Arrived Challenge : Day Two

Scripture Reading:

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Devotional Content

Do you know the story of Little Red Riding Hood? Most people, especially women, do. Little Red, we will shorten it for convenience, is asked by her mother to go bring goodies to her grandmother who is recovering from sickness. Little Red gets ready, gathers her basket, fully prepared, and heads out. In fact, in the Grimm's version (my favorite!) she has strict orders to remain on the path she's been given to walk.

Then she encounters the wolf. This mean wolf wants to eat the girl and the food in the basket. He secretly stalks her behind trees, bushes, shrubs, and patches of little and tall grass. He approaches Little Red Riding Hood and she naively tells him where she is going. He suggests that the girl pick some flowers; which she does. In the meantime; he goes to the grandmother's house and gains entry by pretending to be the girl. He swallows the grandmother whole (in some stories, he locks her in the closet) and waits for the girl, disguised as the grandma.

The girl arrives, and well we all know the story.

As I began to pray about this challenge I realized that many needed to fully grasp who the real enemy of their souls where. It's not your spouse, your friend, your Pastor.

It's SATAN. 

And just like the wolf he wants to trick you and manipulate you into believing things are "good" when they are not. Little Red was told by her mother to strictly stay on the path she had laid off for her. That did not include picking flowers on an off path. But that clever wolf tricks us into believing this is OK.

It's not. We are blessed with grace when we do veer off trail but how much simpler would our lives be if we possibly understood, identified, and knew our enemy and his tricks so that we stayed as close or on the path completely?

Satan's tactics aren't really secretive. He is a liar, a killer, and he hates us and wants us to have little or nothing to do with Jesus. So he attacks our families, our work, our identities. He lies and says we are something we aren't (ie: saying that we aren't loved by God, when we can if we choose to serve Him be the BELOVED of God).

Satan specifically hates women. He attacked Eve in the garden. We establish that Satan hates women because they are beautiful (as he once was and no longer is) and he is a murderer. Put those two things together - that Eve incarnates the beauty of God and she gives life; as a woman, you give life. Satan's bitter heart cannot bear it. He assault us, women, with a special kind of hatred. 

Journal Prompt:

Do you see this? Understand this concept? Can you comprehend this? Take a few moments and write a paragraph on being Little Red and encountering the wolf. 

Do you really know or believe that Satan is the main attacker behind everything bad that has happened to you and that you've been through? Yes, humans have choice, but that human was most likely influenced by the wicked and sinful way and temptation of the enemy. 

How have you strayed from the path? 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come boldly before you. We need fresh encounters from Your Spirit today, Lord. Engage our spirit, teach us to know our enemy well so that we can understand that we have more authority over him and that we have the ability to catch situations and people who he may use to impact our lives negatively. We desire to honor you, to serve you, and to forgive boldly. 

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Challenge

Repost today's instagram photo above with your completed sentence below:

I've believed the wolf when he's said _________________. But I no longer believe that in Jesus' name, because I am the beloved of Jesus! Amen!

For me:

I've believed the wolf when he's said that I wasn't worthy of marrying a good man. But I no longer believe that in Jesus' name, because I am the beloved of Jesus.