“Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of my salvation, and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:11-12
One day last week, I was driving along in the car with my three daughters. We were listening to the local Christian radio station, and a station break was beginning. The DJ made a reference to what happened in Aurora, Colorado. He never said what exactly happened, but made a plea for prayer.
We did not know the story, but right then and there, we prayed for the people of Aurora and anyone else which may have been affected by this unknown tragedy.
Much later in the day, I hopped onto a news site via the internet and learned what we had lifted in prayer. Out teenage daughter also learned what had happened and we began a very interesting discussion.
The conclusion we drew, in simple terms, is this: 1) We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
2) Because God loves us so much, He did not want to be separated from us. Jesus is the bridge to bring us back to God. (John 3:16) Am I always making that choice to search for my Savior?
3) Yes, we will sin, but as a college chaplain spoke about one time: a one-time mistake is a sin we do once. We must learn from that time, and set up guard rails so we do not do it again. But, just assuming we are all human and therefore will sin and when we do not attempt to set up roadblocks from sin, but accept it as a human condition, we have made a fatal error.
When we establish a lifestyle of sin, we are indeed giving Satan a foothold. Let’s think about that for a moment. Do you ever want to give Satan a foothold? We each have enough trouble from Him without handing him a foothold. Do not give ammunition to the Enemy! Sounds so simple, yet is often so difficult.
For so many, and possibly the accused gunman in Aurora as well, life becomes difficult. Maybe things did not go the way we planned: the job did not work out, the relationship you envisioned is not going where you want, or you are simply not as far along as you would like. Whatever the reason, do you turn to Philippians 4:8 and focus on the positives? Or, like many, do you focus on the negatives, because, the disappointments sparks those feelings?
Paul wrote that he had learned to be content no matter what the circumstances. He had learned that nothing, nothing else mattered. He knew God loved him. He knew God had a plan for his life, and he was confident that no matter what happened God would fulfill His promise and use it all for good. (Romans 8:28)
Let’s not forget that Paul received forty lashes minus one five separate occasions! He was beaten with rods three times. He was shipwrecked three times. He was stoned. (2 Cor. 11:24-25) Let’s face it, his adult life was very difficult. A far cry from the childhood of comfort he knew.
But, as an adult he had a personal relationship with Christ. He refused to let the circumstances of life get to him. He refused to give Satan a foothold.
How would your life be different if you just outright refused to give Satan a foothold? Everytime He comes at you with negativity, you force your mind on Philippians 4:8. When you are faced with difficulty you cling to Romans 8:28.
When you feel you can no longer pray, you claim Romans 8:26, trusting that the Holy Spirit is interceding for you.
God promises all the above. Satan is counting on you not to recall those promises. He is counting on you not to claim those promises. And He is counting on you gladly giving him that foothold.
When we hand him the foothold, and listen to his lies: ‘you are worthless’, ‘you cannot succeed’, ‘no one will ever loves you’, etc; we are accepting far less than what God has planned for us.
When we stop praying, Satan starts dancing. When we accept the sinful person we are and stop trying to be better, “This is who I am” mindset, we are limiting what God can do in our lives.
I love Beth Moore’s writing and Bible studies, and I love her ministry name “Living Proof Ministries”. Beth openly admits she does not have it all together. Without Christ, her life would be a mess. I am so with her! And, I am so encouraged that even though she is a very successful writer and speaker, she offers her life story as a testimony to God’s goodness and grace. She claims herself as ‘Living Proof’ of some of what God can do to turn things around.
Are you struggling with the terms of life you have been given? Don’t like the cards you have been dealt? Do not settle for less than God wants to give you. You may be facing a life threatening illness, you can still live joyfully. You may really hate your job; challenge yourself to find one good thing each day. Pray, asking God if you should make a change, and wait for His direction. Facing a dying relationship? God loves you more than any human could ever possibly love you.
Your self-esteem should not be tied up in whether someone else sees value in you: whether a significant other, a boss, or anyone else. Your self-esteem should rest solely in the lover of your soul: Jesus Christ.
When things do not go as ‘planned’; do not allow those events to dictate the rest of your life. Do not dive into a downward spiral of negative thinking; then negative behavior may begin to define you. God has created each and every one of us. He has a plan for each of us. He has a claim on each of our lives: a claim which will give us each the very best He has to give. It may not always look as we picture for ourselves, but when we hang in there for the long-term, and base our faith on His promises and not on our feelings, we will see, that He will indeed fulfill those promises.
Otherwise, we allow our lives to become lifeless. We are no longer living joyfully, and we are freely giving Satan a stronghold on our hearts. We see no inspiration, we hear no encouragement. And we offer nothing positive in return. Sometimes, we even destruct others lives as we call out in pain, and willingly work for Satan. Whether we think of it in those terms or not, that is the end result.
Refuse to let your life become a legacy of lifelessness. Unlike the idea some take from Stephen Covey’s ” Seven Habits”, life may not turn out as you planned. But you can trust that God will use whatever happens for good. And it will turn out as He planned, if you trust in Him, cling to His promises, and obey His word. He loves you more than you can imagine! Try to honor that love by obeying His word, even when you do not feel like it.
Reflections:
1) Take a good look at your life today. What struggles do you have?
2) Contemplate God’s actions of sending Christ to restore our relationship with God. Can you really fathom that amount of love?
3)Explore Satan’s role. Read Job 1:7 and Luke 4:13. Satan is constantly prowling the earth looking for someone, anyone, whom He can devour. And He watches us. He will wait to a perceived opportune time, so set up those guard rails!
4)How do I react when negative things happen to me? What does a more Biblical response look like? Read Philippians 4:8, Proverbs 3:5-6, James 4:7, and James 5:11.
5) Contemplate your role in spiritual warfare. Your life is significant! Use your life to honor God!
Thank you for your encouragement! Please take a moment today and pray for all those affected in Colorado. Please also pray for those everywhere who are struggling and do not now how to find the way out.
Please return by Monday, July 30, for the next post.