THE SPIDER AND THE DEVIL

I have to begin by telling you that I am not a big fan of spiders. I know they serve a purpose in our world, but I am happy if they choose to serve it somewhere other than where I am.

This past Sunday morning I began the presentation of my sermon as usual. I have a lapel microphone, so I normally move the larger boom microphone to the side and ignore it during my presentation of God’s word. As I was speaking I noticed some movement from the corner of my eye. Of course I was concentrating on my message, “The Gates of Hell,” but I kept noticing the movement. I finally focused on the movement for a split second and saw it was a spider, about one fourth of an inch in size. It was hanging from a single strand of its web and climbing up and down repeatedly.

I tried to block out that movement and concentrate on my message, but occasionally would “sneak a peek” at the spider, just to make sure where it was. It wasn’t bothering me, but it was a distraction.

Later on the way home I told my wife about the incident and her response surprised me. She said, “It wasn’t just a spider, it was Satan, he didn’t want your lesson preached”. I thought “WOW,” she just could be right.

Later I mentioned the incident to several of our members and no one else had noticed it. I checked the microphone that afternoon and there was no sign of the spider. Now I don’t doubt that there was a real spider even if I couldn’t find it later, but could the Devil use such a small thing to distract someone?

Yes, I believe he can and does. I know that he doesn’t have any real power in the world today other than deceit, deception and distraction. His power was broken when Christ rose from the grave. The devil has no power over us that we don’t let him have.

He also deceives and uses many people in the world through the use of people who seem religious and holy. The apostle Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 to describe how Satan works. “Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming. This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.” (NLT)

Counterfeit power, deception, distracting us from what is really important, that’s how the devil works. He is the ultimate conman, trying desperately to drag us down to his level of corruption by distracting us from the truth and that will bring about our spiritual death. That’s why Peter warns us in 1 Peter 5:8-9a, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.” (NLT)

So, what is your distraction today, how is the devil working on you? Could it be through the computer screen you stare at so long, ungodly movies or television programs? What about the tabloid papers, magazines or books, maybe the songs you listen to or the friends you keep or the text messages that cross the line of purity. Or, maybe it’s simply a spider that distracts you while you are trying to share the message of God’s power and his love.

Whatever it takes, the Devil will use, so “stay alert, watch out for your great enemy, the devil.”

Russ Lawson  
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