The Enemy Knows Us Well...

But God is Still in Control!

“We’ve got more water in the basement!” my husband yelled half-heartedly up the stairs.

“What? Are you kidding? Not again!!” My mood plummeted. Three times in the past few weeks, heavy rain and snow melting caused unexplained water to seep through the basement floor. In the 27 years living in our home, I only remember water in the basement twice.

Clearly, something was wrong. I grumbled under my breath, knowing the new sump pump arrived the next morning. It’s been difficult to pinpoint the problem in the middle of our cold winter. (Frozen gutters? Frozen or blocked pipes? Water table too high?)

Frustrated, I stomped upstairs to grab more towels, then rushed downstairs to the basement. There, my husband stooped, mopping up dirty water and wringing soggy towels into a bucket. Thankfully, only one corner of the cellar seemed affected. But why do problems like these always occur at bedtime? In the middle of winter? And right BEFORE the pump gets installed??!?

Certainly, we live in a fallen world and problems abound. That’s one answer.

But the Bible also tells us we have an enemy. A spiritual enemy who studies us and knows exactly where our pressure points reside. And since he’s been kicked out of heaven to roam the earth, Jesus told us in John 10:10 that he lives to “steal, kill, and destroy” all that he can away from God.

The Enemy of Our Souls

As I contemplated our enemy, it dawned on me that I had just hit “send” on an important email in the spiritual realm. My email contained a short version of my story--how God rescued me from the pit of a mental health crisis in my younger years. I felt peaceful sending it off through the cyber-highways to share with some friends.

My only desire in sharing it is to give God glory for rewriting my story. It’s not easy to recount and certainly isn’t flattering to share. Yet, God deserves accolades and praise for my rescue and the abundant grace, love, and mercy he’s bestowed upon me.

Well, our spiritual enemy doesn’t miss a beat! Since we’re all human, I’m assuming it’s the same for you. Immediately after closing my laptop, we found the basement flooding (which wasn’t the only annoyance that night).

Peter reminds us in the Bible to “Stay alert!... your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:7, ESV).

I distinctly remember times in my life when I’ve recognized the enemy at work. In my experiences (over thirty-plus years following Christ), I’ve noticed our enemy preying on our fears, circling them back around for us to stew over or trip us up.

This should come as no surprise to alert believers---he’s studied human behavior for thousands of years! But it can upset us when we recognize him messing in our lives.

“The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in time of trouble.” ( 9:9, NLT)

Our Enemy Preys on Our Fears

Watching water flow back into my basement amplified my fear of the growth of mold, a major factor behind my health issues. What better way to send me into an angry, upset tizzy than to stir up this issue right before bed? It seemed more than just a coincidence to me.

I remember years ago, a lonely, older neighbor with a history of alcohol and mental health issues propositioned my son. Thankfully, he came to us with the predicament. But I realized I needed to face one of my worst fears as a parent—not being able to protect my children from experiencing the same type of traumatic event that I’d endured. Was that just a big coincidence? It seemed unlikely.

Another time years ago, a friend of ours dealt with a life-threatening sickness with her daughter. My friend’s own sibling had suffered and died from a life-threatening illness as a youth. So yes, my friend’s worst fears returned to test her during her daughter’s health scare. Coincidence? Probably not. (After many sleepless and prayer-filled nights, all turned out well!)

But God is Still in Control!

The story of Joseph in the Bible reminds us that what is meant for evil, God often allows to work for good. I believe God asks us at times to face our fears head-on. Why? We can know and experience victory over fear with his help. He wants to grow our faith and strengthen our trust in him. And hopefully, we will deal with these situations better our second time around.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble,” (Psalm 46:1, NIV).

Part of our victory comes from knowing we have a Savior and Lord who has already defeated our enemy. And when we trust in Jesus for our salvation, we receive his indwelling Holy Spirit. The Spirit opens our eyes to see how the enemy might be at work. Once we recognize his work, we’re able to act:

· by calling on the name of the Lord for help (Rom. 10:13, NIV)

· speaking God’s promises over the situation (2 Cor. 1:20, NASB)

· trusting that God’s plan for us is good (Jer. 29:11-12, NIV)

· remembering that God is still in charge (2 Chron. 20:6, NLT)

What about you? How have you seen the enemy attack you in the area of your fears? How did you and God handle it?

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4, NASB).

P.S. While that last bit of flooding created quite a long night, the installation of our new sump pump the next day allowed us to retire to bed in peace when the rain returned. Thank you, Lord, for your help through our troubles and fears!

Worship Time!!

*Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash