Don’t let Satan get your goat

There's an old saying, "Don't let Satan get your goat."

It's a saying used to describe a situation when we get annoyed or frustrated and lose your peace.

The Urban Dictionary defines this statement as: "To annoy you to the point of getting mad."

The goat is a metaphor for our state of peacefulness. It originated in the early 1900s when goats were placed in stalls at night of racehorses. The goats were found to create a calming effect on the horse so they could rest and perform better. Sometimes their opponents would sneak into the stall, untie and steal the goat, hence stealing the horse's source of peace.

We know that in less than peaceful situations, we can become less certain of ourselves and overwhelmed with worry. It's like Satan sneaks in and unties and steals our source of peace.

In John 14:27, Jesus promises us, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you." In Proverbs 14:30, "A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body."

Worry exposes our weary hearts and minds, but the peace of Jesus guards your hearts and mind. Satan will try to steal your peace/goat in order to make us vulnerable to his tricks.

Protect your goat, protect your mind by proclaiming the promises of Jesus over yourself; "Jesus, I hold onto Your deposit of peace that you have placed in my life and over my mind. You are my goat, my source of peace, I thank You for Your peace in my life, let Your peace reign in me. Amen!"

Dave McNeely is the pastor at New Life Community Church in Ashland.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Column: Protect your goat from Satan