By Jake McCall

I had to drop my oldest daughter, Ellie, off at pre-school Tuesday for the first time since the tragedy in Connecticut.

She goes to a wonderful pre-school and we have never feared for her safety, but this time I was shaken and came close to just letting her stay home.

What happened in Connecticut last week was a powerful display of evil and showed that Satan is not fair, he has no compassion, and he has certainly come to steal, kill and destroy.

Why would someone ever kill innocent children? Satan hates children. Children display God’s love, joy, innocence and glory.

Satan hates that. He hates all children. He is out to destroy all displays of God.

Satan left that scene in Newtown, Conn., frustrated because all of those children did not die.

This tragic event brings up a lot of issues that are floating around but I believe two things stand above all others that we should not ignore.

First, the powerful enemy, who is the prince of this world (John 16:11) and the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), looks for avenues in which to attack.

I am not suggesting to know exactly what avenue was opened for him to be able to use Adam Lanza to murder these 26 people, but he was able to take over.

This doesn’t take any responsibility away from the perpetrator; it just means that evil attached itself to this young man through sin and illness. This was an avenue for evil to carry out a plan. This is important and we need to realize this.

There is a roaring lion prowling around your house and my house looking for ways to get in. He may already be in your house because he has found a way in, and remember, he does not play fair.

We have more avenues for the enemy to attack than anytime in our nation’s history. As we suppress truth and close avenues for God to work in our society and in our families, we open avenues for evil to work. This unseen reality is beginning to be all too clear.

I am not bringing up petty issues like bringing prayer back to schools (yes, I think that is petty). I am saying that God’s people need to face the reality of this cosmic battle.

Thus, we need to close these avenues for evil and that brings me to my second point. We have no power to do this on our own, but there is One who is greater. If you know of ways in which you have given access to the enemy or ways in which he has gained access in unfair ways, then Jesus can overcome that.

Satan looks for sin, sickness, trauma and tragedy to gain access into your life and family.

We have a lot of people in our home. On a couple of occasions, after a visitor left our house I had a strong sense that an evil presence remained in my house with my family.

Now that doesn’t seem fair, but the enemy doesn’t play fair so I just began to pray claiming Christ’s authority over my home and my family and it wasn’t long before that presence was gone.

Some of you will scoff at that, but I am assured of this reality. Most Christians do not know the power of Christ. 1 John 3:8 tells us that “the Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil.”

Call on Him to close the avenues that have been opened in your life. If you know that you are being attacked, call on Jesus Christ. If He lives in you, you will win because He will win! He will heal and He will comfort.

Our God is stronger. If you have questions or need help in this area, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. The Clanton Advertiser has my contact information, or you can call me at Grace Fellowship Church.

—Jake McCall is a religion columnist for The Clanton Advertiser. He is the pastor at Grace Fellowship Presbyterian Church.