The devil will do everything he can, through anyone or anything, to make us lay down the right we have as fellow heirs of Christ. The devil is already, completely, defeated and he sure knows. So he plays the mind games with us because that’s the only play he’s left with. He uses physical evidences to make us succumb to him. And it works…because most times, we (Believers) say and do things that make the devil look so cool and very powerful. While we downplay who we are and what we have in Christ.
In this post, I’m led to talk about two ways the devil tries to achieve his tricks and deceptions. The first is condemnation, the other is hopelessness. The purpose of this post is to bring us to the point where we make a firm decision to never lose our rights in Christ…no matter what.
Seated at His right hand and being just like Christ is where God wants us to be. This is the sole purpose of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Jesus came that we might have the God kind of life, in abundance. He translated us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Jesus made us more than conquerors. Jesus endured the journey to the cross and didn’t mind the shame that came with it, because He wanted us to live and lead a life that is like heaven on earth. We cannot keep succumbing to the tricks and lies of the devil. We have to make a decision, once and for all, to hold onto who we are in Christ and what we have in Christ.
“Therefore [there is] now no condemnation—no adjudging guilty of wrong—for those who are in Christ Jesus…” Romans 8:1
I once stumbled on a post by a preacher and writer named Lisa Bevere. The post says, “If you think you’ve blown God’s plan for your life, relax. You are not that powerful.” For over three years now, these words keep blessing me. Whenever I meditate on them, the reality of Romans 8:1 hits me hard.
We have to understand that our failures and mistakes don’t catch God by surprise. When you were lifting up holy hands in church on Sunday and just loving the sweet presence of your heavenly Father, with tears streaming down your checks, God saw the mistake you were going to make the next day. He knew when and how you were going to make the mistake, but He still allowed you to bask in His presence and just feel the warmth of His love. You didn’t see the mistake coming, but God did. What does that tell you? God is more interested in you than your mistake. He wants you so much that He can’t take note of that mistake, thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t condemn us; He convicts us. He tells us when we’re getting off track. He tells us to get back on track. He shows us how to get back on track. He doesn’t shout at us, call us names, or make us feel unworthy. It is the devil that brings condemnation to us. Resist the devil. Refuse to shrink into a shell because you feel you’ve made the mistakes one too many times.
If you fail, decide to repent, repent, ask for Grace to do better…and then refuse to feel bad about your failure again. Why? The answer is simple: that’s exactly how God wants you to live your life.
“…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27
There are days when we just feel like life is not worth living, because we’ve tried over and over again…but can’t seem to know how to solve the puzzle of life. Truth is…we don’t want to lose hope. We believe there’s more. We want to do better. We try to do better…but nothing seems to be working. And there, we welcome hopelessness. We hear ourselves saying things that are contrary to God’s Word and we just live in self-pity. This isn’t God’s will for us.
What is not working in our lives shouldn’t make us question God’s faithfulness towards us. God’s faithfulness is sure. God cannot leave us. He can’t forsake us (SEE Hebrews 13:5). Jesus knows how we feel, because he was a man like us. He understands how it hurts because He was hurt too (SEE Hebrews 5:15). We need to decide to hold onto God’s faithfulness without looking back…no matter what comes our way.
What and who are you even listening to? What is giving you the definition of success? Most times the reason we feel hopeless is because we are listening to every other thing and every other person, except what God is saying to us. “The professional instructor” said you’re not good enough. Your family makes you feel you’re not smart with your decisions. Social media shows you pictures that intimidate you. And you just feel you can never be “that” or do “that.”
You have to understand that the devil will use anybody or anything to bring you to the point where you don’t have any strength to push on in life. People and things can inform us, no doubt. But, when it comes to your identity and abilities, there’s only One Who is qualified to tell you who you are and what you can do…that’s your heavenly Father. All and every the Bible says you are, you are. All and every the Bible says you can do, you can do. If any other person or thing is not reaffirming who God says you are and what Jesus has empowered you to do…refuse to listen, refuse to believe.
There are many reasons why we become hopeless and we can’t talk about all of them and their solutions. But here are some things that will work, no matter the reason that might be:
Thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 5:18, Ephesians 5:20)
The Bible says to give thanks in all things. We might not know what to do, but we know God wants us to be thankful, in every circumstance. When we cultivate the spirit of gratitude, we release our frustrations to God. When we release our frustrations to God, He gives us beauty in place of ashes.
Declare God’s promises over your life (2 Corinthian 4:13)
Scattered all over the Bible, are God’s promises to us. If you believe God’s Word then you have to speak it over your life. When we declare God’s promises over our lives, even God can’t stop the effect His promises will have in our lives, because He has exalted His Word above His name. His Word cannot go forth and not bear fruits.
Ask God for wisdom (James 1:5)
When we can’t see any light and don’t know where to turn to, we should ask God for wisdom. When we ask for wisdom, He’ll give us. He will show us the first step to take, and as we take it, He’ll reveal the next to us.
The feeling is real…but Jesus is the realest
We can’t downplay the feelings that make us embrace condemnation and hopelessness because they are very real. We can feel their tight embrace; we can feel the hotness they come with. We can see justified evidences all around us.
Nonetheless, we have to understand that what we cannot see is greater than what we can see and feel. The Bible says, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things that are invisible.” (Hebrews 11:3). ALL we can see and feel are created from what we do not see and feel. God is more real than the feeling of condemnation or hopelessness, and there’s nothing the devil can do about that. And that explains why we need to hold on tight to the Truth we have in Christ and, deliberately, train ourselves to ignore what we feel and see.
2 Corinthians 4:18 also says, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (KJB)
Decide to never allow the devil bring you to a point where you feel you’re not good enough or not worthy enough. Decide to never get to the point where you feel life is not worth living. If God doesn’t want you here on earth anymore, He’ll call you home. If you’re still here, that’s more than enough sign that you’re here to live, and live significantly.
Decide today…decide now. Let the finished works of Jesus be the only TRUTH and let every feeling or any other physical evidence be a BIG lie. Stand. Do not waver. Do not shake. Do not let go. Stand…and stand firm. You’re already more than a conqueror.
Refuse to believe the tricks and deceptions of the devil. Refuse to give up. Refuse to succumb. Refuse to give in. Refuse to cave in… Refuse to tap out.
My prayer for you and me
I degree over our lives: We will get really angry at the tricks and deceptions of the devil. We will look at him in the eye and say boldly, “MOVE!” We will know the Truth and the Truth will set us free. We will hold onto that Truth and never look back. We will stand, firmly, in the finished works of Christ. In Jesus’ name…Amen.
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