Friday, March 2, 2018

March 2 Thought for the day...don't be afraid, understand and overcome


It is a tough thing to realize that someone hates you. I have had it happen a couple times in my life and to be honest in both instances I didn't even realize it. My mind is always on the goal, seeing people become who God wants them to become and changing the world. I know many of you have the same goal. When we start moving in our calling, we do have someone who truly hates us, and we need to understand that as a fact. Paul gives us that heads up

2 Corinthians 2:11

"lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."

If you are a Christ-follower, Satan hates you and everything you do. He will try to take advantage of you whenever he can. The word "advantage" means to outwit, outmaneuver, to take advantage of someone through sneaky or nefarious means. He will lie, cheat, steal, play with your mind and your heart as much as you will allow him because that is who he is and what he does. The full idea is that he is so brain damaged that he will stop at nothing to try to destroy who you are.

But, we are not "ignorant" of his devices. Whenever we do things that cause spiritual growth in ourselves or others. Whenever we do something that begins to shed light on the Kingdom of darkness. He will come against us with everything he has. Paul is simply saying here, don't foolishly believe that the enemy will leave you alone. He will attack, tempt, lie, cause others to stand against us, bring division in any way he can but we need to understand that he will do this and we also understand God's word enough and who God says that we are, to overcome him at every turn. He does not have the power to overcome a Christ-follower. That does not stop him from trying, so don't be ignorant of that fact. This word means, don't fail to understand the tactics and strengths of the enemy, know the facts.

The word, "devices" has to do with understanding the mind, grasping the way the enemy begins to attack, the thought life. He spends time scheming regarding ways to through off your thought life. One example would be, someone becomes ill, and the enemy convinces them that God has made them ill. I heard Derek Prince once say, the enemy's greatest weapon is the wedge that he can place between people and people and people and God. As we read the word, pray, and even as we have failures, as we learn the enemies schemes, we become stronger and can overcome.

God wants us, not to be afraid of our enemy, but to be aware. He wants us to understand how he works and know that our choices enable us to defeat him. He wants us to understand that we are hated by him but that God's love and His Spirit will never fail a man or woman who wants to follow Him!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I choose to be a victor not a victim, to know and realize these attacks when they come (and they will) to STAND and not be shaken, yes the enemy will try BUT our God is bigger and His Word tells us that we are more than conquerors through Him that loves us!