"A Snake In Prayer Places"

"Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made." Genesis 3:1a

One of my favorite places to pray is on my front porch. It is quiet and no one disturbs me, and I love being outdoors with the Lord. Yesterday morning I stepped out on my porch and headed to the swing to have my usual quiet time when something caught my eye. Between the swing and wall, laying on the porch, was a snake. I wasn't sure what to do for a moment. Then I went and got my wasp spray and hoe to kill it. When I returned, it was gone. It gave me an eerie feeling to sit on the swing knowing a snake had been right beside it. But I was armed with my "weapons" if it came back. Then it made me angry that a "snake was in my place of prayer"!

Of course, immediately I sensed a "sermon" coming on. The Bible calls the devil that "old serpent". Don't think for one minute that he will not try to worm his way into your prayer time. He will do all he can to distract you. He will try to make you get your mind off of the Lord. He will try to come in on your prayer to confuse you, to cause doubt and steal your faith. He doesn't just stay away because you are praying. He doesn't excuse himself from tempting you while you are making your request known to God. He is trying to stop you from praying. He knows that prayer is powerful. It isn't just conversation with God. It is the avenue by which God moves in the earth-- He acts in response to our prayers of faith. (Matthew 7:7)

The snake had gone but as I was sitting there, I heard birds in the tree behind me begin to do lots of chirping. I knew that sound. (They are good to let you know when a snake is around.) So I got up with hoe in hand to see if it was around. I saw it. I prayed for the Lord's help to kill it and down on top of it with the hoe I went. Needless to say that snake won't be in my prayer place again! When the devil tries to distract you in prayer, listen for the voice of the Spirit who will make you aware that what you are experiencing is the devil's scheme to get you to stop. Then use your weapons that you have been armed with to destroy him. Put God's word on him and cut him up. He will leave and you can continue to win victories through prayer.

Have a great day. When the devil tries to get in your place of prayer, use your weapons and destroy him.

For further reading:

2 Corinthians 10:4
Revelation 12:9; 20:2
Matthew 4:1-11

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
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