Introduction
Whenever we think about a thief, we immediately paint the classic picture of a hunching crook, tip-toeing through a victim’s home. Did you see a horizontally striped shirt in that imagery? Classic. There are stereotypes for everything. This is what we all think a thief looks like.
The Look Of A Thief
The truth is that thieves are way more sophisticated than that. Imagine a person entering a neighborhood dressed like McDonald’s famous thief, The Hamburglar? They wouldn’t get very far. Anyone who saw the thief on the block would know exactly what they were trying to do.
Similarly, the robbers in our lives aren’t dressed in classic costumes. We would see and know immediately if the robbers in our lives were packaged like threats. Instead, they take on the forms of something useful or even needed in our lives. Do you ever notice how robbers in real life have to pose as delivery men or utility workers going door-to-door?
The thieves the enemy deploys in our lives are kind of the same. Sometimes they come in the form of entertainment that helps you through a tough time in your life, or an inspirational video from a social media follower. Whatever it is, every dangerous thing starts off with harmless good intentions.
The Real Thief Of Life
We need to understand that there are thieves in our lives. Jesus said in St. John 10:10 that,
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Jesus warned us that satan is trying to take things away from our lives. For those who have breath in their lungs, he is trying to end your living. Whether it is your physical life, through crisis or calamity, or your spiritual life, through doubt, distraction or compromising your faith in God.
Once he steals and kills things in your life, you will march towards destruction. We see it all around us. People who think that it’s okay to indulge in the destructive temptations that the devil puts in their way, slowly dry up and inching closer to depression or suicide.
What satan is After?
I’ve found that there are a few areas where the enemy tries to steal, kill and destroy:
- Righteousness – When we are unrighteous, we hide from God, like Adam did in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:9)
- Peace – Peace is a sign that you are in the will of God. satan tries to flood us with confusion and anxiety.
- Joy – The JOY of The Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). We cannot afford to fight our enemy without strength.
- Faith – Our trust in God’s authority and salvation keeps us secure while walking in His ways. The enemy wants to interrupt that.
- Love – When satan uses people to reject us, the raw pain makes it harder and harder for us to accept God’s unconditional love.
Conclusion
You are under attack, right now. I know because the enemy of your soul…wants your soul. Be careful and watch all of the things that seem harmless in your life. Evaluate them. Scrutinize them. They may be secret robbers in disguise.