OVERCOMERS

OVERCOMERS!

For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us—I Thessalonians 2:18

            Never forget that our adversary is actively against us. He is not just there, he is working to defeat us any way he can. He wants to hinder us from faithfully following the Lord. The Apostle Paul said that “we are not unaware of his schemes” (II Corinthians 2:11). Do we understand his schemes? Satan actually “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8).  Yes, he wants to destroy you. That is his wicked purpose. We are told to “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” (v.9). Yes, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). So let us first submit ourselves to God. Then let us resist the devil and the result is that he will flee from us. Let us be faithful in submitting and resisting!

            We are in spiritual warfare. Let us not forget this. So what are some of the devil’s schemes? Immediately in Genesis chapter 3 Eve was deceived into thinking that God was not telling her the truth. Satan attacked the Truth of God’s Word. Interjected deception is that he/we know better than God. This is huge and has continued to this very day and will continue to the end of the age. The assumption portrayed by Satan to Eve was that God did not have her best interests in mind and that He was keeping her back from something good. Satan encouraged disobedience to experience a perceived good. Satan promotes the idea that we can make decisions without consulting God. Well, we know what the result of that was/is!

            Some of Satan’s schemes:

                        -Outright denial of God’s Word.

                        -Implying God is not speaking the Truth.

                        – Interjected deception that he/we know better than God.  

                        -Insinuating that God does not have our best interests in mind.

                        -Suggesting that God is keeping us back from something good.

                        -Encouraging disobedience to experience a perceived good.

                        – Promoted the idea that we can make decisions without consulting God.

            These are just a few of Satan’s schemes that we need to be aware of. Remember, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (I John 4:4). Who have we overcome? In the context it is spirits who are not of God— false prophets and the spirit of the antichrist. Never forget that we are overcomers in Jesus— “This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (I John 5:4-5). Let us live like overcomers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXI0B4iMLuU 

Dear Father I thank You that I am an overcomer by faith in Jesus. Now may I live like an overcomer in the power of You Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus my Lord.