Sharks and Satan

Hello readers! I apologize for the respite in posting, the week got away with me and other excuses that most likely aren't true.

Anyhow, this week marks the start of the 2012 Shark Week! For those of you who don't know... The Discovery Channel picks one week a year to air shows, movies, documentaries etc in honor of Sharks. The idea is to get the general public aware of the dangers of sharks and how powerful they are. Indeed I believe somewhere upwards of 72 million people now participate in Shark Week annually.

In this post I would like to talk about Sharks and Satan. There are many people (and I am guilty of this as well) who like to mock the devil. They like to call him stupid and lame and that God is far stronger than he is. Now, all this may be true, but I think this generation has lost sight of something incredibly important. The devil is still the devil no matter how dumb he may seem.

Afterall, he has turned righteous leaders into wicked sinners, rich prosperous men to poor begging fools. Sure he may have to talk to God before he can do these kinds of things (see the book of Job) but he is still incredibly powerful.

Let's talk about sharks. Sharks are awesome in the true sense of the word. (Extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear.) We look at these massive creatures and I know some of us tend to think of just how amazing they are. Shark Enthusiasts study their habits, their nature, their being. However, how many of us have actually SEEN a shark? Like in real life, in the ocean. I know I haven't. Pretty sure no one I know has. Or maybe you have seen a shark, but just its fin. Only seen it swimming around far off.

We can't honestly understand the great danger a hungry shark poses unless we experience it first-hand. In the same way we can't realize the danger the evil one is unless we realize his power first-hand.

Let me tell you something about myself. I am allergic to medical sedatives. Things like NyQuil, Advil PM, etc. Now, whenever I take one or another of said medicine I fall into horrible hallucinations until the effects of the pills wear off. I, for obvious reasons, have not partaken in any of these medicines in quite a few years, but before I knew I was allergic I had these hallucinations quite a few times.

I vividly remember...

Sitting on the couch in the living room. Sick with a cold. It's pitch black everywhere. Roughly 3 AM. Then the room started to turn slightly. I looked at my left hand and saw it swelling up. I couldn't feel my legs. Then a mass of little black circles came from all sides of me and started enveloping me. My right leg disappeared somewhere I started screaming. At this point I couldn't control myself. I knew I was moving. Or at least thought I was. Furniture was sliding around. I kept getting attacked by these random circles. I felt so much pain all over and I just kept yelling for help. Hoping, of course, that I was actually yelling and not just dreaming it.

All this happened while I was perfectly awake. As the medicine wore off I realize the sun was coming up. Nothing was wrong. I was just a little sick. Nothing had moved. I was fine. What I have never been able to shake off is the feeling of being absolutely and utterly lost for control of my own body.

Why do I share this? I think the devil can do the same. The devil can make us do or say things that we wouldn't ever mean. He can turn best friends against each other, he can turn families inside out. He is crafty and will do anything to stop us from glorifying God. He can make us lose control of ourselves.

I think it's time that we took with gravity the idea of the enemy. That we stop thinking we are in control of our lives and God will always protect us. Yes, God will protect us,  but He will also allow for temptation and trials. We cannot be apathetic. The devil wants us, he desires to trip us. We must understand that he can and will do this if we don't watch out and pay close attention to what we are doing.

Let's heed God's Word when He says,

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." -- 1 Peter 5:8-9

"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. 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 firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints." 

-- Ephesians 6:11-18

It is time we stand and fight.