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SATAN THE ENEMY – 10-14-2021

By October 14, 2021Daily Devotionals

SATAN THE ENEMY
October 14, 2021

Prayer: Dear Lord, please help us to be true to You and what we know is right. Please deliver our brothers and sisters who are being tempted today. Thank You. Amen

Scripture: Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NIV

John, Stan, and Alan wanted to play baseball. John’s mom had told the boys that they could play in the field at the end of their street but not in the field right behind their house because it was too close to several houses. John had always obeyed this rule by walking to the end of their street to play ball, so he did not think twice about it as he headed for the front door with his baseball gear.

Stan and Alan, on the other hand, thought this rule was unfair and ridiculous. Why should they have to walk all the way down the street to play ball when a perfectly good field was right on the other side of John’s fence? Truth be told, that lot and John’s awesome hitting ability were the two main reasons they had even befriended John in the first place.

“Doesn’t your family own that property behind your house?” asked Alan.

“Yes,” replied John, grabbing for the front door knob.

“It sure is a long way to walk down the street especially carrying all this stuff,” added Stan.

John stopped and looked at his new friends, puzzled by their comments. What was the big deal anyway? It was just a couple of blocks or so.

“The grass is nice and thick behind your house. That field down the street gets used by everyone and is really bare in most spots,”  Stan continued, “And, if someone else comes along and wants to get in on our game, we will have to let them. If we play on your field, we can have it all to ourselves!”

Stan and Alan headed for John’s back door. John ran to catch up with them explaining his mother’s rule and the dangers of playing in the back field so close to the neighbor’s houses.

“We’ll be extra careful.” promised Stan.

“Yep, and quiet too so your mom will not even hear us back there,” said Alan.

John was in a quandary. He had really wanted to be accepted by these boys since moving into the new neighborhood, but what about his mom and the rules about the back lot?

John gave in to Stan and Alan believing that they had his best interest at heart. After all they wanted to play only with him, give him all their attention, and they would stand by him if something bad happened, which, of course they had promised, it wouldn’t. Not five minutes into their game, the sound of shattered glass echoed through the neighborhood and Stan and Alan made a run for it down the street back to Stan’s house. Mrs. Smith came out of her house white as a ghost from the fright of a baseball smashing through her bedroom window as she was rocking her baby to sleep. There stood John, all alone except for a bunch of empty promises from a couple of guys who were nowhere to be seen. John paid for the window and paid the punishment – and lost the trust of his parents for a while – all on his own. When confronted, Alan and Stan claimed they had been at the other field waiting for John.

While this may seem like a juvenile story for a group of adult educators, I believe it drives home the point that Satan will tempt you to take the easy way. He will try to convince you that he is your friend and has your best interest at heart. He will tempt you to go against God’s rules and path but when disaster strikes – and it will – he will leave you standing alone just like Stan and Alan did to John. Satan is your enemy; he is not your friend. As today’s Scripture says, he is looking to “devour” you. He will not “be there for you.” He is there for your soul and that is all. You will be left standing alone with nothing but excuses and guilt. My prayer for you is that you would see Satan for who he really is and is not.

Copyright Kathy Branzell. To connect with the author, email [email protected]

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