Monthly musings

                                                                               Escaping Satan’s Clutches

                                                                                         by Ken Weliever

Not long after daylight on July 4th our daughter, Rachél, was attacked by an alligator in the shallow water of the Hillsborough River at her Temple Terrace home.

Rachél instinctively screamed but the gator wouldn’t let go of her right leg. After hitting it with a rock, she punched it in the nose with her fist. But the gator held on. Tight.

Fearing she was about to be dragged into deeper water, Rachél described to Bay News Nine reporter Matt Lackritz who interviewed her on Friday, how in desperation she reached her hands to either side of the gator’s jaws and pried them open. After crawling back to her yard, Rachél wrapped her leg in a towel, and called a neighbor to take her to the hospital.

In describing the rush of adrenaline she felt, Rachél told Matt, “I was not ready to leave my family yet.”

By God’s grace, Rachél is home from the hospital recovering after a successful surgery for a fractured Fibula, as well as tissue damage. Thankfully, no major nerves were severed. The prognoses is 6-8 weeks before the bone is healed.

Rachél’s spunk, determination, and strong will allowed her to escape the gator’s clutches. In a similar way, we need the same resolve to escape the Devil’s attacks on our soul.

While not described as an alligator, the Bible does depict the Devil as an old serpent, a roaring lion, and a great, fiery dragon (Rev. 20:2; 12:3; 1 Pet. 5:8) who seeks our harm. The metaphors are designed to warn us about the danger he poses. The seriousness of his attacks. And the need to be wary of him.

The Bible speaks of our struggle against Satan’s schemes and how we wrestle with his temptations. Resisting is not always easy. We must fight against his wiles (Eph. 6:10-17).

Satan seeks to ensnare us today with the age old tactics of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 Jn. 2:15-17). It requires our determination and resolve to resist. To fight against feelings we know that are injurious to our spiritual health and well-being.

Today the devil has so many people in his clutches. It may be an addiction. A harmful habit. A destructive relationship. A crippling emotional dependency. Or even spiritual indifference.

Unlike the alligator whose grip is obvious, hurtful, and life threatening, Satan employs means that are more subtle. Through delusion, deception, deceit and disinformation, we may find ourselves in his grip. But it doesn’t seem so bad. It might even feel fine. That’s why the Bible warns us to be alert. Be vigilant. Be watchful. And to pay attention to the devil’s attacks. To be ready to fend off his advances.

When you find yourself in the devil’s grasp, you need the resolve and courage Rachél possessed in fighting the gator. Are you ready to scream? To punch him in the mouth? To pry away his grip from your heart, mind, and soul?  To do whatever it requires to find release and be rescued from certain spiritual death?

Like the gator, the Bible says Satan will devour us if we don’t resist and fight against his aggression. The apostle exhorted, “fight the good fight of faith.” That includes fighting against spiritual temptation. Sinful desires. And Satan’s schemes.

We are so relieved and grateful that Rachél was spared from this awful ordeal. In the same spirit, we pray that you can fend off the Devil’s dangerous attacks on your soul. That you can be successful in your spiritual struggles. And that you can strengthen your resolve to live for the Lord.

“Be strong and of good courage” (Josh. 1:6).

— Via Articles from the Knollwood church of Christ, July 2024