"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
"Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. " (1 Peter 5: 6-9)
We have an enemy in this world -- Satan, the adversary, the accuser of the brethren.
Yet the thoughts and feelings which attack us, the lies which beset us, they are in many cases from Satan.
Our thoughts inform our feelings, beloved, not our circumstances. We can be cool no matter what is happening, or we can be miserable no matter good things may be, if we choose to focus and fight with the lies which Satan attempts to attack us with.
Peter told his readers what to do when we are so attacked:
"Resist stedfast in the faith".
In fact, we can rejoice that we are under attack in our minds, that bad thoughts plague us because we can rest assured that the Devil is throwing everything he can to stop us:
"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)
The key for believers, though, is that we must stop identifying with the angry, bitter thoughts which afflict us, for their are manifestations of our flesh:
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
"Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
"Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." (Galatians 5: 19-21)
"Variance, emulations, wrath, strife": all of these are borne out in us by just being in the world or when we are trying in our own efforts to be holy and good.
Let us walk in the Spirit, rather (Galatains 5: 16), and reckon ourselves dead in the flesh:
"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6: 11)
Faith is the shield that protects us from the fiery darts of the Enemy:
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (Ephesians 6: 11)
Yet the problem for many believers is that we are working to put out these fires -- and works is the opposite of faith!
"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
"Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. " (1 Peter 5: 6-9)
We have an enemy in this world -- Satan, the adversary, the accuser of the brethren.
Yet the thoughts and feelings which attack us, the lies which beset us, they are in many cases from Satan.
Our thoughts inform our feelings, beloved, not our circumstances. We can be cool no matter what is happening, or we can be miserable no matter good things may be, if we choose to focus and fight with the lies which Satan attempts to attack us with.
Peter told his readers what to do when we are so attacked:
"Resist stedfast in the faith".
In fact, we can rejoice that we are under attack in our minds, that bad thoughts plague us because we can rest assured that the Devil is throwing everything he can to stop us:
"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)
The key for believers, though, is that we must stop identifying with the angry, bitter thoughts which afflict us, for their are manifestations of our flesh:
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
"Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
"Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." (Galatians 5: 19-21)
"Variance, emulations, wrath, strife": all of these are borne out in us by just being in the world or when we are trying in our own efforts to be holy and good.
Let us walk in the Spirit, rather (Galatains 5: 16), and reckon ourselves dead in the flesh:
"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6: 11)
Faith is the shield that protects us from the fiery darts of the Enemy:
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (Ephesians 6: 11)
Yet the problem for many believers is that we are working to put out these fires -- and works is the opposite of faith!
He has no power, we do not have to keep taking our inventory, we do not have to run and share our feelings with someone in order to "break free" of a resentment.
Let us rest in the love and acceptance that we have in Christ Jesus, and Satan's fiery darts will be quenched and no longer afflict us!
No comments:
Post a Comment