Enduring Satanic Attacks

Enduring Satanic Attacks

By Dr. Charles Stanley

Ephesians 6:10-14

Every believer faces temptation. Take a moment to recall a particularly enticing situation involving something that would displease God. Did you realize you were involved in a satanic battle?

The Devil is real. Scripture reveals that he leads an army of fallen angels and is prideful enough to think he can gain victory over God. By definition, a satanic attack is a deliberate assault upon an individual, which is designed to cause spiritual, physical, material, or emotional harm. Satan desires to thwart the Lord's purpose in believers' lives, to rob them of joy and peace, and ultimately to deny God the worship He receives through yielded followers.

As in any war, knowing the enemy's plan helps us prepare for the attack. First, be aware that the battlefield takes place in our minds. To walk in a godly manner with Christ, we must first be sure that our thoughts are in submission to His Spirit. This takes daily surrender and time in God's Word. Second, Satan tempts us during vulnerable moments. Be cautious when you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (This is often known as the H.A.L.T.  warning). Third, he is deceptive; we won't recognize the trap as an evil scheme. Instead, it will seem good, and we'll likely wrestle with some sort of doubt.

As Christians, we should walk closely with Jesus. Satan desires to lure us into destructive actions that rob us of God's plan for a good, full life. Stay connected to the Savior: read the Word, pray, and fellowship with other believers. These are weapons we use against the Devil in spiritual war.

A Great Grace

A Great Grace
by Max Lucado

I can bear witness to the power of God’s grace! I could take you to the church, to the section of seats in the church auditorium. I might be able to find the very seat in which I was sitting when this grace found me. I was a twenty-year-old college sophomore, living with a concrete block of guilt that had made a mess of my life.

But then I heard a preacher describe the divine grace that is greater than sin. At the end of the message he asked if anyone would like to come forward and receive this grace. Iron chains couldn’t have held me back. Truth be told, chains had held me back. But mercy snapped the guilt chains and set me free.

I know this truth firsthand: Guilt frenzies the soul but grace calms it! The benefit of being a great sinner is dependence upon a great grace!

Wanting God’s Will in Our Way

Wanting God’s Will in Our Way
MALINDA FULLER

“He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’” Luke 22:41-42 (NLT)

I have to admit that when Jesus’ obedience works for my benefit, it’s easier to accept.

If I’m talking about salvation, I have no problem partaking in His obedience, and I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. But when it comes to a child’s health, or if a young parent’s life hangs in the balance, or when disasters strike the most vulnerable, I want to question God’s methods, timing and plan.

That might sound contemptuous, but haven’t we all wrestled with this question: Why has this bad thing happened to such a good person?

And I struggle with praying for God’s will to be done.

I’ve offered up prayers asking God for His will to be done, only to later retract them when God’s way doesn’t seem to match my pace, or when His ideas mess up my perfectly crafted plan, or He doesn’t come through the way I anticipate, pray or plead for. I’m often left shaking my head — curious if God missed something along the way.

Maybe that’s what Martha and Mary thought as their brother lay on his deathbed, and Jesus, aware of Lazarus’ condition, didn't rush to His friend's bedside. Perhaps Jairus, whose daughter also lay dying, similarly questioned Jesus’ seeming lack of urgency as He allowed her life to slip away.

The Father's will and agenda was Jesus’ priority — not seeking others’ approval, not rushing to accomplish more miracles in His limited time on earth. He wasn’t frantically traveling to every village. Unlike many of us, Jesus didn't fall into the trap of needing to do "all the things."

It’s hard to imagine waiting instead of moving, and yet, Jesus often did. He had all the answers, power and ability to turn back time and hold death at bay simultaneously, and yet — He didn’t. Because Jesus was serious when He offered up the prayer, “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine’” (Luke 22:42b).

How many of our prayers does God answer when we impatiently demand Him to, versus when He deems the time is right? How often does He wait to respond until the moment when His power can be best revealed? How many dreams does God plan to resurrect, perhaps after they’re dead and forgotten, as He’s merely waiting for us to surrender — to stop trying to solve all the problems ourselves?

We ache to have a baby and start our family, but the child God has for us won't be born for another five years.

We want a financial blessing, but He wants us to learn stewardship with the little He’s placed in our hands.

We desire influence over the masses, but He points to our home, our neighbors, our workplace — where the recognition will be little, but the fruit will be ripe.

While God may want to give us all of these things, we expect to tell Him exactly how and when plans should unfold, instead of opening our hands and acknowledging His vantage point is better.

John records Jesus’ words, explaining that "the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does" (John 5:19b, NIV).

Jesus’ radical, continual and humble submission to the ways and will of His Father is the greatest example of what it means to fully obey. What would happen if, when we came to God with our list of requests, we opened our hands and prayed like Jesus did: "Not my will, but Yours be done" …?

Father God, thank You for giving the perfect example of what obedience means — in Jesus. Thank You for His radical gift in surrendering His life in the greatest act of obedience. Help me today to hear and know Your voice and to willingly obey whatever You are asking me — without arguing, begging or trying to convince You that I know what’s best. I want to surrender, to choose obedience, and see Your will be done — instead of my own. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Hebrews 5:8, “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.” (NLT)

Being Thankful in “All” Things

Being Thankful in “All” Things
by Debbie McDaniel

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I must be honest, sometimes it's the "all" in that verse that gets me. Most of us can be thankful, for lots of things, at lots of times, but in "all" circumstances? That can be tough.

What about when you find yourself suffering illness, or defeat, or you're walking through huge loss...what about when a loved one leaves this world too soon and you still can't see past your tears...or when you've been praying for your prodigal loved one to come home and it seems like the prayers are unanswered...what about when you're discouraged, disillusioned, and struggling with disbelief...or when you're overwhelmed, overextended, and just fighting being over-stressed...what about when the needs mount high and the way doesn't look clear...or when people are cruel, life seems unfair, and the enemy's breathing down your back...what about when the storms come, and the car breaks down, or the air conditioner stops working on a holiday weekend (true story)...

Yes, these are the "all" things that can be hard to find gratitude in, whether it's huge losses or just life irritations. But God's word never changes to fit our circumstances. His Truth rises above our circumstance, so that we can too. He doesn't say give thanks "for it", but "in it all," for He knows He's building more deeply into our lives and character than He could ever build without the hard times.

We're gaining strength. We're gaining perseverance. We're being reminded that true joy is never based on how we feel or our outside situations. We're understanding that God's ways are bigger, His thoughts are higher, and we can be assured that He holds us in His hands.

And He is with us.

Always.

No matter what you might be facing, the good news is this, you woke up. He's given us today. And if we're still here, living and breathing, may our every breath bring honor to Him.

Be assured my friend, you never fight the battles alone. Stay strong. Choose joy. Choose to be grateful in it "all." For He is building greatness. He's working things out for good. He hears our prayers, He sees all, and knows all. He has purpose for our pain, and brings hope for our tomorrows...

Grace to you this day.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Recognize today, that the most difficult challenge you’re facing right now, may actually be a greater blessing, as God is working in and through your life in powerful ways. No matter how hard, choose to give Him thanks, in “all” things.