoes which are the gospel of peace, holding up the shield of faith for protection from the fiery darts of the evil one, tugging on our helmet of salvation and carrying the sword of the Holy Spirit?

It starts with mounting everything on the belt of Truth (Jesus Christ) wearing His righteousness, walking in the shoes of the gospel (the good news of what Christ did for us) using faith for protection (faith is an action word) knowing our minds are protected by our helmet of salvation and using the Holy Spirit and His word as our sword to smack the devil.

Had we protected our house before the rain, we wouldn’t have a ripped-up dining room floor and wall diapers to change. Likewise, if we are prepared for an attack from the enemy, which are principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness, we will come out the victors. Our battle is not with people. Our fight is toe to toe against Satan and his demons.      

 


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