If I Had a Hammer

  After returning from nearly a month in California and Texas in March, I was greeted by a Rodent Welcoming Committee. This was due to an oversight on my part prior to leaving.
     It took a while before I was aware of their destructive work.  I bought rat poisoning (I apologize for those whom that may offend); however they were uninterested in that delicacy. I discovered later that they had chewed through a number of unopened packages of food.  Why eat rat poisoning when M & M’s, tortilla chips and Multigrain Cheerios were on the menu. 

     
     Altogether I threw out 6 packages of food, not to mention the Liz Claiborne sweater and the nests they made out of my Isotoner slippers, and of paper in the corner of my pantry.  Oh… and then there was my stylish boots the lining seemingly too hard to resist, all followed by a trail of mouse poo. Not my idea of a good time!

                            Nesting Supplies                                                                                  

      My house needed to be exterminated, but not with the price tag that comes with bringing in a professional. I spoke to friends who suggested placing peppermint oil in strategic places.  I Googled controlling mice and found a website advertising Ultrasonic Electromagnetic & Ionic Pest Repellents, a device that gets plugged into the wall, a more humane way of dealing with the problem, pricey but I ordered three of them.  Between the peppermint, the wall units and removing all food temptation they moved on to better places.

www.pestnoproblem.ca

Free advertising:)

  We all know the enemy is out to destroy and while he’s not into snack foods or making nests in slippers or chewing the lining of boots, he chews away at us attempting to destroy areas in our lives, and as you well know our children are particularly vulnerable. 
     So how do we act as the exterminator? Obviously peppermint and electrical wall units aren’t effective; however a hint is given in Nehemiah 4:14, “Don’t be afraid of them your enemies. Remember the Lord Who is great and awesome and FIGHT FOR YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS!” The Amplified translation includes brethren, wives and homes.  One way we can fight for our families and homes is through prayer.
     Some of you are too young to remember the folk group from the 60’s Peter Paul and Mary, shown below. One of their hits was the song, “If I had a hammer.” Perhaps you’ve heard your parents or someone singing it.  For those who remember it, no doubt you join me in the 60’s to 70’s age group, heavy on the late 60’s.


If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning,
I'd hammer in the evening, All over this land;
I'd hammer out danger, I'd hammer out a warning; I'd hammer out love between,My brothers and my sisters, All over this land. 

  As you know, it’s easy to get caught up in prayers for our children and loved ones such as, “Bless them and protect them, watch over them” etc., but how about going a step further and using prayer as a hammer?  
     What does a hammer have to do with fighting for your children? If you’re familiar with the story of Nehemiah’s return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the city you’ll recall there was a whole lot of hammering going on.  In Nehemiah 4:17 the builders were instructed to hold their hammer in one hand and their weapon in the other to protect against the enemy. 

  We read in verse 15 that the Lord frustrated the plans of the enemy!  You can consistently fight for your sons and your daughters through prayer as you read through Scripture and invite the Holy Spirit to give you creative prayer ideas; the Word becomes a prayer book of sorts and as a result a greater sensitivity to the Holy Spirit is developed.
     Here’s a prayer idea, recall with me the story of Samuel, “The sons of Eli were base and worthless; they did not know or regard the Lord.” I Sam. 2:12.  “Samuel grew and was in favor both with the Lord and with men.” I Sam. 2:26. Check out two interesting details found in this story:

• Samuel grew up with Eli’s corrupt sons.
• Samuel did not allow Eli’s evil sons to influence him.  

     Hey does that give you some prayer ideas?  “Father, just as you kept Samuel as he was raised with Eli’s evil sons, I ask that you keep our children (name them) from the wickedness they face daily.  When they are at their friends’ houses, may they be like Samuel, steadfast in faith rather than allow any negativity to influence them. Please bring into their lives good people who will have a constructive effect on them.  May they not give in to peer pressure and may they not be influenced by what is popular in our culture, or what is popular in our Christian society which is contrary to Your Word! May they grow up in Your favor and live consistently for You as Samuel did, in Jesus Name.”  

     Perhaps the most interesting detail in this story is Samuel had a praying mother and no doubt she was not ignorant of his surroundings, I Samuel 2:1-10.

     You can also pray that our Lord will frustrate the enemy’s plans in their lives, just as He did in Nehemiah 4:15.  And as you pray ask the Holy Spirit to reveal particular areas they are struggling in.
     What I’ve presented is simply an idea of how to pray, but pray according to your personality and you’ll be surprized at the creative ideas the Holy Spirit will bring that go far beyond the above.
     Three days ago I found yet another vacated nest in a gym bag hanging in my closet; all together my total losses reached approximately $250.   Hmm….I wonder how much loss the enemy wracks up in our lives and the lives of our children that we are unaware of.  Certainly a price tag cannot be attached to his destruction; however we can get out our hammers and fight for our sons daughters wives husbands and homes through creative prayer from Scripture. 

Let's Hammer out danger and hammer out a warning!
"Does not my Word burn like fire?”says the Lord.  "Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?  Jeremiah 23:29