Two boy scouts went on a nature hike in the hills picking up hickory nuts along the way. They quickly filled their small pails and started to fill their pockets and shirts.

When they couldn’t carry any more nuts they walked down the country road until they came across a cemetery. One of the boys decided the cemetery would be a good place to stop, rest, and divide out the nuts.

The two boys sat in the shade of a large oak tree. They unloaded their pockets and pails dumping all the nuts in a large pile. While dividing their bounty, two of the nuts rolled away and came to rest near the road. The boys continued to divide the nuts among them. “One for you. One for me. One for you. One for me”

As they were doing this, a young boy happened to pass by and hear their voices. He looked into the cemetery but could not see the boys as they were hidden by the tree. He hesitated a moment and then ran back to town.

“Father, Father,” he yelled as he entered his house. “The cemetery. Come quick!!!” “What’s the matter?” the father asked. “No time to explain.” the boy frantically panted. “Follow me!!!”

The boy and the father ran up the country road and stopped when they reached the cemetery. They stopped at the side of the road, and fell silent for a few moments. Then the father asked his son what was wrong. Do you hear that? He whispered.

Both listened intently and heard the Scouts. “One for me. One for you. One for me One for you.” The boy then blurted out, “The devil and the Lord are dividing the souls!!”

The father was skeptical but silent. A few moments later the Scouts completed dividing out the nuts. One Scout said to the other: “Now as soon as we get those two nuts down by the road we’ll have them all.”

1 Peter 5:8: Peter warns the believers who are under persecution to be on the alert because our “adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

There is a struggle between God and the Devil, but the Devil Will Not Win

• 1 John 3:8: “The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil.”
• Hebrews 2:14: “Christ took on human nature that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”
• Colossians 2:15: “God disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him.”
• Mark 3:27: “No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man.”
• Revelation 20:10 says one day the warfare will be over: “The devil . . . [will be] thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone . . . and will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (See Matthew 8:29; 25:41)
• James 4:7: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!”