July 26th
JULY 26th
Would you listen to a killer? Or do what a killer told you to do? Then why do we listen to the enemy? Jesus was very clear about the enemy’s nature and agenda. But we forget what He said and we listen to the enemy. We shouldn’t even give him a second thought; when he spits a lie out our direction we should not even entertain it for a second, but we do. Why? Because he knows our weaknesses, he has studied us and knows our target, whether that is insecurity, self-pity, or lust, or gambling, or shopping addiction, or whatever. He plays in to our weaknesses. Oh he usually doesn’t come at us with obvious murder plans, we would recognize that much too easily. No, instead he will choose things that are seemingly innocent to snag our attention and then he pounces on us.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
1 Peter 5:8-10 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 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. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
As Louie Giglio says -He will prowl around you but you don’t have to let him sit down! Take back the table the Lord has prepared for you.
As we walk forward in this new knowledge that He has prepared a table for us in the presence of our enemies, let’s ask the Lord to point out to us the ways that the enemy has taken a seat so that we can evict him!
Some of that will be by purely spiritual means (praying, maybe even fasting) but some of it will also include retraining our brains. When you have a negative thought either about yourself or about someone else, recognize it as being planted by the enemy, a killer, thief and liar. At first you may even need to tell yourself out loud that the thought came from a killer, thief and liar. When we remember that, it makes us less likely to believe it, huh? Then replace that thought/lie with a Truth from the Lord: “I am a child of the Almighty, I am fearfully and wonderfully made, God has good things planned for me, I am forgiven and redeemed, etc.” or apply those things to whomever your negative thoughts were about. Whatever it is you can always find a Truth verse to apply to the situation and if all else fails go to Philippians 4:8 and speak that. As you do this you will reinforce the correct pathways in your brain and restructure it to align with God’s purpose for you rather than the lies of the enemy.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Lord thank you for revealing the truth about the enemy. Help me to remember that and to act accordingly. Help me to recognize the ways that the enemy tries to sit at our table and show me how to kick him out. Thank you for already defeating the enemy and help me to be aware of his tactics to take me out. Show me if I am inviting him to the table myself and help me to stop. Thank you for being my hope for change. Help me to retrain my brain in Jesus name.