CWW Week 24 - Day 6 - Standing Against Evil

Scripture

Peter 5:8-9 (NIV): “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

It always makes a difference knowing that we do not face the trials of life alone.

For those who do not have a voice and feel cast down, a climate change occurs when others more able and equipped add their voice to their plight.

Be alert and of sober mind means to remain alert and vigilant as a watchman on the wall because we don’t want a roaring lion devouring our community. While the notion of the devil as a roaring lion conjures up a fearsome picture, the truth is that he is so much more subtle than that in his deceptions.

He seeks to find weakness in us all but particularly in those who are standing strong against him. He sets traps for the unwary and sets snares for the inexperienced.

But fear not as long as you pray for the infilling of the Holy Spirit every hour of the day. I have learned from my own stumbles into the devils traps. Each time I wrestle with him I have learned more about myself and my desperate need of a saviour.

Wisdom comes with age and lessons learned from risks taken right? He is a two faced deceiver and he knows where our weaknesses are.

My own pornography addiction was mostly triggered by my own feelings of disconnection in times of stress when I was alone. The alarm would sound when these times arose and I could feel the dread of another fall.

He would be in my ear telling me that there was no harm in what I was doing. “It’s not like you’re having an affair or anything.” Then he would throw in a little, “oh don’t worry, you deserve a little distraction and God will look the other way. You can always repent later right?”

Then straight after I fell he would be back in my head again saying, “You just can’t help yourself can you. You are a hypocrite and a deviate and your salvation has been lost. God will never forgive you now will He? You may as well surrender to me and enjoy yourself.”

After I shake him off and try to wash the stench of sin from my nostrils I search for Jesus and there He is, right where I left Him.

He looks at me and smiles. “You don’t have to say anything, I know. I saw it all just as clearly as I see your heart. Keep your eyes focused on my eyes and don’t look down. We can do this together,” He tells me.

To be effective in standing against evil for others we must confront it in ourselves. We need to look for the tell tale signs in the reactions we get to the way we live from those around us. I have often said that “the essence of our communication is in the response we get.”

Scripture tells us that we are known by our fruit; see Matthew 7:16.

Is our walk matching our talk. I am sensitive when I feel that others are walking on eggshells around me. Why is this happening?

Often it’s not because of our behaviour but others insecurities resulting from their behaviour but to ignore it is a waste of an opportunity for all to grow.

Todays verse tells us to resist him. The only way I know how to do this is to rebuke him in the name of Jesus Christ remembering that Christs’ sacrifice for us on the cross was to give us kingdom authority over satan. Satan knows he is ultimately beaten by this sacrifice and he hates to be reminded of it in the name of Jesus. He lives in denial of his own fate and he wants to surround himself with as many lost souls as he can.

Tyranny needs to be opposed by those who champion freedom but it’s the methods we employ in the process that matters. You don’t fight against tyranny with another tyranny. History is replete with examples of this. Some leaders rise from the ashes of tyranny as they are adored by the masses only to replace one tyranny with another and the cycle continues. How does satan bring this about? By working on the new leader with greed, pride and self adoration.

Any authority based on a lie will not stand and is set to fall. 

So to whom should we give authority over our lives?

Well a dear friend of mine nailed it the other day.

Carl said that “Authority belongs to the author.”

As we stand against evil in the dark places we must never forget that “Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.” See Hebrews 12:2.

The author is the originator and the finisher is the perfecter.

When you feel alone in this struggle you need to know that you are not truly alone. He is there watching and waiting and you will never know how many people are standing in line behind you waiting to see how you overcome your struggles because they are looking at you to show them the way.

Aren’t you glad that you know Him now?

Questions.

1. Have you identified the traps and snares of life that you keep falling into?
2. Have you realised that as a work in progress that all you need to do every day is just turn up for work?
3. Can you see that in Christ and with His divine authority that you can demand satan to leave?

Prayer.

Dear Lord, Papa God.

You alone are the author and the finisher of our faith. That you are working to perfect us on this journey of life gives us great comfort in knowing that the development of our character is the journey of our lifetime.

Give us the will to turn up for work every day as you polish and refine us to stand against the evil one is our prayer in the precious name of our author, Jesus Christ.

Amen

Have a great day with Jesus.

Graham Hood.