Riding the Fence Line
Written by Cowboy Evangelist Rev. Joseph Holmes
Produced by H C Cowboy Ministries Scripture Focus: 1 Peter 5:8 (KJV) — "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"
Good morning everyone. God bless you all on this Tuesday morning. We made it past Monday and we are into a new week this morning I want to talk about how the devil trys to trap you. When you run a working ranch, putting the saddle on and moving the cattle is only half the job. A good cowboy also has to spend a lot of time riding the perimeter and checking the wire. You have to ride the fence line, looking for broken posts, sagging wire, or places where a tree branch might have fallen and created a gap. If you leave a gap in your fence, it is only a matter of time before your herd wanders off, or worse, a predator sneaks in to attack the calves.
Guarding your spiritual life works the exact same way. We get saved, we take on the heavy lifting, and we go to work for the Lord. But we also have to constantly check the perimeter of our hearts. The devil is always walking the fence line of your life, looking for a weak spot.
I think we all know this this firsthand. Some of us have or even maybe still is facing an opened gap in our fence, and depression and drug addiction or any other problems we face has walked right through it. Even after God pulled us out of that dark hole, we have to learn that getting clean or facing our demons was not the end of the work. We have to vigilantly guard my mind and my heart every single day. If we let anger, resentment, or a moment of weakness create a gap, the enemy was right there waiting to drag me back into the mud.
You cannot just do the heavy lifting on Sunday and Monday, and then let your guard down on Tuesday. You have to actively protect what God is building in your life. The devil is looking for a broken wire in your marriage, a moment of weakness in your sobriety, or a little bit of un-forgiveness that you let slip into your heart. You have to stay vigilant and mend those fences through daily prayer and staying in the Word of God.
There are Cowboys and Cowgirls out there today who knows they have a broken gap in their fence line. They have been letting old habits, secret sins, or the pain of your past sneak back into your life, and the enemy is tearing them apart from the inside. We Do Not need to wait until the damage destroys us. I invite you today to ride back to the Master. Surrender your brokenness, your addiction, and your heart to Jesus Christ right now. Let Him forgive you, heal you, and help you rebuild the walls of your life.
Lets Pray,
Father, we thank You for Your constant protection over our lives. Lord, forgive us for the times we get careless and let our guard down. Show us the broken places in our fence lines today. Give us the strength to mend our hearts, protect our families, and keep the enemy out of our homes. Keep us sober, vigilant, and fully focused on You as we go about our work today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
SO today lets take a hard look at your life today and ask yourself: Where is the broken wire in your fence line that is letting the enemy into your camp?
A Cowboy always knows "A strong fence does not build itself, and it certainly does not fix itself. Keep your eyes open and protect your pasture."
