My grandchildren and I take many walks around my neighborhood.
Sometimes we encounter a sign that reads: Warning: This yard is protected by an invisible fence.
The homeowner has placed this fence around his yard to restrict his dog from roaming the streets. Often a compliant dog sits or runs within that yard, but it never approaches us.
Those are not the only invisible fences I encounter.
The most restrictive invisible fences are erected by your enemy and mine, Satan.
Satan often erects invisible fences inside our minds. Here are some of his fences I have encountered.
- Warning: You are not good enough to have a relationship with God. Stop expecting one.
- Warning: You have nothing of value to contribute to the world. Stop trying to be a giver.
- Warning: You are a woefully flawed wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. Stop sharing your life with others.
- Warning: God lets bad things happen to good people. Stop trusting His plan for your life.
More than once those fences and others like it have stopped me in my spiritual tracks. Sometimes I remain stuck there much too long.
I remain stuck until I recall some of the things Scripture tells me about Satan. These include:
- When he [Satan] lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
- Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).
- Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
- The thief [Satan] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest (John 10:10).
Why would I allow such a one to dictate to me what I should and should not do?
But sometimes I do listen to Satan’s lies because there is usually an element of truth in what he whispers to me.
- I am not good enough to have a relationship with God, but God, out of His infinite grace and great love, offers it anyway.
- Through my own efforts, I cannot offer anything of value to the world, but God graciously works through me to accomplish His good purposes.
- I am a flawed wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, but God has put me in those relationships. He will bless me with the ability to function well in them.
- God does allow seemingly bad things to happen to good people. But God’s wisdom is higher than our wisdom. He is always working to bring about what is ultimately good for us. He asks us to trust Him, even when situations don’t make sense to us.
If we allow him, Satan will steal all the joy Christians are meant to experience. He will kill our hope of attaining eternal life. He will destroy any witness we can offer the world.
Satan relentlessly attempts to “fence us in.” God, on the other hand, offers us lives of freedom in Christ.
The Happy Geranium 
I choose life in His freedom. Thank you for this message. I am full of God’s joy. 🙂
Just as God intends you to be! 🙂
God is good all the time! Thank you for sharing these great thoughts!
Thank you, sister, and amen to your “God is good all the time” statement.
I absolutely loved how you provided parallel truths to the devil’s lies. AMEN & AMEN!
Thank you, Joyce.
Debbie, I loved this. Thank you for reminding me that God has a plan and purpose for my life and that I should stop listening to Satan.
Believe me, Judy, I write those things to remind myself! Thank you so much for reading and commenting.
This helps sort out lies from truth. I like the contrast you made!
Thank you, my good friend. (Would love to get together!)
Debbie, this is awesome. And so timely. Stuck is a great way to describe where I’ve been and only recently becoming unstuck again. You are a blessing and a ray of Son-shine in my life! Thank you so very much!
Pearl, I’m so happy the reminder of God’s goodness and reliability came at a good time for you. As you know, I write about subjects that reveal my own struggles, and this one is a biggie. Thank you for your kind words!
It’s so easy to get stuck. Thank you for reminding us of the blessings God has given us.
You’re welcome for the reminder. In this unhappy world, it’s easy to get mired down in the sadness and evil we see everywhere.
Great perspective! Thank you for sharing Debbie.
Thank you, Patty, for reading and commenting. I love seeing your photos on FB!
Thank you, Debbie–this is such a great word picture for me. We have had an invisible fence around our entire property for two of our houses for pets, so I know firsthand how these things work! The cables can be moved around for adjustments of the parameters as well as the intensity of the shock signal, etc. I believe Satan can do that just fine with the invisible fences he places around our hearts. He can make the adjustments, move the boundaries around, and intensify the pain for us so that he has control.
That is so true, Becky! And then, if we dare step across one of his invisible fences, he makes sure to ding us a little bit so maybe we will be discouraged and stop trying. (I wish I had worked your comment into my article!)