One of the critical projects that Para Tech Ministries completed recently was identifying and removing a network device that had become compromised. The wireless access point had changed from its original design and was negatively affecting the other computers on the network so that they couldn’t communicate correctly.
The small code change within the device was subtle and could have been easily overlooked, yet that “small” issue was creating an open door for a major attack later on. You can see in this picture that most of the activity was to “trustworthy” places, but a small amount of traffic was going to untrustworthy ones.
There is a spiritual lesson for us in this. It is so important to remove the things that impede us in our walk with Christ.
In Hebrews 12 we are encouraged to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And …. run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Sin can really distract and throw us off course and we need to throw our sins off regularly and experience the cleaning power of God’s love so that the sin does not open opportunities for larger problems later on.
This also points out how important it is to perform daily maintenance on systems. Regular updates of firmware help prevent open doors for compromise in equipment.
In the photo you can see a “before and after” picture after replacing the device around 2pm.
Similarly, we need to have daily checkpoints in our time with God to keep our firmware (the core components that allow us to function) updated and to obtain the benefit of confessing our sins for maintaining spiritual health.
As John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)
Rather than try to fix this infected device it was determined that it should be replaced. Oftentimes, it is better to start fresh than to attempt to clean up bad equipment. In the same way we can attempt to clean up our spiritual lives, and that may have a temporary positive result. But as we read from Isaiah 64:6. all our efforts towards making ourselves righteous are as worthless as filthy rags. How much better it is to take the offer given to us to confess and have God give us a new, clean heart – free from any unrighteousness – returning us to operate as God intends.