“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV)
Original art for this post by Shelby Specht – http://www.spechtdesign.weebly.com/
What does the thief steal from you? Is it your peace of mind? Is it your self-worth; your faith?
The enemy loves to lie to us. He likes to cause us to have anxious thoughts, to worry. He likes to see us angry and bitter at each other. He wants us to hate each other and ourselves. If we are not careful, we will believe his lies. I struggle with this daily. Like the snake that deceived Adam and Eve in the Garden, the enemy slithers his way into my thoughts: Jenny, you are not good enough. Jenny, bad things are going to happen to you and your family. Jenny, no one likes you; no one loves you. Jenny, you should be angry at him/her for what they did to you. Jenny, God could never forgive you for that.
How do we fight the enemy? With God’s Word, God’s truth.
“For the word of God is living and active.Sharper than any double-edge sword, it penetrated even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow.” (Hebrews 4:12)
We can fight the enemy with God’s Word. We are to hide God’s Word in our hearts (Psalm 119:11). That way, when the enemy comes to try to destroy us, our lips are ready to speak His words, His truth.
The enemy wants us to believe we are unloved, but God’s Word tells us in Ephesians 3:18-19 that His love for us surpasses knowledge:
“…together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
In one of my favorite verses from Matthew 10:29-31, Jesus tells us just how valuable we are to God.
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
The enemy wants us to be afraid, but God tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind.” In Proverbs 29:25, we are told, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”
The enemy wants us to be unkind, even hateful, to others. But, God commands us to love:
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28)
And maybe the worst lie of all, the enemy wants us to believe that God could never forgive our sin; we are just too bad; He could never love us. But God’s Word, His truth, tells us that He will forgive us of our sins and remember them no more!
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34)
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
I used to sing this song at church when I was younger:
If you read your bible, pray everyday, pray everyday
Then, you will grow, grow, grow
We can’t know God’s Word if we don’t read it everyday. His words are powerful. They can help us battle against the enemy. Read them, pray about them, speak them out loud when the enemy speaks lies to you!
Father,
Thank you that You love us beyond all measure. Thank you for your Son, Jesus. It is through Him we are forgiven and have life. You words have the power to stop the enemy’s lies. Help us find time everyday to read your words. Help us to store them up in our hearts so that we can be ready to speak truth in the face of the enemy’s lies.
Amen