Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Protecting What's Important



It seemed he was taunting me. Every time I looked out the window, the stealthy squirrel was making his way off the deck, clutching a round prize in his paws. I didn't see him snap the tomatoes off the vines - I merely witnessed the aftereffects.   Although, once, he did stop on the stairs, grace me with his best profile and promptly take a bite of the stolen fruit.

Within two days, the squirrels had stripped my four plants of their ripening tomatoes. I was dumbfounded and at a loss as to how to prevent their aggravating thievery. Guns, traps, and cages came to mind - but there were no longer any tomatoes to protect.

Satan's tricks can be just as subtle as those of the bushy-tailed squirrels. As I read and listen to God's Word:

*a seed of truth takes root
*the Holy Spirit provides favorable conditions for the seed to sprout
*the sprout begins to grow

The enemy isn't pleased. Distractions come with the ability to stunt the growth that's taking place. Jesus warns us of the enemy's plan, "The sower soweth the word...And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful," (Mark 4:14,18-19; KJV).

If I don't heed Jesus' counsel, my life can become as empty as my tomato plants - with no evidence that I'm a child of the King. So how do I protect the seeds of truth God has planted in my heart?

*submit myself to the Lord
*resist Satan's distractions
*confess my sin
*draw near to God

The apostle James, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, put it this way, "Submit yourselves therefore unto God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded," (James 4:7-8).

Remember my tomato plants? My husband ended up moving them onto our front porch - where they get plenty of sunlight and the squirrels can't reach them. And I can say with a smile, more tomatoes are starting to grow.

Do you feel you've been distracted by the tricks of the enemy? What step will you take today to protect the precious seeds of biblical truth in your life?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the warning given in Your Word about the tricks of the enemy. Help me to submit to Your will, resist the devil, confess my sin, and draw near to You. I desire to produce 'fruit' in my life that will bring You honor and glory. In Jesus' name, Amen. 



*I'm hosting over at Living by Grace today. Come join in the discussion!

13 comments:

  1. I think the enemy is often whispering things in my ear that make me doubt myself and lose my confidence. I just have to rely on God to help me discern between His voice and the lies I'm hearing.

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    1. Great to see you Julie! It's nice to know some of the tricks used by our enemy isn't it? Lying is definitely a biggie! And he IS the father of lies (John 8:44). Reading and listening to God's Word DOES equip us to discern between truth and lies.

      Have a blessed week! :)

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  2. This has been a challenging element for me in the last few days. I appreciate this reminder and encouragement.

    Thanks and blessings,
    Karen

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    1. Always blessed when you stop by Karen! Appreciate your honesty. With a world where distractions abound, sometimes I just need to take a step back and see the bigger picture - this life is temporary, heaven is eternal. Perspective helps! Hugs & God bless!

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  3. The enemy knows my weaknesses. Like Julie I get those whispers of doubt. I've learned by just turning my attention to God in anyway - a prayer, a verse of Scripture, or just the thought of Him walking beside me - the doubt disappears.

    Loved how you tied this all together. Brilliant!

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    1. Wonderful to see you Loree! And I love your strategy for defeating the enemy - doubt cannot exist in the presence of faith. Awesome! Have a great week walking with Him. Hugs!

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  4. Last weekend we talked about that on a youth weekend: confessing our sins. That really is a key to staying free and close to God.
    Great post Maria, we gotta be watchful for the enemy's tricks.

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    1. Hi Marja! Thanks so much for leaving a comment. I believe confessing sin is one of the most difficult things to do. We don't like to admit we're wrong. Pride is difficult to battle. But what a wonderful opportunity to be restored when we've confessed and forsaken our sin. Fantastic! Have a truly blessed week, my friend!

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  5. Having my husband pray for me, for spiritual protection ... is one thing I do.

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    1. Hi Glenda! You bring up a great point - intercessory prayer. Truly a fantastic way to help our spouses, family, and friends. Thanks for your insight! God bless~

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  6. Love this, Maria! The part that gets me is the reminder to "draw near to God". So often we wander away, and before we know it we've left the safety of his presence are are vulnerable to attack. We must daily draw near to Him:) Just like you moved your plants to a place of safety.

    Great reminders today, friend! Blessings!

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    1. Hello Susan! Thanks for emphasizing the importance of drawing near to God. We have to be intentional in our relationship with the Lord. He never forces us to do anything. Safety can indeed be found when we draw near to Him! He's just waiting for us to come close! God bless you! :)

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  7. Beautiful thoughts... Moving those tomato plants was a great idea. Same goes for us too. We don't need to sit and be target practice for Satan's bullets. We can move away when we find ourselves in the firing line and be those happy thriving plants in the sun! xx

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