“The more eminent your service for God, the greater the probability that Satan is at that very moment hatching some deadly scheme against you.
Satan will come on the scene when you are on some notable errand for God's glory. He will raise himself up like a snake in your path, hissing his venomous lies. This old serpent never was a friend to kingdom work. What a handsome excuse he served the Jews: "The time is not come!" God's time was come, but not the devil's; and therefore he perverted the sense of Providence, as if it were not yet time for the Messiah.
Two periods stand out in Christ's life: His entrance into public ministry at His Baptism, and the culmination of it at His Passion. At both He had a fierce encounter with the devil. This should give you an idea of how the master tempter works. The more public your place, and the more eminent your service for God, the greater the probability that Satan is at that very moment hatching some deadly scheme against you. If even the cadet corps need to be armed against Satan's bullets of temptation, how much more the commanders and officers, who stand in the front line of battle!
Satan will not always wait until you are on an important mission to tempt you, however; he will seize every opportunity along the way to practice his enticing skills. His job is made a little easier if he can find some object to enforce his temptation. Thus he took Eve when she was looking with longing at the tree. Since her own eye first enticed her, it was all the easier for Satan to take the object of her affection, polish it to a high gloss, and with it quicken a lust which lay dormant in her heart. If we lean out the window to hear temptation's serenade, Satan is satisfied that his suit may in time be granted. If we do not wish to yield to sin, we must take care not to walk by or sit at the door of the occasion. Do not look on temptation with a wandering eye if you do not wish to be taken by it, nor allow your mind to dwell on that which you do not want lodged in your heart.”
Simple but powerful truths are given us in these words. We however have an air of invincibility. We think that will never happen to me. We do not realize Satan takes his time to scheme against us and we must beware to run to God daily.
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S. Bell http://www.moodypublishers.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment