The Zeus Trojan?

    Have you heard of the Zeus Trojan internet virus? The story this week about the international internet based identity theft ring is the makings of a pretty good movie. The FBI, in cooperation with Scotland Yard in Britain and Europe’s Interpol, made multiple arrests this week breaking up an international organization of at least sixty cyberthieves, who have already emptied the bank accounts of thousands of unsuspecting victims.
    Using the Zeus Trojan virus (name that comes from Homer’s account of the Trojan Horse), they infected bank computers and received enough account information to empty a person’s bank account at multiple ATM locations. Pretty interesting how they did it….unless it’s your bank account!
    Like all predators, they attempted to hit as many computers as they could, looking for the weakest parties to victimize. For them, it was a numbers game. If they could infect a certain number of computers, they knew a percentage of them would divulge the information they needed.
    That’s not a bad word for these guys: predators. There are a lot of them in this world. The apostle Peter referred to the devil as a predator: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
    He is and he does! Sadly, I too often think of the Queen song, “Another One Bites the Dust,” as I see those around me whom I had thought were strong, fall prey to Satan’s attack. He is on the prowl looking for the most vulnerable (who are often those that try to act the strongest) to bring down. He is not your friend. He does not have your best interest in mind. He wants your life. He wants your soul!
    So Peter tells us to, “Be sober.” The word means, “in control of self, or self-disciplined.” He seems to indicate that spiritual disciplines and self-control are necessary in order utilize God’s help in resisting the devil (why James said, “Draw near to God….resist the devil and he will run from you.”).
    Peter goes on to say, “Be watchful….” which means to “stay alert.” Peter is telling us to never relax, when it comes to Satan’s attack. Never feel as though you have arrived. Never forget that you have an enemy who hates you and wants nothing more than to destroy you! And he’ll be trying to do it with lies and attractive lures.
    If you learned of a friend who kept his money in the same bank as you, but was cleaned out by these internet  bandits, you’d probably pay close attention to what’s happening in our own account, or you’d draw your money out and put it somewhere else.
    I’ve had it happen to those close to me. I’ve seen far too many look away and drift away long enough to be attacked and devoured. Don’t let it happen to you! Stand firm in your faith, grow closer to God, and run from Satan’s temptation.
    When you get a taste for sin, you get taken, hook, line and sinker! (James 1:14-15).