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“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” Colossians 1:16

Sadly, walking our two dogs through our neighborhood is not always a pleasant experience. More often than not, it’s incredibly stressful, between other dogs being walked, dogs held on a leash in their yard by way-too-small children, roaming cats, deer…it’s kind of like those old drivers ed films where there’s constantly some new object popping out to be defensively dodged. (Some of you are probably thinking, “What in the world is she talking about?”)

Anyway, at the end of our street there’s a big, mean black dog in a corner yard. He’s got an electric fence—this we know. But as soon as we approach the yard, he viciously charges to the edge of the grass with the desire to devour our dogs. It is terrifying. Of course, our dogs bark back ferociously as we practically drag them quickly beyond the lot.

When we see him standing there in the midst of his territory, we anxiously prepare for the confrontation. We tightly wrap the leashes around our hands, pulling our dogs close. We walk on the other side of the street—and we quicken our pace. But many times, we don’t see him lurking about. He’s hiding behind a woodpile or bush, watching us and waiting. And because we don’t see him, we let our guard down. We hold loosely to the leashes and walk by without the vigilance we have when we see him there. As you can imagine, when he comes rushing out, we have to react quickly to avoid a bloody confrontation.

What’s the spiritual point here? That dog is like Satan (no offense to the owner). Just like that big black dog has run of his territory, the Evil One has run of his: this world. So, take heed! If you wander into his yard, he will devour you. He hates you. Sometimes we’ll see him coming, but often, we won’t. In fact, analogous to the dog scenario, we must, instead, stay vigilant at all times. We must walk as far from his temptations as possible, crossing the proverbial street by saying “no” to certain activities and people.

But sisters, remember, he can only go so far! As with that electric fence, God has set limits on Satan—where he can go and what he can do. He is not an equal-yet-evil entity to our Lord—he’s just a dog who thinks he’s in control. Yes, we must be attentive and aware of the enemy’s schemes (1 Peter 5:8) and put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-17). But we can—and must—be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Ephesians 6:10), knowing that He is in control of it all.

“Lord, let me always be on guard to the enemy’s desire for my destruction…but may I also remember that he is just a dog on a chain, destined for his own annihilation.”

For His Glory,

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Ministry