The Tree Stand

My neighbor called this morning.
She was having some outside work done yesterday.
One of the workers discovered a hunter’s tree stand in her woods.
She was upset since there are No Hunting signs posted throughout the woods.
When she walked back into the woods, she noticed the No Hunting signs were gone.

The signs are going to be replaced today.
She graciously notified the unknown hunter with her own sign.
They had twenty-four hours to remove the tree stand.

There is no rifle hunting in our township.
Bow and arrow hunting is allowed with restrictions.
She called other neighbors to make them aware that someone is hunting here.

My neighbor feels somewhat vulnerable…not knowing who is in her woods.
Early the other morning, we heard a gunshot.

It made me think of the enemy of our souls.
Satan, the hunter…hunting for souls.

Satan camouflages well.
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14)

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Masquerading.
Prowling.
Roaring.
Devouring.

I am sure whoever set up the tree stand in the woods has only good intentions.
We see many deer traveling the same path each day…and returning each evening.
They settle in my neighbor’s woods at night and sleep.

They are easy prey…while they sleep.

Unfortunately, we are not terribly different from the deer.
We can often be found sleeping…when we should be awake.
All sorts of things happen while we sleep.

While we are sleeping, we are not prepared for an attack.
Satan knows that…so he waits.
He waits to strike.

He lulls us to sleep with false security…apathy…boredom.
He lulls us to sleep while he prepares his flaming arrows.

In addition to all of this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16)

We, as believers in the Lord Jesus, have the ultimate weapon.
We have the Sword of the Spirit…the Word of God.
It is both an offensive and a defensive weapon.
It is the only weapon that makes Satan flee!

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back – whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: “Watch!”
(Mark 13:32-37)

We must know our adversary.
We must keep watch…and not be found sleeping.

Keep watch. Stay alert as you wait for the Lord Jesus to return.
Those who do keep watch…those who stay alert…are overcomers!
They wait in anticipation for the Lord Jesus to come back!

Satan is not an overcomer.
Satan is defeated!

Therefore, rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows his time is short. (Revelation 12:12)

Our adversary will soon be defeated.
Praise God for the victory in Christ Jesus!