June 29, 2020 – Click here to listen
My wife and I went offshore for some fishing yesterday. It was unbearably hot without a hint of breeze. I was slowly trolling some lures to make it cooler, but the bite was non-existent. After a couple hours of that I decided to switch to live bait and slowly drift and literally as soon as I got two lines out, both rods bent double. Teresa took one and I took the other.
Both fish were stripping off line like it was nothing and fighting like the dickens. I battled mine for quite a while and my wife did likewise. It was all she could do to reel that heavy fish in, but she didn’t quit. I was making good progress with my heavy fish and got it fairly close to the boat. Suddenly it shot to the surface and I could see its dorsal fin as it shot through the water. I was wondering where it got that second wind and then I noticed why it was so panicked; another dorsal fin, a much larger one, emerged behind it and a huge bull shark could be seen streaking through the water after my fish.
By now I had fought the fish almost within gaffing distance, and just as I said,
No – No – No, the monster shark literally ate him with one bite. When it did, I solidly hooked the shark. I was using a heavy duty spinning rod and it wasn’t much of a match for the approximately 400 lb. shark. It went right under the boat and it was all I could do to keep from breaking the rod. The shark stripped off 100 or more yards of line before I could ever turn it. Finally, mercifully the shark’s teeth cut through the line and got away.
I put my rod down and ran over to the other side of the boat to assist my wife who by now looked like she was just about whipped. She asked me to take over and I fought it and finally managed to reel it right up to the side of the boat and just as she handed me the gaff, the shark appeared and again with one bite it devoured the approximate 30 lb. fish and cut her line off in the process.
We both grabbed a water and sat there drenched in perspiration and discussed the size of the shark. I got up to reel my other line in and noticed it had gotten tangled in the propeller of one of my engines while we were fighting the other fish. I had no choice but to raise that engine and hang precariously over it and use a gaff to try and unwind it. Just as I did, I saw the big shark once again circling the boat. I could actually see his eye looking at me. Fortunately the line wasn’t tangled too badly, and I got it off and scampered back into the boat.
We decided to move another mile or so north to get away from the shark and just as we were slowing down to put lines out, we saw a huge dorsal and yet another shark appeared. We looked at each other and I said, “you want to head in to some air conditioning” and she nodded in the affirmative and I turned the boat east and we headed for home.
I was thinking about this today and for some reason the shark reminded me of Satan. The deadly shark had ripped its victim apart and no sooner had it done so it it ripped another one apart as well. I’m sure had I fallen off the back of that motor that he would have ripped me apart too. Talk about an insatiable appetite . . . So I traveled at 40 mph to another location a mile or so away to get away from it and guess what was awaiting me? We saw the huge dorsal fin of another shark.
The Bible warns us that Satan stalks about like a roaring lion devouring
whomever he may. The Bible states us that 1/3 of the angels of heaven fell with Satan and are now his demons. We can elude one, but another is awaiting us no matter where we go.
We must stay alert and watch out for our great enemy, the devil and his horde of fallen angels. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Like a shark he also silently hides in the depths below waiting for an opportunity to rip us apart. He shows no mercy and the numbers of his untold victims through the eons are mind-boggling to contemplate.
The Bible tells us we have spiritual enemies in high places prowling around just waiting for a chance to devour us. Satan and his demonic horde are prowling in bars, on the internet, Congress, on television, at your job, in divorce courts, on the golf course, at the beach, even in churches. Satan is watching and waiting for someone to destroy. Like a shark he never sleeps . . .
And yet we are told not fear for Jesus is near.
Ask God to protect you, but also do your part. We are told that God always provides a way to escape temptation and we must take it or suffer the consequences. The almighty name of Jesus can drive Satan away. The Bible states that demons tremble at the sound of His name. Call upon that name and rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus Christ when he comes your way. Don’t treat him carelessly lest he consume you. Remember this verse: Romans 16:20 – The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Don’t follow the world; follow Jesus Christ! Much of the world these days in particular has chosen to follow Satan. Don’t allow them to sway you lest you be engulfed.
1 John 5:19
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.