Cat And Mouse Game

I  saw a video on Facebook a while back of a mouse chasing a cat. Yes, it was funny, but it somehow did not settle well with me and later I realized why. It goes against the very nature of how these creatures were created. We all know that the cat should be the one chasing the mouse and the mouse should be the one running for his life. As I pondered this a little more I began to see that there was some very interesting spiritual application to this cat and mouse relationship. God has designed us to have power over the works of the enemy. Satan is a defeated foe. He was defeated by the shedding of Jesus’ blood on Calvary. We really have no reason to be running scared from him. Yet somehow like that video, the enemy seems to have us on the run, scared for our lives at times and this just should not be! We have been given power to destroy the enemy’s attempts in pursuing us. We are created to overcome! That cat just needs to realize a couple things. First of all he is bigger than the mouse. Secondly, and probably the most important reason is that he has been given the power to destroy that mouse! We have been given that same power. We just have to realize that we already possess the ability to control our cat and mouse dilemma. I guarantee when we truly believe that, our enemy will run for his life!

There are some very important things in backwards game of cat and mouse that we need to take note of. When satan is chasing us and we are on the run we have done something very substantial. We have taken the authority that Jesus Christ has over the works of the enemy, the very authority that He proved to be the unmistakable defeating blow and we have placed that authority into the hands of our enemy. We have in essence given satan permission to run us around like a scared cat. Satan does not have the power to or authority to chase us around like that scared cat unless we willingly throw up our hands in defeat and start running.  

Scripture says...  

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19

We have been given the power over the works of the enemy. But, if we never tell satan to stop chasing us, he will never stop. Why? Because we have not given him a reason to stop. If we never bind up the authority we have freely handed over to satan and place it back in the hands of Jesus Christ, then God will not step in and do it for us. That’s our job! We first have to bind up on earth so Christ can bind up in the heavenly realms. In other words, we need to stop running like the scared cat and start putting the authority where it belongs. We need to take the authority back from the devil that we have so freely handed over and put that authority back in the hands of the almighty God! There are going to be times in our lives when we just have to turn around and tell satan where he can go and to remind him that his tactics of trying to get us on the run is not a place he is allowed to be! We need to be the cat that God has called us to be, to work as the cat was wired to be. You do not see a lion running from a zebra in the wild. Why? Because they are not wired to run, they are wired to attack. God did not wire us to run from satan. God wired us to be on the defensive end of satan’s attacks, to take a stand against his foot in the door moments.

When I looked this verse up in various bible commentaries, the stance that they take on this verse is completely different than what I am sharing with you  today. Sometimes it is good to balance what we understand from scripture with what others understand from scripture and the history of scripture and culture. It helps us gain a better overall picture of what God might be speaking to our hearts. I wanted to share with you some history that I was unaware of until I did some digging.

Within the Jewish culture there was a protocol for releasing  new priests into the ministry of publicly preaching scripture. Before they could preach the scriptures to the people they would receive a physical key. This key opened the closet in the temple where the sacred books and tablets were kept. Gaining access to this closet signified the release of these priests into full responsibilities of the ministry. (Source: GodVine http://www.godvine.com/bible/matthew/16-19) I found this interesting because we need to place the key or the power in the hands of our priest, Jesus Christ in order to keep satan from running us like a scared cat.

Lord, forgive us for placing the power in the wrong hands, for allowing satan access into our lives through fear and intimidation. Help us to recognize when satan is trying to put his foot in the door of our hearts and get us on the run. Help us to remember that he is a defeated foe and we do not have to run from him. Give us the strength and courage to tell satan to back off and to remind him of his future. Help us to walk in the confidence of your defeating blow from the cross and resurrection.