“In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:26-7).
Once a certain gentleman saw a small mount of soil rising in one of his sparsely used bed rooms in his country house. He went back to the city unbothered. Upon his return he was shocked to find that what was once a small soil mount had grown into a huge anthill almost blocking the entrance. How did it get this big!” he whistled with disbelief.
Anyone who has leveled anthills knows that you need to dig up one down to the very bottom and seize the queen ant. So, in this case, it meant he had to excavate to the very foundations of the house. It was a costly venture involving destroying much of the original infrastructure.
So, what had begun as a small foothold in his house almost caused the gentleman to lose his entire beautiful country house. After all was done, he regretted why he had not attacked that small mount of soil the day he had spotted it but then ignored. He would have saved himself all this huge cost.
When the Bible cautions us, “and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27), it is not speaking of some big and overwhelming sin that is gripping a believer. Just as with that soil mount a foothold starts as a small poisonous seed dropped into one’s life appearing harmless at the start. But ignored it gradually grows into one huge tree with deep roots that to uproot it a life may go with it altogether.
For Believers there are all kinds of footholds. It could be unwholesome little talk spaced with curses. Sometimes it is occasional dabbling into harmful alcoholic beverages or dangerous drugs. There could be that small habit of helping oneself with company funds against policy. There is also that seemingly innocent peep into porn sites, after all, no harm!
Ignored, the once small foothold gradually extends into one huge and terrifying mountain, not that easy to level as it now completely controls its victim. To level it down would come at such a stiff price. For this reason, do not take lightly any temptations that come your way. The moment you give the devil an inch you are in for a long ride!
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, I pray to guard myself against any foothold the devil might trap me with, to live a victorious life in Christ, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
Related upcoming events
-
06/05/2024 - 07/05/2024 All day“Do not confirm to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2)
Almost all cultivators are aware that if soils are used perpetually without rains but constantly under work they are deprived of all nutrients. So, though once productive, they lose all power to yield fresh crops as before. But so is our Christian life when we do not regularly feed our spirit life with the Word!
In our leading verse, the Apostle Paul is urging believers to “renew” their minds rather than make them stale, lest they end up losing all power to yield fruit. But how is this done? We renew our minds by constantly reading the Word of God, for there are always insights with God speaking to us afresh. Psalm 119:104-5 says, “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” The Apostle Peter reminds us, “Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow and be saved.” It is a beautiful illustration for any who have seen a hungry baby sucking the teats of a mother.
Renewing our minds is also by reading about the lives of people of faith who have walked before us and their created works. The Christian faith started in the first century after Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. Now over two millenniums it has produced giants of faith who have shared their walk with God through inspired teachings that are a treasure to dig into. By scouring the writings of the great saints before us, listening to their recorded sermons, songs and preaching, which these days can be found on virtual medial channels like Yu tube, reading their biographies, our faith is renewed.
And then we also renew our faith through fellowship. When the Apostle Paul urges us, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” ( Hebrews 10:25), he is reminding us that our faith cannot grow in isolation. During the Covid pandemic lockdown one bitter issue was denying Believers opportunity to meet fellow followers of Christ to share testimonies showing the work of God in their lives.
So today, if your faith is on a low keel, or you want it to flower, one thing you can’t help doing without is “renewing” your mind. The blessings to unfold are endless.
Prayer for today:Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a treasure we have of your rich Word to dig into always; books around us of faith to inspire us; and believers to share our faith- may we make use of these, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
