In December 2013, Natasha Vargas-Cooper worried that a restraining order against her boyfriend’s “ex” was about to run out.
It was the second restraining order to protect her from a violent and sometimes crazy woman. The first time, the “ex” was pulled from against Natasha’s bedroom window and carried away by police in handcuffs. Later, she entered the house and attacked Natasha in the middle of the night. Only with the restraining order in place did Natasha feel safe.
Isaiah 10:1-34 laments those who pound on our windows at night and attack us as we sleep. The prophet says it like this:
“Woe to those…who keep writing oppression…turn aside the needy from justice…rob the poor…make the fatherless their prey!”
Isaiah goes on to say:
“The Lord God…with terrifying power…will cut down [the evil one].”
In Revelation 12:7, we read where Michael and his angels fought “against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back.”
The problem for the dragon was God’s restraining order. We read about it in Jude 1:6:
“And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—”
In 2 Peter 2:4 we see God’s restraining order once again:
“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment…”
When will God’s restraining order be lifted? 1 Thessalonians 4:16 gives us a vivid picture of what that day will be like:
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”
At that point, the restraining order will no longer be necessary.
Natasha’s violent and sometimes crazy attacker eventually moved on. The outbursts became verbal then stopped altogether. The restraining order was no longer needed.
It is only when God returns in that final day that our restraining order against the devil will no longer be needed. Until then, we must depend on God to keep the evil one at bay. We can see his protecting hand in the following three verses:
Jeremiah 29:11 tells us:
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Isaiah 40:31 promises:
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:1-31 begins with a pledge of God’s support:
“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God…”
When the devil pounds on our bedroom window and we lie in bed listening for him at the door, we need to call 9-1-1. Jesus will be on the line, and we’ll have our restraining order against the devil in no time. Then the devil will have no choice but to keep away.
When we need to call in reinforcements, Jesus is our 9-1-1 contact. We can depend on him.
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