Beware of safety threats

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV

With the Boston Marathon quickly approaching, the FBI and local police are looking for potential safety threats as they plan security for next month's 26.2 mile race. And while Boston FBI chief Harold "Hank" Shaw didn't divulge whether any threats had been detected at this point, he did say that security officials don't plan on being caught with their guard down. "We’re consistently looking at how that threat is morphing, whether it be the threat of the potential active shooter, whether it be vehicles used as a device for terrorism and all those things are factored into the greater plan of how we’re going to protect. The biggest thing is the need for good intelligence.”

You know, while it's certainly important to be looking out for people and things that can harm us physically, it's even more important that you and I don't let our "guard down" spiritually. We do that by gaining good intelligence on how the enemy, Satan, strikes and how we can best defend ourselves against those assaults. And you can be sure that the devil attacks by using “arguments," or fake philosophies, false reasoning and the schemes of the world, along with “every pretension,” or any thing he can find to cause us to be prideful, self-centered or take our eyes off our need for God. Thankfully, when it comes to fighting back though, you and I don't have to rely on the world's weapons which have no power to "demolish" them, but God's mighty ones - the Word, prayer, faith, hope and the Holy Spirit - that have unlimited power. 

So when exposed to a spiritual threat, or an idea or feeling that might lead us to sin, you and I must protect ourselves by immediately taking that thought captive “to make it obedient to Christ." In other words, when impure thoughts or intentions come to mind (and they will), we must immediately confess them to the Lord and allow Him to redirect our thinking. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the weapons we need to fight off spiritual attacks. Help us to remember that listening to arguments led to the first sin, as Eve listened to the devil and gave in to the lies and temptation that followed. Give us discernment Lord to recognize the devil's schemes and the strength and knowledge to fight them. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Get behind me - Relentless Flood

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