“If you don’t fight for your beans, the devil will take your taco, your burrito, and the whole enchilada!”
If you love Mexican food like I do, you understand this analogy! I once heard Pastor Mark Hankins say this in light of a story in 2 Samuel 23. It’s just a couple of verses, but a very powerful truth.
King David had a group of mighty men that followed his leadership and fought alongside him for the things of God. One such man was named Shammah. The Bible says, “The Philistines had gathered together into a group where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. But Shammah stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory” (2 Samuel 23:11-12).
A lentil is a type of bean. So in layman’s terms, we could say Shammah stood in the middle of a field of beans to defend it. Now why would that be important? Internationally, beans are a popular commodity because of how easy they grow in different types of soil and of course, their nutritional value. There isn’t a country I’ve visited yet that hasn’t served beans at more than one meal!
So why would Shammah feel so compelled to fight for a measly field of beans? Because, as Pastor Mark said, “If you don’t fight for your beans, the devil will take your taco, your burrito, and the whole enchilada!”
Now do you understand? There are things in your life that may seem small and insignificant. But if you don’t protect those small areas, the devil will take everything. The Bible says, “The little foxes are ruining the vineyards. Catch them, for the grapes are all in blossom” (Song of Solomon 2;15, TLB). In other words, it’s not always the BIG things that are under attack. In fact, I’ll dare say that if you find yourself in a BIG attack, somewhere you overlooked the little attacks that started it all.
This is how the devil works against believers. He’s like the mouse who sneaks in through the cracks in the floor. All he needs is access. And when the Holy Spirit reveals these weak areas in our life, we better listen up and do something about it! 2 Corinthians 2:11 says, “Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”
You’d be surprised to know how many Christians actually have no clue what the devil’s devices are! It’s sad because God Himself said, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge…” (Hosea 4:6). And this is why: what they don’t know does hurt them.
So when you see a small area (like a field of beans), you better fight for it. The weapons of your warfare are not carnal, but they are mighty through God for pulling down strongholds, casting down lies and imaginations, and everything that lifts itself up against God (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). In other words, use your faith! Use your confession of faith! Hold your ground. Don’t let the devil take that field!
Check out this resource for more help: Facing the Enemy — Strategies for Living Victoriously Behind Enemy Lines
