Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Faith

This last month (last few weeks actually) has been a real test of faith. Not just saying, "I have faith in God" but actually living it out. Like, when things look like they're going great and then Satan tries to pull the rug out from under you, do you fall down or fall back onto what God says He has in store for you?
I'm so glad that we have hope in Him. The circumstances are not TRUTH. The TRUTH is what God has promised us and given us through His Son. I have come to realize that no matter what is happening in the physical realm that we can see, there is a spiritual battle going on at all times. We kick Satan's butt every time we pray and every time we act on faith in His Word and speak His Promises. Satan hates that. He would rather that we didn't know what is promised to us. He would rather that we get discouraged and not realize that the Book says we've already won. :) He tries to deceive us with our "situation" so that we are overwhelmed by his lies and don't rely on God. (Like we can really do anything effective without Him?) Satan tries to throw all kinds of "crap" at us so that we don't act in faith. When "circumstances" seem to pile up, Jon always reminds me that Satan is only trying so stinkin' hard because the realization of the Promise is just around the bend if we will stand strong.
Sometimes I feel like that if Satan came to us in a physical form, he would be easier to defeat. (I'm no wimp and I'd kick his teeth in before he knew it.) But, he doesn't. He works through situations and people. A ton of the books I've been reading and the scriptures I've been in recently have had a common thread. Satan creates NOTHING! He is only a deceiver. He is a liar and a distorter of the TRUTH. He can't MAKE us do anything. He only coaxes us and deceives us into making choices that are not right. That is, he TRIES to. If we know what God has promised and what He tells us about living and loving and everything, we can not be deceived. Granted, Satan tries to put a million stumbling blocks in our way. He has every bill due at the same time, every appliance/vehicle try to break down just as they are coming due too. Not to mention the lies he tries to spread about your health and job and all of that. Satan is working his tail off behind the scenes to get you to fall for it. He wants you to try to rely on yourself (because he knows he can get to you- he's been at this for a very long time.) He doesn't want you relying on God or His Word. The only way I've been able to get through these past few weeks is to realize that Satan is not the final authority. And also realize how much I've already been BLESSED!!

1 comment:

  1. Hey, I was listening to a sermon today about the Armor of God (eph 6) and it was so eye opening for me. He made a statement that struck me, he said -- You don't have to wrestle against a defeated foe... if the devil can keep you wrestling with him, he'll keep you from enjoying your VICTORY! He also talked about shouting - in your house - in the shower - praises to God. It was just so awesome to realize, that the enemy is just trying to ocupy you by getting at your goods/health/whatever, because if he keeps you busy trying to "fight" him, you can't really move forward in the kingdom of God. But the Truth is, he's already defeated. and you've already won. And telling him to leave your house - you will live in victory. This is a promise we can stand on!!! (I feel my own blog update coming on) :) Hahah. Be blessed!

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