Heart Tracks - The Hyena

       In the spiritual realm, there are two grave dangers; making too much of the devil, and making too little.  I think we have a great deal of both in the church today.  There are those who think their ministry is to go about rebuking Satan at every turn, constantly seeking to bind him, defeat him.  They end up bringing more attention to him than they ever do to Christ.  All those in that "group" need to know (again) that he is already defeated, and that all the power needed to resist him in their lives has already been given in Christ.  We're to be aware of his schemes, not obsessed by them.  And to know that we have all the spiritual weaponry to defeat every scheme in every place.  Yet there are also those who think of him as so obscure as to have no relevance in our modern, "enlightened" culture.  We're the Kings kids, and so the devil can't touch us. We can breeze through life relying far more on our own understanding than His, seeing with the eyes of the flesh and not the Spirit.  We forget that Satan really does "prowl about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he MIGHT devour."  Might he be devouring you right now....unawares?

     In explaining the story of Adam and Eve and their temptation and deception by the devil to a Swaziland family, a missionary used this story.  An African woman and her three children encountered a hyena sleeping by the side of the road with rattles around his feet.  "The woman and her children wanted to see him dance, shaking the rattles.  The hyena agreed to do so if she would give him a piece of the dried meat she was carrying.  One thing led to another and he ate not only all of her meat, but the woman and her children as well."  He then explained that "The hyena was like Satan.  He tempts us with something fun or beautiful, but ends up destroying us."  Such is the end for all who think they can dance with the devil and remain untouched.  Does not the Word refer to him as "The Destroyer?"  Yet, because we are so easily deluded and deceived by him, countless numbers of us do just that, leaving so much of our lives, families, ministries, and above all, walk with Him, partially or completely destroyed.  Satan is a dance partner with murder, ours, yours, in his heart.
     Yet, there is another "Partner" who invites us to dance as well.  This one is He who gives us Life instead of death, joy instead of sorrow, peace instead of turmoil, and abundance instead of devastation.  It's the Father Himself.  He calls us into the embrace of His Presence.  Not some vague sense of that Presence, but an intimate union with Himself.  It's a dance that makes us one with Him.  Not only in spiritual position, but in spiritual reality as well.  For all who enter into His dance, there is complete safety from every trick and scheme of the enemy.  Francis Fragiapane wrote that, "The true Presence of Christ is the only thing that keeps us from delusion and deception."  He is Truth, and where His truth reigns, deception has no place, and no power.     

     It's very much a thing of the past I believe, but there was a time when at a ball, a single young woman would have a dance card, and the names of those who wished to be her suitors would seek to have their names on that card in order to dance with her, and have the chance to win her hand in marriage.  Such cards do not exist today, but in the spiritual realm they do.  On whose card are our names found?  With whom will we dance, and be partnered to?  The Father, or the hyena?.......I close with this final thought/question. I believe it was Christine Caine, commenting on 2 Kings 18:32 who put both forth.  Sennacherib, the king of Assyria has invaded Judah, and threatens the people with destruction and slavery if they do not surrender to him.  He tells them that if they will yield to him, he will see to it that they are taken away to a wonderful land where all their needs and wants will be met.  He calls on them to "make peace with me......choose life instead of death."  Of course his "invitation" was a lie.  All the enemies invitations are.  Caine's point is that throughout His Word, the Father also calls upon us to "choose life (His life) not death."  She says that there are then two versions of life offered.  The devil's, and the Father's.  She asks, "Which version do we choose?"  Which are we choosing right now?

Blessings,
Pastor O