I sat on the floor clipping Watts’ toenails when Price marched into the kitchen.
“Mommy, did you know that Satan used to be a beautiful angel? Then he decided he wanted to be God and that’s how he became Satan.” (a direct quote, I swear).
I responded with, “You are so right Pricey. Did you know we sometimes make the same mistake as Satan? We think we can be like God and God has to remind us that isn’t true.”
Price kept going with his thought, “Yeah, Satan wants us to be on his bad team. He tells us lies and wants us to not be with God.”
“Buddy, you got it. Remember Satan’s first lie. He convinced Eve she could be smarter than God. He said, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” That’s like Quade saying, “Did mommy really say not to have a piece of candy?” Sadly, Eve believed Satan’s lies.”
“Remember that song, mommy? ‘Satan’s pants are on fire. He tells you it’s not true. He sells you on the pretty fruit.’ That’s talking ’bout Satan lying, right?”
He’s only five and he gets it. There is a battle going on. It’s not visible. For we are each a soul with a body (C.S. Lewis).
Last Thursday at a faith & culture event, I heard the actor, Max Mclean, speak. His voice may be more well-known than his face. If you have the YouVersion Bible app, you have heard him when listening to the NIV translation. He also done wonderful performances of books from the Bible (here is the link for Mark chapter 1)
Max was in Dallas performing in his adaptation of C.S.Lewis’ book “The Screwtape Letters”. This wonderful book is a series of short letters written from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew & protegé, Wormwood. He advises Wormwood on how to keep his “patient”, a British gentleman, from becoming a Christian. How to secure the man’s “damnation”. To keep him directed toward “our Father below” (satan) and keep him from “the Enemy” (God).
In the preface to the book, C.S.Lewis wrote, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”
Either extreme is dangerous:
- ignoring the existence of evil
- an excessive interest in demons.
In writing my own book, I cannot ignore the existence of evil. I’m walking into the battlefield. Because Satan is the poster child for “pride” and Christ the perfect example of “humility”.
“Pride can degrade the highest angels into devils, and humility raise fallen flesh and blood to the thrones of angels.”-Cantebury Prayers (1893)
We have the choice each day to humble ourselves and admit God as the supreme authority. Or we can go the path of the fallen angel and “consider equality with God something to be grasped” (Phil 2:6)…which even Christ, who was God, didn’t claim.
As I write this book would you pray with me to keep Satan’s lies from my mind. To stay focused (so many distractions) on the message God wants me to share, a message of humility in mothering. With these words I’m striking Satan right between the eyes. “The devil, the proud spirit, cannot endure to be mocked” (Thomas More).
Of course he would have me “feeling not like myself”, keep me from writing these words. He wants to keep me isolated. Alone. Discouraged.
Well not anymore. You chicas are my encouragers. My prayer warriors.
You need a prayer warrior too. If you desire to be a God-centered momma then you are being attacked as well. Can you write in the comments how we can pray for you? Will you pray for the request written right before your own? Like a little bloggy-prayer chain.
Here is my prayer:
“Lord, keep my mind stayed on You. Don’t allow me to believe the lies that I have “nothing new” to say to moms. Keep me from the distractions of social media. Keep my family safe. May I continue to view this book as your project and not for my glory.” Amen
I wrote this post on Saturday. Monday morning I hired a sitter to watch the boys while I wrote for a couple hours. I had just gone upstairs and opened my computer…literally minutes later I heard Price screaming, “Emergency! Emergency!! Watts is really, really hurt” Then I see the sitter carrying Watts up the stairs. My sweet boy was bawling…and bleeding buckets from his head. Fortunately after 5 minutes of cleaning the bleeding source turned out to be a small puncture wound. Thankfully it wasn’t my first “my-son-is-bleeding-everywhere” rodeo. Unfortunately, thirty minutes of writing time was now gone.
Tuesday during “quiet time” when I planned to write, Knox woke up from his nap early and cried inconsolably for 45 minutes. Tuesday night I went to bed early planning to wake Wednesday morning at 5am to write. Sadly Price was up all Tuesday night with a stomach bug.
I truly don’t believe this scenarios are coincidences. Please, please stop right now and pray for this project and for Satan to be bound. Quade, amazingly, shared the verse (pictured above) with me. Thank you Lord for a precious son who knows and speaks truth.:
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” Romans 16:20
Praying!! May God protect you, and may God grant you more and more grace and peace as you write!
Thanks Michelle! What can I pray for you? In what ways do you need protection from the prowling lion?
Prayer warriors in action! Praying that a path of grace clears the negative voices for you to hear the words God wants you to share. 🙂 It sounds as if he may be sending messages through your boys 😉 God Bless…
Thank you Pam! Yes, the boys are an integral part of this process. So thankful for Tricia Goyer’s direction on that piece. Thankful for my boys who have professed faith and are being guided by the Holy Spirit to speak truth. What can I pray for you Pam?
Pray for pure gratitude in the hearts of our families. With all of the holiday influences coming from all directions, that we and others don’t ever lose the TRUE MEANING of grace from God and gifts he shares everyday….Thank you!
Prayed for protection and that God will show his strength and power in your life, “he who is in you is stronger than he who is in the world”. “commit your way to the Lord, trust in him, he will do it!” (verses might be slightly misquoted due to my memory..)
Thank you Sara! misquoted or not…still true!! What can I pray for you Sara?
For greater love and compassion and joy towards my children (as opposed to stress and frustration and why haven’t you done what I told you yet). Thank you!
you got it chica. just prayed. thanks for sharing!
spiritual warfare is something you need to be constantly on your guard with. When you experience it – call upon the spirit to protect you. In my experience, when the devil knows you know he’s there he back off.
Praying for you. Satan will not be the victor! Rom 8:10, 8:31
Awesome of your son! Great verse! Stay strong mama! You are on the road to do great things as a warrior for Christ!!!!! The devil will bring you these distracting battles along the way but have faith, and remember, God wins the war!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Push through, I will def be keeping you in my prayers