September 15, 2015
Has someone been stealing your life; robbing you of vitality and joy? Hopefully not, but there is someone bent on doing exactly that.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10.10)
In the great cosmic struggle every believer faces, an enemy is bent on our demise. If so allowed, this enemy will ransack our house and remove everything of value, and utterly destroy it all, leaving us destitute in the truest sense of the word. Sadly, he seems to work with cunning effectiveness in too many people’s lives. Plagued by depression, worry, anxiety, guilt, and general unhappiness, many of God’s people are the walking wounded rather than the overwhelmingly victorious.
Jesus “came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” That’s not to say He came to give us a trouble-free and worry-free life, because Isaiah aptly described Him prophetically as “a man of sorrows, and familiar with grief.” (Isaiah 53.3) The ultimate promise of abundant life is to be realized through resurrection and immortality in the age to come. But, dare we ask: Should not some of the future abundant life filter down into life today? Should the people of God be able to frame today’s troubles and challenges as “momentary, light affliction” (2 Corinthians 4.17) on the journey toward to kingdom of God?
There will be an increase in evil, satanic activity as this present age draws to a close. As such, there are two key imperatives for every follower of Christ: (1) abide in Christ more than ever before; and, (2) dress for the battle so as to stand your ground (Ephesians 6.10-17). To abide in Christ is to sharpen and deepen one’s personal relationship with Him, and also through the nurture and encouragement of the local body of believers. To dress for battle and stand our ground is to refuse to budge so much as an inch to an enemy who wants to dominate and destroy our lives. We refuse to allow his destructive, negative thoughts to be entertained in our minds. We saturate our minds and lives with the word of God to counteract the poison that would rob of us joy and victory.
This side of the kingdom, we won’t experience abundant life in the fullest sense of the word. But, the overflow of what is to come can bring relief and refreshing when the enemy tries to steal, kill, and destroy. May we experience today the vitality that only Christ can bring.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/
Amazon ebook & print devotional -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
paperback print copy of book — https://www.createspace.com/4500045
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10.10)
In the great cosmic struggle every believer faces, an enemy is bent on our demise. If so allowed, this enemy will ransack our house and remove everything of value, and utterly destroy it all, leaving us destitute in the truest sense of the word. Sadly, he seems to work with cunning effectiveness in too many people’s lives. Plagued by depression, worry, anxiety, guilt, and general unhappiness, many of God’s people are the walking wounded rather than the overwhelmingly victorious.
Jesus “came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” That’s not to say He came to give us a trouble-free and worry-free life, because Isaiah aptly described Him prophetically as “a man of sorrows, and familiar with grief.” (Isaiah 53.3) The ultimate promise of abundant life is to be realized through resurrection and immortality in the age to come. But, dare we ask: Should not some of the future abundant life filter down into life today? Should the people of God be able to frame today’s troubles and challenges as “momentary, light affliction” (2 Corinthians 4.17) on the journey toward to kingdom of God?
There will be an increase in evil, satanic activity as this present age draws to a close. As such, there are two key imperatives for every follower of Christ: (1) abide in Christ more than ever before; and, (2) dress for the battle so as to stand your ground (Ephesians 6.10-17). To abide in Christ is to sharpen and deepen one’s personal relationship with Him, and also through the nurture and encouragement of the local body of believers. To dress for battle and stand our ground is to refuse to budge so much as an inch to an enemy who wants to dominate and destroy our lives. We refuse to allow his destructive, negative thoughts to be entertained in our minds. We saturate our minds and lives with the word of God to counteract the poison that would rob of us joy and victory.
This side of the kingdom, we won’t experience abundant life in the fullest sense of the word. But, the overflow of what is to come can bring relief and refreshing when the enemy tries to steal, kill, and destroy. May we experience today the vitality that only Christ can bring.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/
Amazon ebook & print devotional -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
paperback print copy of book — https://www.createspace.com/4500045
posted by steve @ 9:04 AM
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