By Rhonda Stinson
Whoops, I did it again—more chickens!
A friend asked me if I wanted thirteen chickens. I took two beauties and gradually introduced them to my other hens. The hens were not accepting of the two newbies. They pecked them until I couldn’t stand it any longer. I called the woman who took the other hens and she gladly came and picked up my two. I was relieved!
I know it’s a part of a chicken’s nature to have a pecking order, but I can’t bear to watch animals being mean to each other. A week later, another friend told me she could give me some of her Silkie chicken eggs and an incubator so that I could hatch them myself. The next week she brought me twenty eggs. Seventeen of them hatched and now I’m a little overwhelmed by upkeep! Well, I prayed for chickens, and God answered!
It’s interesting to see how humans and animals will pick at each other. Just last week, the Holy Spirit blessed the lesson I taught in our ladies’ class. Women from the class kept coming to me saying how much the lesson touched them. However, one woman stopped me with a snide remark. I immediately knew it was Satan using her to crush my spirit. Her remark didn’t shake me one iota.
I knew the Holy Spirit had something special in store because of the Satanic attack that began a week earlier. Every time I knelt to pray, cuss words would come into my mind. I don’t even cuss, nor do I think of cuss words. They’re not a part of my language and not a part of me, which is one key to identifying intrusive thoughts planted by Satan.
Another way to identify them is by timing. They come out of nowhere and when I’m pouring my heart out to God. Satan didn’t want me to pray, and I believe he wanted to wallow in shame over these thoughts. These thoughts began only at prayer time, but progressively got worse.
Satan has lost the battle because these thoughts have driven me to God, not from Him. Satan used other things to hinder my work for the LORD and is even working as I type this. My computer keeps blacking out and stalling. I’m compelled to stop due to frustration. But I know that God is speaking to someone through this devotion.
The Serpent of old is still around and constantly picking at us. He’s like a dripping faucet that won’t stop. The only protection we have from his lies is the blood of Jesus Christ and His Word. I know that I can find refuge and strength found only in the redemptive work of Christ done at Calvary.
There is power in prayer, and there is power in the blood.
Is Satan at work in your mind? Do you listen to his lies? Do you believe his lies? If you are a child of God, you are cleansed and forgiven. You are a daughter of the King and can call on Him at any time. He wants to be your Strong Tower, your Safe Place, your Guide, and your Deliverer. Take a moment today and thank Him for His unfailing love and express your love to Him. Take your thoughts to Him, because He cares for you!
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day” (Psalm 46:1-5).
“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7).
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
Looking for a way to connect with God daily? Check out our daily devotional books: Living in Truth Day by Day *** Living in Truth Mind, Body, Spirit *** Living in Truth: A Christmas Devotional
