Sin and Temptation: Week 6, Day 3

Day 3: Poor Pooch

A 16-foot python stalked a family’s pet Terrier-Chihuahua for several days before finally attacking, fatally crushing, and devouring the dog. The family’s children watched in horror as the 110-pound snake ate their dog.

That is a sad story. Can you imagine that? Hey guys, what’s up. Oh, nothing. We’re just sitting here watching our dog be devoured by that huge snake. I would understand that if it were the family cat. I mean, that would make sense, but a dog. Come on! (That was just a joke)

That is a strange and sad story. Here’s the even stranger part: The family had seen the snake around the outside of their house for days before the dog was attacked. They had even seen the snake lying in the dog’s bed! What did they do? They did nothing. Jack Squat! They took no action, called no animal control facility; they didn’t even do a web search to get rid of a giant snake. Reptile experts who eventually removed the snake after the dog had been eaten said that being in the dog’s bed was a sure sign the snake was stalking the dog. You think?

Before we give this family too hard of a time, how many times have we done the same thing? We allow sin to hang around in our minds, in our relationships, on the TV, on the computer screen, and then we look so shocked when our sin begins to devour us.

Are you letting something hang around in your life, thinking that it’s not that big of a deal? If you are, don’t be surprised when you lose something very precious to you.

Make no mistake about it Satan is slithering around you, looking for the right time to steal, kill and destroy your life. That snake stalked that dog for days looking for just the right moment to attack that poor dog. That little dog didn’t have a chance.

Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, and you are no match for him. He knows your weakness, and he is going to attack you at that point of weakness over, and over, and over again until he has you where he wants you.

Where is the enemy stalking you? Where does he see his opportunity to devour your life? It’s time to take action now. Don’t wait. Stop kidding yourself. No matter what you have to quit, give up, turn in, turn over, or get out, do it today. Take away every opportunity Satan has in your life to hurt you – and those who love you.

Time Out:

In what area of your life are you the most vulnerable? In what area of your life are you the weakest?

How are you going to strengthen this area of your life?

Look up 1 Peter 8-9 and answer the following questions.

According to verse 8, how do we defeat Satan?

Is there anything in your life where you lack self-control? Is there any area of your life where you are not alert?

Verse 9 tells us to resist the devil by doing what?

What does it mean to stand firm in the faith? (I think it means you trust God and stay as close to Him as you possibly can because He is the only one that can defeat the devil.)

A great way to make sure your weakness doesn’t get the best of you is to share that weakness with a friend or family member who will hold you accountable to making sure you don’t set yourself up for a significant fall. Your accountability partner should be the kind of person who can speak the truth to you and who you know always has your back.