Several years ago, I was walking down a sidewalk in East Nashville, making a pastoral visit. Suddenly I saw a German shepherd flying across a lawn, barking, snarling, teeth bared, mouth frothing. I was so startled that as it lunged at me, I screamed and jumped backward. But between me and my would-be attacker, there was a chain-link fence. The dog struck the fence full force. My heart was racing, but I was utterly safe because of the protective fence.

Satan can growl and bark, lunge and threaten. But when we’re enclosed by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, he can do us no real or lasting harm.

But we always make a mistake when we acknowledge the Lord and keep our eyes on Satan. Far better to acknowledge the devil while keeping our eyes on Christ.

For all his insights and explanations about the evil one, the apostle Paul, in reality, focused on Christ. In the Pauline letters, the word Jesus occurs in 219 verses, the word Lord in 272 verses, and the word Christ in 389 verses. Satan, on the other hand, occurs in only 10 verses, and the word devil in only 6.

When things are going badly, when you feel trapped between sword and sea, when you’re under assault, acknowledge the devil-but keep your eyes on Christ.

He will see you through. He will make a way.

Robert J. Morgan, The Red Sea Rules. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001, p. 38.