A few weeks ago, I watched The Cobbler. This movie is about a man who discovers a machine passed down from father to father. The man finds out that when he fixes shoes with it, if he puts them on, he will suddenly become that person in the flesh. He still has his own thoughts but looks and sounds exactly like whichever person's shoes he steps into. The catch phrase throughout is, "You don't know a person until you have walked in his shoes."
The premise, however, is a little darker when you realize that it is a movie about somebody's soul possessing another body. This whole idea got me thinking. Who is in control? Is it a good spirit, a bad spirit, or simply weak and clueless, me? Sometimes, I feel like it is so easy to start becoming numb to situations and when you become numb and empty, that is when danger takes a foothold. I believe this is the way the enemy works on men. First, the serpent tears down the wife, and then when the wife becomes confused or anxious, then the serpent freezes up the husband to where he is utterly useless. It is an age old battle and there is nothing new "under the sun."
But I heard something in church this Father's Day. Kind of a reminder: Deuteronomy 6:5 - "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." When you are numb, just how much might can one person contain? That means, even when your back is up against the wall, you have to keep believing. I used to think the last word in the passage was "mind" but no, "it is MIGHT." It was no coincidence or a little utterance when we were given this charge. We have to continue loving the Lord.
Otherwise, we let the enemy control. If you are unsure who is directing you at any given time, it is important to remember what Jesus said in Mathew 15:18, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man." Even though we are told this all of our lives, sometimes, we just keep missing the mark. And Satan, being the accuser, causes us to remember how sinful we are.
That's where it is important to remember to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7)." I am fully convinced that a lot of these pop stars and famous actors have been seduced by the works of the devil, and they have given themselves over to his demons. After the artist's first hit album or movie, those demons take over them if they have completely submitted. A lot of these stars and actors are icons and "models" for people. Children and adults alike are influenced daily by what they see. And the more you try to say, "That has no affect on me," the more it actually does. That is how the demons try to crawl into your life and my life. And just like a flame, we easily pass them along from generation to generation.
But we are to resist the devil, however much he attempts to desensitize our thoughts, minds, and strength. We are not to submit to the the demons of this world but we are to submit to God. When we have no strength to move our arms, we should allow the Holy Spirit to move them and not the works of demons. I have noticed that many cartoon characters in big screen movies always have an animal sidekick who whispers in their ear or makes a funny gesture to tell them what to do.
You don't need an animal sidekick. What we all need is to be controlled by the right Controller. How we act, what we say, and where we go represents who it is that controls our flesh. So men, be aware of those nights when you feel like just walking away. That's exactly what Satan wants us to do. He hates unity because our unity with our wives reflects the unity/communion between the church (the new Eve) and Christ (the new Adam.)
"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." - Joshua 1:9
We are in a battle. Let us fight on the right side!
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