There's a ROBBER in the house!

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

THERE'S A ROBBER IN THE HOUSE!!!! A THIEF!!!!! A THIEF!!!!! I remember that was one thing that my grandmother worried about after my papa passed away--a robber coming in to kill and destroy! I remember that we would all take turn staying with her at night, and she keeps her house so warm that I would sleep in the living room on the couch. She'd always tell me that a robber was going to come in and get me first if I slept there! :) It's kind of funny because then she would say that she would run out the other door! haha...I'd just laugh and say that the Lord was going to look after me and roll over to sleep!

But you know what? THERE'S A ROBBER IN THE HOUSE!!!! A THIEF!!!! A THIEF!!!!! You're probably thinking...she's crazy! But seriously, in the Christian life, we have a different kind of thief and robber, the devil! He's also a different kind of thief because a lot of times we let him in! Now, in our physical life, we take every precaution to keep out burglars, thieves, and robbers. We have alarms, locks, and even sometimes carry guns. Why don't we do that in our Christian life, our spiritual life?

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

In our verse, the thief, a.k.a. the devil, comes only to steal, kill, and destroy our lives spiritually. We could all point out some area in our Christian lives where satan has tried to destroy us. For me, I've noticed in my own life that it is my faith, my joy, my thought life that satan tries to come in to destroy. He's a very sneaky thief...because a lot of times, he comes in so gradual that I let him in before I even know what has happened!

But....I love the next part of the verse! I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

If we'd only realize what we have in Christ! We have LIFE!!!!! and ABUNDANT LIFE!!! I know that the Lord intends for us to have faith, we all know that! I also know that the Lord intends for us to have joy! (Phil. 4:4, He makes it a command!) He also intends for us to have protection from this thief that we let in so easily!

Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

In reality, we are sinning every time we let the devil come into our lives to steal our joy, our faith, whatever else that satan may try to get at! I was reading an old Joyful Womanhood manual the other day, and over and over it kept saying that the choice is ours...whether we are going to obey or disobey God...that is so true! The choice is ours! Satan, the thief, is going to constantly try to break into our lives because he is seeking revenge against our Lord, but when we choose to obey with God's help, we are setting up a defence to keep him out instead of letting him come right on in! I want to obey! Don't you? With God's help, we can!!!