The Thief
Weekly devotional by Barbara Sanders

All of us want to protect our worldly goods. We never are prepared, though, for a robbery of our property. We do not like intruders into our personal settings, but it's going to happen to most of us one day.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

My daughter and her family experienced their second robbery in a year to their residence, but in two different locations. SO satan is 'on the move'; he knows right where to find you. In fact, he "prepares" to steal from you, no matter what the "cost"! In this instance, girls went around in the neighborhood and tried selling burglar alarms last week. Yesterday, a guy went around selling coffee. They were 'casing' the homes to make sure WHO was home and who wasn't. They had to have already determined that my daughter and her family would be gone in the early morning hours. The one neighbor that looks out for the neighborhood was gone only a short time yesterday morning and all this happened. The sheriffs told our son-in-law this morning, when they came to take finger prints, that they already have leads to who stole all the stuff from these eight families they hit yesterday. The thieves had tried pawning some of our daughter's things before they even knew they had been robbed.

Luke 12:39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

Exodus 22:7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.

In the same way that satan attacks us in our personal lives, he comes after us with the same determination to steal from us our spiritual connections. He doesn't want you serving GOD, and he will do anything it takes to get you away from Him. You have to be on guard all the time.

The devil even tempted God. What would make us think that we could escape his attacks? We can't, but we can be aware of the places we might be letting him into our lives. We need to draw closer to God in every area of our lives and let HIM lead, guide, and direct our paths, help us make our decisions. We need to make sure we never waver in what we give to God. Do not say we have turned it over to God and then take it up again. Satan is watching; he knows where you are weak and where you are strong....he will always attack in those weak areas.

Luke 4:3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Heavenly Father, help us to hold fast to your Word, get it deep within our souls, that we may be able to bring it forth with the help of the Holy Spirit when satan comes knocking at our door. Help us to be prepared with the Word at any given moment and to have on the whole armor of God all the time, ready to fight! We give you honor, praise and glory! In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

Written ©October 18, 1997 by Barbara Sanders. All rights reserved.
Copy only with permission.