Visits from Satan: The Bully of All Time

1 Pet 5:7-10 January 19, 2017

Satan the Bully
In January 1996 a teenager in the family had been in trouble for some time. On the night of January 15, 1996 as I slept, once more I was visited by the “night stalker” of evil deeds. This time he told me if I would give up writing for the magazine and ministering at our meetings everything would be fine with that beloved family member. I knew he was a liar, and it made me furious he would even try such a thing. It only added to my already steadfast resolve to continue in the work God had given me.

But Satan was not done trying to stop me. Three days later I was at the copy machine, in the area where I do most of my work. I turned to leave the machine and a “force” that is all I can describe it as shoved me off my feet! I went reeling, grabbing at the air and landed with a thud on my right shoulder. (I’m right handed). I have a picture of my slippers in front of the copier which shows I was lifted out of them. I began to cry out in pain. I couldn’t get up off the floor. My son and grandson came to my rescue and lifted me off the floor. I felt at once my shoulder had been dislocated. It was!

One of my grandsons drove me to the hospital while a granddaughter held my arm up to relieve some of the pain. When he couldn’t scare me into quitting he disabled me. It was some time before I could actually write again or use the computer – but I foiled his plan. I had plenty of other things to do, including witnessing to doctors and giving some of them the CS magazine. I never stopped ministering at our fellowship meetings, or any other opportunity I had when God opened some door. It took time before I was back to normal, but Satan never got the satisfaction of seeing me quit, and he never will see that day, unless the Lord tells me to stop, which I doubt will ever happen while I still have breath.

The family member is better. (Now even a bona-fide born-again Christian.) So Satan was proven to be a liar even in the threat he made to me. He may be able to harass us, even harm us in some way, but we can’t allow him and his evil spirits to stop us from the work God has called us to. We must be determined as Paul was when he said; “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13 He also sets this example for us;

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:13-14.

There are many more personal incidents I could add here, but instead I have chosen two visits experienced by family members. One was to a three-year-old and the other to a young man going off to college.

Don’t Play Around With “The Snake”
This next account shows how relentless and evil the enemy of our body, soul and spirit is. A grandson of mine lived with us when he was not much more than a baby. He awoke suddenly, sat up with big wide eyes. (His mother reported this to me.) He said; “I saw a BIIIIIIIIIIG SNAKE, it was a monster snake. Everybody was there, (He named a number of family members, mostly unbelievers.) He said no one could kill it, one even had a gun. (but it wouldn’t kill it). No one could, but his “uncle T could, he chased it away. His Uncle “T” happens to be the editor of this magazine. He had the authority in Jesus’ name to drive the enemy away.

We all knew who the BIG snake was that was harassing a three-year-old. He has not lived with or been near us for many years and is now a teenager. About three years ago Satan tried to claim his life with a physical snake. His friend, had a VERY SMALL pet snake, unlike the one in his dream, but poisonous, which he kept in an aquarium. He and his friends used to play with it. It bit my grandson’s index finger and it had to be amputated to the first Joint. But his life was spared. The moral to this story is to caution everyone not to play with Satan whether it is physical, intellectual or spiritual. He can be deadly.

More than that Satan is described in Scripture as a Roaring Lion going about to devour people. We need to trust God to defend us:

“Cast all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Peter 5: 7-10

To Visits from Satan Vignette 5> He Will Continue – Resist!