Law & Order
By Jenee’ Tyson
One of my favorite TV shows to watch is Law & Order, particularly Special Victims Unit (SVU) and my girl, Olivia—also known as “Liv.” She’s been a main character on SVU for almost 30 years. At this point, I am convinced that Mariska Hargitay, Det. Olivia Benson, is a real detective. I mean, she is the ultimate mama bear—always looking out for victims of assault and willing to put her life on the line to save them.
There is one episode I remember where Liv was covering a case involving girls who were being sexually assaulted. The suspect tricked Liv into thinking he was the good guy, eager to help her catch the bad guy. Over two episodes, we see Liv letting her guard down and eventually allowing him to assist with the investigation. She later discovered that the so-called “good guy” was the suspect after all when she witnessed a young victim’s countenance change after recognizing his voice in a conversation. So, Liv orchestrated a setup and went to his apartment to call him out. She was relentless. The guy crumbled under the pressure and gave himself up.
This is a familiar storyline. Let me explain.
As women, we empathize with Det. Olivia Benson because we have all experienced a time when we were on our post but, against our better judgment, let our guard down. Maybe we were enticed by the seductive words of—who my godmother calls—“The Raggedy Charmer.” “Yeah,” she’d say, “I called him raggedy” (emphatic). LOL!
The Raggedy Charmer is the guy the Holy Spirit warned us about in the beginning, waving the proverbial red flag—but we didn’t listen. No, we chose to listen to the slithering charmer a little too long and were persuaded that he wasn’t “that bad.” We slowly let our guard down (over two episodes), only to get hit with a surprise. And man, oh man, what a surprise it was.
The Bible Talks About This “Raggedy Charmer”
His name is Satan.
We first meet him in Genesis 3:1, in the Garden of Eden:
“The serpent asked Eve, ‘Did God reeeeeeeally say you must not eat from annnnnny tree in the garden?’”
(NIV and Jenee’ version)
Then Eve—oh, sista Eve—without discerning that she was talking to a demonically possessed animal (both figuratively and literally), let her guard down. And then—surprise! Unfortunately, Eve didn’t even make it through two episodes before she lowered her guard. (There is much to say about this, but I digress.)
This slow, subtle deception is the M.O. of our adversary, the devil—aka Raggedy Charmer. For real!
Look at 1 Peter 5:8 (AMP):
“Be sober [well-balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times.”
WHY?
“That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.”
The Bible tells us that the Raggedy Charmer is always trying to set us up for our demise.
He is our accuser (Revelation 12:10)—always looking for ways to make us trip and fall.
He is the one who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).
BUT GOD!
Our God is so faithful to us.
Sometimes we find ourselves in a Liv or Eve situation, falling for the tricks and slick talk of the Raggedy Charmer.
BUT GOD!
We can’t point fingers because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
BUT GOD!
And you are not alone in this battle.
1 Peter 5:9 says the same affliction is happening to other believers.
BUT GOD!
I remember my late Bishop used to say: No matter how far you fall back, with faith in God, you can always make a comeback!
God is in the business of redemption.
There are countless stories in the Bible that highlight the power of God’s redemption:
Ashes into beauty (Isaiah 61:3)
Raising a Lazarus situation from the dead (John 11:38-44)
Turning a poor widow into a millionaire (1 Kings 17:7-16)
So, let’s go back to Eve. Part of her redemption was that her seed would bruise the head of the enemy (Genesis 3:15). Who was her seed? His name is Jesus Christ! His sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate defeat of Satan. Jesus went down to hell and came back with the keys to death, hell, and the grave (Revelation 1:18).
He stripped the devil of his power.
How Do We Walk in Authority as Believers?
James 4:7 (NCV) says:
“So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you.”
Here’s how to get back on the winning side:
Repent and submit to God.
Luke 24:47 – Forgiveness is available, but only to those who repent.
Counter your past decisions.
James 4:7 – “Resist (stand against) the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Counter with the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
Learn God’s Word about your area of struggle.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God.
Spend time in worship and meditation.
John 4:24 – “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Have accountability.
Acts 2:42-47 – Fellowship strengthens believers.
Proverbs 11:14 – There is safety in a multitude of counselors.
If you do this, I promise your spirit man will be built up so strong that you will be able to resist the devil—he won’t be able to stand it! He will have to run! That’s the order of God.
Final Thought
In Law & Order: SVU, after Liv confronted the suspect, he tried to throw a punch at her. She swerved and came back with a counter—socking him right in the jaw. Then, he humbled himself and took his cuffs. Let me tell you, the devil doesn’t run without a fight. He tries to call our bluff, banking on his brute strength (fear) to make us second-guess our authority. However, when you have God’s dunamis power working in you because you follow the steps above, you will have confidence.
It won’t be you fighting—it will be your spirit man, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
In 2025, let’s be bold and empowered to win in every area of our lives.
Evaluate your life and identify areas where you are compromising.
Submit it to God, and the devil has to flee.
