1 John 2:21-23
I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
I like what S. D. Gordon wrote: "It is startling to think that Satan can actually come into the heart of a man in such close touch with Jesus as Judas was. And more--he is cunningly trying to do it today. Yet he can get in only through a door opened from the inside. Every man controls the door of his own life. Satan can't get in without our help.
We are not as close to Jesus as Judas Iscariot was, but Satan still managed to get into his heart. Satan is still trying to get into the hearts of the followers of Jesus, we are all targets of his insidious attempts. We need to be especially careful who we open our hearts to, because Satan cannot gain access if we do not open the door ‘from the inside’.
There are many false teachers who lull people with dishonest words spoken as if from God’s own word. We need to be very wary, check everything with our own bibles to be sure of truth. There are many men, and women, with a smooth tongue and they seem so plausible as they deceive people and draw them into the beast’s prepared trap. Waiting for us to open the door, even a crack is enough to allow entry to the heart that should belong to Jesus.
We need to be alert and prayerful, to be able to withstand the onslaught that will eventually come. Heartfelt prayers to Father, Son and Spirit are the only dependable defence, without them we are just as well not bothering. I urge all of us to step up our prayer life. This, with serious bible study, will be the only way to win the battle.
We have so much more than our lives to lose, I don’t know about anyone else, but I am sure we all want to keep our souls for the day we meet Jesus. If Satan manages to gain entry to our hearts, we lose our souls to him.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, time is moving forward, and Satan is making himself known throughout the world. We need Your help to stay strong against his followers. So many Christians have succumbed to his temptations, and they follow the words of the false preachers who tickle ears with words that are more pleasing to their ears than any other. Heavenly Father, fill us with Your Spirit until the only thing that can break through is Your voice. Hear our prayers and strengthen us for the fray. Your presence is our refuge, Your word is our hope, shield us with Your mighty hand so any weapons aimed at us cannot touch us. You are the glorious living God who deserves all praise and glory and we give You our thanks for Your word, which teaches us about the unimaginable gift You gave us in Your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment