Our Adversary
Hey Friends,
Let’s think a little more about the devil. He is called our adversary. If you are still struggling with belief in the devil, remember Jesus believed and dealt with him daily. He attacked Jesus when He was at His weakest after 40 days of fasting in the wilderness. The devil does not fight fairly.
Let me ask you again, does your family think much about this tough topic? We forget and we are easily defeated. Remember, we have been warned many times by our Lord. Too many families are so worried about their kids’ academics and athletics that they ignore the spiritual side of life. Do you? If so, your home is easily invaded.
Remember Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? Satan slithered in like a snake. This was the first home invasion in the Bible. He ruined the great deal they had going there with God. He stole their innocence. He is a Guerilla fighter. His desire and delight is to destroy and defeat us.
The Greek word “diabolos” which we translate as devil means to oppose. He opposes you. He is the antagonist against God and His plans. You are a part of His plans so he opposes you. He never stops! Do you ever notice the war raging?
The devil is not to blame for everything bad. As a matter of fact, many times he gets too much credit. He is not omnipresent nor is he omniscient. Next week we will build more on this thought of our flesh and its problems.
God’s goal for us is in Acts 26:18, “To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.”
My goal for this series and these blogs is for all of us to be alert and aware, to recognize and realize our power to win, and to know the war is raging all around us – for you to be an overcomer and not a P.O.W.
Love ya,
Pastor
5 Comments
I am thankful beyond words to My Father for His goals and instruction, His Light to my path.
Furthermore, I thank Him for you Pastor and this blog as a vehicle of rememberance of God’s goals and plans for all who seek Him and fear Him alone and Love Him uncomprimisingly. In that Light we will overcome any whiles of the devil because He has overcome to teach us to do the same in faith, hope, and love. Passing on what each is given to spur others on towards THE GOAL…Jesus and eternity in HIS PRESENCE. Thank-you again Pastor for your faithful service.
Matthew ch. 4 is perhaps my all time favorite in the entire Bible because Jesus was living what people are going through everyday. One big exception here though, He controlled His circumstance the right way and provided an excellent example for all to witness.
When tempted to by the devil his answers were the Word of God “4:4 But He answered and said, It is written , Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
“4:7 It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord you God”
“4:10 Away with you Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.”
Three basic principles right in the beginning of Matthew for all of us to live by when circumstance and challenges face us.
1. Live by the word of God.
2. Do not tempt or you could say test God. He is not schizoprenic and is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and His word never changes. The only thing that changes is our perception and we try to make deals with Him or go at Him from another angle to please our flesh or thought process.
3. You shall worship God and serve Him alone. Leave all that other junk that pops into your mind out of it. Taking all thoughts that are not of God captive and cast them aside.
Too many times we try to do things by our own accord and not give it up to the Lord, why because that is what we know to do in our flesh.
When in fact if we followed His three rules here in that order we can overcome any circumstance by His grace.
Speak His living breathing word over our circumstance. Don’t try to change it to fit our circumstance. And recognize satan for who he is, thanking God for the victory that He has provided for us and moving forward sharing our tstimony with others so that might receive the revelation knowledge and understanding that God is good and the only One to serve, furthering His Kingdom.
Great jumping point for this blog. I always like it when there are object lessons attached.
Good, Greg.
Good blog today. A reminder for us to stay on guard at all times, even when we are doing good for our families.
Love that!!! Spiritual warfare has been in full force in our house for the last few weeks and, although I knew that was going on and was even able to call it by name, I still forgot that my “struggle was not against flesh and blood.” When we forget that… we so quickly become POWs!!!