Shut the Front Door
That’s what my Mom said when I left the front door open! Her exact words were: “Shut the front door, Barnio!” I don’t know, to this day, who Barnio was, but I do know she meant business. Not only did it mean to really shut the front door, the main entrance of the house, but she meant preventing the entry of anything – like cold air or mosquitoes or an unwelcomed guest into the house.
I read the following words from Michele Davidson on social media. They are words that opened my eyes as truth revealed. Her words are my words today. Please join Michele AND me in getting this word out to the sleeping giants in our world. It’s time we “Shut the Front Door”!
“The door where the shooter entered the school was propped open (not knowing what was about to happen). The shooter was given access to the kids and adults on that campus. The policemen were there but were waiting to go in.
As I have pondered and talked with God over these things the last few days, I felt so overwhelmed in my spirit, “This is a physical picture of what is happening in the spiritual.”
Today, we have left doors propped open by which the enemy has gained access to our children. Access to fill their minds with anxiety, fear, lies, hate, lust, pornography, and pride. I think in some cases, we have even given him a key to come and go as he wishes.
When we are not present and intentional in parenting, the enemy is more than happy to fill in the gaps through social media, screens, porn, drugs, evil, insecurity, depression, and anxiety. Parenting is not for the lazy or faint of heart these days. It’s difficult in different ways but ways that I believe come with a much greater cost.
We (I’m including me as well) have sat back and prayed asking God, “When will things change?” We have waited for more reinforcements (for someone else to help our kids), or thinking it’s a phase, it will pass. Meanwhile, the enemy is taking out our children one by one.
Satan has come to kill, steal and destroy. Period.
He is killing their God-given identity! He is stealing their beauty and purpose! He is destroying their childhood and joy! He is stealing their confidence and peace!
We just can’t sit idly by any longer. We must rise up and stand for and with our kids. We must put our own devices down and play with our kids. We need to look into their eyes and speak truth into their hearts. We need to shut and lock the freakin’ doors where the enemy has gained access.
It’s a spiritual battle folks! It’s time we take back the ground that the enemy has stolen and that’s only gonna’ happen when we, as adults, be adults for the kids in our lives. Let’s parent (and grandparent) so kids can be kids! You can do this! God is for you (and so am I).
— Michelle Davidson
Thank you, Michelle, and thank you to all the parents and grandparents who recognize the enemy’s tactics. Back in my day, it was gum or stink bombs in the bathroom. Today the enemy has pulled out his strategies of last-ditch efforts to destroy our children and our world. It’s time for us to wake up and put on our spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:11-18) and pull up our boot straps in prayerful intercession for our children, as well as keeping the “front door AND the back door closed!!”