My husband and his buddies go to Myrtle Beach every year on a golfing trip – or rather golfing adventure.  (The older they get the more adventure there is!)  He loves to eat Brachs® Nut Goodie®candies.  This one year while golfing, he had the candy sitting in the cup holder and when he turned around, there was a squirrel in his cart eating the candy.  When he went to shoo the squirrel away, the little thief took the whole bag in his mouth and took off running across the course!!  What a site to see.

Of course the guys laughed about it but Roger was a little bummed that he didn’t have his comfort candy with him as his golf game progressed!  hahhhaa

It reminds me of the little thief in our lives who sneaks up on us and tries to steal our JOY.  The devil is lurking around and just waiting until we take our eyes off Jesus and turn our back on Him  for just a minute and the devil, like the squirrel, takes the opportunity to sneak in and steal our joy.

He comes in with smirks on his face and reaches for our joy and we shoo him away but inevitably he is still hiding behind the bushes just waiting for another opportunity to sneak in with his grimey little claws and bushy tail and try to steal the joy from us.

We can’t let that happen.  He can sneak up on us but we have to always be ready with our armor and our scripture memorization and our prayer.  We must speak out loud to the devil to tell him to get away from us as Jesus did while He was in the dessert.  Matthew 4:10-11 tells us that the devil was trying to tempt Jesus and Jesus said to him, “”Away from me, Satan!  For it is written:  Worship the Lord your God; and serve him only.”  Then the devil left him and angels came and attended him. ”

We have hope.  We have a plan already set out for us.  Speak out loud to the devil and tell him to get away from you!!  Quote this scripture!  Pray for the Lord’s help. Let the angels come and attend to you.  The sneaky little slimeball may have thought he took something from you but he cannot steal your Joy because Joy comes from the Lord.  Nehemiah 8:10(b) says “for the joy of the Lord is your strength”.

He can go ahead and steal the Nut Goodie candy but he’s not gonna get the chocolate!!  For there is joy in chocolate!! hahhaa

Thank you, God, for your joy and your power to overcome the devil and his sneaky little schemes…………and for Nut Goodies and chocolate candies!