Jesus said, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may
sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith does not fail..."
Luke 22:31-32a NLT
When the devil is not trying to test me, he's trying to kill me...
sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith does not fail..."
Luke 22:31-32a NLT
When the devil is not trying to test me, he's trying to kill me...
At times, he'll come around as a shrewd serpent seeking to challenge me, as I live out my life as a follower of Messiah Jesus. While at other times, he will attempt to charge towards me as a roaring lion, hoping for the kill. Yet no matter what his given mission is on any particular day, be it to deceive or destroy, I know the Lord is always at my side.
As one who has given his life to Jesus, I can expect my faith to be tested. It's something the devil loves to do. He wants to discover my weak areas and work on them. He wants to tempt me with a particular sin, so as to get me to fall. And if he's successful, then he will use it to condemn me with the hope that I become so guilt ridden and ashamed, that I give up walking with the Lord.
But that needn't be the case. Why? Because Messiah Jesus has already paid for all my sins when He willingly died on the cross. That's what He shed His blood for. He took all my sins from the past, the present, and even the ones I would commit in the future, and washed them away.
Christ's sinless blood was sufficient payment for every sin and transgression. His shed blood even paid for my crimes. And yes, as a result of my murderous acts, I still owe a debt to society. But when it comes to God, it's all about forgiveness and restoration. It means living as a new creation in Him.
That's what the Bible declares. And if people refuse to believe it, that's okay. Because my faith and hope is not based on what others think, but on what God says. He has declared me to be fully forgiven and completely redeemed!
As the Lord promises in His word, there is no condemnation for those who have repented of their sins and have placed their faith in God's only begotten Son, Jesus (Romans 10:9-10). It is in Him alone that we "have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7 KJV).
D.B.
As one who has given his life to Jesus, I can expect my faith to be tested. It's something the devil loves to do. He wants to discover my weak areas and work on them. He wants to tempt me with a particular sin, so as to get me to fall. And if he's successful, then he will use it to condemn me with the hope that I become so guilt ridden and ashamed, that I give up walking with the Lord.
But that needn't be the case. Why? Because Messiah Jesus has already paid for all my sins when He willingly died on the cross. That's what He shed His blood for. He took all my sins from the past, the present, and even the ones I would commit in the future, and washed them away.
Christ's sinless blood was sufficient payment for every sin and transgression. His shed blood even paid for my crimes. And yes, as a result of my murderous acts, I still owe a debt to society. But when it comes to God, it's all about forgiveness and restoration. It means living as a new creation in Him.
That's what the Bible declares. And if people refuse to believe it, that's okay. Because my faith and hope is not based on what others think, but on what God says. He has declared me to be fully forgiven and completely redeemed!
As the Lord promises in His word, there is no condemnation for those who have repented of their sins and have placed their faith in God's only begotten Son, Jesus (Romans 10:9-10). It is in Him alone that we "have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7 KJV).
D.B.