IDOK DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2010

Number 3

I’ve been reading some good stuff today.  Here are three statements from Beth Moore in her book 90 Days with Jesus, the One and Only: (1)Please understand that just because a person appears to follow Christ doesn’t necessarily mean he has placed saving faith in Him.  (2) Judas followed Christ for several years without ever giving his heart to Him.  (3) He (meaning Satan) possesses a surprising amount of patience to weave seemingly harmless events into disasters, while his subject often never sees it coming.

I figure we have seen all three of these statements in operation.  Hopefully, 1 and 2 are over and done for each of us.  I hope beyond each screen upon which this writing appears sits a person who has placed Saving Faith in Jesus Christ.  (If not and you are an honest seeker, please email me and I will share with you how I came to Saving Faith in Jesus Christ and how you can too.)  Number 3.  Now that is a different story.  We are all susceptible to this one and I dare say we shall be until we leave this earth for HOME. So what does the Word say about Satan?

Ephesians 6: NKJV 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—     [source]

Now, Sisters and Brothers, when we heed this Word, his number 3 plans will get derailed before that train hardly pulls out of the station.  Notice, please, that putting on the Armor of God will NOT stop Satan from trying — he just won’t win! 

I looked up the word WILES in my online Greek Lexicon and the Greek word for wiles is transliterated Methodeia.  We derive from it our word method. Here in this text it means cunning arts, deceit, craft and trickery.  You have heard it said or maybe you have said it yourself, ‘there’s a method to my madness’.  Well, there’s a method to Satan’s wickedness and he is hell-bent on using his methods, his craftiness, trickery and deceit on you and me.  Even as we cannot get our minds wrapped around the GOODNESS of God; we cannot fathom the EVILNESS of Satan. Look into the face of the vilest; heinous human who has ever walked this planet and that one does not even touch the surface of Satan’s depravity.   Now, think of it this way.  Lets say that one you pictured as the vilest, heinous human on the planet has a vendetta against you personally, would you want protection?  Would you do whatever it takes to be protected? And suppose one offered you safety; offered to shield you from this person?  Even to the point of standing between you and that person as your shield? Would you agree to that?  Well, we do!  We have such an enemy.  And we have such a PROTECTOR.  Lets cooperate with our Protector.  Let us not be stupid and ditch THE PROTECTOR’S PLAN for our own plan.  

Hmmm.  That’s good stuff, DADDY.  I accept.  I am willing for You to train me to use these weapons and I am way willing to stay under Your Shield of Protection.  And Holy Spirit, I am expecting You to remind me when I in stupidity resist Your Protective Shield.  I like this, ABBA.  This is good.  Thank You.  So keep applying it I pray; to me and to all who read it.  Thank You. 

I have two people on my mind regarding jobs; one without a job and one whose job is in jeopardy.  This would be scary and discouraging to me so I pray You will encourage them.  I pray You will send godly women and godly men into their lives that can speak life and health and freedom into them and I pray they will listen and receive Your Life and Health and Freedom that You so want them to have.