The Strong Tower

<p>I struggled to lift my head up to peer into the distance. I was sure it was close, but I wasn’t sure if I could make it. My battle with the dragon had left me deeply wounded; I had barely survived the attack. My only hope was to get to the King’s strong tower for healing and protection.</p><p>.</p><p>But I still couldn’t see it. The dark gloom of the day and the smoke from the battle were clouding my view, making it impossible to see much past my position. I continued to struggle forward, hoping I was heading in the right direction, hoping that I would make it before I collapsed and succumbed to my wounds.</p><p>.</p><p>And yet—those wounds? Once I finally began to look at myself, I couldn’t see any major gashes or bleeding. Some bruising to be sure—I remembered when thedragon knocked me off my feet, disabled both my sword and shield, and came in close for the kill. But he didn’t kill! He bent his head toward my ear, and told me I was pathetic. I was no warrior! No child of the king! I would die miserable and alone, with no hope of help or rescue—he whispered into my ear. All of a sudden, I realized the dragon’s words were all lies.</p><p>.</p><p>So that was it! I had not been mortally wounded but poisoned by the lies of the enemy. The mere recognition of the truth began to clear my head and my thinking. The sun’s light started to burn the dark fog away, and I could see the hills before me—and the strong tower of the King! Boldly I moved forward with every ounce of my remaining strength, and found I had more life in me than I realized. The tower guards saw me approach and ran to help me make it to the gates. I was able to cry out triumphantly the name of my God and my King: “For El Shaddai! In the name of the King—my strong tower!” • Laura N. Sweet</p><p>.</p><p>• Jesus said the devil is the father of lies (John 8:44). In Revelation 12:7-17, the devil is described as a dragon who accuses those who belong to Jesus. But because Jesus died and rose again, we can be freed from all the devil’s lies and accusations