I was planning to write about something else today until I ran into a glitch with my computer; fortunately, I have another one I can use until I can get things worked out with the one where my files are saved. For the most part, I do not like to put too much effort into drawing spiritual relevance from some of life’s challenging circumstances, but I recognize that God uses these moments to teach me scriptural truths. Also, one of Jesus’ most familiar teaching techniques was to tell parables, extracting kingdom principles from daily life experiences.

 So here’s my story:

 I was wandering around online the other day, looking for some free photo editing software—I can’t afford the prices many publishers are asking so I figured I could find some free or inexpensive software. I like adding scripture to pictures (some pictures are ones I took, some are my daughter-in-law’s). I thought the way I was editing was a bit clumsy and I wasn’t getting some of the effects I hoped for. You can probably guess what happened next…

 I found a program that I thought might be safe, so I began to download it. Soon my anti-virus sent up a yellow warning flag, but since it wasn’t the red warning of death, I proceeded. I became increasingly uneasy and eventually halted the process—but it was too late to avoid damage. Things went downhill rapidly from there as my computer was infected with a couple of viruses and some rather irritating adware. In the efforts to clean up the “infections” I managed to get rid of the viruses but I just couldn’t seem to get rid of the bad-ad programs. The downside is that while I was so frantically trying to get rid of the bad stuff on there, I managed to foul up my operating system in a way that it wouldn’t connect my browser to the internet—my computer connected to the web, but it didn’t matter because without the browser, there was nothing I could do online (like post my blog).

 As I was praying about my computer the next morning (after staying awake well into the night trying to resolve the problems), the Holy Spirit began speaking to my heart. He reminded me that we live on a battlefield with an enemy who makes every effort “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). In fact, the book of Psalms offers some great insight into some of the characteristics and activities of the enemy:

• He is a strong enemy (Psalm 18:17)
• The enemy is oppressive (Psalm 43:2)
• The enemy is full of wrath, he hates us and brings trouble to God’s people (Psalm 55:3)
• He damages churches (Psalm 74:3-8)
• He blasphemes God’s name (Psalm 74:10)
• The enemy brings reproach (Psalm 74:18)
• Satan and his minions persecute souls, crushes lives, and causes people to live in darkness (Psalm 143:3)

The good news is that God is greater than our enemies “because He who is in [us] than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

 The enemy is aggressive; the apostle Peter warns “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Just like the issues I had with my computer, we run into problems when we do not heed the counsel and warnings God gives us throughout scripture—when we make excuses or exceptions for ourselves, ignoring His eternal principles. For instance, when we disregard the admonition, “do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers…” (2 Corinthians 6:14), or we make compromises by not putting to death “fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). God gives us warnings in the Bible for our benefit and protection—“And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place” (2 Chronicles 36:15).

 Every person sins and falls short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and if we confess to Him, God is faithful to forgive us and cleanse unrighteousness from our lives (1 John 1:9). However, just as I couldn’t connect to the internet because of a problem with my files, there is a point where we can experience silence in our relationship with God—“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Psalm 66:18).

 As I scrambled desperately to get my computer fixed, several error messages popped up advising me that only the administrator could perform the particular action I was attempting—and since it is my computer, I was allowed to make those changes. It reminded me how effective my best efforts are at fixing and maintaining my own life apart from God’s intervention and Holy Spirit restoration. “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:3-6).

 Actually, this really does have a lot to do with what I was going to write about today—recognizing and tearing down strongholds in our lives. Lord willing, I will finish it next time…