Girlfriends in God - July 16, 2008

July 16, 2008

Nightmare on York Street

Today’s Truth

“Satan is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NIV).

Friend to Friend

Unmoving, wide-eyed, and paralyzed by fear, I pulled the covers up close to my chin and willed myself to fall asleep. The silence was interrupted only by the pounding of my heart. Dad and I had just watched a scary movie on TV and I just knew the killers were going to show up at my house any minute. Sure enough, when my mom went into their bedroom, someone let out a blood curdling scream! Mom’s body hit the wall with a thud and she began screaming! The killers were here!

I bolted out of bed, jumped out the window, and ran next door for help! Lights sprang to life as I banged on the neighbors’ door. (I really did this, hair in tin can sized curlers and white Noxzema cream on my face.)

“Someone has killed my father and now they are killing my mom!” I cried.

A phone call revealed the truth. Dad had been having a bad dream. When mom came into the room, she pulled back the covers just as the man in dad’s dream was going for the knife. He reacted! It was just a dream. Everything was OK.

I went back home to find my dad looking through all the closets. The nightmare wasn’t real, but it sure did feel that way. That’s how Satan works - through fear (false evidence, appearing, real). He twists the truth, plunders our thoughts, and tries to make us run. He tries to steal our peace, rob our joy, and stir up fear with his lies.

Do a little FBI work on the worries of your life (Further Bible Investigation). I bet they have Satan’s fingerprints all over them. And when it comes to his future demise, this is one movie where I already know the ending. Satan gets his due. The list of credits is short – there’s only one name-Jesus.

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, I know that fear is many times just false evidence-appearing-real. Help me dust for Satan’s fingerprints on the worries of my life and stand on the promises of God.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Have you ever been worried about something and later discovered you had simply let your imagination run wild?

How are worry and faith in opposition to each other?

Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. Are there any thoughts that you need to take captive today?

More from the Girlfriends

Today’s devotion was taken from Sharon new devotional book, Extraordinary Moments with God. Come with Sharon as she dusts for God’s fingerprints that change ordinary days into extraordinary moments. As you explore this treasury of stories highlighting “God moments” in the lives of fellow travelers, you too will begin to sense His presence in extraordinary ways. And if you want to learn more about how to take every thought captive, see Experience the Ultimate Makeover.