We once had a very cool, very smart cat named Roosevelt Franklin. When he became injured in a fight, he would walk down the street and meow at the neighbor’s house. The neighbor just happened to be a veterinarian. I’m not sure we ever received a bill for Roosevelt’s care.

Roosevelt would even take on dogs who dared to venture into our yard. The cat would sit sphinx-like and wait. The dogs would bark, run around him, and try to egg him into a fight. But Roosevelt? He’d just sit there … until the dog got too close. Then the big cat would rise up on his back paws, grab the canine by the shoulders, and flip the surprised animal on his back. Those dogs would run off yelping, and Roosevelt would saunter away with a satisfied expression on his cat-face.

When we moved to the country, we heard Roosevelt’s muffled meow coming from behind the house. With a bounce in his step and a smile on his kitty face, he presented us with his latest catch – a snake.

Problem was, he had caught the snake by the tail. And now the serpent had curled around the cat’s face and protruded from Roosevelt’s forehead like a Cleopatra headdress.

Both the cat and snake seemed pleased with the arrangement, until Roosevelt opened his mouth to tell us further about his adventure. The snake took the opportunity to run. A loose snake is not a good thing, so my mighty, snake-hunting father came to the rescue.

Roosevelt had the right idea, but his execution was flawed. We also need to remember not to toy with an enemy. Satan is out to steal, kill, and destroy. He is the father of all lies. The devil accuses, condemns, and is always looking for someone to devour. He manipulates, twists around minds and twists God’s truth. Trying to combat the enemy in our own power is like Roosevelt with the snake by the tail. The cat thought he was the conqueror, but the snake wasn’t the least bit flustered.

No matter how tough you are, or how cool you are, you need your Heavenly Father when combating the enemy. Nothing, and no enemy, is too big for our all-powerful Father God.

When you are in a battle with the enemy, call your Father!

“I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” ~ Psalm 18:3 (NASB)

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” ~ Romans 8:35, 37 (NASB)

“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” ~ Isaiah 45:22 (NASB)

From The Unnamed Devotional by Lisa Buffaloe  https://amzn.to/3bPD94s

Climber image by Egor Shitikov from Pixabay