Some of the notions that he suggests are, “Did God really say that?” and “Does God actually want the best for you?” He tries to convince me that disobedience won’t hurt anything and that “everyone is doing it.” He also says things like, “You messed up again. How can you expect God to forgive you one more time? You are under condemnation, for sure.”
While I don’t let my mind park in his territory, this evil spirit is a real and powerful force not to be taken lightly. The Bible tells me that I need to know his tactics and resist him as I obey God and remember truth from His Word. Otherwise, Satan and his lies can drag me into sin and darkness, ruining my joy in Jesus and my testimony of His saving grace.
I know these things yet sometimes find myself becoming fearful without reason. Satan is at work. Or sometimes I doubt that God is listening to my prayers or acting on my behalf. I start looking at my situation instead of His promises, or forget His faithfulness in the past and wonder if He is really here for me. Again, Satan is at work, but God comes to my rescue. He takes me to verses like this one:
(Christ) has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. (1 Peter 3:22)or this one:
Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. (Romans 8:34)The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ answers all the suggestions and lies the devil can throw at me. Through His death, Jesus declares God’s love. His sacrifice covers my sin. The accuser can throw whatever he wants at me, yet even when I am guilty, my sin is forgiven — all of it.
Of course God wants the best for me. He wants me to be just like Jesus. He even promises to use all things for my good, to transform me into the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29). This includes things that might seem bad at the time, but He can use them for my good. What could be better than that!
Also, it might be true that nearly everyone else is sinning and unconcerned about pleasing God, but God calls me to be like Jesus, not like everyone else. He has taken me from sin and condemnation to a new life with forgiveness and total redemption, no matter how many times I mess up. Such goodness encourages me to walk with Him, not follow the crowd, not keep on making a mess of things.
There is no confidence stronger than the confidence of one who knows the outcome before it happens. This is the assurance Christ offers me. He has already won over the power of sin and death. He has already defeated the lies of the enemy. Even though Satan accuses me day and night before the throne of God (Revelation 12:10), Jesus lives forever to intercede for me saying, “Do not listen to him; I have died for that sin.”
Because I’m taking the offensive this week, the spiritual battles seem strong, but because Jesus wins, I know that I will not be defeated. Romans 8:37 says that I am more than a conqueror through Jesus who died and gave Himself for me. How cool is that!
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