Once upon a time I found a little fox on my journey home. It was so fluffy and cute, I played with the little fox and I had so much fun. I took the fox home with me, bath it, dried it, made it feel warm and welcomed and then I began to feed it daily… we did things together and it did not matter to us what it was we did. There was no sense nor care for what was right or wrong, we only cared about having fun.
The fox grew bigger and bigger and it became stronger than I was. Then rapidly the demarcation between owner and pet began to blur. The fox began to insist on it’s own things and refused my commands…and its attitude was like that of a wicked master towards a slave. I did not realise how the fox had so much taken over my life, not until someone pointed it out that I had began behaving exactly like the fox.
I tried all I could in my power to get rid of the fox, but it would not go away no matter what I did.
The fox was no longer friendly, it stole my food and made me very hungry, it destroyed things I valued and separated me from good friends. I was so lonely. Although I pretended like I was okay before acquaintances, before people at work and passersby, I was painfully empty on the inside. I felt like life was being snuffed out of me. I tried booze, drugs, fame, fortune, sex but nothing helped.
Life was meaningless. I had had enough. I felt trapped in darkness, I couldn’t see a way out. As I climbed unto a stool, a thick rope dangling from the roof…I looked down and saw the fox grinning and gloating …Suddenly someone started knocking loudly on my door, but I ignored it. The fox looked at me as if to say hurry up and get on with it. The knocking continued and became louder, I could no longer ignore it. I removed the rope from off my neck, got down from the stool and marched angrily towards the door. Thinking out loud “…that whatever the person at the door was desperately trying to sell to me had better be worth the rude interruption”.
As I opened the door slightly, the door bursts wide open. I was startled, and the fox jumped to its feet, shaking all over, it was clearly very scared, so much so that it whimpered. I had never seen the fox react that way before. Filling the frame of the door was a huge and powerful He-lion. He looked at me and then gently pushed me aside and with the speed of lightning flew at the fox and in one swoop of his powerful claws the fox was torn into shreds. The fox was no more. I felt a huge sense of relief flood my soul.
The Lion turned and looked at me and I looked back…I looked closer, blinking… I knew it was a lion that came in and killed the fox, but here I was gazing at a white, beautiful and gentle lamb with such kind eyes. He asked me: “would you that I stay and lived with you”? I thought to myself “why, you are more powerful than I am, you might as well take my home by force”. And as if he heard my inner thoughts he said: “I do not stay where I am not welcomed. I do not force myself on people. I am a Saviour empowered to save all who need saving. I will be Lord to only those who desire me to be”. He then turned as if to leave…I quickly fell down on my knees, then on my face, ashamed of my ingratitude and repenting I said: “Lord if you had not saved me, I would have died a miserable death. If not for your on-time help I would have been lost forever. I desire not that you stay with me today only, but forever”.
The Lion who is also the Lamb now lives in my home and we have become inseparable friends.
Yesterday, on my journey home I saw a little fox, it was so cute and fluffy…it bounded towards me as if desiring that we played together. I knew better than to stay a second longer… I turned away from the little fox and ran as fast as the wind would carry me. I ran setting my face as flint, looking forward to spending another joyous time with my best friend. I had come to the full irreversible realization that the Lion who is also the Lamb, is all I need in life.
Song of Solomon 2:15 JUB
Hunt the foxes for us, the little foxes, that spoil the vines; for our vines are in blossom.
The little foxes are the sins we permit in our lives. The things that we know are not safe to trifle with, unrighteous acts that move us away from God. Unholy unions, unholy conversations and unholy actions. The “it-does-not-really-matter-things, the white-lies, things that we know are ruining our relationship with God.
Little foxes in all appearances are cute and fluffy (wild) animals. They have the tiniest seemingly harmless bark and bite, but little foxes grow into big foxes and can wrought a big damage on precious possessions. The little sins, a little lie, the white-lie, a little deception, a little envy, a little bitterness, the little jealousy… all feed voraciously on the life of the one who allows their continuous existence… little lies become complicated, jealousy and envy lead on to murdering… these things do not allow any life to truly and fully blossom like God intended.
(Let’s see…Song of Solomon 2:15 in again but in AMP version.) “Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that spoil and ruin the vineyards [of love], While our vineyards are in blossom.”
Prayer: May the Lord God today Hunt and catch the foxes in our lives, the little foxes, that are spoiling our lives; that are not allowing our lives to blossom nor bear fruits in righteousness. In Jesus Name. Amen.
St. John 15:1-11 JUB
I AM the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he shall take away; and every one that bears fruit, he shall purge that they may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abides in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I AM the vine, ye are the branches: he that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. He who does not abide in me shall be cast forth as an unsound branch and shall wither, and they are gathered and cast into the fire and are burned. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. In this is my Father clarified, in that ye bear much fruit; and in this manner ye shall be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken unto you that my joy may abide in you and that your joy might be fulfilled.
Jesus is the primary vine and he is an ever blossoming vine indeed. We become connected to this vine when we are born-again and as long as we remain connected we do not lack any good thing.
Little foxes work on disconnecting us from Jesus the primary vine. They work their way into our thoughts, into our words and actions in a subtle way… until they become a strongholds. Unyielding troubles.
A stronghold imprisons the victim mentally, spiritually, at times physically and does not allow help to get to such a person. Stealing, killing and destruction routines are then activated. And if not a timely divine intervention many souls would have been lost to this device of the enemy.
among them the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 AMP
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
John 10:10 AMPC
lest Satan should deceive us, for we do not ignore his devices.
2 Corinthians 2:11 JUB
We cannot and must not continue to permit the operations of these little foxes. They must be dealt with and glory be to God, Jesus the lion and the lamb…is able accomplish all that concerns us if we let him…He will empower us to overcome any battle with sin or any challenge in life.
Have you recieved Jesus as Saviour and Lord? Making the decision to accept Jesus into your life as Saviour and Lord is to say “Lord Jesus, I recieve your Love and I love you”.
Jesus replied, “Loving me empowers you to obey my word. And my Father will love you so deeply that we will come to you and make you our dwelling place.
John 14:23 TPT
“If the Divine dwells in you, you are empowered to overcome”.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 KJV
“Jesus is the way, the truth and the life”.
It is true that there is no other name given to man by which they can be saved but “Jesus”….there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation].” (ACTS 4:12 AMP)
Salvation through Christ Jesus is free but you must make the decision to recieve it.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NLT)
“…if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation”. (Romans 10:9-10 KJV)
Do you desire to recieve Christ Jesus as your Saviour and Lord? Then I encourage you to Pray this prayer meaningfully: “Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept You out of my life. I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. No longer will I close the door when I hear You knocking. By faith I gratefully receive Your gift of salvation. I am ready to trust You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth. I believe You are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank You for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. I believe Your words are true. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Saviour. Amen”.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
Congratulations if you’ve just said that prayer and I joyously welcome you to the higher life in Christ Jesus. You are now realigned with the plans and purposes of God for you.
The next critical step to take after Salvation is to become a member of a living Church; where Jesus is Lord, God’s Word is preached undiluted and the Holy Spirit is not restricted. If you are not a part of such a Church family, I would like to invite you to the Church God has called me to, Dream Centre International Church. Go to the website http://www.lifeoasisinternationalchurch.org and do well to complete the first timers form and a minister will get in touch with you.
And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.
ROMANS 8:28 AMP
Amen and glory be to God!
The Message Bearer
Cornelius Bella
corneliusbella 