May We Find Peace and Joy
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Lord, where there is strife, let there be peace. Where there is hatred, let there be love. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. Oh Lord, grant that I may not only seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we are pardoned. It is in dying that we are born to eternal life; may we find peace and joy in the new year.
Creator of Heaven and earth, the all-powerful, all knowing, and ever-present God, Himself? Throughout our lives, we face many types of enemies, but when you know your foe, and are prepared for the attack, victory is attainable.
Evil is something that know exists. It is dangerous and deadly. So, God’s Word teaches us that we can be overcomers. They are trying to get Congress to pass on teaching evolution, not God’s Word. So, we need to be much in prayer that God’s Word will be taught instead of evolution.
Satan desires to keep you and me from all that God wants in our lives. We are in a spiritual battle and the Christian is the prize. We are the prime target of the devil and he will attempt to drag us down and steal from you the resources you might use to extend the Gospel. The devil is powerful, but God’s Word teaches us in
1 John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
And if we haven’t put on the whole armor, he looks for loopholes. There is nothing good about him.
The Bible tells us:
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
The devil never gives up on his pursuit of us. There is no spiritual maturity that will keep you immune from temptation. Satan did not leave after he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. He showed up again in Nazareth tempting those who knew Him from His childhood and since they took offense at His teachings. The devil tempted them to throw Him over the cliff, but that was not God’s will and His time had not come, so He escaped.
Mark 6:9
And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
Satan showed up again in the body of a man filled with a legion of demons on the east bank of the Sea of Galilee.
Satan showed up again in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Hall of Herod and the Judgment. But the devil knew his fate was fully sealed the instant Jesus rose from the dead.
He knows too that when we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, there is nothing he can do to separate us from God’s loving presence. If Satan tempted Jesus, you know he’ll tempt us. The devil has attacked every believer who has ever lived and we are no exception. Satan seeks to draw us away from God and to thwart us in God’s plan and purpose for our lives and seeks to destroy us eternally.
Just as important in knowing who Satan is and what he’s up to, we must also recognize the limitation of Satan’s power over us. Satan cannot reverse our salvation. He cannot snatch us out of God’s eternal arms (if we’ve made up our own minds to serve Jesus only). He cannot put us in a position that is beyond God’s reach to care for us, provide for us and deliver us.
We can’t defeat the devil in our own strength, but we have the Lord. He is our source of strength and supply. He is our strength, supplier and deliverer. We must declare, as Paul did, in
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
We can’t distance the devil in our own strength, but God can. He tells us to resist the devil and he will flee from us. He tells us in
Isaiah 59:1
Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
While God and Satan are opponents, they are not equals. Satan is a created being. God is the infinite creator. There is no comparison in their power. God is all-powerful, omnipotent and omniscient.
Everything we do is known to Him, and you can be sure the attack will come to an end because He knows our strength and we are all different. Our faith is the most powerful thing we have, and it is intended to work in every area of our lives. The Bible refers to little faith, great faith and perfect faith. We are to grow daily in maturity and faith.
The enemy will strike. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when, and when he does, God takes action and in greater authority. God’s desire for you and me to experience a full and satisfying life, an abundant life. But our enemy, Satan, desires to steal our joy, destroy us and ultimately separate us from God’s presence and purposes. But we are on the winning side and God desires us to know Him better.
We as Christians need a closer walk with Christ daily. He is coming back. I believe soon.
Psalms 25:4, 5
4Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. 5Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.
Luke 8:17
For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.
Since He knows everything we think or do, doesn’t it make sense to live honestly and openly before Him and enjoy the fullness in our daily lives?
God is omnipresent (meaning He is everywhere).
Colossians 1:27
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Jesus loves us and He has gone to prepare us an eternal home. If you understand that God is in control of all things and that life is unfolding according to His Master Plan and Purpose, then we have to look at what happens in our lives and conclude: God knows all about this. He has allowed it to happen and He has a way through this difficulty and a good result at the end of this dark tunnel. God is at work fashioning all things to His glory. He is going to work all things for my eternal benefit.
Satan isn’t in any hurry. He wants to trap you, entice you, put a land mine in your path. Anything to make you fail in life. He will go to any length to destroy your character and your faith in God, but nothing is worth giving up. We’ve come too far to turn back now, but there is nothing to turn back to anyway.
We want to hear the Lord say “well done,” enter in to the joys of Heaven. We are cautioned to be alert to circumstances around us that we might avoid evil and choose what is good. We have a powerful enemy. His name is Satan, but we also have a God that loves us and cares about your spiritual welfare.
We are in a spiritual battle and you and I are the prize. Satan desires to keep us from all that God wants for you and he will do his best to keep you from having all that God wants for you, that you with God’s resources that He has given to you, to influence others for Christ. We are in a battle, a spiritual battle. And you are the prize! The devil is mean but he doesn’t look like the monster that sometimes he is portrayed to be, with horns and a tail and a pitch fork.
The Bible tells us that he can transform himself into an angel of light. So, God’s Word teaches us to be alert and pray often. Read His Word. Satan is not in a hurry. He will take his time to entice and tempt all the time it takes to destroy your faith in God.
We live in an age and time when there is no fear of God in our society. If our parents could come back, they wouldn’t believe what they’d see. There are changes daily in our society.
