Have you ever planned a trip or an experience for your family that you were more excited about than your kids?! We recently took our family of six to Disney World. Even though my daughter has outgrown the excitement of Disney Princess’, we planned much of our days around Character Meet and Greets. With three boys (and me being a huge Star Wars nerd), the Star Wars characters were most exciting!

Now, Disney World is not like any other amusement park! Their Cast Members are in character 100% of the time! Even the Cast Members standing at the front of the line were telling us what Star Wars planet they were from and asking if we were on the Dark Side or Light Side. One even warned not to mention Han Solo in Kylo Ren’s presence!

So when we walked into the room meeting Kylo Ren, he was standing near the room’s entrance, tall and foreboding. I’ll admit I got a flutter of nerves. But I’m an adult. I know he’s just a guy in a costume getting paid to stand in a room taking pictures.

So I played along. I squinted my eyes at him dubiously, raised my chin, but also smiled, because again…just a guy.

The room was built to look like a First Order interrogation room, gray and black with a “window” to look out into “space.” The photographer asked us to place our items at the far side of the room so they wouldn’t be in the picture. I did so, dropping my camera bag and backpack in the corner.

What I didn’t know was that he had followed me. Very quietly I might add. Because when I turned around, Kylo Ren was inches away from my face. Towering over me, he was leaning down in my face with that intimidating mask covering his face and black hood over his head.

*Warning: Nerd words are about to start flying, here, so bare with me!

“I sense that you conspire with the rebellion.” His deep, mechanical voice resounded through the room. I could literally see nothing else but him. It felt like if I turned my head, I would bump into his mask.

“Your thoughts betray you.” With every word, he stepped even closer to me. My head was leaning all the way back just to look up at him.

This sounds crazy, I know, but I seriously felt like I was in the presence of Kylo Ren.

I kind of didn’t know what to do. But my kids were watching. If I felt like this was for real, then I could imagine how real it felt to them.

So I talked back.

“I can sense good in you still.” I felt really stupid when I said it, but I was playing along for my kids sake. I even laughed.

He balled his hands up at his sides and got even closer (if that was possible) to my face. “Control yourself. Or I will be forced to control you.”

Then my husband came to the rescue with a snarky comment, “Luke Skywalker says hello!” All of us (except Kylo…can you call him that once you’ve met him?) laughed.

He crossed the room in like one stride and demanded we take our photo. Surprisingly my kids were all smiling in the picture, not wilting away in retreat.

Then Kylo Ren demanded us to, “Leave my presence. Now.”

My kids were talking about it all day. My five-year-old called Kylo “grumpy.”

But it got me to thinking. As intimidating as those few moments were, he was just a guy in a costume. He couldn’t hurt me. He couldn’t do anything to me. My fear (or lack thereof) was all within my control.

That is the authority we, as Christians, have over the devil.

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

~ Luke 10:19

The devil sneaks up on us when we aren’t suspecting, gets up in our faces, intimidates us, tells us what bad things can happen, what he’s going to do to us, whose voice we should believe.

But he’s just a guy in a bad guy costume. He may be towering over us, but his hands are balled up at his side.

Because God is the One with the power, and He has given His power to us.

For me, 2017 was a challenging year. It taught me a lot about the power that we have in Jesus. In His name alone. I might have talked back to Kylo Ren with a silly quote, but to the devil, all we have to say is the name of Jesus. That name holds all the power that we could ever need.

Sure, you may feel silly saying it out loud, but the devil can’t read your thoughts. He can only hear your words. And words have power. They hold life or death. They hold blessing. They hold healing. They hold freedom.  Your authority is in your words.

Don’t forget to look around you. Just like my kids were watching me to see how I reacted to this pretend Kylo Ren, there are people watching to see what you do when the devil comes at you. Do you run? Do you cower? Or do you stand up to him. And when you’ve done all to stand, do you keep standing?

God won’t fail you. He says in His Word that He will never leave you nor forsake you.

But it doesn’t hurt to have some people around you to help you when you are up against a wall. Have someone in your circle who can remind you of what God’s Word says about you, and who can help you remind the devil that Jesus, who already defeated him, says hello!

Lastly, you tell the devil to leave your presence. Now. Remember James 4:7 says that when we submit ourselves to God, we can resist the devil and he will flee from us. Take up your authority, and in your best commanding voice, tell him to “Leave my presence. Now.”

May the force be with you….

 

• Have a Star Wars lover? Here is a great kid’s Bible that incorporates the theme (not theology) of Star Wars! I got one as a Christmas gift for my own Star Wars lover (other than me)!

May the Faith Be With You – New International Reader’s Version*

 

 

• Want to learn more about your authority as a believer over the devil? Here is my favorite book on the topic!

The Believer’s Authority – by Kenneth E. Hagin*

* Affiliate links: Read my disclosure policies here

 

 

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