The basic plan of the enemy is to subtly (or even not so subtly) get us to cease seeing ourselves as God sees us. Satan is crafty and sneaky. He doesn't overtly tempt us with a red creature with horns carrying a pitchfork. He disguises himself as "an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14). If he can get us to live a lie rather than who we are in Christ, he not only brings us down, but many people around us.
Pastor Adam told the story of a football coach who once wrote up his starting series of plays and then "accidentally" dropped it on the field just prior to the game. The other team saw the list and picked it up, thinking they knew exactly what to do. However, it was a fake script of the plays that were going to be run and the plan all along was for this "accident" to happen. Similarly, Satan tries to trick us into a "fake script" of who we are and whose we are. Satan wants to redefine who you are and trick you into thinking, believing and living a lie. That way, you will live life in such a way that you will implement all the wrong "plays." It will affect your job, your relationships, your parenting, your marriage, and ALL of life. Satan wants to redefine who the family is, who the church is, what marriage is, what parenting looks like, and the list goes on and on.
What are some of these fake scripts we hear today?
As long as you are happy...
Just be a good person...
You only have to listen to your heart...
INVITATION: Are you living life based on a fake script? Are you committed to knowing what the true script - written in blood by Jesus Christ - says about you and how loved you are? Has the devil been working at removing your true identity and purpose given to you by God? Paul challenges us in this week's study to BE AWARE and gives us some instructions and tools for focusing and living in the abundant and joyful life that Jesus came - and died - to provide. Satan seeks the exact opposite: to kill, steal and destroy. Choose this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:14-15).
MONDAY: John 10:10: This verse lays out the opposite purposes of Jesus and of satan. Many people totally deny the existence of an "evil one" and consider it only a concept or a symbol. Alternatively, some people hyper focus on what is known as "spiritual warfare" and begin to see a devil behind every bush. What about you? Do you hyper focus on evil and demons and darkness or do you tend to discount it and ignore it? Taking time to identify how/where the "thief" is active in your life is critical. How might you ask for the help of the Holy Spirit in that regard today? Are you open and ready to listen?
TUESDAY: Ephesians 6:10: It can seem overwhelming to 'be strong in the Lord" and our culture (even the church culture) can make it seem like it's all up to us and our efforts and willpower. But notice this verse concludes with "...and in HIS mighty power." It's not all up to you. That is good news! That is freedom! How might you surrender today to the power of Jesus Christ living in and through you? How can you begin to "let go and let God" take over in your life?
WEDNESDAY: Ephesians 6:11-12: Our struggle IS NOT against flesh and blood. Are you somehow making a person, or group of persons, or a political party, or a boss, or a relative, the primary evil in your life? Might there be an invitation to begin to recognize who your true enemy is? If you ignore that Satan is the true enemy, it is easy to make some one or something else our enemy - - which is exactly where satan would love to have us, i.e. fighting each other and never paying attention to his evil ways.
THURSDAY: 2 Cor. 11:14-15: Satan knows how to trick us to get us focused on the wrong things and believing the wrong things. He gets us busy and distracted. He tries to take our eyes off the REAL battle and get us busy and distracted with things that seem to be harmless. How might you pray and be attentive to this in your life this week? You are not alone. You have the Holy Spirit.
FRIDAY: Ephesians 6:13-18: Paul, writing as he was in prison, lets us know what our strategy should be. Our human nature is to be self sufficient and rely on will power, talents, education, friends, etc. However, our battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil, so our strategies need to be spiritual. The bottom line strategy (2 Cor. 10:3-5) is to rely on the knowledge of God and our surrender to God. Paul gives us the tools to do this in these verses. When we use these tools, we can stand firm in our identity. When we fight with the spiritual tools given to us through our identity in Christ Jesus, we will have victory.