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While in Bible College, Randy, a sophomore with the knack for adventure did some volunteer work at a nearby fire station. One day during an inspection exercise as he worked with the captain near this mondo grassy area, a four feet vicious rattlesnake weighing six pounds emerged from the shrubs with its loud buzzing rattling sound coupled with a high rising threatening coil. With its forked tongue exposed, Randy was seeing his life flashing before his eyes. Stand strong on your grounds & call his bluff. The captain being aware of the serpent�s defensive character when provoked & the hemotoxic venom that attacks the blood system of its prey, he wasn�t about to gamble with their lives. So slowly the captain backed away & grabbed an axe off the fire truck & just when the snake was about to make its move on Randy, who now stood petrified, the captain swung with his might & decapitated it. Amazingly, this headless venomous creature continued for about an hour or so, tossing & turning. Wanting to show the rest of the firemen & volunteers back at the bay the highlight of his day, Randy mustered up some courage, wrapped up the beast & placed it on a box on top of the fire hoses. When they arrived at the bay, he couldn�t find it. The snake still in motion had wiggled itself and had fallen into the hoses. Wandering in fear whether to dig in, in search for it or not, the captain placed his arms around Randy & reminded him that the snake was headless, dead & powerless�it was no longer a threat. This story is so refreshing, it reminds me of what the Captain & General of our faith did to the devil�that serpent of old. His sacrificial death on Calvary�s cross crushed the enemy. Jesus took off his head by stripping him (Satan) of his power, authority, dominion & rulership. All the devil can do now is like the wolf in the fairy tale story of the �three little pigs.� He huffs, puffs & blows, but nothing happens because your house (life) is built with the rock of ages. Let Satan & his imps taunt & runt, that masquerade parade of scaring many with masks is all they have. Just know that empty barrels make the loudest noise�that old serpent is defeated. Stand strong on your grounds & call his bluff.