Delivered From Every Evil Attack

Near the end of a week, when I’d felt particularly under attack by the powers of darkness, I took our small dog, Sid, in the car to the seafront for a late afternoon walk. Being early December it was dark by the time I parked the car in a deserted car park next to the promenade.

As I lifted Sid out of the car I saw a woman cross the car park with a powerful looking dog on an extendable leash. She continued on to the promenade, and I took Sid by a different route, avoiding her and her dog. Suddenly I heard a dog barking and turned to see the woman's dog charging towards us pulling his leash behind him. Obviously he’d pulled it out of his owner’s hand.

I was grateful to see that he actually had a muzzle on, but when he reached us he began a violent attack, charging at and mauling Sid, and also me, as I tried to shield Sid by picking him up. When the owner eventually arrived she finally managed to get hold of the leash again and pull her dog away.

I believe that, had that dog not been muzzled, Sid would probably have been killed, and I might have been seriously injured. The attack of that dog in that dark car park seemed to be a physical manifestation of the spiritual assaults I’d experienced that week. As I thought about that later, I felt the Lord say to me, “Yes, Satan is vicious, just like that dog, but he too is muzzled”.

In Colossians 2:15 we read that, through Jesus’ victory over sin and death on the cross, God ‘disarmed the rulers and authorities of darkness and put them to open shame’. They will still attack us, but, as we abide in Christ, we’re protected and kept safe in Him.

Perhaps you feel you’re going through a battle with spiritual darkness in your walk with the Lord at the moment. Take courage that He who delivered Paul from every attack of the evil one, from the mouth of the lion, is able to deliver you also, as you stand in Him and call upon His name.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your name is a strong tower. Help me to always run to You, and to stand in Your mighty power against every scheme of Satan. Thank You that You have already defeated him on the cross, and that, in You, I’m more than a conqueror. Amen.