The devotional reminds me that the devil attacks God’s Word, but he also attacks God’s people. Three weapons used are persecution, peer pressure, and preoccupation.
Persecution is not a surprise. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Persecution comes from those who resist God to the point of hating all who obey Him or who remind them of their sin. Other motivations are possible, but mostly I wonder why anyone would hate holiness to that degree.
Peer pressure can also be an effective weapon. I can remember times when I did not speak about Jesus for fear of offending others and ruining my relationship with them. God is teaching me to speak what He puts on my heart and trust Him with the results. Many times I’ve been surprised at receptivity rather than rejection and realize some people have an unspoken hunger for truth and for spiritual encouragement. They welcome anything that points them in the right direction.
The third weapon is preoccupation with the world. Being a Christian in America isn’t as life-threatening here as it is in some countries. This distraction puts people in danger of spiritual complacency. When I have been preoccupied with this life’s stuff, listening to God and doing His will becomes fainter. God wants me totally preoccupied with serving and glorifying Jesus Christ, not involved in worldly thinking:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15–17)
Jesus tells me to not to be concerned about worldly gains, or even daily needs. He says, “For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:32–33)
On the other hand, the enemy wants me to worry about stuff like the price of groceries, loss of income, having enough friends, being popular, being competitive in some area, and so on. The solution is:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1–2)
To this, He adds: “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” (Romans 12:3) If I am thinking too highly of myself, I am having problems with worldliness, and that is a tool of the devil to keep me from trusting God (instead of me). I even become unable to pray with the humility necessary for asking God’s help.
PRAY: Jesus, grant me the grace to remember that You can use persecution to mature me and bring glory to Yourself. Enable to me to daily choose to please You and never fear what people can do to me. Also, help me to properly evaluate what is important to You rather that being preoccupied with worldly ideas or anything selfishly desired and unrelated to Your kingdom and Your will. One thing I do know is that if I were not experiencing enemy attacks, it would be because I’m no threat to him. Keep me spiritually alert so his attacks do not catch me napping.
PONDER: Matthew 26:31–56 tells how the disciples were caught off-guard. What would have helped them (and me) avoid the surprises that the enemy uses to render God’s people useless?
No comments:
Post a Comment