“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 ESV
“The believer’s life is one of setbacks and divine setups. The enemy opposes us and God defends us. We lose heart and God strengthens our hearts. We break down and God breaks through. We forget about His goodness and He reminds us once again that He is constantly and continually good.” *This excerpt was taken from Susie Larson’s devotional, Prevail
It had been a wonderful weekend of spiritual renewal. The meeting was amazing; the fellowship with Christian brothers and sisters was the icing on the cake. Shortly after arriving back home, I came down with a terrible upper respiratory infection. After a trip to the doctor and several days in bed, I finally began to get back to my energetic self. Still, I couldn’t help but feel discouraged on those days when I was feeling tired, not knowing the outcome of my health issue. I determined to turn my droopy disposition around to things of a spiritual nature and accomplished a lot, even though I wasn’t feeling up to par.
As Christians, may we always be aware of how Satan, the enemy of our soul, tries to discourage us. It is one of his specialties to bring us down even further when we are not feeling well. He knows our specific weaknesses. He knows how to plant discouraging thoughts into our minds which could temporarily remove our focus from our faith. He tries every way possible to weaken our witness of faith in Jesus Christ. What do we do when we are up against his schemes? Our only response should be not to take his bait. For my part, while I was sick, and although I didn’t feel that great, I continued with my daily quiet time through reading God’s Word, prayer, and inspirational writing. I also listened to uplifting Christian music.
I have lived for many years, for which I’m very thankful. Along with age often comes a little wisdom. I have found that through life’s hard times and challenges, Jesus offers us an abundance of His joy and peace, strength and hope, guidance and wisdom, and an intimate relationship with Himself. Lest we forget, our part is to trust Him and move in His direction. He is so good to take us right where we are and lift us up. Any setback we experience will be temporary as we walk in step with Him.
Over our lifetime, our story will have its twists and turns. We will have days of ups and downs, but God will be with us every step of the way. May we always be aware of who the enemy is and not give him the time of day. He has nothing good for us. He never has and he never will.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we bow before You with humble hearts. You are the Author and Finisher of our faith, and we give thanks. Thank You for leading us through the dark valleys of life, only to bring us out on the other side more in love with You. Thank You for protecting us against the schemes of the enemy. Help us always to be aware that Satan is working overtime in these last days. Lest we forget, may we stay focused on our faith in Jesus Christ and the glorious riches of our life through Him. Forgive us when we fail You, and continue to bring us closer to the truth of Your Word. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
