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The Devil's Snare

Hermione Granger: "Stop moving! I know what this is — it's Devil's Snare!"
Ronald Weasley: "Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help."
Hermione Granger: "Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!"
Harry Potter: "Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!"
— Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ronald Weasley struggle with Devil's Snare

In the last post I used an example from The Hunger Games, and while it is one of my favorite series, Harry Potter is my ALL TIME favorite. I was watching the first movie over the weekend (for the millionth time) and there is a scene when the main three Harry, Ron, and Hermione become trapped in a vine like plant called Devil's Snare. In the story, the Devil's Snare was a plant that would seem benign and harmless until you fell into it. Once contact was made the plant would then wrap its tentacle-like vines around its prey and essentially squeeze them to death. One of the ways to be free of it is to remain calm and not panic, by doing this the plant would relax its grip and the prey would have a greater chance of escaping. However, the more you struggled the vines would become tighter faster and you had no chance of escaping. Another way would be a light of some kind, fire or sunlight  would cause the plant to flee. 

This scene reminded me of the traps that Satan sets up for us. The traps of worry, doubt, faithlessness, anger, fear, regret, etc like the vines of the Devil's Snare plant (how appropriate a name) snake their way around our thoughts and hold us captive. Like the character's in Harry Potter, our first response upon falling into one of these snares is NOT to remain calm, rather we see the vines and we panic! Remaining calm is the last thing on our minds. We focus instead on how to get ourselves out of trouble as fast as possible. We wiggle and worry and try to figure it all out when really we're just making it worse! It isn't until we're fully entangled and the vines are about to tighten one last time that we remember Jesus is the only one who can set us free. The trick to getting out of the snares that Satan sets is crying out to Jesus. Once we focus our minds on Him we're able to become still and calm, the vines lose their grip on us as they flee from the power that Jesus holds. 

I know from personal experience it's much easier to see the vines of fear and doubt and try and find a solution on my own. Most of the time it isn't until I've tried all that I know to do that I finally remember Jesus. He's always there, always waiting right where I left Him. He loves it when I finally stop fighting the fight on my own and relax in His arms. Cause then He can finally do what He has to do. 

Final Thoughts: As you go through your day today, be on the lookout for the Devil's Snares in your life. What cunning traps have been set for you today? Have you fallen into one of worry? Fear? Instead of panicking and allowing the vines to strangle you, release it to Jesus. Let the light of His truth and His presence chase away the snares of the Devil because like the plant from the story, the traps of Satan cannot stand up in the Light of Christ. The darkness has to flee whenever Jesus steps in. 


"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)

"The fact is that I’m joining in with your forgiveness, as Christ is with us, guiding us. After all, we don’t want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief—we’re not oblivious to his sly ways!"
2 Corinthians 2:10-11 (MSG)

31-33 Jesus answered them, “Do you finally believe? In fact, you’re about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I’m not abandoned. The Father is with me. I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”
John 16:31-33 (MSG)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10 (NIV)

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