Accusations or Astonishment
If our purity doesn’t matter and our gladness is irrelevant; then why does the devil spend so much time trying to rob them?
How about our joy? Our peace? How about our thankful heart? How about us sharing with one another? Does the hater of our soul want that to flourish?
So, the enemy loves to whisper in our ear.
But, why should we give the enemy the desires of his heart??!!
Doesn’t he try to steal our everything? Why would we want to give him anything?
Yet, we are so prone to doubt ourselves. So, the whispers start to take their toll. He’s got some time so he tries to wait us out….with whispers of accusations…here’s some examples:
Accusation #1 “Did God really say that? Or did you think that up yourself?”
Accusation #2 “No one cares about your sacrifice, honesty, or what you are doing. Don’t you get it? Nobody cares or is even looking!”
Accusation #3 “You don’t even know how you got here. So how can you know where to go, next? You’ll never reach your goal!”
Accusation #4 “And about that; aren’t you thinking a little too highly of yourself? You can’t even give your ministry away…better keep your day job!”
Accusation #5 “You know that you’re a nobody…God only uses somebody’s!”
By the time he’s done you’re so beat down; you feel like you don’t even deserve to be a Christian. I don’t understand how this happens, but satan somehow twists or tries to twist the very things in us that should be the firmest within us. Let’s remind ourselves of the truth of the matter.
We’re not trying to answer the devil. We’re reminding ourselves (because we don’t care what the devil thinks!):
Truth #1 Yes, God really did say that! And I remember running the opposite direction for years…so I’m pretty sure I didn’t think this up!
Truth #2 Hmmmm. I seem to remember God caring enough to send His only Son while we were still slaves to sin!
God is always looking ….
“The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9 NLT)
Truth #3 “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
(Psalms 37:23 NLT)
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
(Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)
Truth #4 “yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate.” (Ezekiel 3:7 NASB)
“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name.” (John 15:16 NLT)
Truth #5 If God used a donkey; can’t He use us?
God formed man out of the dust of the ground; breathed into him and he became a living soul….
Jesus took the water and turned it into wine (Can He not take the person we are; and make us the person He sees?)….
On two different recorded occasions He took the bread and fish and blessed and multiplied them and fed the crowds….
God used John the baptist who cried out in the wilderness….
God called & used the disciples who all had no formal religious education except for Paul (and Paul had to lay that down)…
“Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.”
(1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NLT)
“It is God alone who judges; He decides who will rise and who will fall” (Psalms 75:7 NLT).
He alone decides who will be lifted up and who will be humbled! Not us! Not our own foolish thoughts or the devil’s constant whispers!
Lord, don’t let foolish agreements come between us. Agreements with selfish desires, wrong thinking, and the desires of our enemy! The enemy of both God and man. Let our thoughts of coming into agreement with him repulse us! Like it really should; if we were able to see it clearly! Let us not define ourselves or allow ourselves to be defined. We are all created uniquely by You; so help us to stop comparing. In Jesus name; amen.
Be the “you” God has intended! Not the copy of someone else who is trying to copy yet another person. Agree with Truth. He has given it to us plainly. Search it out! Don’t make agreements with the whispers! Shut them up! Lock them out!
Your job is to be focused solely on Jesus. You’ve got no time for the vain imaginations of whispers.
Your sole mission is “being” and “becoming”. Eyes fixed on Jesus! Behold Him! Be like Him!
for as it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:16 BSB
Jesus didn’t let anyone define Him; whether it was his enemies, the religious leaders, or even His beloved disciples. Jesus knew this truth; so He told them:
“I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing. In fact, the Father will show Him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. John 5:19,20 NLT
Silence the accusations,
Be like Jesus,
do what you see Him doing.
Then you and everyone around you will be astonished; even our enemy will look on, in disbelief………….it’s all he knows.
September 27th, 2016 by Eric