July 13, 2020
Calling Satan’s Bluff
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8, NLT).
Friend to Friend
Bullies are everywhere!
On the playground.
In the classroom.
At the office.
On the roads.
In our cities.
In our homes.
But the biggest bully of all is Satan. I don’t know about you, but I am sick and tired of Satan and his tactics. Satan is a bully. He loves to intimidate us and bring us to our knees when we are weak or wounded. Just like a lion stalking its prey, Satan monitors our every move, just waiting for the right moment to pounce.
Do not listen to the doubts and lies of Satan. His goal is to render you helpless and defeated, no longer a threat to him or his kingdom.
More important than where you have been or even where you are, is where you are headed. Don’t wait until you have it all figured out. That won’t happen this side of Heaven.
Do not wait until you think you are good enough. You never will be. Step up to the plate and be the imperfect you; allowing God’s perfection to shine through each and every weakness.
Do not listen to the doubts and lies of Satan. His goal is to render you helpless and defeated, no longer a threat to him or his kingdom.
Spiritual ignorance is not bliss – it is dangerous. Many people say it doesn’t really matter what you believe as long as you believe something! I totally disagree! The apostle Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil” (NIV). To deal with sandpaper people, we must be able to discern between truth and lies.
If the enemy can dupe us into believing his lies, those difficult relationships will eventually damage and even destroy our emotional health, seeping into the broken places, ripping open almost healed wounds inflicted by sandpaper people. Complete honesty must steer every difficult relationship because sandpaper people must always be confronted with sound, solid truth in clear and transparent conversation as well as disciplined behavior. We are in a battle for godly relationships. In order to win that battle we must identify the real enemy.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, Thank you for giving me everything I need for a life of godliness and the truth. Help me to be keenly aware of Satan’s lies and recognize them for what they are. When I have a tempting thought, I pray that the Holy Spirit will remind me of the promises of God. I want to be like David who said, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Now It’s Your Turn
Which one of the following steps do you need to take in order to experience victory over temptation? Pray through this list and place a check in front of the ones you are willing to take in your life.
_____ I now surrender to the will of God.
_____ I will tell the Devil “no” when he tempts me to sin.
_____ I will choose to obey God.
_____ I will refuse to flirt with sin.
_____ I will confess the sin in my life.
_____ I will get serious about resisting temptation and dealing with sin.
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Originally published Monday, 13 July 2020.
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