"The DEVIL & DODGE BALL!"

Before the advent of computer games, iPhones, Instagram, Facebook and various other forms of social media, there was this foreign concept young people had called "playing outside."

Many people in my generation (Baby Boomers) can remember the hours of fun we had playing games such as duck-duck-goose, freeze tag, hide-n-go-seek, kick the can and red light-green light.

In grade school, it was mandatory that we exercised everyday and we also played games in gym class. My favorite game to play was "dodge ball." You remember don't you? You picked teams and the object was to throw the ball and hit members of the opposing team. If you got hit by the ball you were "out." If the opponent caught the ball you threw at them then you were "out." The last person standing was considered the winner.

It was usually the kids who were either afraid, who didn't want to play or the kids who were over weight and not as agile that got hit all the time and were eliminated immediately. You might ask, "where are you going with this Brother Nick?" I only have one question for you today?

"Why does the devil hit you every time he throws the dodge ball at you?"

You are probably chuckling a little at this photo (it's hard to find a photo of the devil, even on Google!) 

Although a little humorous, this is a serious subject. The reason why so many Christians keep getting hit by the devil is that they have become over weight and over burdened by the things and cares of this world. Christians consume much more of the "world" than they do of the "Word."  They are static and not dynamic. Many have become too lazy to exercise their faith and have spiraled into depression, apathy and despair.

There is a profound solution to prevent you from getting hit every time by the devil. He is beating you because you are too low in your thinking (Lodi bar). He is targeting you because he knows you won't fight back. He is getting you out of the game because he knows you are afraid of him. He is killing you because he knows you don't have any faith. He picks you on his team every time because he knows you are not a threat to take the ball out of his hands.

The winner of the game of dodge ball is usually the person who is fearless, relentless, powerful, agile and willing to take chances. He welcomes the challenge, attacks the enemy with a fierce determination and formulates a strategy to take out his opponent. The winner of this game will always pick Jesus to be on his team!

Likewise, in the realm of the spirit when you graduate in faith, you graduate in power, authority and influence. Your faith becomes so big, you can't even see or hear the devil. Because you only hear Christ, the devil doesn't exist to you anymore. In the life of a Believer, the devil is a non-entity! Christ defeated him on Calvary. That's all!

In the end, the game of dodge ball is a lot like life; the last Man standing (with Jesus) always wins! Selah...