“ … and do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4: 27
Can you imagine a newspaper article or a news bulletin about your own church which looks like the one below?
This was released just 2 days ago on the BBC website:
“Five people have been killed after attackers stormed a South African church, reportedly amid an argument over its leadership. South African police said they had rescued men, women and children from a “hostage situation” on the outskirts of Johannesburg on Saturday morning. They have also arrested at least 40 people, and seized dozens of weapons. The church’s leadership has reportedly been the subject of infighting since its former leader died in 2016. Police had previously been called to the church following a shoot-out between members in 2018.”
Now if that was not shocking enough, here comes the name of the church! The International Pentecostal Holiness Church. Hmm!
Do you think that possibly the devil may have got a foothold in that church?!
A foothold is an opportunity for the devil (whose name means dia = accuse and ballo = throw) to throw false accusations and no better place for him to do this than in the opportunity of anger. Here it is fertile ground for the devil to get a foothold to begin his work of division and devastation. Anger that leads to sin opens the door for the devil to exploit and make things so much worse. It gives the devil the legal right to be there.
While visiting in Haiti, Dale A. Hayes heard a Haitian minister illustrate to his congregation the need for total commitment to Christ.
The minister told of a man who wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man badly wanted the house but couldn’t afford the full price.
After much haggling, the owner agreed to sell the house for half the asking price with just one stipulation: he would retain ownership of one small nail protruding from just over the door.
After several years, the original owner wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell. So, the first owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog, and hung it from the single nail he still owned.
Soon the house became uninhabitable, and the family was forced to sell the house to the owner of the nail.
The Haitian minister’s conclusion: “If we leave the devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it, making it unfit for Christ’s habitation.”
Just one nail, is it there? Get it out. Don’t leave any room for any foothold.
Missions Paul 