STRONGHOLD - by NIki Melton

I happen to own the best cat in the world.  I mean it, there are no other cats like him.  However, I grew up with several dogs, and while I don’t consider myself strictly a “dog person”, I truly love them as well.  One interesting thing about dogs is their awareness of their own stature, and the sense that they will accommodate their attitude to project a larger presence.  Big dogs? Awesome.  They know their size and are all good. Small dogs- Yippy dogs? Uggh. Totally ridden with Complex, they know they are too small to take down anything, but they sure will snip at your ankles until you are persuaded to give them what they want. It paints an interesting picture of the effectiveness of the devil.  He can’t really affect any eternal outcome; we are sealed in Christ and our salvation is secure.  But that certainly doesn’t mean he won’t yip and snip at us, trying to get us to bend to his intentions.
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Peter reminds us of just that (1Peter 5:8).  “Be sober-minded, be alert.  Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.”  
 
Paul emphasizes that we are not to “give the devil a foothold” (Eph. 4:27).  In theory, we could cast that aside and think, “well, that’s all he can get of us”, but be aware, be alert.  He may only be snatching at your feet, but it might make you jump.  Or maybe he’s got your heel, and you are turning in circles instead of heading forward on the straight path God intends for you.  My point is this: he can’t affect the outcome, but he sure can weigh down your effectiveness.  
 
So, with that said, as you are experiencing your day, know that the devil does yip and snip.  See it for what it is, and don’t let him get you at the ankle.  Remember who truely hasyou, the One who is holding you, and will never let you go.  God’s got us, and rest assured that no amount of snipping changes that.  
 
Psalm 46:7 says “The LORD of Armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.”  Then, same chapter, verse 11 echoes it, “The LORD of Armies is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.”  So important, he said it twice.