Remember dear friends that you have an enemy who is out to get you, not because of you, but because of who God is. The closer we get to God, the further away he will try to make us. He is the enemy of our souls. He is against you, not because He specifically chose you to attack, but because of whose you are and because God specifically chose you. He does not want you to succeed; he does not want you to do the will of God, and he hates you. He will try anything and everything to stop you on your path to freedom in Christ Jesus. We mustn’t dwell on this, however; we must be aware of it so we can resist his evil temptations. He sets snares for us, and we must remain vigilant. He uses others against us, and we must remember that when this happens, it is the enemy using them against us. They are pawns in the devil's evil schemes. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself. He is the father of lies and is out to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).
Anything that contradicts the Bible and its moral principles must be rejected. There is never a bending of the rules "just for us," not even "just this once," as the enemy might suggest. He wants us to sin and rebel against God because then he can use fear and guilt to drive a wedge between us and God.
That is why every day we must remain vigilant. Even when things seem to be going really well, this can be when we are most vulnerable and prone to attack, because the enemy is watching and waiting for us to let our guard down. He is looking for any opportunity to contribute to our downfall (1 Peter 5:8).
But having said all this, we remain on the winning team. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, defeated death, sin, and the grave, and rose again. He conquered all of that so we could be forgiven and live a new life with Him. So we could enjoy God's work of sanctification in our lives and be constantly made new day by day (2 Corinthians 5:17).
We need not fear the enemy because we answer to the Lord of all. He is our deliverer and our strength, and He watches over us at all times. We just must remain mindful and vigilant, knowing that we do have an enemy trying to steal our purpose and disrupt our calling from God.
Seek God daily. Read His Word in thanksgiving and praise.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your protection, Your strength, and Your guidance. We acknowledge that we have an enemy who seeks to destroy us, but we take heart because Jesus has already won the victory. We ask that You help us stay vigilant in our faith, guarding our hearts and minds against the enemy’s schemes. Give us the wisdom to recognize when he is at work and the courage to resist his temptations. Lord, help us to stay close to You, seek Your face daily, and be transformed more into Your likeness. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Verses:
John 10:10 – "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
1 Peter 5:8 – "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
2 Corinthians 5:17 – "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
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