Beware .. Snakes present!

Earlier today, as my husband worked out in the back yard, he found a snake. It was slithering in the grass and because of the camouflage color of its skin it was almost difficult to recognize.

Once my husband spotted it, he was able to pick it up and while I was inside the house, I could still hear him hollering, "I caught a snake!" He wanted to show it to me and my daughter. Of course we weren't as interested in it as he was. He wasn't sure what kind of snake it was, so he found a container to put it in. I asked him why he just didn't kill it? He said, "I'm not gonna kill it until I find out what kind it is. If it is not poisonous, there is no reason to kill it."

I guess I see his reasoning. My reasoning would be different. It's a snake. In my yard. I don't like snakes. Kill it!

The Bible refers to the enemy as a serpent. A snake. And just like that slithering snake tried to camouflage himself in our grass, the serpent (the enemy) also deceives us by camouflaging himself as something else. He often slithers around and surprises us when we least expect it. How absurd would it be if the enemy pre announced his arrival..."Laurie, I am going to come and attack you tomorrow at noon. So be ready!" That's not how it works. The enemy lurks around to rob, steal and destroy. Most of the time people are not even aware of his work. He likes to camouflage his work. Many times in our mind, we can even justify his evil schemes. All along missing the mark that the serpent is leaving behind.

When it comes to dealing with the sneaky serpent, often times we are like my husband was with that little snake found in the grass. We want to hold onto it. Show it off. We don't want to dispose of it.

But do you know what kind of danger that puts you in when you do that? Poisonous or not, a snake is a snake. Snakes do what they are equipped to do and that is slither and hiss. There are no cute serpents slithering around you, your family and your ministry.

Luke 10:19 Behold, I give to you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the authority of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you.

God has given us the authority to crush the sneaky ways of the devil. But we must be alert. Today after seeing that snake so close to my home, I have prayed and asked God to help me to have discernment in recognizing his sneaky ways. Often times he comes disguised as an "angel of light", it can be difficult to spot him among the saints. We must not rely upon our feelings, but only God's Word. Line everything up to God's Word, if it doesn't match up, then BEWARE...it just may be a snake!