Tuned in to the Devil's Radio? Drown Him Out

Faith

Sep 29

Written By

Last Wednesday, I did something insane. Well, I consider it insane, but maybe a normal sane person would call it brave.I presented a nine-week Sunday school enrichment program that I created to a group of 40+ priests and a bishop. I stood in front of the wisest men of my diocese and told them I had a great idea for them (and I totally do).But that's not what I want to talk about today. I want to talk about what happened right after my presentation -- which I have been told repeatedly was a strong performance.As soon as I stepped out of that room, I tuned in to the devil's radio.

THE DEVIL'S RADIO

My friend Jonathan taught me this concept. Maybe you've heard this proverb before:

"You can't stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair."

Well, Jonathan mentioned at youth group that unholy or negative thoughts come from the devil's radio, you can tune in or you can tune out. You can choose to accept the message--or wisely reject it.For days after my presentation, I was tuned in to the devil's radio. All I could hear in my head was how horribly I had done, how I wasted everyone's time, how I wouldn't amount to much, how there was no way forward from here (never mind that I actually hit my goals for the event).

GOD STEPS IN

God tried SO hard to shake me loose. He tried to send direct positive messages, He sent good omens my way. I cannot tell you the number of signs He sent me to comfort me and confirm me on my path. But I was tuning them out, and I wouldn't let them into my heart. I was too bogged down in woe-isms, and I was too busy listening to the devil's radio.So He went the old fashioned route--and it was amazing! He set me up to understand something in my scripture reading through the power of the Holy Spirit.

NEHEMIAH'S SITUATION

A little back story--I am reading Nehemiah obsessively these days.Quick summary of Nehemiah: This guy Nehemiah is serving as the king's cupbearer when he asks for time off and goes back home to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Oh, and somehow he convinces the king to foot the bill for rebuilding the wall AND convinces all his kinsmen to help out 24/7. (And we can't even get six weeks paid leave to raise a baby--incredible.)I was re-reading chapters 4 & 6 when I discovered something that woke me from my stupor.See, the enemies of the Jews are not too pleased that Jerusalem is gaining its strength. So they send letters and messengers to distract and dissuade Nehemiah.

NEHEMIAH'S ENEMIES

First, this guy Sanballat said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?" (Nehemiah 4:2)Tobiah sitting next to him adds "Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall." (Nehemiah 4:3)But Nehemiah prays and keeps going and gets that wall built.Then in Chapter 6, Sanballat writes to Nehemiah and says, "Hey! Come meet me at Ono" -- Nehemiah has to ignore Sanballat's messenger four times ("No, dude, I'm busy!").Indignant, Sanballat sends a fifth message, an open letter that says, "Hey Nehemiah, everybody's going around saying you're going to be the new king of Jerusalem -- bet your old boss would love to hear about that."Nehemiah calmly replies, "You're making that up. And I'm busy."Then this guy Shemaiah tries to get close to Nehemiah and says, "Hey! Let's go hide out in the temple together -- I'm sure the enemy will be coming for you tonight to kill you.""No thanks, I've got work to do," Nehemiah said.

HOLY EPIPHANY, BATMAN!

Have you learned what I discovered?When you are trying to go about your Father's business, the devil's radio -- whether in the form of defeatist thoughts or negative people in your life -- plays really loudly.And the things Nehemiah's enemies were saying to him were the same things I was letting the devil whisper to me.What is this silly little girl doing? Is she going to make Sunday school any better? What does she have to offer God? Can she really get it done in time? Can she really make a difference?Whatever she tries to do, it won't last. It'll crumble. It's not worth trying.Hey, Laura! I've got a Netflix episode with your name on it.Hey, Laura! What if people start to think you're an arrogant b and trying to boss people around with your bossypants self.Hey, Laura! Your bed is warm and cozy, and no one can hurt you there. Let's crawl under the covers in a fetal position so nothing bad happens.Lots of annoying birds flying around, right? Definitely the wrong station for working in God's will.

NEHEMIAH'S SOLUTION

Okay, so what does Nehemiah do when the devil's radio is loud and on repeat? Because this guy knows how to get things done. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a whole book with his name on it in the Bible!

He cries out to God in prayer. "Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads..." (Nehemiah 4:4)
When he discovers a conspiracy to attack him and his builders as they work, Nehemiah gets half the men on defense, and half the men focused on the building. He has the builders hold their construction tools with one hand and a sword girded on the other.
In response to the threats and distractions, he works DOUBLE-TIME. They don't even bother changing clothes except to wash the clothes they're in now and then. Eye on the prize, ladies and gentlemen.

TUNE OUT THE DEVIL'S RADIO

So when you and I get hit hard by the devil's radio, we have to do as Nehemiah does--it's the only way to tune that bad dude out.We have to PRAY even more fervently than before. One of my favorite prayers is "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24). In my mind, I always connect it to St. Paul's letter to the Romans where he says, "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do."When my body or my emotions or the devil's radio is keeping me from doing what I WANT to do, I pray the opposite. I say, "God, I want to work towards your will; help me overcome my fear. Lord, I want to make this happen; help me make it happen. Lord, you know that I am eating another slice of pizza to avoid making that video I know I have to make. Change me! Work in me!"We have to PLAY DEFENSE. If you're under attack, you can't keep trying to push forward in the same direction. Stop what you're doing, get a change of scenery (and preferably some exercise), and open your heart to God's voice. Nehemiah set a watch on the weak spots in the wall while they worked. You also need to assess your weak spots and set up defenses. When the devil tries to scare you, find a joke to throw in his face. Remind him that you aren't walking alone.We have to KEEP AT IT. Whatever the devil is trying to slow down, you have to get done at a faster pace. You can, with God's grace, outrun his thoughts. I recently made this quote one of my mantras: "Action is the only thing that puts worries to bed." As Michael Hyatt, an Orthodox businessman, puts it, "Do the next right thing." Whatever the next step is, no matter how small, do that. And then find the one after, and do that as well. Or as one of my favorite Christmas movies puts it, "Put one foot in front of the other."So that's what I'm doing. I'm raising my heart in prayer. I'm playing defense, and I'm doing the next right thing. It only takes a few hours of that to turn one's mood around!Next time the devil's radio plagues you, don't crawl under the covers trying to protect yourself. Pray, play defense, and keep up the Good Work.