Don’t Give Place to the Devil

Are you given to moods? I suppose that all are to some extent. The devil has a large practice in that realm. Let me refer again to a bit of personal testimony. It was during the dark days of the first World War. Nothing was easy except “going under.” We were hewing our way through the conflict. The weeks of prayer stretched into months, but very little ease of spirit resulted. It was easy in the atmosphere which then prevailed for depression of heart and mind to set in. I confess that for a brief while I succumbed. I recall sitting in front of a cottage fire with my head in my hands, doubtful about many things, perplexed over others.

My daughter, who was six years old at the time, came up to me. Touching my arm, she asked, “Daddy, what’s the matter?”

“I can’t say, dear,” I replied.

“Oh, Daddy,” she rejoined quite seriously, “that’s the devil. I shouldn’t take it on.” I was too depressed in spirit to be amused, but her words came to me like a shaft of light from heaven. “It’s of the devil. Don’t take it on.”

“And neither will I,” said I to myself, as deliberately I rose to my feet, and in doing so became as free in spirit as I have perhaps ever been.

Does that touch your need? It may someday. Then you will know that you need that diagnosis of your trouble and that you must resist the devil, who will no doubt be making use of legitimate circumstances (Matthew 4:2-3) to draw you into a conflict and to plunge your spirit into darkness. When the conflict begins to spiritually paralyze you and make you feel helpless, suspect it as being the devil’s doings, and resist him.

God may burden you, but the devil will try to overburden you. In the former you are enabled in the Lord (1 Timothy 1:12) to triumph; in the latter you may become a misery to yourself and everyone around you. Do not mistake what I mean. You will not always be able to smile, but you will always be able to triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14). Triumph presupposes conflict, and conflict you will have; sometime, somehow, somewhere.