ORIGINALLY PRINTED IN THE FALL 2016 EDITION OF “FOOD FOR THOUGHT” NEWSLETTER
In the summer 2016 edition of “Food For Thought,” I wrote an article entitled “Living Life Abundantly.” That article was based on John 10:10 (NKJV) where Jesus says, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” In that article I focused on the abundant life that Jesus came to give us.
Our thoughts on the meaning of ‘abundant life’ often differ from Jesus’. Likewise, our thoughts about Satan’s role as a thief are frequently quite different than His. In this article, I’d like to take a closer look at Satan’s intentions for, and activities in our lives.
All throughout God’s Word, there are numerous warnings about Satan’s plots against us, and that we need to be steadfast in the fight against him. Here are just a few of those Scriptures…
1 Peter 5:8-9 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
Ephesians 6: 10-13 – Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (See also verses 14-18, as they elaborate more on the whole armor of God)
1 Corinthians 10: 12-13 – Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
James 4:7– Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Let’s always remember that while the thief, Satan, may win some of the battles you have with him, Jesus Christ has already won the war against him. The war was won more than 2000 years ago – on Calvary’s Cross! Satan knows he has already been defeated, so he is trying to take as much away from us as he can. His time to do so, is short, and he knows it.
In His Word, God has given us all we need to be victorious against Satan and his schemes. Once we know God’s truth, we need to take it seriously, and put His instructions into practice. He loves us and wants us to be protected from any of the harm that the thief, Satan intends for us.
Sometimes it’s fairly easy to look at other people’s lives, and see Satan’s effect on them. “What are some of the effects that Satan has on YOUR life?” “What are some of the things he has stolen from, or destroyed in YOUR life?”
Some people live with addictions, broken relationships, financial hardships, abuses, and numerous other things that are fairly obvious works of the thief. Any of those issues can have more subtle effects as well, and can be used to steal your sense of value, cause you to feel unworthy of God’s blessings, or prevent you from living in your God-given potential.
I’ve had some physical infirmities since birth that cause me to struggle with fear, insecurity and the effects of being rejected at times in my life, especially when I was younger. Even though that rejection is mainly part of my past, the effects of it still linger. That is part of how the thief still attempts to steal from me, and destroy my ability to walk into my God-given destiny.
For those who know me well, those issues are probably fairly obvious. However, I go through some challenges that are more easily hidden from others, but are just as damaging to my life.
Some of those more subtle effects on my life are that I second –guess myself a lot, which has made it very difficult for me to confidently step into God’s plan for my life, and to become the person that He created me to be. Whenever I have a request to make of someone that will require any time or effort from them, I struggle with feeling like I am being a bother to that person. Thankfully, God has blessed my life with many people who have been willing to come alongside me and help me every step of the way.
Through those weaknesses, Satan endeavors to steal my peace, my joy and the future that God intends for me. Whatever our weaknesses may be, he desires to use them to keep us from fulfilling God’s will for our lives as revealed through the Apostle Paul’s word to the church in Ephesus. Ephesians 4: 1-3 says, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
A little further in Ephesians 4:11-12, the Apostle Paul reminds us that there is a place for everyone in God’s family. Regardless of how we may feel about ourselves, we are dearly loved by God. All of His children have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Every person has received gifts from Him that will enable us to accomplish our part in the work of God’s kingdom.
That Scripture says, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,”
Through relationship with Him, and exercising the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives us, God desires that we become spiritually mature, and therefore less likely to fall victim to Satan’s plots against us.
In confirmation of that, the Apostle Paul’s message to us continues in Ephesians 4: 13 to 16, which says, “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
Through Jesus’ prayer to His Father in John 17:20-21, the desire of His heart is revealed. He said, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
When we become aware that we do have value to God and we have a place in His family, we become a threat to Satan’s plans. The thief’s ultimate target is to steal the unity within the God’s family – the Body of Christ.
How is Satan attempting to steal, kill and destroy the good things in YOUR life?
Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, you and I don’t have to be victims of Satan’s schemes. In Him, you ARE victorious. Stand firm in faith in Jesus Christ, and take hold of that victory today!
