God is the polar opposite. In order to be involved in your life, He must be invited. He will never make you do anything. He waits to be asked. That’s what faith is all about.But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him.
For whoever would come near to God must believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him. (Heb. 11:6)
“To diligently seek Him” means that you must ask Him to be involved. He will never intrude into your affairs. Jesus is the ultimate gentleman.But the devil is very seductive. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. (Gen. 3:1)
The word subtle in this verse literally means “the whisperer that shines.”
You see, the devil’s statements in your head seem to make sense. He never comes declaring, “I am the devil. I’m trying to force my way into your life.”
No, he tells you that the words of defeat he is bringing against you are actually God talking to you!
Let me give you a tip on how to recognize that the devil is trying to cross a boundary into your life and what to do when he comes. If the thought you are having is a condemning thought, it’s the devil! There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Rom. 8:1)
When God talks to you it may bring conviction and even a challenge to change, but He will never condemn you. He will never say things like:
You’re such a loser!
You are an idiot!
You blew it again!
You’ll never change!
Those thoughts are from the devil!
When those kinds of thoughts come rushing into your head, say out loud (you probably want to do this when you are alone), “Lord Jesus, the thought just came to me that I am a loser. What do you say about that?”
Here is a sample of what He says:
Nay, in all these things (that means in the midst of any kind of challenge that comes your way). We are more than conquerors (winners, and not losers) through Him that loved us. (Rom. 8:37) I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one (this doesn’t mean perfect as if you’ll never make another mistake, but it means you are COMPLETE in Christ spiritually, and you’re in the process of being completed in your thinking), and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23)
Wait a minute! Are you telling me that God loves me as much as He loves Jesus? Can that be? That’s what the scripture says. If God loves you as much as He loves Jesus, how can you be a loser?
Learn to answer the devil’s lies that try to force themselves into your head with the words of Almighty God that are written about you in the Bible! Say the scriptures out loud with boldness! Declare who you are and what Jesus has done for you! The devil will quickly get tired of getting his head beat in and will think twice about crossing the boundaries of faith that you set up in your life!
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Ken began his ministry 20 years ago as he worked under Willie George, helping establish music and worship with children through meetings, recordings and the television program The Gospel Bill Show. Ken and his wife Trudi Blount are called of God to communicate the principles of God's Word concerning worship and prayer.
