Once there was this very wealthy young man. He lived in a great elaborate
house with dozens of rooms. Each room was more comfortable and more
beautiful than the one before it. There were paintings, sculptures,
crystal chandeliers, and golden ornate railings on the stairs.
More beauty that most have ever seen.
One day he decided to invite the Lord to come and stay with him. When
The Lord arrived, this young man offered him the very best room in the house.
The room was upstairs and at the end of the hall. "This room is yours,
Jesus! Stay as long as you like and you can do whatever you
want to in this room, remember Jesus, it's all yours."
"Thank you" the Lord replied, and with that the man shut the door and
went about his daily business.
That evening after he had retired for the night there came a loud
Knocking at the front door. The young man pulled on his robe and made his way
downstairs. When he opened the door he found that the devil
had sent three of his demons to attack the man. He quickly tried to close
the door but one of the demons kept sticking his foot in the door.
Sometime later, after a great struggle, he managed to slam the
door shut and returned to his room totally exhausted.
Can you believe that! The man thought. Jesus is upstairs in my very best
room sleeping while I am down here battling demons. Oh well, he thought,
maybe he just didn't hear. He slept fitfully that night.
The next day things went along as normal and, being tired as he was, the
young man retired early that evening. Along about midnight, there came
such a terrible ruckus at the front door that the young man
was sure that whatever it was would tear the door down. He stumbled down
the stairs once again and opened the door to find that there were dozens
of demons now trying to get into his beautiful home. For more than three
hours he fought and struggled against the demons from hell and finally overtook
them enough to shut the door against their attack. All energy seemed to
fail him.
The man once again thought, I really don't understand this at all. Why
won't the Lord come to my rescue? Why does he allow me to fight all by
myself? I feel so alone.
Troubled, he found his way to the sofa and fell into a restless sleep.
The next morning he decided to inquire of the Lord about the happenings of
The last two evenings. Quietly, he made his way to the elegant bedroom where
He had left Jesus. "Jesus," he called as he tapped at the door. "Lord, I
don't understand what is happening, for the last two nights I have had to fight
the demons away from my door while you laid up here sleeping. Don't you
care about me? Did I not give you the very best room in house?
He could see the tears building in Jesus' eyes but continued on, "I just
don't understand. I really thought that once I invited you in to live
with me that you would take care of me and I gave you the best room in my
house and everything. What more can I do?"
"My precious child," Jesus spoke so softly. " I do love and care for you.
I protect all that you have released into my care. But when you invited me
To come here and stay, you brought me to this lovely room and you shut the
door to the rest of your house. I am Lord of this room but I am not
Master of this house. I have protected this room and no demon may enter here."
"Oh Lord, please forgive me, take all of my house - it is yours - I am so
sorry that I never offered you all to begin with. I want you to have
control of everything." With this he flung open the bedroom door and knelt at
Jesus' feet. "Please forgive me Lord for being so selfish."
Jesus smiled, and told him that He had already forgiven him and that He
would take care of things from now on. That night as the young man was
preparing for bed, he thought to himself, I wonder if those demons will
return. I am so tired of fighting them each and every night. But he knew
Jesus said he would take care of things from now on.
Along about midnight the banging on the door was frightening. The young
Man slipped out of his room in time to see Jesus going down the stairs. He
watched in awe as Jesus swung open the door, no need to be
afraid. Satan stood at the door demanding to be let in. "What do you
want, Satan?" the Lord asked.
The devil bowed low in the presence of the Lord, "So sorry," he said, "I
seem to have gotten the wrong address." And with that, he and the demons
all ran away.
There is a moral to this tale. Jesus wants all of you, not just a part.
He will take all you give Him but nothing more. Are you keeping a portion
Of it away from Him? Perhaps, the attacks are coming more and more each day.
Why not let the Lord fight the battles for you. He is always victorious.
