Haunted House

"Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
-1 Peter 5:8

Imagine walking through a haunted house. It's dark, the path is crooked and the quarters are usually close. Noises are all around you. You hear screaming in the distance. Someone's fearful breath is on your neck as you huddle together for safety. Your senses are working overtime. As you move through the house, you are aware of every little movement. Anything odd or out of place catches your attention. You expect something to reach out and grab you. You brace yourself in anticipation. Out of nowhere, something shrieks and grabs your sleeve. Instantly, by reflex, you jump and move away.

Preparing for Satan's attacks are much like navigating a haunted house. As we move through life, our senses need to be heightened. We need to be on alert, looking for things that are out of place in our spiritual lives. Satan is going to attack us. We need to anticipate that. If we are prepared, we can react immediately.

We don't need to be so paranoid that we are crippled by fear. When you are in a haunted house, you are, in fact, moving. The key is that you are on alert, looking for things that will attempt to attack you. Thus you are ready to flee the moment something comes at you. You're not leisurely strolling through this haunted house, talking on your cell phone, completely distracted by the mundane.

If we are in tune with God, it will be easier to instinctively turn and run from evil. Satan wants us to take it easy, forget he exists. He doesn't want us to give him a second thought. After all, what hunter wouldn't want to find their prey asleep under a tree?