Weekly Word: Baiting the Hook

By Robert Williams, Lead Pastor at The Bridge Church

I absolutely love to fish. Largemouth bass are my addiction. I can’t get enough of the adrenaline that comes when one smashes my line.

I’m embarrassed to admit that I love it so much that I have caught myself watching fishing videos on YouTube for hours at a time.

This past month I had the privilege of going on a 3-day fishing trip with a bunch of great guys from our church. Within that time, we were able to not just hammer some great largemouth bass, but we were also able to allow God to hammer a little on us as well.

The theme of the weekend? Men and Minefields.

The fact of the matter is, outside of the church, there isn’t much encouraging the flourishment of God’s calling on men to be, well … men. And we have to be mindful and knowledgeable of the landmines there are in this world, that we might flourish here and in the next life as well.

One big lesson that God hit me with as we fished was that Jesus and the apostles weren’t the only fishers of men. And as Christians we aren’t the only fishers of men left on this earth.

If you think about fishing as a metaphor for the Christian life, Satan is constantly trying to bait the hook and draw us out of our safe shelter for other purposes. That’s temptation.

When Satan baits the hook that he might reel us in. he’s looking to lure us in. He’s constantly seeking ways to distract us and cause us, if only, to give a reactionary strike toward the bait and hook.

We’re being tempted by click-bait ads, commercials and media. We’re being tempted by that look or that glance at something we shouldn’t be looking at. We’re being tempted when we watch that movie or show on Netflix because we know it has that one scene.

We’re being tempted with that one bite, … that one drink, … that one drag. …

Sometimes the enemy even uses the ones we love to tempt us — people we know who probably aren’t healthy for us.
Any fisherman knows that different fish react to different bait. What’s your bait?

Jesus and Christians weren’t and still aren’t the only fishers of men.

1 Peter 3:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour. …

I’m not trying to get all crazy spiritual on you, and I don’t want to give the enemy too much credit. After all, we know who wins. But the enemy is real, and he may not win the war, but he will definitely win a lot of battles if we’re not careful.

So, let me ask you, what is drawing you in? Are you taking the bait? What are you chasing?
Is it taking your attention off of the purposes God has for you? Are you mindful and prepared to not fall for the enemy’s schemes?

Don’t get caught … Don’t get caught.