The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10 NIV)
One of the most familiar Scriptures to many people is John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (NIV)
As we think about “eternal life,” we may think of it as life that only begins after our death on this earth. But, when Jesus told us that He came so that we would have life to the full, I believe that begins as soon as we receive Jesus Christ into our lives.
As I said in “Our Father: A Personal Journey of Discovery into the Lord’s Prayer,” P. 174, “Restoration between God and us is the beginning of restoration to wholeness in our lives.”
Everyone experiences the bumps and bruises that come along life’s way in some form – some more than others. As today’s Scripture reminds us, those events stem from the thief’s works, not Jesus’. Jesus is the One who restores us from the wounds that the thief [Satan] causes.
Once we’ve made the decision to invite Jesus into our lives, the process of restoration from the effects of those hurts begins. That journey begins when we follow the instruction given in James 4:7 (NIV), which says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee.” We submit to God by following His ways.
If we become unduly focused on what the devil is doing, it’s likely we will miss some of the awesome things that Jesus is doing for us.
When we give attention to Jesus’ love, grace, forgiveness and mercy, we are reminded that He came so that through Him, we can have full, abundant lives. Because of Him, our lives can be special, even extraordinary.
Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV) says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
When we receive Jesus into our lives, God’s Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us. Through HIS power working within us we are able to accomplish things that humanly would be unthinkable. When we receive Jesus into our lives, our eternal Salvation is assured. But once we’ve made that choice, our journey toward wholeness begins.
Satan doesn’t want us to live the life that God has in store for us, so he will do anything he can to steal, kill or destroy the blessings of God that are upon us.
It’s difficult to keep a healthy balance sometimes. In His Word, God warns us about Satan and his tactics, as He does in the first part of today’s Scripture. Satan’s activities are sometimes quite easy to identify, but that is not always the case. There are times when he can appear as an angel of light. (2 Cor. 11:14) We need to do as 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) says,” Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
A while ago, I experienced an unpleasant season of life where things were difficult, and somewhat traumatic. Instead of turning to God, I got mad at Him for allowing those things to happen. The result was that I felt alone, and I had no peace or joy. I wondered why He would allow me to feel bombarded by evil. After a while, I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed God and His presence, more than I needed anything else. I repented for allowing Satan to lure me into being angry. I confessed my fears and weakness to God, and asked Him to work in my heart to change my attitude and to work in my circumstances as was best for me.
Thankfully, repentance makes all things new. The challenging circumstances are ongoing, but I trust that God is working it all out over time. I’ve got my joy back, and it is true that the joy of the Lord is my strength. (Neh. 8:10)
My prayer is, “Thank You, Lord, for the fullness of life that You came to give to me. Please help me to be aware of Satan’s schemes, but to also remember that Your Word says, “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4b NIV) Thank You for the full armor that you have given to me, according to Ephesians 6. Please help me to clothe myself with it each day. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
