How many times have you been focused on something important only to have a gnat fly into the room – way up, then dive down and circle your nostrils, tickling nose hairs as it flies by, until you lose your mind, flail your arms around like a lunatic, slapping and even punching the air, then looking around for the miniscule body laying lifeless,  just waiting for the 1 fingered flick into oblivion? (Too many to count for some of us…)

Of those times, how many times was the gnat circling right beyond your reach, sputtering erratically about in the air from violent bouts of derisive laughter at your antics? …let’s just admit it’s a majority of times, and leave it at that. No need to open old wounds.

Now, of those times, how often did you then set aside your current focus for a few moments and dedicate yourself to the eradication of that miniscule, aggravating, obnoxious little claim jumper?

Of those times, was there not a greater occurrence of success?

I mean REAL success:

• The incessant buzzing and dive bombing was “zeroed.”
• The nose hair tickling was cut off.
• Derisive laughter and mocking choked and died.
• The attention grabbing was permanently averted, not just delayed for a bit.
• You could, once again, look like a sane, calm person without a penchant for violence (whether true, or not).
• And, you got 2 victories in one!
  1. The enemy is wiped out.
  2. The ability to focus reappears after the celebration of victory is complete – you return to work effectively.

Paul is often thought of as a bit of a hot head.  I prefer the term “passionate.” In Acts, we watch as Paul tries to ignore a demon possessed woman following him around and shouting at him and his companions.

Ac 16:16-19  Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days.

But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. NKJV

Some time ago, I had a pastor that called demons “nothing but flies.” While they have some fleeting power to bother us in this life, we should always remember who owns the fly swatter, and that we have full permission and authority to use it. Bam! If we forget, then the distraction can become a battle, and we the losers.

Instead, we must address the issue as it flies in the door, so to speak. Call in the prayer brigade, put down your dinner, or work, or whatever, and just make that grimy little fruit-sucking, focus-grabbing gnat pay for coming around. Get them while they are still up high (you have to be paying attention to what is going on around you), before they start wafting through nose hairs. Then you can get back into focus, and stay there, and be effective at what you are doing.

If you let it get the best of you for a few days, as Paul did, just repent, pray, and attack. We are, remember, conquerors for the King!

Ro 8:37-39 …we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  NKJV

Blessings!
Leaona Huston
October 5, 2021