By R.E. Olsen
The bully is a known tempter, accuser, robber, liar and deceiver. He hides in the shadows and under the cover of darkness he watches us, and waits for us to let our guard down.
The bully doesn’t care how young or how old you are. He attacks little children, young people, and the elderly alike. He goes after all people regardless of race, gender, culture, economic status, or ethnic background. He won’t leave anyone alone.
That bully is much smarter than you. He looks for your weaknesses and takes advantage of them. As an outsider he can coolly decide how best to make you miserable. He has strength and cruelty and hatred which you cannot imagine.
There is Someone who restrains the bully from completely dominating you. If His hand ever released that bully, you would be destroyed in an instant. The Someone who restrains is far beyond the bully in strength, intelligence, power, grace, beauty, and every good thing.
The bully acts big. But he is not. He is basically a pesky gnat and will be squashed when the time has come. Until then, there he is – your enemy. He strains at a leash, choking himself, trying to get at your blood. He cannot get at you fully. At least not yet. If he had, you would not be reading this.
The bully is rather unimaginative and quite boring. At one time, I think he had been a musician but he got kicked out and all of his notes are out of tune. He has only a few favorite tricks up his sleeve that he uses over and over.
One is to get you to believe that neither the Someone nor the bully exist. He laughs to see you thinking that everything happens in your life by fate and chance.
Next is for you to believe that you must succumb to his malignant muttering, that you must do things you know are wrong because you are powerless to resist. (There is truth in this, but he does not whisper that you have Someone who can help you; he leaves out that bit.)
Finally, when all else fails, he says even though there might be Someone who could help you, your misdeeds have made you so disgusting, putrid, and vile that no one wants you.
Ha! What an idiot the bully is. I tell you now, although you have done bad things, you are definitely wanted. Do you think that is strange? Here is another thing – for some odd reason, the Someone wants me (and others like me) to tell you this.
I plead with you, I beg you talk to this Someone, do not go to sleep today until you tell Him you are sorry for offending Him. Look up with hope in your eyes; He will not leave you alone. You will be okay under His protection.
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“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” ~Isaiah 1:18
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” ~James 4:7
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can stand against the devil’s schemes.” ~Ephesians 6:11