Satan: His M.O. Revealed

Okay, I think it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty.  You know, get past the green beans and mashed potatoes and onto that juicy steak.  Yes, the stuff that really matters…like Satan.

You know, I played A LOT of sports growing up, lots of softball, golf, basketball, and even a little spout with track.  Our team always had one object in mind, and that was to beat the other team.  We didn’t want to take this lightly either, no; we wanted to BEAT them, the greater the deficit the greater the win for us.  That’s just how it was.

Can I just be honest?  Ok good.  Whether we know it or not we're either on team Jesus or team Satan.  Whoa.  Yah, I really just said that.  Okay, alright, so here’s what this means for those of us who are following Jesus.  Satan is out to beat you and destroy you.  I can guarantee that he is not taking this lightly, the greater the deficit, the greater the win.  It’s his M.O.  Plain and simple. 

He’s a master of deception who longs to destroy your faith in God and His Word to keep you chained.  Remember what he said to Eve in the garden.  Watch this:  “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Gen. 3:1b

DID GOD REALLY SAY?

Eve goes on to tell Satan, well yah Satan God really did say that.  Oh, but Satan comes back again. 

Now look at this:  ““You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman.  “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

LIE.  LIE.  LIE.

What happens here?  Well, Satan distorts the Truth.  He also switches Eve’s focus away from God’s goodness and onto what she couldn’t have.  They could have the fruit of any other tree in the garden, just not this one tree. 

Satan ever lied to you like that?  If God really cared or was loving then He would not have set this parameter and because He hasn’t allowed me this then I can be cranky and mad and sad and unbelieving and throw a pity party until I get what I want because I deserve it.   

Let’s see how that rebellion worked for Adam and Eve.  They ate the fruit and what happened?  Death came, just as God said it would.  Sin=Spiritual death (Rom. 5:12).

Do we realize how ruthless Satan really is, how crafty, how cunning, how deceptive?  How bent on your destruction He is?  Can I tell you, the more I desire to pursue Christ and live an abandoned, obedient life, the greater temptation I have to believe lies.  So this means you, and I as we follow Jesus, must have an even greater love and devotion to His Word.  His Word is one way we overcome Satan in the here and now (Rev. 12:11).

God has given us His Word and when we start to believe lies about it and create our own belief systems, we have just fallen for the same trick Eve did.  His Word is flawless.  FLAWLESS (Prov. 30:5).  It will accomplish its purpose and is completely trustworthy and true in all matters of faith and practice. It brings life, not death. 

Here’s what we can take away today concerning Satan. 

1.)  He causes us to question God. (Did God really say? v. 3:1b)

2.)  He lies and distorts God’s truth.  (You will not surely die) v. 4-5

3.)  He shifts our focus away from all God has given us to the things we don’t have.  (v. 4-5)

Short Changed

 I have been thinking lately about what it means to really have Jesus as Lord.  Could it be that we love to have Jesus as Savior, but the Jesus as Lord part makes us a little uncomfortable?  Maybe our intentions our good, and we totally desire to have Jesus as Lord, but without knowing it we neglect His Lordship.  Think about it like this.  If Jesus asked you to give up your job, would you do it?  What about your home?  Your plans?  Your schedule?  Your comfort?  Jesus tells us that to follow Him means to deny ourselves (Luke 9:23) Remember the story of the rich young ruler who obeyed all the commandments, but when Jesus told him to give all he had to the poor, he went away sad?  Could it be that this man misunderstood what it meant to follow Jesus?  Perhaps he thought it meant special privileges or honor of some sort.  Yet, Jesus tells the man that honor and privilege would be found in giving all to follow Him.   

Following Jesus means complete and total surrender.  God does not do this because He is some unjust ruler.  No, He does it because He knows that in our letting go, in our surrender, there is complete and total freedom.  He does it out of love and He is more in love with you that you could ever imagine.  He wants you, ALL of you.

If we don’t surrender to only cling to our own life, we will end up expending far too much energy in working against our freedom in Christ instead of working towards our freedom in Christ.  Not to mention it is just down right sin and an offense to God.  Yep, it is.  When we think we can have all the treasures and blessings of God through His Son, yet skip out on surrendering all of ourselves—we are only deceived.  Because, frankly, we do not have all the treasures and blessings of God if we have not completely and totally abandoned our entire being to the Lord Jesus.    

He’s calling for you.  What is holding you back?

