(Further reflections on "Submission"--9-Oct-2022)
Further Reflection on "Submission" - 9 October 2022
We are out of the Devil's league. We can fight all we want, but we will never be able to beat him by our own strength, for the opponent is way too powerful and invisible. In fact, Satan doesn't need to fight with us. All he needs to do is to whisper to our ears and let our inclinations run its course by telling us we just need to live for ourselves and be the king of our life. And seemingly, he had been showing a good track record of success. His main target is God's people- Christians. Although he knows he is fighting a loosing war, his aim is to bring as much casualties as possible. He finds satisfaction in seeing Christ's followers fighting each other and Christ's Body, the church, being badly injured or totally obliterated.
So how? Any hope? Yes there is hope and a game-plan.
Submit to God and resist the Devil. This is the only way to win. When we submit to the Lord, His strength will be our strength. When we resist the Devil, the wicked or devious or enticing scheme loses its grip over us. This is just the beginning and we can't stop and be complacent. We need to continue to draw near to the Lord and cleanse our "dirty hands" (activities) as we learn to let our heart be purified by His living word. Repent (mourn and weep) over our sins instantly (when we committed). Do not delay. Do not harden our heart. Do not give the Devil even an inch gap--a gap between what we know about God's word and how we actually live it. Being humble before the Lord should not be a one time project, but a lifelong pursuit of Chrislike character transformation.
So what will be the outcome? When we follow the strategy and instructions, although at the moment the Devil is not yet defeated, he will flee and wait for the opportune time (cf. Luke 4:13). This is why we cannot let our guard down in any area of our life, especially in areas of our weakness or inclinations. It is important to know that we must be believers as well as doers of God's word. Otherwise, we are no different than the Devil (cf. James 2:19). Now when this happens, God will draw near to us and exalt us. This means that we will be free from the Devil's oppression and trickeries as long as we follow the above "game plan" in fighting the Devil till the Lord, our King returns.
In Christ,
--
Pastor Lap
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