Scary stuff has never been my thing. Movies and books full of spooky and paranormal activity just never seemed entertaining.
Though I was good at avoiding these things in the world of fiction, real-life proved to be a different matter. In America, we like to pretend that we are too intelligent and advanced to deal with spiritual beings. Many will tell you that they don't even exist.
However, I noticed pretty soon in life that demons don't seem to care whether you believe in them or not. My first experience with the dark side came as a young boy. I had received a gift that I prominently displayed in my bedroom and I thought it was pretty cool.
Cool turned to chilling on one summer evening when I was having trouble sleeping. I started hearing bumping noises in the attic. I didn't think much of it until it continued at various times of the day throughout the next few weeks.
Careful examination of the attic showed no sign of animal activity as the noises continued. A friend at church mentioned it could be something "spiritual." Since my gift was the only new addition to my bedroom, I did some research and discovered that it was used as an object of worship in another country.
Thinking anything was worth a try, I removed the object from my room and the noise stopped. Call it what you will, but I know that what you worship will follow you around and misplaced worship always leads to trouble.
Not too many years later, I encountered another situation where strange worship was a culprit. I was innocently shopping for the nectar of the gods, known more simply to some as "coffee." I was too intent in my search to notice the odd little old lady who was staring at me.
Apparently, my cerebral palsy had gotten her attention as she approached me. She said she could touch me and I would get better. She never mentioned God in the conversation, which I thought was strange. The more she talked, the more uneasy I became.
She persisted in reaching to touch me, but by this time, I was in full retreat mode. She obviously wasn't going to take "no" for an answer, so I resorted to my Mike Tyson persona, saying, "Lady, if you touch me, I'm gonna deck you!" Obviously, the muscles rippling on my 120 lb frame must have intimidated the bewitching old gal, who finally backed off. That same chill that I remembered from the noises in my bedroom accompanied this woman, and I was happy to see her go.
As a minister, I've prayed for numerous people whose eyes briefly flashed to a jet-black hue that unnerved me a bit. Actually, I occasionally felt like Barney Fife attempting to use his only bullet. Sometimes it seemed my "gun" was stuck in my holster. Yet, in many of these cases, the person receiving prayer was no longer bothered by these foreboding figures.
Jesus had too many conversations with or about demons for us to believe they are not to be taken seriously. The good news is that Jesus declares that He has all authority in Heaven and on earth. It is when we surrender to the desires of His enemies that we get into trouble, though we often are the sole cause of many of our problems.
Whether we struggle with our own weaknesses or with spiritual wickedness in high places, there is no higher refuge than the name of Jesus. The best plan is to take refuge in Him daily, so you are prepared for whatever comes your way.
Should you face a friendly witch with a twitchy nose or unseen forces that leave a chill in the air, you'll be prepared to "nip it in the bud." The Lord is your faithful defender and His gun has endless bullets.