Suffering = Freedom

After my last blog I promised I would write on waiting on God even when it doesn't really make sense to us.  Well, here it is. 

So you have accepted and rejoice in the fact that God is working for your good, you are believing Him by faith putting your hope in His promises.  Yet, you're still waiting.  

God needs to do some work in us, and sometimes it takes time…often times it is more time than we imagined.  Yet, it’s here that we become whole and free.   God longs to free us and He will use these times of waiting to do just that.  How do I know?  Because I have seen Him do it in my own heart.  My faith, and yours too can become deeper and stronger than ever before.  

There will be some things God calls us to persevere and wait.  Why?  Because it’s there that we learn about who He truly is, a God of grace and amazing patience who is sufficient for us.  It’s also here that we become more like Jesus because as Rom. 5:3-5 tells us perseverance builds character, the character of Christ Jesus.  We are formed and shaped, prepared for the work God has for us, so we don’t work out of our unhealthy selves but out of Christ in us. 

  

Okay, but what do we do when the temptation comes to doubt the goodness of God and His plans for us? What is our remedy?  It is His Word.  I can’t get over it, there’s something so powerful about it.  So captivating.  I read it and it’s like my eyes are open, and I sense newness, I sense peace.   In fact, when it comes to our trails, James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Yes, God is at work in us, transforming us into the character of His Son, so that we will not lack a thing.  What a great God we serve!

Now I know that as our waiting continues we could ask why.  We could look back and be discouraged.  We could even look forward and be discouraged.  But that my friends is a pit of the enemy, used to steal our joy in Christ.  The Word tells us “It is God who works in you to will and act according to His good purpose.” (Phil. 2:13)  You better believe the Lord’s purposes are GOOD.  Scripture also tells me, “The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds.” (Ps. 145:17)  Not only is He good, but also He is RIGHTEOUS and KIND in ALL His ways.  God has purposes and plans that are so far beyond our comprehension, plans which are making eternal impacts.  I am fully convinced that the Lord uses our pain and our suffering for good and He allows it because He loves us. 

YEP, SUFFERING IS FOR OUR FREEDOM.

Stolen Joy: The Choice to Rejoice

Do you ever find yourself in a pit?  You know, one of those pits where you lose your focus and because of that lose your joy?  I know I have.   What happens when we get in this pit?  Well, we start to focus on what we don't have and the things we're still waiting for and it consumes us with despair.   I know I'm not the only person this has ever happened too.  At least, I’d like to think I’m not.  I’d like to think there are other stubborn people out there who are trying to wrestle out their own suffering and pain.

I made a choice this week.  A choice to rejoice (that rhymes J).  Yep, I AM MAKING A CHOICE TO REJOICE.  For one, because I have so much to be thankful for and also because scripture tells us to “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18)  I believe that in my choosing to rejoice God will strengthen me with joy and build my faith in Him “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Neh. 8:10b). We also know the Lord inhabits the praise of His people, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” (Ps. 22:3)  So when we praise, you better believe His Spirit starts to fill us and empty us of the bitterness and despair.  

I know, I know, you may have just said, Andrea I’ve tried that it didn’t work.  I’ve tried praying, I’ve tried praising and I’m still stuck, still in the same circumstances.  Listen, I know it’s frustrating, I do.  Beloved, don’t you give up!  It is working, though it may not be working out your plan.  We’ve got to come to terms with that don’t we?  Yes, we do.  Allow God to transform your heart to be content with what He wants, believing it is far better for you and is where life and peace are found.  (Some of you may have come to terms with that but you’re still waiting.  Well, if that’s you check out my next blog because I’m going to look at that and why God call us to sometimes wait even though it makes no sense to us. )

Will you make the choice to rejoice with me?  I hope you do!  As I have made this choice I have felt my spirit lift and my heart renewed.  Satan has taken far too much of our joy and it is time, my friends, to rise up and claim in back.  Run to His Word.  Cling to it for dear life.  Believe it by faith and let God transform your heart as you choose to trust, and as you lift your praises to Him.  He really does have your best interest in mind. 

Gracious Father, we thank You that You are righteous in ALL Your ways and loving towards ALL You have made.  Father, you call us to rest in You, to trust You and to take you at Your Word.  Father, we surrender, we repent and we come once again to Your mercy seat to find grace and mercy to help us.  Lord, we don’t want to live in this pit anymore, but we desire to live in the joy of the Lord.  We are desperate for You.  We accept and rejoice in the plans You have for us.  Be glorified Lord!  Amen.