Father, I don't ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. ~ John 17:15 (CEV)
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I got an email this morning from a friend who asked for prayer because of an uncomfortable feeling she has from a person she has to care for in a healthcare environment. She said, "something is just not right...", and she's quite unsettled by it. I told her it was very possible that the unrest she feels is due to the evil one. I reminded her to recognize that we battle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces, and encouraged her to stand firm in God's armor, as Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 6.
Have you ever sensed an evil presence? I know I have. Many years ago, when I was first entering the work force, I went to a place for a job interview. It was a small home on a busy street that had been converted to a business -- a video production/sales business, as I recall. But what struck me most strongly was a presence of evil. Very unsettling to my spirit . . . and I couldn't get out of there fast enough!
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have His Holy Spirit living within you. And believe me, He is a discerner of spirits! Far be it from me to think I understand the workings of the spiritual realm, but He does. And He guides us through our spirit to be sensitive, as needed, to the evil forces of the devil.
Jesus didn't ask the Father for our deliverance out of this evil world, but rather protection from the evil one. Of all people, Jesus knows the devil's tactics better than anyone -- He's been watching them since before the dawn of time! But He also knows that we have a job to do, a purpose for being on this earth, so bailing out is not an option. Yet, protection is.
This Halloween, you'll see alot of scary paraphernalia in the stores and in the workplace, as people decorate and dress up for the occasion. It may seem harmless enough, and for most people, it's meant in fun. But the reality is that there are definitely people who truly align themselves with the devil and declare it proudly. I sat behind a car the other day at a stop light, and on the back window were two signs: One said, "BEWARE! This car is driven by a witch!", along with a very clear pentagram. The other said, "667: Neighbor of the beast", along with a picture of a menacing, smoking skull. I wasn't afraid of this blatant declaration of allegiance to the evil one; I simply prayed for the occupants of that car, that God would infiltrate their lives.
We are in a spiritual battle. It's all around us, and sometimes we get a glimpse of it, where the Lord opens our eyes to the battle He and His children are facing every day. Please pray for the strength of God's children, as they go forth in the world through the protection of the Father. And remember that we've already seen the end of the movie, and read the last chapter of the book . . . Jesus wins! AMEN!
Love,
Joelene
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2 comments:
I seem to be very sensitive to evil as well. The most memorable time of experiencing this sensitivity was years back when I was a pre-school teacher. I had just released my class to recess with the instructional assistances, and I stayed inside to work on a bulletin board. After several minutes of working, I suddenly stopped what I was doing and climbed down from my chair. I knew something was wrong --or evil. I went outside where my class was playing and discovered two strangers in the playground. They stunk with evil! I came up to them and began to question them. Turns out they were friends of one of the kids. My presence seemed to make them uncomfortable, and they left shortly after I arrived. I wonder why nobody else could smell the evil on them. The odor penetrated the wall and into my soul.
That story gives me goosebumps, Shelly! So glad the Lord gave you what you needed that day for the kids' safety. Thanks for sharing...
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