God, who is our Creator, certainly knows us better than we know ourselves; He has the power to reveal the root cause of mysterious and obnoxious behaviors and by His special revelation, through the Word of God, He will grant to His children, because of His goodness and kindness, everything we need to break free of strongholds which were set up way before we even knew who we were in Christ Jesus.
The enemy “goes to and fro on the earth, and he walks up and down on it” (Job 1:7, ESV)?
I have come to realize, by God’s mercy and grace, through the reading of His Word daily, that the enemy’s sneaky torment and tantalizing attractions are aimed to distract, and cause guilt, shame, and condemnation. His subtle, eloquent, and stunning misrepresentation of light is a self-serving intention meant to lead God’s people astray, into the opposite direction from God’s Authority (His will, plan, and purpose) which was ordained before He created.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Gen. 1-2).
“Hovering eagle-like over the primordial deep, the almighty Spirit makes the earth into a habitation for human beings” (Reformation Study Note: Gen. 1:2).
The intrusion of Satan, upon man’s spiritual relationship with God is told in Gen. 3. Verse one says, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.”
Satan is a “high angelic creature who, before the creation of the human race, rebelled against God and has since battled with human beings and God. He is called the prince of darkness, the father of lies, the accuser, and the beguiling serpent” (The Reformation Study Bible; Theological Note: Satan; p. 760).
Satan and his minions are stronger than we are, but they are not stronger than God. Paul Washer, an American Protestant Christian Evangelist, said “The enemy is not afraid of us, he is afraid of the One who lives inside of us.” 1 John 4:4 confirms this statement, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
His plan of attack, his weapons of destruction can keep us from seeing the glory of God. He is sophisticated, his darts are tailor-made, extremely enticing, deceitful and well-thought out. In belief of the enemy’s lies, we bite just as Adam and Eve did, partaking of the “fruit” dangled before us. We think our delight in it will provide the freedom we long for; it will calm and remove those things that cause our heart discomfort. We seek to fill the voids within us with things that have no lasting value or substance. The secret places in our heart are God’s territory, His place of residence, and there is nothing that can occupy God’s space. We are all born with it, believe it or not!
How terribly wrong and unfortunate we are when we allow our human nature to run and rule over us! I am not talking only about daily offenses but also, most importantly, the iniquity we are born with.
Psalm 51: 3-6 expands on this point:
“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgement. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.”
We all enter into this world with sin and this does not refer primarily to the first or “original sin” committed by Adam and Eve. Original sin refers to the RESULT of the first sin– the corruption of the human race. Original sin refers to the fallen condition in which we are born” (The Reformation Study Bible; Theological Note: Original Sin; p. 17).
We are sinners in Adam and it is in Jesus Christ that we are saved and set free; we are righteous by the blood of Christ who died on a Cross for the sins of the world. R. C. Sproul says that the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ is sufficient for all but only efficient for some. R.C. Sproul.
The Bible tells us to be sober minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”(1 Pet. 5:8). “Satan was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8: 44).
“Take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded” (2 Chron. 15:7). We destroy the lies of the enemy and break for good the chains that bind us by taking hold of “the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Eph. 6: 17). Transformation begins by renewing our mind daily in God’s Word.
In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul writes:
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not love good, treacherous, reckless, swollen in conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
Paul, here, is addressing false teachers but, in my opinion, his instruction can be applied to those in our physical and spiritual life. No matter their position in life, whether seen or unseen, we must guard our mind and heart against those who deceive and corrupt!
2 Corinthians 3-6 speaks of walking in the flesh:
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience when our obedience is complete.”
We take the subtle suggestions injected into our minds and measure them against the Word of God. If they do no measure up, we must reject it and move on. Easier said than done, I know!! These strongholds are the center of direct opposition to the gospel. That is the enemy’s motive, to take us mentally hostage so that we are isolated and closed off for God’s use. We see ourselves in weakness and defeat rather than the powerhouse we are in Christ Jesus.
“No one can escape the devil’s net of temptation, sin, and condemnation without divine help. But neither can people escape their responsibility by trying to blame another agent, even the devil, for their condition…enslavement to sin is voluntary…we all chose in Adam to enslave ourselves to sin and apart from Christ’s intervention, we continue to chose to sin without being coerced. Only the Son of God can break this bondage and replace it with a life of forgiveness, gratitude, and obedience.” (1 John 5:19; Reformation Study Note).
Remember our “Original Sin.” No matter what we believe, the biblical truth is, we are all spiritually separated from God at birth. Our heavenly Father sent Jesus to bring the elect back to Him so that He can be in relationship with them, and so He can use His chosen to further the gospel message so others might be saved. He is building His church and one day, Jesus will return and all those who were predestined to live with Him forever will be resurrected and will live in the new earth!
We cannot get tangled up in the enemies lies, feel shameful, guilty, and condemned, lash out with disrespect nor avenge our hurts. As Paul instructs, “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” Think on those things that are Scriptural, meditate on Truth and God’s promises.
Philippians 4:8 gives us further help in our thought life:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
People are watching us! If we follow Christ as the Bible instructs, we will be God’s light and love in this world. Sure, we sin and struggle just as anyone does, but the difference is that, in Christ, we are (by grace) forgiven and we are enabled to move forward in the strength and wisdom of Christ, to do better next time. We experience brokenness over our sin and we go to Jesus with our confession and repentance, we turn from that sin, into God’s direction, we ask for His help in crucifying our sins. We do not want to keep to that sinful lifestyle but we need Jesus to help us walk upward rather than inward. The true Christian, those with saving faith, will seek Christ in ALL they do!
Take note, this does not give us permission to keep in our ungodly ways. We do not continue to sin because we know that we are forgiven. A true Christian, from their heart, desires to change and will be given (in God’s perfect timing) the empowerment needed to lay our sin down. We must not get wrapped up in our sinful behavior, those who love God, will feel the weight of their sin, and they will go to Jesus with it, in belief of their forgiveness. It is the enemy who tears us down in the sin, he covertly shifts our gaze from glory to disgrace.
Let me leave you with one more passage of Scripture from 1 John 1:5-10
“Walking in the Light:”
This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
God’s forgiveness is given as soon as we admit our need of it, not on the basis of any acts we have done to earn it, but solely because of His grace. The free gift of forgiveness carries with it purification from unrighteousness. God accepts us as righteous because He imputes to us the righteousness of Christ. That is, the very righteousness of Christ–His perfect fulfillment of all of the Lord’s requirements–is reckoned to our account when we rest in Jesus alone for salvation (Reformation Study Bible Note: 1 John 1:9).
Hallelujah!!
I pray these wonderful Truths from God have blessed you! I pray the Lord enlightens your mind, draws you close, and fills your heart with love, peace, and joy! I pray that all those who are unsaved, be saved, and all those who are weak and doubtful be granted deeper knowledge of God and greater in faith! In Jesus’ Name, Amen
God bless you and thank you for reading!
In Christ,
Racinda
Our Heavenly Prize 