Sunday Message Summary, 08 September 2024

The existence of each and every single believer and true follower of Christ is the bane of satan’s very existence. Satan’s mission in this life is to fight and snuff out the Word from every believer’s heart, thoughts, intentions, actions, efforts, and belief. His involuntary and instinctive reaction is to fight every single true believer who breathes and walks the earth. This reaction is not unique to a select few, we are not singled out from a select few. Satan’s reaction is the same towards all members in the entire body of Christ. All other believers in the whole wide world fight the same battle against satan because he actively (and sometimes proactively) opposes, fights, attacks, and seeks to destroy us, relentlessly. No off-days. No holidays. True to his name, our adversary is ruthless, destructive, cunning and cruel. He goes out on the prowl, actively hunting and seeking out believers that he can consume, entice to do wrong things, and tempt to indulge in the desires of the flesh. Anything that glorifies GOD, anything in the name of the LORD, will be ruthlessly and shamelessly attacked by the devil. —1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV/AMP

The reason we are seeing flames is because—(i) we are in right standing with GOD, and (ii) we are doing the right thing in GOD (doing what Christ wants). We provoke satan by doing the right things, by refusing him, by resisting him, by refusing to do the wrong things, by refusing wrong people, and by wanting to do right before man and before GOD. This places us in right standing with GOD and removes the devil from contention, and the devil absolutely hates this. Truth of the matter is that satan is not even supposed to win over the weakest believer, or even the newest convert. The devil knows that he is most powerful in sin, when we do wrong and when we commit evil. This is why he is relentless with temptations and he is shameless with pulling us into his domain of murky, wrong and evil deeds. BUT when we do the right things (that is when we refuse and resist the devil), we deny him access and we deny him any latitude to gain a foothold over our lives for him to sow his death and destruction. Satan wins over a child of GOD only when we give him access and latitude. So just do not give it to him.

In our new nature through Christ, we are good because of the Good GOD who lives in us. When satan looks at us, all he sees is the Good One who dwells in us, Godliness of the Spirit that is in you and me, and that makes him very angry. Satan fights, attacks, and opposes us because of the goodness of GOD in us (the righteousness of GOD in us). The fights and the attacks will thus come at you fast and furious. Satan will tighten the noose around your neck and tighten the screws on your life so that at some point you break. And the moment you break and do something wrong, that wrong gives him access to come in and destroy or take control of everything. So instead of buckling or breaking, stand firm because GOD has given you the grace to stand, stand firm because the opposition is not a sign for you to slow down or to stop what you are doing. To a sane mature child of GOD, these difficulties, opposition and attacks from the devil are a good sign when read and understood accordingly (properly), in the correct context.

One of the strategies of the opposer to stop us is to harass us, to wear us out, to wear us down. The devil will do his best, he will throw everything and the kitchen sink at us, to cause us to abandon GOD’s way and to abandon GOD’s will for our lives. When the opposition and attack get stronger, it simply means that we are getting too close to the breakthrough for the devil’s comfort. Oppositions and attacks must motivate us to—(i) push through and ramp up our good efforts; (ii) study the word of GOD; (iii) pray; (iv) seek the face of the LORD; (v) go to church; (vi) serve in church; and (vii) do what GOD is telling us to do. Around the time that Moses was born, Pharoah ordered the killing of all male infants born to Hebrew women in Egypt [Exodus 1:15, 22]. Around the time that Jesus was born, Herod ordered the slaughter of all boy children two years old and younger in Bethlehem and surrounding areas [Matthew 2:16]. The fiercest, most fiery, opposition almost always signals that our deliverance and blessing are getting closer. Believers that came before us overcame satan’s schemes repeatedly, glorifying GOD.

When we become of the new nature in the LORD Jesus Christ, we stand in GOD for GOD. And when we stand in GOD for GOD and we refuse to budge, the devil orders the fire to be heated seven times more. This has been satan’s method of operating since way back when, and it will not change. This is the same old MO that GOD has repeatedly defeated for those believers who have stood in GOD for GOD, and this will not change either. Scripture tells us how GOD dealt the devil a major blow, time after time, that he has never recovered from. Hebrews 11:32-34 is an open letter and a testimonial of some of the greats who were victorious because of their faith in GOD and their obedience to GOD instructions. These men of GOD did not cower, fear, run away or give up, but they stood and they fought the good fight of faith. GOD is expecting each one of us to deal the devil the same crushing blows because this is the grace GOD has given to every child of HIS, because our righteousness comes from HIM, because all of us are ordained and destined for victory to defeat satan with all his ploys and tactics.

GOD will not always prevent things from happening to us [Hebrews 11:35-38]. GOD will permit, allow and even ordain some things. We may be subjected to trial by mockery, humiliation, derision and torture as a trial of our faith, like Job. This does not mean that GOD is not with us or that we did something wrong. It just means that we must persist in faith for the victory because, like Job, GOD trusts us so much that He allows these things to happen. So ‘we must not give the devil a chance’ [Ephesians 4:27 GNT]. The Word of GOD is clear on this issue. ‘In Christ Jesus, the Father leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade’ [2 Corinthians 2:14b MSG] and ‘GOD always leads us in triumph in Christ’ [2 Corinthians 2:14a NKJV]. The righteousness of GOD (the power of GOD) inside of us transforms us into a new nature, it injects us with faith and causes us to face difficulties and not give up, no matter how rough things get. Victory is the birthright of each Christian believer born of faith. In faith we overcome. In faith we are undefeatable. In faith we are unbeatable. In faith, we are Destined For Victory.

GOD is expecting each one of us to deal the devil crushing blows because this is the grace GOD has given to every child of HIS, because our righteousness comes from HIM, and because all of us are ordained and destined for victory to defeat satan with all his ploys and tactics.