Mentos in the Toilet- a Lesson in Spiritual Warfare

Its going on around us all day. everyday. So why do I often fail to see it?
Preacher Steve recommended a book to me called Seeing the Unseen by Joe Beam. Going to 3 different bookstores and unable to find the book, I decided there must be something in there God wants me to see- that I need to know, if the devil is going to work so hard at not letting me get my hands on it. Anyway, since we were going on a road trip, I picked up another book, The Handbook of Spiritual Warfare by Dr. Ed Murphy.
Lets skip around a little. We had this trip planned to go to Gatlinburg for fall break. Time for our family to reconnect. This school thing has really been hard for us. We are former homeschoolers itching to get our children back. But that is a whole nother story.. It seems as if we have drifted apart a bit. There has been no time to just hang out.
Lesson #1 in spiritual warfare. Satan is sickness and death. Of course the week before we are to leave every person in my family falls sick with bronchitis. I am thinking- we have to go, we really need this. So sick and all we head out. On our way we stop in Murfreesboro to get a bite to eat. Every thing is going good. Between Murfreesboro and Cookville, Adriana starts to cough and we stop at Wal Mart to get her some cough drops. Lesson #2. Satan is the great discourager. I realize that I have left my sweater and my phone back at the restaurant!! So yes we had to turn around and retrieve my stuff. Good job Mom! 2 extra hours of driving! Remember we are all sick and coughing, ready for bed. We were closer to home than our destination, and the thought crossed my mind to turn back home. Once we get the stuff, to cheer everyone a little I say we get some candy and drinks…YEAAA. Brian takes the kids in to a gas station and I sit in the car.
Lesson #3, and the most important. Satan is the deceiver. His purpose is to deceive “the whole world” (rev.12:9) and war against the children of God (Rev. 12:13-17) Everyone is joyed to get out and have a treat, but we realized Payton has not paid for his stuff. I take him back in and pay for his water and Mentos and figure we will hit the bathroom, “just in case”. I go to the first available stall and realize no toilet paper. Payton goes to the next stall to get me some and tries to hand me sopping wet paper. I am like,” Payton what happened?”,only half laughing. He says matter-of-factly “OH, it fell in the toilet” …OK “Well can you get me some that is dry?” I say. “Sure but you go to hold my stuff” as he passes it under the door. I stand up and finish pulling myself back together and open the door, as I swung around his Mentos flew into the toilet!! He started to tear up a little and I quickly told him we would get another and that I was sorry. He might have been crying because I was laughing like a madwoman..I even dare to pick up a book on spiritual warfare…
Satan is after my family (and yours) hard. We have to stay rooted in God through His Holy Word and through prayer so that we can see Satan for who he really as. He is the adversary of God, wanting all of the opposite of what God wants for us. God offers us forgiveness, salvation, eternal life, love, happiness. God’s plan for us is GOOD. God is Holy and absolutely no evil in him dwells and with that my only assumption is that all the hardships that we face on this earth come directly from Satan. It is here that faith enters the picture: We can see evidence of Him, and we can believe what He says. We have to trust and abide. Put on the full armor of God.

“Resist him(Satan), firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

For all that Satan did to try to divert us from our goal (as he always does), we finally made it safely to our destination, and we have great accommodations, it is clean, comfortable and everyone rested well. It seems as if everyone is pulling through the sickness and we are going to have a beautiful day together!

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Lord I pray this will help me and those who read this:
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Acts 26:17-19