Day 86 "Satan's plans are often God’s opportunities."

Day 86

Matthew 10:16-17 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.”

"Sheep in the midst of wolves," or better known as food for the hungry or defenseless people in the midst of a ravenous enemy who seeks to destroy. We are a people with no hope on our own, yet protected by one who knows no fear. Our earthly bodies have no method of battling in the spirit: we see in the flesh, move in the flesh, feel in the flesh, and respond in the flesh, yet the spirit realm feels no consequence from fleshly actions, say one, complete surrender. To be wise in this battle, we must first realize all of that to be true, that though we respond in the flesh, it is a war which we cannot see that rages on about us. Therefore, to be wise is to respond accordingly, in the spirit. To be harmless as a dove is to avoid reacting in the flesh to those who seek to destroy the flesh, but rather we react in the spirit, by prayer and complete surrender to the will of God. The amazing thing is, when we do surrender, we see Him answering those prayers by being victorious on our behalf in the most amazing ways.

A while back, our son-in-law was struck with appendicitis while leading a Junior High camp in Santa Cruz, California, some 275-plus miles south of where we were living. Well, of course we pack up our oldest daughter (his wife) and my youngest daughter, leave the toddler and our middle daughter with grandma, and head for Santa Cruz at 7 p.m. First of all, we need to get to the hospital and check up on Nick, and then I need to get to the camp and help get these kids and leaders back to Redding the next day. We arrived at the hospital around midnight to find Nick in recovery doing very well, and around 1 a.m. we found a room, the last one available. This is Saturday night and spring break, but of course God was watching over us even there since this room was equipped with two double beds and was a non-smoking room. (See? He even takes care of the smallest details.) Six a.m. we’re up showering, head back to the hospital, and then on to camp where I'll be helping the team get home. Leaving Nick and my daughter Katie behind to await discharge from the hospital, we began our caravan home with five vehicles full of kids, one of which was towing a trailer full of equipment. Of course, I was and had been praying for safety; you see, the Lord had told me Nick would not be coming home a few days earlier, so I was prepared, for what I didn't know. Prayer was all I had.

Following are the major events of the ride home: A car is in the southbound lane (we are northbound) and spinning wildly toward us doing 360-degree turns–God revealed it, and I was able to avoid a collision. A vehicle towing a travel trailer immediately in front of us loses control after the driver falls asleep–God revealed it, and we were able to avoid a collision. Our own trailer immediately in front of us had a blow out, ripping the fender off and sending it like a giant knife past our window–God revealed it, and again we were able to avoid a collision. Add this to a long list of cutoffs and close calls, and I can honestly say the entire trip was one of the most harrowing six-hour drives of my life. God gave me the ability to see the plans of the enemy while they were yet afar off, and nothing I could do would save anyone without His help and direction. I believe the enemy wanted to destroy this team; he was out for blood, yet we were covered by the blood, thus his plans failed. Trusting God means surrendering to Him, believing in what we can't see, and trusting that He, alone, can win our battles.

Daily Prayer: Father, help us to trust You, surrender to You, and to follow You. Give us the ability to see the enemies plan afar off and react with wisdom. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

"Satan's plans are often God’s opportunities."

Pastor Gene Burroughs