19. CHRIST BRUISED THE
SERPENT’S HEAD
“And I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall
bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
Entering the missionary language school in Karuizawa, Japan in
mid-March 1975 was a joyful milestone in my earthly journey. I vigorously
launched into language classes 5 days a week, also studying Japanese many hours
a week in my room at Bethel House, and talking in Japanese to Japanese people
around me when occasion allowed. I had no car, not even a bicycle, and always
enjoyed walking more than half a mile from my room to the language school.
During the 1st or 2nd week of my language
study, as I was walking back to my room down the sidewalk of Karuizawa’s main
street (small stores lining each side of this street), suddenly a dog lurched viciously at me from inside an “open”
store, barking and growling in an attack manner. I had not noticed him, and
almost jumped out of my skin in shock and fright at his unexpected loud
attack “rush” and his fearful “serious” voice. Quickly sizing up the situation,
I was most relieved to see that he was on a chain that prevented him
from reaching the sidewalk, tho he could get most close as he tugged with all
his might on the end of his tether. I proceeded on to my room.
But his attack attempt on me became a daily routine each weekday
afternoon that I walked back to Bethel House. I came to expect it, and it was
sort of an entertaining event in my life, that nice-looking Dalmatian dog
tugging fiercely at the end of his chain, snapping viciously at me ever so
close by. I thought about it being a must for the owner to keep
him chained at all times, and how horribly he would attack me were he not
chained.
Then, after a month or so, as I approached the dog’s place one
afternoon, expecting the excitement of his attack attempt, I looked his way and
there he was, lying in place on the floor. But this time, he was not
attached to the chain leash. He was free. And I was
already within 3 yards or so of him. No time to flee. ‘He will tear my
left leg to shreds!’ In a flash, I mentally relegated myself to
that painful fate.
But when he looked up and saw me, he sheepishly and shyly laid his
head down against the floor in silence and did not move a muscle in his body. ‘So,
all the time, it was just a game,’ I smiled to myself in relief and
amusement. ‘Poor, miserable, immobile, bored mutt! If I had to
pass every day chained to that spot with only a 20-minute walk with my master
once or twice a day, likely I would be more batty than he is and
I would be doing something more horrible to people walking past me!’
Similarly to that doggie, thru out the entire world,
children of the devil viciously attack Christian believers, regularly
killing some of us. Neither you nor I have any guarantee
from our Lord, that He will not allow us to be martyred for His Sake. “As it is written, For thy sake we are
killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” (Romans 8:36)
Therefore, it is essential for each of
us Christian believers to have the mindset of the “over comers” spoken of in
Revelation. “And they loved not their
lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11) “Abba
Father in Heaven, please create this same mindset
within me, that of a Christian believer who loves my Lord Jesus Christ
with all my heart. I desire to fully surrender my life to
Christ, place my life completely into His Divine Hands, and not
to love my life unto the death. I desire to be willing to lay down my life for
my Saviour, similar to Him laying down His Life for me. By Thy Unlimited Power,
please work that mindset firmly into my being. Amen!”
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome
them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that
is in the world.” (1st John 4:4) “Lord Jesus, I greatly rejoice that thru God The Holy Spirit, Thou doest dwell within me,
in my spirit. I praise Thy Great Name that Thou hast
bruised the serpent’s head! I rejoice that Thou art more powerful than
the devil and the numerous children of the devil who dwell around me. I praise
Thee for making me an overcomer; no matter what adversity I might face on
earth, even death. Amen!”
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors
thru him that loved us.”
‘(Romans 8:37) “Heavenly Father, how glorious it be, that this victorious
promise follows the account of the slaughter recorded in the previous verse. I stand
with my Lord Jesus Christ, standing against every power and living
being that opposes our Creator God. I praise Thy Name that thus wise I stand
victorious. Thank Thee, Lord Jesus, for loving me. Thank Thee, for making me
more than a conqueror. This entire 8th chapter of Romans is ever so
Powerful and Victorious. Please help all us Christian believers to daily live
in that Power and Victory. Amen and Amen!”