LAND MINES.

LAND MINES.

I’ll spare the definition, but Merriam Webster gives a few synonyms for the words “land mine:”
➡️ booby trap
➡️ gimmick
➡️ gotcha
➡️ pitfall
➡️ snag
None of these have a very positive feel around them (unless you had an Atari in the early 80’s and conquered the game of Pitfall).

A few weeks ago, I was cleaning up my house to prepare for my Sunday afternoon Freedom group. I took the trash out to the dumpster in the fenced in back yard and realized just how much my dog liked to poop in that area.

Every single time we pick up all of his mess from the backyard, he seems to find a new “target” area where he likes to use the bathroom until the next round of clean up. This time, in particular, the drop zone was surrounding where I needed to walk to get the trash bag to the dumpster.

As crazy as it sounds, Holy Spirit spoke to me as I navigated around what was on the ground en route to where I needed to get. It’s almost like I heard Him say….. “Isnt that just what the enemy does? He brings the same old poop – the same stinky poop – in the same old places. Don’t step on the land mines.”

I shared that with my small group that afternoon….because the enemy is LITERALLY a turd (💩) and he brings the same old mess to people’s lives. He will “load up” in all the same places. You know exactly what I’m talking about. He launches an attack on your marriage. Then your health. Then your kids. Then your friendships. Then your workplaces. Then your church. Then your identity. Drop zone after drop zone after drop zone….and it’s all a bunch of stinky mess!

Aren’t you tired of that? Rather than stepping in it and tracking it all over the place…..IDENTIFY IT. CALL IT OUT! FIGHT IT! DON’T PARTNER WITH IT!

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 10:10 tells us that the enemy comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy. Stop fighting Spiritual battles with worldly tools. Strap on the armor and STAND. Pray and STAND! Speak the Word of God and STAND!

We will not be outwitted by the enemy’s schemes…….and we will not be destroyed or deceived by his land mines.

Armor up, my friends.