He Who Is in You

 October 19, 2024

Saturday

I like college football but I don't watch as much of it as I used to. It seems that teams today can't hold onto their leads like they used to. I remember when a team got ahead by four touchdowns and you could change the channel to watch a different game. That doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Teams come back while the other teams are celebrating their wins. The celebration ends when they realize they aren't winning anymore.

That seems to be the same way people live their Christian lives. They have a great victory and let their guards down. Satan hasn't given up. He keeps pegging away until he appears to have devoured these once victorious believers.

Satan attacks us at our weakest moments. He tempted Jesus after Jesus had fasted for forty days.

Matthew 4:1-3 (ESV) ¹  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²  And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³  And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”  

Satan attacks when we are idle.

2 Samuel 11:1 (ESV) ¹  In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

This was when David saw Bathsheba bathing on a roof. He was tempted because he was not doing what kings did. He remained in Jerusalem.

 Satan attacks when we are humbled.

Jesus rebukes Judas for complaining that the expensive perfume poured on Him by Mary could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus told him that he should leave her alone for she was doing something good. 

Luke 22:3 (ESV) ³  Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.

Satan uses each opportunity to tempt us. Peter thought he could never deny Jesus but he did. Paul says that the good he wants to do, he doesn't do. We are vulnerable at all times. We must not let our guards down.

You should expect an attack by Satan today. This is not prophecy. This is the nature of Satan. He will tempt you to do what you shouldn't do. He will tempt you to be still or silent when you need to act. It doesn't matter what your successes might be. He is crouching at the door.

Should we be defeated by this? By no means! Satan is not greater than He who is in us. We merely need to be alert and act in the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 4:4 (ESV) ⁴  Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.