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Satan’s miscalculation

To hear this Morning Devotion, please click Satan’s miscalculation
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Talk about a contrast.

So many times, God has sent blessings into our lives to influence us toward a more faithful life.

Yet, we’ve misread those blessings and misused them for purposes contrary to the purposes of God.

And so many times, Satan has tossed wrenches of affliction or attack into our lives to influence us toward a less faithful life.

Yet, we’ve seen clearly his schemes and we’ve used them against him as we held tightly to the purposes of God.

It really is amazing when you think of the measure of authority that God has given us for determining the direction of our faith.

It’s all about our choices.

As powerful as Satan is, he cannot force you or me to choose his scheme. Instead, the choice rests with us.

This must be terribly frustrating to Satan, this fact that humble, little humans with faith can resist his temptations and torments.

On the flip side, God is even more powerful than Satan and yet He created you and me with the ability to tell Him “No.”

Sadly, we do just that on too many occasions.

This is terribly disappointing to Him, this fact that humble, little humans lacking faith can quite readily resist His Truth, His Spirit and His grace.

And sadly, as demonstrated by countless millions in scripture, we also do that on too many occasions.

Life is so much better all around when we say “No” to Satan and “Yes” to God.

Our life as a Christian is to be a journey of learning how to more regularly do both of the above.

That’s why the Apostle Paul wrote what he did in Romans 7, today’s reading in the One-Year Bible. Here is an excerpt that captures the essence of what stirred my heart, soul and mind today to write about the idea of choice.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God” (v. 4).

Paul wrote the above with the knowledge that a change of the soul’s address does not change Satan’s objective of taking person’s soul with him to hell.

In fact, choosing Jesus puts that person square in the sights of Satan’s attacks.

Many of us know this from personal experience.

What Paul seemed to be saying was that our choice to say “No” to Satan should be easier than ever for every inch we move closer to Jesus.

For that “old person” in our lives who used to sometimes crave and swallow Satan’s poison pills was buried with Christ in the watery grave of baptism.

This great promise woven throughout the New Testament has brought great comfort to me and to millions of Christians.

Listen, Satan makes us do nothing.

We CAN make him do something, however, whenever we demonstrate that Jesus is the Lord of our lives.

We can make him remember that God is more powerful than he will ever be.

And in doing so, we show God that we’ve correctly understood His blessings and are choosing to serve Him.

After all, that’s what chosen people do, right?

He chose us.

We choose Him.

It’s a beautiful thing.

As always, I love you
Martin

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