Murphy's Law


My bmf (that's computereze for best mail friend right?)called me last night and the first words out of his mouth were "you ain't gonna believe this." It seems that his 21 year old grandson was hit with some very high blood pressure and had to be hospitalized. 21 years old. Our prayers go out for Devin that all will be fine. Well, as soon as I hung the phone up, it rang again. This time it was my son.

He's trying to straighten up some crooked paths in his life. While we talked he informed me that since he had been trying to change some things, it seemed that EVERYTHING had been against him. First, the van broke down. Then he had a car door closed on his hand and it broke his hand. Add to that a runaround he has been getting from a government agency. No! Not a government run around. Can't be!! Are you kiddin' me? No way!!! (smile) He then said it's Murphy's Law! That's why everything was against him. You remember Murphy's Law don't you? Well, if you don't here it is, Murphy's Law states that if anything can go wrong it will... I can hear all the "Amens" going up in cyberspace.LOL You are preaching to the choir Ronnie.Yeah, I feel ya. But, you know something, it occurred to me that it wasn't everything that was against him,.. it was ONE thing. It isn't Murphy's Law that's causing all the trouble, it's the devil.The accuser of the brethren. The Word says that he's seeking whom he may devour.He tries to bully us. But, the Bible has something to say about that..


7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 (NASB)

Again, there's also this..


9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9 (NASB)

That word resist means this

Greek NASB Number: 436

Greek Word: ἀνθίστημι

Transliterated Word: anthistêmi
Root: from 473 and 2476;

Definition: to set against, i.e. withstand:--

List of English Words and Number of Times Used
cope (1),
oppose (1),
has opposed (1),
opposed (4),
opposing (1),
resist (5),
resists (2).

—NASB Greek-Hebrew Dictionary


to set against or withstand. Vine's also adds this sense to the meaning. It is in the passive voice.
The picture in my mind is one of the waves at the beach. You remember when you were a kid? We would get out in the ocean and stand against those waves. Wave after wave would roll in and I would just stand there and let them break against me. One might knock me down but I would jump back up, ready for the next one. Man, those were the good ol' days weren't they? Anyway, that's what this word resist is trying to get across.Resist him, FIRM(caps mine) in your faith. See if we will resist the devil like that he will flee. He's not like those ocean waves that roll endlessly in. No, the Bible says he will flee. But, there's another common thread that plays into fighting old Murphy. Look at this.


6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, " GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."
James 4:5-6 (NASB)

This is the verse just before vs.7 about resisting.

Here's another one.

. 5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:4-7 (NASB)


See anything in these verses? Look at that word "humble". You see God's got some advice for us about resisting the devil. Today it is very popular in Christian circles to walk around claiming this and that, BINDING the devil and whatnot;but, as one author that I read recently said" if everyone is binding the devil and he's all bound up,he must have found a way to get loose!" Listen, ain't nobody binding the devil. We don't have that authority. But, that discussion is for another time.However, God tells us to humble ourselves doesn't He?


That word humble means "to be low lying" The verb form of that word means "to bring yourself low" Get the picture? You see God ties in humbling yourself to resisting the devil. He's talking about humbling your spirit before Him. Not walking around speaking powerless words. Understand that we need to realize who God is and who we are and who the devil is.We are no match for the devil in our own power and strength.BUT, if we humble our selves before the God of all creation and let HIM empower us... THAT'S THE TICKET!!


Cars will continue to break down, government agencies and people in general will continue to be insensitive and the devil will be right there trying to make our lives as troublesome and miserable as he can. You hearin me? It's part of the human condition. BUT, and I'm preaching to me as well as you, God promises us that if we will lay ourselves low before Him, if we will HUMBLE ourselves under His mighty hand that He will enable us to resist the devil. Not only that but, if we are allowing God to empower us, the devil will flee.

Brothers and sisters it isn't about Murphy, it's all about God. PTL.


God Bless