I will come right out and say it, Evil is scary. My good friend and her family live in another country.  Evil surprised her last week, really dark forces kind of evil that involved the love of money and guns.  The bad guys were foiled by the good guys and all ended well, but afterwards the breeze of that narrow escape blows across the heart, and chills the soul.

If you read my blog about the day my father was murdered you will know that I have experience with evil surprises.  Look y’all, you can’t just go around in panic mode, waiting for something bad to happen.  Looking around every corner, bracing yourself for the bogyman to startle you  That’s called anxiety, and you were not meant to live like that.  God wants you full of His peace.

To be honest y’all, I struggle with this one.  Here are five ways scripture tells us to protect from the surprise of evil.

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Pray.

Christ showed His disciples how to pray in Matthew 6.

This one line from the Lord’s prayer is a weapon against the unseen forces that swoop in to kill you daily.  And yes, you are being stalked.  You are prey.  Walking alone without the deliverer is not smart. He is the one who fights, He is the one who protects, He is the one who yanks you out of the way when the attack comes.  Deliver me from the evil one in the name of Jesus.

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Be Alert.

Alertness is different than nervousness.  Alertness suggests being aware of your surroundings.   Watching, listening…ready to snap into Spiritual action when you hear the lion leap.  And he will leap.

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Use Your Sword.

We are only given one offensive weapon in the armor Paul describes in Ephesians 6.  The sword of God’s word.  The scriptures.  The very thing Jesus used against Satan when He was being tempted.  He whipped out His Sword and made quick work of the enemy.

 

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Gather an Army.

In a battle, wouldn’t you rather face the enemy with a whole bunch of people wielding swords, carrying shields, and lifting their voices in a war shout?  Cultivate your companions.  Diligently search for people who are dedicated to Jesus.  Y’all, this is me being blunt…Friends who never even say Jesus’ name out loud around you are useless in a battle.  I’m just saying…

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Speak out loud to the enemy in the name of Jesus.

Do you believe Satan can read your mind?  I don’t.   Force him to hear the name of Jesus spoken out loud.  Subject him to the power of the Holy Spirit pushing Him back as you breathe out the word of God, as you tell him to leave you alone.

 

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Pictures:  +taken in a Cambodia museum where prisoners of Pol Pot were housed and tortured, ++I posterized a sunset and discovered all these cool layers, +++a walk in a Texas woods looking up through the trees.  The original picture is full of greens and blues and is anything but ominous, ++++a really cool gate I found on a visit to Key West that I tinted green, +++++I posterized these purple flowers that I found on a walk with my sister in Little Rock.    I use PicMonkey free graphics with my pictures.

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