SATAN IS MAKING A BIG MISTAKE!

This is the third blog on the theme, YOU CAN’T STOP TROUBLE. In our previous blog we considered the kind of trouble which God allows in our life as a purifying fire—see Peter 1:6-7.  It is our faith which is forged in the fire. When John Gram was a high school junior he gave a speech (http://www.leaderu.com/common/johngram.html) titled, FAITH FORGED IN THE FIRE. It is a very encouraging and, at the very same time, challenging speech. There is one statement which grabbed my attention as I read the speech the first time: “It is very easy to trust when we have the answers; faith comes from trusting without the answers.” As the intensity of the fire continues to increase and the length of time in the furnace of adversity is extended, each of us is faced with a choice: Will I continue in faith, and trust God for my life? 

There is another kind of trouble which God allows in our life—the devil’s evil schemes. In 2 Corinthians 2:11 (NLT) “…so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes.” Paul brings to the attention of his readers the “evil schemes” of Satan. He refers to these schemes in the context of forgiveness (which will be our theme in the teaching this coming Sunday, March 13, at King Mountain Church). Even though we’re told repeatedly in the Bible that Satan is on a mission to bring destruction and devastation in our lives, it seems like many times we fail to recognize his strategies. It’s like we don’t want to believe we have an enemy of our soul. The words of Jesus in Luke 22, as he talked to Simon Peter, impact me on a deep, deep level: "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to have all of you, to sift you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail.” When I replace Simon’s name with mine, it causes me to see the spiritual battle for our faith, in a whole new way. “Mark, Mark, Satan has asked to have all of you, to sift you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Mark, that your faith should not fail.” Writing this while sitting in Starbucks, might not be my best idea in awhile, because as I am reminded that Jesus is praying for me and, specifically, praying that my faith will not fail, hits me on a deep level. (Insert your name in Luke 22:31-32 and see what happens!)

Hebrews 7:25 NIV “Therefore (Jesus) is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

Romans 8:34 NIV “Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

 

BTW, Romans 8:26—The Holy Spirit is praying for us, too!

I feel like I have personal experience with the phrase “sift you like wheat.” I am very aware the evil schemes and strategies of Satan which have been at work in my life and the lives of those around me. But Satan is making a big mistake! He may be doing his thing, and trying to destroy our faith in God, but it’s not going to work. Our faith is NOT going to fail!!! We’re going to keep trusting God, even when answers to the troubles in our life are delayed or are different than we desire. 

I am praying for you, and even better, Jesus is praying for you. 

TO BE CONTINUED