Stay Airtight

I watched a program the other day where a couple built a house off-the-grid. It was what is called a "passive" house, meaning self-sufficient, and because of its design, was required to be airtight. No air could come in and no air could go out.

This is an accurate depiction of our lives against the devil.

"Neither give place to the devil." (Eph 4:27)

The word PLACE has a number of definitions. Thayer's Word Dictionary defines it as "any portion or space marked off, as it were from surrounding space." In Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionary it says "location" or position, "condition," "opportunity," and "a scabbard." This last is where a soldier hung his sword.

In other words, don't MAKE SPACE for the devil. Don't give him a POSITION to stand in. Don't create the right CONDITION for him to work. Don't give him any OPPORTUNITY against you. Don't give him a place to hang his weapons.

(ISV) "and do not give the Devil an opportunity to work."

The word GIVE also has several definitions. Thayer's says, "to give something to someone of one's own accord, to give one something to his advantage."

Don't give the devil the ADVANTAGE.

It also means "to follow someone as a leader." When you are following someone as if they lead you then it doesn't stop with one step, but leads to another and another.

Don't give the devil LEADERSHIP.

Don't YIELD.

(MSG) "Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life."

(NLV) "Do not let the devil start working in your life."

(NTE) "and don’t leave any loophole for the devil."

(VOICE) "Don’t let the sun set with anger in your heart or give the devil room to work."

Stay airtight.

Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.feelgoodromance.com
www.suzannedwilliams.com