Veronica Keith 

A good little bit before we moved in, we saw a tiny little mouse in the attic. We never saw any signs of it anywhere else in the house. Even after we moved in, we looked for signs, but nothing.

A couple of weeks after we moved in we started smelling the weirdest, most off-putting smell and it was always near plumbing (bathroom, water heater, etc). We tried everything. Cleaned thoroughly, and flushed the lines thinking it might have been stagnant water because the water was on way before we moved in so we thought that could be it. Even thought it might be the treatment plant. To no avail…..

Yesterday morning I walked through the kitchen, right past the dishwasher barefoot. I was headed to the laundry room to start laundry and was DISTRACTED. Derek walked RIGHT BEHIND ME, following my steps. He saw faint movement and looked down. And there it was, the small rat snake. He picked it up and took it outside.

He came back in and said, “there was your smell”. Rat snakes put off an awful odor as part of a defense mechanism. He had been in our house for at least 2-3 weeks. Since he’s been out….no smell.

He came in looking for a mouse. That mouse was valuable to him. He wanted it and he came looking for it.

I asked Derek how he thought it got in. And his response got me thinking this morning. He said, “he could have slipped in when any of us left the door cracked just a bit”. As we were moving, or kids going in and out, maybe walking out to the grill. It was small and sneaky and very well could have slipped right past us and us not even know he got in.

So this morning the Holy Spirit said to me, “do you see what can happen when you’re distracted? How quickly the enemy can sneak in your door, and sliver right past you? If he thinks there is something valuable there, he is going to try to sneak in and take it”.

And that’s how it happens. We miss one church service that turns into 6 months, we have one drink that leads back into an old lifestyle, we send one text that leads to an affair, we tell one fib that turns into a trail of lies and deceit.

The signs were there. I smelled the smell. (anyone that knows me understands this). I knew there was an enemy in the camp. But I was too “busy” to continue to look. So I just cleaned around it to try to make it “better”.

If satan can’t have you, he’ll distract you. Once you are safe in the Father’s arms and your name is written down, he can’t have you, so he tries to distract you. He tries to interrupt your holy living, he tries to break up your family, he tries to corrupt your mind, and he tries to fill you full of bitterness and unforgiveness.

LISTEN TO ME: He tries to stop you from getting any other names in that book!!!!!!! He tries to stop you from witnessing. He tells you you can’t, he ruins your witness through lies.

Don’t leave the door cracked. Lock it down. Be on guard. Put that armor on first thing. Stay prayed up.

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 NIV

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Ephesians 6:10-11

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 NKJV

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:19-20 NIV