In Texas, we have companies that deliver goods directly to your door. I have to admit, it has been a revolution for me. My life is busy and it is easier to order on line and have it show up at my door for a price I am satisfied with. So I have learned to enjoy this amenity.
The one major drawback to having packages left at your door is what we call “porch pirates”. They sneak around and take your packages before you can retrieve them. I am happy to say that people taking our packages hasn’t been a problem for us, but living rural in a city began presenting another problem.
It started when I ordered some treats for my dogs. The package arrived and by the time I was home to get it, it was torn up and much of the dog jerky was gone and the rest was scattered over the porch.
The next box was an expensive chocolate that I can eat on the diet I’m on. It is individually wrapped and inside sealed packages. To ship it they wrap it in cold packs and seal that off as well as packing it to ship and boxing it. When I got home to get my box off the porch. The box was open. There were chocolate wrappers that were torn open, but not with teeth. It looked like someone had opened the little hard to open packages, like I would. I was puzzled. The porch pirate had struck again.
Our supplements were opened. Other packages opened. For a while, it was a mystery.
THEN ONE DAY I SAW THIS!
My porch pirate is a teenager raccoon!
AS I WAS CONTEMPLATING THIS
Spiritual things always come to my mind. I’m just wired that way. I began to think about how even though I had already paid for what was in those boxes, something was stealing it. I felt violated. Especially over my chocolate! Then it occurred to me.
JESUS HAS PAID FOR MANY THINGS FOR US
1 John 3:8b (NKJV)
8 … For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
Jesus paid for our deliverance from dark demons. He bought our ability to live in health. He has delivered it to us. Yet something keeps taking it off the “porch”. I paid for that chocolate, but something else ate it. Jesus paid for what you need, but something else will try to stop you from receiving it.
WHAT DO I DO WITH A PORCH PIRATE?
Well, I don’t have the heart to kill the raccoon. I realize he is looking for a food source. I just have to beat him to my package. I’m getting better at it.
THE DEVIL IS LIKE A PORCH PIRATE
The devil is the one who is a thief. I have to beat him to it. That means I have to be pro-active to look inside God’s word and discover what has been given to me. Then I must refuse to let the devil have it. I have to “armor up”.
Ephesians 6:11-12 (NKJV)
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
WHAT HAS BEEN STOLEN FROM YOU?
Can you get it back? If it is to be retrieved this is the way to do it. Go into God’s Word and see what He has promised you. Putting that Word on your lips (saying it) helps keep the devil, who behaves like a porch pirate, from robbing you blind. The whole armor of God is made up of the Word of God. Put your foot down! Let something rise inside. You are a majority with God as your helper. Take it back!
lisa
© Copyright Lisa Swayze 2018