Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Fear Not: The Lord Vindicates Us


We, the servants of the Lord, have no need to fear anything or anyone. "Security and final victory are the heritage of each faithful servant of the Lord." (Matthew Henry) The battle belongs to the Lord; through Christ, we have already won. Do not worry if others accuse you or attack you. God is our Defender. God protects and preserves us when the Enemy comes against us in any form. By faith we have been justified (vindicated) and by grace we have been sanctified. Fear not! Our victory is in Jesus. His righteousness has been imputed to us. We are free from all the accusations of people and devils. "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies." (Romans 8:33)

Satan (the Enemy) is real and is actively and aggressively seeking to destroy all that God loves, especially us, His beloved children. He likes to roar insults, accusations, and lies at us to intimidate us, to get us to doubt God and/or stay away from God, to make us anxious and fearful, to make us feel unloved, unworthy, and unfruitful for the kingdom of God. Spiritual warfare is real but we don't have to be afraid of it. Our God is stronger than our adversary. He gives us power through Jesus Christ to overcome all attacks from the devil. First, we must stay alert, be watchful/vigilant, and be self-controlled. Don't let down your guard. Watch out for Satan and his tricks & temptations. His schemes are cleverly hidden and disguised. He loves to make sin look sweet and God's principles burdensome. Know your Enemy but more importantly, know God (and His Word) so that you will know how to respond, defend yourselves, and defeat your Enemy. Don't let him outwit you. We're told to resist him. Stand firm and strong in the faith, in God's truths, in the Holy Spirit's power and we'll have courage to say no to all ungodliness and be able to overcome evil. Put on the full armor of God daily (Ephesians 6:10-18). 


"One of the devil's snares is to occupy us with the past and future so as to take away our peace for the present." (Unknown)

If you're feeling weary today, run to Jesus and let His love empower you to face every fear, worry, shame, and discouragement that Satan throws at you. Don't listen to the father of lies. Unseen spiritual battles must be fought in Christ's name and by the power of His blood. "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) The devil is to be resisted through divine grace and power. Remember that we're more than conquerors through Christ. A surrendered life (to Christ) is a victorious life. As we humble ourselves and rest at Jesus's feet, He promises to give us everything we need to live a victorious, godly life. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) 








Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for being my Defender and Protector! In You alone, I have righteousness and strength. Please help me be victorious over any doubts, fears, or worries that the Enemy tries to throw at me. Please give me wisdom and discernment so that I may detect and reject his lies immediately.


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