The Wrong Door

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

—1 Peter 5:8 

It was Friday afternoon, and I couldn’t wait for my “Friday Night Write,” which is what I dubbed my time set aside to write my weekly devotion. I sunk into the couch cushions with my laptop over my knees and logged on.  Suddenly lines of text scrolled across the screen and a bright light flashed from my webcam. Then a warning took over the entire window: Your computer has been blocked.

What?

I read on. Apparently I was suspected of one of a myriad of serious infractions, such as copyright violations, use of unlicensed software, spamming, and terrorism.  Terrorism? Clearly they have me mixed up with someone else!

My heart beat fast. What should I do?  Call the police? But it wasn’t a 911 emergency and it was already after office hours.

I continued to read. Then I noticed something in the wording was askew. It didn’t line up.  This is a hoax!  A virus!  Ugh. Now what?

I tried rebooting several times to no avail.  I texted a few friends for advice.  One suggested I take my computer to the electronics store. Then another—my pastor, the tech wiz himself—offered to take a look at it, which I gladly accepted. Actually, I breathed a sigh of relief.  Pastor had fixed things for me before.  I trusted he’d come through again.

True to what I believed, he did.  The next morning my computer was up and running, and I was back to writing.

I tried to pinpoint how I caught the virus. Then I remembered a suspicious email, which appeared to come from an online vendor.  The subject line contained a message about my order—but I hadn’t ordered anything. When I opened the email, I must have opened the door to the vicious attack.

Photo Credit: Photo Dictionary

How many times do we open the wrong door? How many times do we give in to temptation or curiosity? How many times do we just make the wrong choices and find ourselves in a state of helplessness?

The bible says, “The thief comes…to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). And he will use any means to accomplish that.

A virus threatened to destroy all my files—my photos, my documents, and years’ worth of writing. The enemy attempted to keep me from doing the will of God by derailing my Friday Night Write. But God who is in me is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). And I am more than a conqueror because of Him (Romans 8:37).

What did I learn from this experience? “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Be alert to anything suspicious. The enemy may be lurking behind the door.

What about you?  Have you opened a door out of curiosity?  Did you give in to temptation? Have you found yourself in a state of helplessness?  Are you on the verge of losing everything you’ve worked so hard for?

Allow me to encourage you. “Put your hope in God” (Psalm 42:5), for “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

And one more thing I learned: Read the fine print. When I read all of the words on the warning, they didn’t line up.  No way was I going to pay $300 as demanded to unlock my computer. Make sure your decisions line up with the Word. Read it for direction, for God’s Word is a lamp unto your feet, and a light unto your path (Psalm 119:105).

Lastly, when you can’t fix it on your own, it’s okay to reach out for help.  And a pastor is a great place to start. He’ll know what to do to get you up and running again.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your unfailing love.  My hope is in You all the day long (Psalm 25:5). Thank You for rescuing me from those who are deceitful and wicked (Psalm 43:1). You are my strong tower (Psalm 61:3). And thank You for sending Your helpers when I need them—for my Pastor who has helped me in more ways than I can count. Amen.