Satan blocked our way. 1 Thessalonians 2:18
Since the first moment that goodness came into conflict with evil, this has never ceased to be true in spiritual experience: Satan blocks our way. From all points of the compass, all along the line of battle, in front of us and behind us, at the dawn of day and in the midnight hour, Satan blocks our way. If we work in the field, he tries to break our plow; if we build a wall, he attempts to knock down the stones; if we would serve God in suffering or in conflict, Satan will try to block our way—everywhere. He hinders us when we first come to Jesus Christ. When we first looked to the cross and found life, we had fierce conflicts with Satan. Now that we are saved, he endeavors to block the perfection of our personal character. You may be congratulating yourself, saying, “I have walked consistently up to this point—no one can challenge my integrity.” But beware of boasting, for your goodness has yet to be tested. Satan will direct his schemes against the very virtue for which you are famous. If you have been a strong believer up to now, know that your faith will soon be attacked; if you have been as meek as Moses, expect to be tempted to speak unwisely. Birds will peck at your ripest fruit, and wild boars will dash their tusks at your choice vines. Satan is sure to hinder us when we are praying earnestly. He tries to dampen our persistence and weaken our faith so that, if possible, we may miss the blessing. And Satan is no less vigilant in obstructing larger Christian movements. There was never a revival of religion without a revival of his opposition. As soon as Ezra and Nehemiah begin to work, Sanballat and Tobiah are stirred up to hinder them. What are we to do, then? Do not be alarmed that Satan is trying to block you, for that is a proof that you are on the Lord’s side, doing the Lord’s work. In the Lord’s strength we will win the victory and triumph over our adversary. - C. H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening
In various other posts I had been lead to speak on the wiles of the Devil, aka Satan.
In today's post we see the enemy of God in a clearer picture.
Having seen way too many movies in my short life, analogous material is everywhere for me.
In the shadows of the very successful Karate Kid movies was a spin-off of a sort that still had the original Mr. Miyagi in it. This time with a girl as the lead. Towards the very end the bad guy was beaten by Miyagi himself. As those who looked down upon the defeated man walked away in disbelief now in him, one made the remark "We thought you had all the answers, Colonel.".
In this world we are just as duped into finding all the answers in all the wrong places. We are seduced in looking for self-help material. Duped into causes and situations to join others in things that are not God honoring. We get talked into purchases that have in their real roots, selfishness. We are a world that is being drawn towards the days of Noah.
Evil honestly isn't taught. It's roots are in the sin nature we all carry. Satan knows from centuries of experience on how to bring out the worst in people.
We have an enemy that knows us better than we know ourselves.
It's why we need the Spirit of God within us to be able to stand firm against the schemes of Satan.
We need the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit. The Helmet of Salvation. The whole armor of God, not just parts of it. Read it all in Ephesians 6.
God's already won the war. Jesus meant it when He said "It is FINISHED!" What is left is to find those as yet undiscovered by us believers in our world.
We face a great many struggles. Anything and everything to take our minds off that reality and reason for being yet physically alive. We who are in Christ are only still here because of someone else we will encounter needing to know how to be saved. Along the way we are taught how to grow in Christ, but in the lives of countless trillions it wasn't necessary to live a long physical life to grow in Christ. The thief on the cross had no time at all.
Read it well what Spurgeon says. Know your enemy. You aren't in this fight alone. But you must fully understand that Satan is indeed out to silence every believer that he can. Either by the cares of this world or through attempts at murder. Whatever he's permitted by God to do.
Prayer is crucial. An unpraying believer is what Satan wants. He knows that God does nothing but by the prayers of His people, His children.
You don't pray, you made his life easier.
You don't spend time in your Bible, you made his life easier.
You don't care about people enough, you made his life easier.
Look at your life and see just who's side you see yourself helping. Remember Satan owns the fence of indecision.
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