The Devil's Embassy
9/4/2025

While watching a crime thriller on TV recently, the culprit’s apprehension evoked instant anger from the law officers who had made the arrest as he shouted, “You can’t touch me! I have diplomatic immunity.” It was true. He had the government’s permission to live in the city and never be arrested or charged – even for his heinous crimes.

I wanted to scream at the TV set, “How can he get away with that? Isn’t there a way to nab the creep?” The truth was that he’d been given permission to live without the fear of arrest or expulsion from the country.

Here’s another truth: We’ve given the devil an embassy in our lives. From lack of resistance, he’s gained permission to reside in our heart. In most cases, he’s actually become a friend – someone we allow to exist because evicting him throws the guilt of failure in our faces. 

That is demonic oppression – an allowed stronghold. They’re there because we have entered into a state of détente` with the enemy. His presence prevents us from being victorious over him because we’ve become accustomed to his presence. It is, in essence, his embassy.

It’s time to realize that we DO have authority to expel the enemy.  

2 Cor. 10:3-5 

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. [4] The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. [5] We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

A stronghold can be a source of protection for us as when the Lord becomes our stronghold. We need not surrender to that embassy dweller we’ve allowed to live freely, inflicting our minds and thoughts.

Psalm 18:2 – “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. My God, my strength, in whom I will trust.”

Three Types of Ships
8/26/2025

Living in Florida grants me access to marinas galore. Boats are everywhere. Every time I pass by the Port of Tampa, I marvel at the huge behemoths in dry dock undergoing repairs and painting necessary to keep them seaworthy. Otherwise, sinking or failure at sea becomes the probability.

Comparisons to the frailty of humanity abound. We, too, must allow those times of “dry dock” to facilitate healing and wholeness. It’s what’s necessary to keep us from slipping beneath the waves when life sends us a tsunami. 

I recently shared a message from Acts 27 describing Paul’s shipwreck. His message to the captain and crew was, in essence, “the storm will soon be over and what matters most will not be lost.” 

1.     There are ships that will sink. These represent our plans made without input from the Father – decisions we make that try to shape our destiny (as if it’s all up to us). We barge headlong into the storm without knowing the purpose God has for each of us.

2.    There are ships that should sink. God may need to destroy the vessel that brought us to where we are today. His purpose might be to simply keep us dependent upon Him and looking forward. In 1519, Cortez ordered his ships destroyed after landing on Mexico’s shores. No turning back. No second thoughts. 

3.    There are ships that will not sink. These represent the linear chain of events that God has pre-ordained to be lived out in the life of an obedient child. Father God at the helm.

Did you know that nothing ever happens to you that has not first gained the Father’s permission? You need not fear the storms ahead. 

Your storm will soon be over and what really matters will not be lost.

Jim Beaird