Today’s devotion builds on yesterday.
“…He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.” 2 Samuel 23:20b (NASB95)
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (NASB95)
“Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, while our vineyards are in blossom.” Song of Solomon 2:15 (NASB95)
Thankfully I’ve never had to deal with a lion, but I have had to deal with squirrels, foxes, and deer.
Day 5: Opportunistic Predators (Spiritual Exclusion)
A seasoned gardener knows that planting a fruit tree is only half the battle; the other half is defending it. When you cultivate fig, apple, and peach trees, or tend to grape vines, you quickly learn that you are not the only one waiting for the harvest.
In botany and agriculture, managing this threat requires Wildlife Exclusion. A plant is completely stationary; it cannot run away when a predator approaches. Therefore, the gardener must act as its defense. Deer will relentlessly browse the tender new growth of a peach or apple tree, stripping it of its future fruit. Even more destructive is the “buck rub”—when a male deer scrapes its antlers against the trunk of a young tree. This doesn’t just damage the bark; it destroys the vascular cambium, the vital inner layer that transports water and nutrients. A severe rub will girdle and completely kill the tree. Meanwhile, opportunistic foxes will slip through the gaps at the bottom of a fence to strip the muscadine vines just as the fruit ripens.
In the sermon, John Edward highlighted this exact dynamic when discussing Benaiah and the lion. He pointed out that the scripture from 1 Peter describes our adversary prowling like a lion. Lions, he noted, are incredibly patient; they “fix their eyes on the… deer at the back of the pack, and they follow for days and wait for just the right moment”. They are opportunistic predators that strike when we are “weak, sick, hurt, alone, deceived, or afraid”.
During the “snowy days” of our faith—when we are dormant, cold, or vulnerable—the enemy does not take a break; he increases his attacks. A starving predator is an aggressive predator.
But Benaiah offers us a different model. When he saw the lion, he did not passively hope it would go away. If he had, the lion “probably would have eaten a person” eventually. Instead, Benaiah jumped into the pit and dealt with the lion barehanded.
Spiritually, we must establish our own “Wildlife Exclusion.” We must aggressively set up fences (boundaries) and tree wraps (guarding our hearts and our vascular cambium, the core of our spiritual life). When an opportunistic predator—whether it is a roaring lion or a little fox ruining the muscadine vine—tries to strip your joy or girdle your life source, you cannot be passive. As John Edward declared, “when you have been baptized in love, you can take out a lion”.
Questions for Reflection:
- Identifying the Browsing: Where are the “deer” or “foxes” currently browsing in your life? Are there subtle, consistent drains on your spiritual energy, your peace, or your joy right now?
- The Vascular Cambium: Have you allowed an opportunistic attack to damage your core? The enemy often attacks our identity and our “bark,” trying to cut off the flow of living water from the Lord.
- Taking the Initiative: Are you passively hoping the attacks will stop, or are you ready to jump into the pit like Benaiah and establish firm boundaries and spiritual defense against the enemy?
Heavenly Father, Guardian of my soul’s vineyard,
I thank You that I am never left to defend my harvest alone. I recognize today that the enemy is an opportunistic predator, waiting for the “snowy days” of my life to browse on my peace and strip away my joy.
Lord, help me to establish a firm spiritual exclusion in my life. Give me the discernment to spot the “little foxes” that are ruining the blossoms of my faith and the boldness to address them before they steal the fruit. I ask for Your protection over my vascular cambium—the very core of my identity and my connection to You. Do not let the “buck rubs” of criticism, fear, or past hurts girdle my heart or cut off the flow of Your living water.
Forgive me for being passive, hoping the lion will simply go away. Today, I choose to follow the example of Benaiah. Because I am rooted in Your love and baptized in Your affection, I have the power to jump into the pit and face the adversary head-on. Strengthen my boundaries, wrap my heart in Your truth, and keep me alert and sober-minded. I trust You to preserve my orchard until the day of the harvest.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Tomorrow we will look at pruning the giant!
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