Country of Winkies

‘You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror’ James 2:19.

The scene was perfectly written…the characters naively walking into a trap…the suspense heightening as we on the other side of the screen can sense their danger. Suddenly, one by one the characters are snatched up with a dreadful looking future. However, the face of evil responds differently to our heroine once they realized she was marked with the kiss of good upon her life. They completely understood the force and power of good over evil. “But Dorothy they did not harm at all. She stood, with Toto in her arms, watching the sad fate of her comrades and thinking it would soon be her turn. The leader of the Winged Monkeys flew up to her, his long, hairy arms stretched out and his ugly face grinning terribly; but he saw the mark of the Good Witch's kiss upon her forehead and stopped short, motioning the others not to touch her. “We dare not harm this little girl," he said to them, "for she is protected by the Power of Good, and that is greater than the Power of Evil.” The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chapter 12. The Search for the Wicked Witch. L. Frank Baum.

We too have been kissed by the Power of Good. Christ placed His spirit into our lives and sealed each of us once we believed. “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” Ephesians 1:13. Walking this land is a tough one as we watch people being carried off by evil. This woman lured into an office affair…that man cheating on his taxes. We watch bitterness and despair carry people off. These people have no hope apart from Christ, but are naively wandering into dangerous territories. Just like the scene from our movie they don’t set out to find sin and evil, it finds them. "Which road leads to the Wicked Witch of the West?" asked Dorothy. "There is no road," answered the Guardian of the Gates. "No one ever wishes to go that way." "How, then, are we to find her?" inquired the girl. "That will be easy," replied the man, "for when she knows you are in the country of the Winkies she will find you, and make you all her slaves." The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chapter 12. The Search for the Wicked Witch. L. Frank Baum.

If we are true believers we have a responsibility as children of the Light to cast the radiance of Jesus to an evil world. We are sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit so the only power evil holds over us is the power of fear and threats. When we give into fear and fright in whatever we are facing we forget that we are kissed by God…sealed with His spirit…walking in the country of those forgiven, rescued and protected. When we walk in fear we enter into Satan's territory, giving him all kind of power. We need not fear the threats of this world for we are destined for a better place…a perfect place…a heavenly place.

There’s no place like home.